AIP Canada

[Bede]

Maybe I've been living under a rock for a while, but what's the purpose of the AIP? It looks like similar info to what was in the back of the CFS, but most of that stuff was in the AIM anyways.

[photofly]

The AIP satisfies an ICAO obligation; every country has to publish one. It can refer to other national documents - and frequently does!

See chapter 2 of part 3 of this document:
https://www.icao.int/NACC/Documents/eDO ... ul2021.pdf

One thing that is in the Canada AIP that's not (as far as I know) anywhere else is the list of differences from ICAO standards and recommendations. It's a long table; you'll find it in AIP Canada GEN 1.7.

[Bede]

How long has it been around for? Just curious how long I've been living under my rock.

[photofly]

How long has it been around for? Just curious how long I've been living under my rock.

Forever, as far as I know. Decades, at least.

The supplements and circulars volumes are worth a browse, too.

[khedrei]

My understanding is that the AIP is no longer a document that concerns pilots. At least not the way it used to. The former AIP is now the AIM which is often referenced by pilots.

The AIP is a NAV Canada document not a TC document like it used to be. The AIM took its place.

[photofly]

Here's what TC has to say, well worth a read:
https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/public ... cao-tc-aim

My understanding is that the AIP is no longer a document that concerns pilots. At least not the way it used to. The former AIP is now the AIM which is often referenced by pilots.

The AIP is a NAV Canada document not a TC document like it used to be. The AIM took its place.

TC disagrees with you. According to Transport Canada the two documents serve different functions, and the AIM is not a replacement for the AIP, which must still be referred to by pilots (emphasis mine):

In Canada, pre-flight and in-flight information necessary for the safe and efficient movement of aircraft in Canadian airspace can be found in the AIP Canada ICAO. Conversely, educational reference material that may be useful to pilots is normally published in the Transport Canada Aeronautical Information Manual (TC AIM).
...
Pilots are reminded of the importance of referring to all parts of AIP Canada (ICAO) to obtain pre-flight and in-flight information necessary for the safe and efficient movement of aircraft in Canadian airspace....

The TC AIM complements the aeronautical information found in AIP Canada (ICAO), offering expanded explanations of how pilots may use particular elements of the Air Navigation System. Pilots are reminded that the TC AIM is not an operational or a regulatory document. The TC AIM only offers reference material, supplementing the rules of the air and procedures for aircraft operation in Canadian airspace found in AIP Canada (ICAO) and the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs).

[digits_]

My understanding is that the AIP is no longer a document that concerns pilots. At least not the way it used to. The former AIP is now the AIM which is often referenced by pilots.

The AIP is a NAV Canada document not a TC document like it used to be. The AIM took its place.

In reality, international pilots will/should read the AIP (especially ICAO differences), while Canadian pilots will likely only ever look at the AIM.

[Conflicting Traffic]

Here's what TC has to say, well worth a read:
https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/public ... cao-tc-aim

My understanding is that the AIP is no longer a document that concerns pilots. At least not the way it used to. The former AIP is now the AIM which is often referenced by pilots.

The AIP is a NAV Canada document not a TC document like it used to be. The AIM took its place.

TC disagrees with you. According to Transport Canada the two documents serve different functions, and the AIM is not a replacement for the AIP, which must still be referred to by pilots (emphasis mine):

In Canada, pre-flight and in-flight information necessary for the safe and efficient movement of aircraft in Canadian airspace can be found in the AIP Canada ICAO. Conversely, educational reference material that may be useful to pilots is normally published in the Transport Canada Aeronautical Information Manual (TC AIM).
...
Pilots are reminded of the importance of referring to all parts of AIP Canada (ICAO) to obtain pre-flight and in-flight information necessary for the safe and efficient movement of aircraft in Canadian airspace....

The TC AIM complements the aeronautical information found in AIP Canada (ICAO), offering expanded explanations of how pilots may use particular elements of the Air Navigation System. Pilots are reminded that the TC AIM is not an operational or a regulatory document. The TC AIM only offers reference material, supplementing the rules of the air and procedures for aircraft operation in Canadian airspace found in AIP Canada (ICAO) and the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs).

TC's commentary is regarding the current function of the AIM and AIP. Originally, the AIP was the reference document used by Canadian pilots. In 2002-ish (IIRC) it was reformatted -- from a ring binder with 56-day amendments to the current perfect-bound 56-day republication -- and renamed the AIM. The current AIP serves a different function. But the re-use of the AIP terminology leads to some confusion. I've been living under a rock like Bede, and when I first heard of the (current) AIP (fairly recently), I though I was just listening to someone who was confused about the title of the AIM.

[khedrei]

Ok this makes more sense.

The AIP is everything we use regularly. CAP, CFS, HI, LO, VTA, VNC etc.

The old AIP which had sections GEN, COM, MET, RAC, MAP etc is now the AIM.

[photofly]

Ok this makes more sense.

The AIP is everything we use regularly. CAP, CFS, HI, LO, VTA, VNC etc.

Trying to interpret this.... the VTA isn't in the AIP, nor is the CAP....

The old AIP which had sections GEN, COM, MET, RAC, MAP etc is now the AIM.

The "new" AIP has three sections: GEN, ENR, AD.

