Aerobatics Approval and Exemption to Controlled Airspace Restrictions

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I am publishing the following info on an exemption to the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) rules on aerobatics, to help me (and other people), find this info in the future.

CAR 602.27 has a very strict requirement which pretty much prohibits aerobatics in most of Canadian airspace.

602.27 No person operating an aircraft shall conduct aerobatic manoeuvres

  1. over a built-up area or an open-air assembly of persons;
  2. in controlled airspace, except in accordance with a special flight operations certificate issued pursuant to section 603.67;
  3. when flight visibility is less than three miles; or
  4. below 2,000 feet AGL, except in accordance with a special flight operations certificate issued pursuant to section 603.02 or 603.67.

The problem is that most airspace in southern Canada above 2000 ft AGL is controlled airspace, and you pretty much need to be an airshow pilot or aerobatic competitor to get issued a special flight operations certificate under CAR 603.67. I dug into this apparent problem with a contact in that part of Transport Canada, and he told me that they were aware of the problem, and that they had issued an exemption to this reg to sort out the problem.

Basically, CAR 602.27 (b) is replaced with:

  1. The person shall advise the appropriate air traffic services unit prior to conducting aerobatic manoeuvres in any class of controlled airspace that requires radio contact with air traffic services;
  2. Where the aerobatic manoeuvres will be conducted in Class A, B or C airspace or Class D Control Zones, prior coordination between the person conducting the aerobatic manoeuvres and the air traffic control unit providing air traffic control services in the above airspace shall be carried out.

Of course, I can’t legally fly aerobatics yet, as I need to go through an approval process with Transport Canada before I can legally fly aerobatics in this aircraft. I still need to work through how to unravel a Catch 22 - at the moment, I am required to have a placard on the instrument panel “Aerobatics Prohibited”. I am required to comply with all placards. I can’t remove that placard until I get approval, and in order to get that approval I must evaluate the aircraft by performing aerobatics.