I don't know about a "new" or "old" function for the AIP - it exists to satisfy Canada's ICAO obligations as described in Doc 8126, going back at least to the 6th edition (2006) and very likely some decades prior to that. Every ICAO country publishes an AIP, and the format is standardized internationally. There are even specimen sections of the AIP in document 8126, (GEN, ENR, AD) - you just have to fill in the blank with your country name and you're done. At some point this stops being "new", and the "old" is better referred to as "historic".

[Conflicting Traffic]

At some point this stops being "new", and the "old" is better referred to as "historic".

Well now you're just making me feel old ... er ... historic .

[Bede]

I remember the old AIP when I was a teenager. My dad made me do his amendments and I felt really important. This one seems completely different.

From my recollection the old AIP had similar info as the AIM-AIR, RAC, MET, AGA, and the circulars at the back. This one seems a lot different.

[khedrei]

Ok this makes more sense.

The AIP is everything we use regularly. CAP, CFS, HI, LO, VTA, VNC etc.

Trying to interpret this.... the VTA isn't in the AIP, nor is the CAP....

The old AIP which had sections GEN, COM, MET, RAC, MAP etc is now the AIM.

The "new" AIP has three sections: GEN, ENR, AD.

I don't know about a "new" or "old" function for the AIP - it exists to satisfy Canada's ICAO obligations as described in Doc 8126, going back at least to the 6th edition (2006) and very likely some decades prior to that. Every ICAO country publishes an AIP, and the format is standardized internationally. There are even specimen sections of the AIP in document 8126, (GEN, ENR, AD) - you just have to fill in the blank with your country name and you're done. At some point this stops being "new", and the "old" is better referred to as "historic".

Taken from the link you posted.

In Canada, an integrated AIP could be somewhat cumbersome to use airborne, so the following extracts from AIP Canada (ICAO) are published separately:

Canada Flight Supplement (CFS)
Canada Water Aerodrome Supplement (CWAS)
Canada Air Pilot (CAP)
Enroute Low Altitude (LO) Charts
Enroute High Altitude (HI) Charts
Terminal Area Charts (TAC)
VFR Navigation Charts (VNC)
VFR Terminal Area Charts (VTA)
ICAO Type A Aerodrome Obstacle Charts
Designated Airspace Handbook (DAH)

So thats how I understand it.

[photofly]

I remember the old AIP when I was a teenager.

There's "new", "old", "historic" and "when Bede was a teenager"....

[Bede]

Lol. 25 years ago.

[linecrew]

Due to the fact that it was not ICAO compliant, the old Transport Canada issued AIP (TP 2300E) needed to replaced. In 2005, two separate documents were created as a result. These were the AIM, which remained under the authority of Transport Canada, and the ICAO compliant version of the AIP, which falls under the authority of NAV CANADA.

I'd argue that the most important aspect of the AIP document (which is only available online) are the AIP Supplements and the AICs. In some cases they are published in lieu of NOTAMs so you should be checking them.

One interesting fact that not a lot of people realize...take a look at the cover of the CAP, CFS and Enroute IFR Charts publications.They are all parts of the AIP Canada and reference the section that they are tied to.

Here's the CFS where you can see it says AIP Part 3 - Aerodromes:

[Bede]

Due to the fact that it was not ICAO compliant, the old Transport Canada issued AIP (TP 2300E) needed to replaced. In 2005, two separate documents were created as a result. These were the AIM, which remained under the authority of Transport Canada, and the ICAO compliant version of the AIP, which falls under the authority of NAV CANADA.

I'd argue that the most important aspect of the AIP document (which is only available online) are the AIP Supplements and the AICs. In some cases they are published in lieu of NOTAMs so you should be checking them.

One interesting fact that not a lot of people realize...take a look at the cover of the CAP, CFS and Enroute IFR Charts publications.They are all parts of the AIP Canada and reference the section that they are tied to.

Here's the CFS where you can see it says AIP Part 3 - Aerodromes:

So you're telling me that this document has been around since 2005 and I've never heard of it. Sorry, am I the only one?

Excellent info. Thanks.

[rigpiggy]

Anybody remember when TC told us the LVC fee was to be used to pay for the AIM

[C-GGGQ]

Anybody remember when TC told us the LVC fee was to be used to pay for the AIM

Yup. I had the binder and the amendments every 56 days etc. started flight training 2003

[khedrei]

Due to the fact that it was not ICAO compliant, the old Transport Canada issued AIP (TP 2300E) needed to replaced. In 2005, two separate documents were created as a result. These were the AIM, which remained under the authority of Transport Canada, and the ICAO compliant version of the AIP, which falls under the authority of NAV CANADA.

I'd argue that the most important aspect of the AIP document (which is only available online) are the AIP Supplements and the AICs. In some cases they are published in lieu of NOTAMs so you should be checking them.

One interesting fact that not a lot of people realize...take a look at the cover of the CAP, CFS and Enroute IFR Charts publications.They are all parts of the AIP Canada and reference the section that they are tied to.

Here's the CFS where you can see it says AIP Part 3 - Aerodromes:

Yes, that is what I said. Then I was told that I was wrong by the person who told me to read from a link which said exactly that.