US / Canada Differences Training

[Bede]

ATC in the US is world class. Canada is alright, but not as good as the US. Take for example the STAR's. In LAX, LAS, etc. they seem to manage straight in approaches just fine. In Canada, they usually make you fly towards the airport, then turn around and join a downwind for vectors to final. No idea why that is.

Another example: LGA is a gong show when the whether heads south, but in their defense they handle more traffic than YYZ, have 2 other airports within a few miles that handle even more traffic and they have the foot print of Thunder Bay. It's impressive how much they can do with so little.

[photofly]

TC in the US is world class. Canada is alright, but not as good as the US.

From a GA perspective, I don't agree. Canada ATC is waaay more joined up.

Here's another US/Canada operational difference: pop-up IFR clearances are standard in the US. Approach an airport with marginal weather? Ask for a clearance and fly an approach. No problem. In Canada you'll (usually) be asked if you're declaring an emergency, and if not, be directed to contact FIC to file a full flight plan with all details, then some point after that you can go back to ATC when the details pop up on their system.

[digits_]

ATC in the US is world class. Canada is alright, but not as good as the US. Take for example the STAR's. In LAX, LAS, etc. they seem to manage straight in approaches just fine. In Canada, they usually make you fly towards the airport, then turn around and join a downwind for vectors to final. No idea why that is.

Another example: LGA is a gong show when the whether heads south, but in their defense they handle more traffic than YYZ, have 2 other airports within a few miles that handle even more traffic and they have the foot print of Thunder Bay. It's impressive how much they can do with so little.

Maybe. I find Canada much more consistent though. And more professional. They stick to standard phraseology much more. Canadian ATC doesn't seem to mouth off to pilots as much as the US seems to do (whether it's deserved or not).

[digits_]

Here's another US/Canada operational difference: pop-up IFR clearances are standard in the US. Approach an airport with marginal weather? Ask for a clearance and fly an approach. No problem. In Canada you'll (usually) be asked if you're declaring an emergency, and if not, be directed to contact FIC to file a full flight plan with all details, then some point after that you can go back to ATC when the details pop up on their system.

Ugh, I hate that. They even do it when there's already a full VFR flight plan in the system. Ridiculous.

[Squaretail]

ATC in the US is world class. Canada is alright, but not as good as the US.

Outside of a few whom I hope are outliers, they are about the same. The big thing I found, is American controllers let aircraft get way closer to one another than Canadian ones. In Canada I have been cited anywhere between 2 and five miles of separation required, and frequently get vectored to avoid conflict with an aircraft that would be impossible to intercept, even if you tried to. This can be annoying once you clue into it, Americans on the other hand seem ok with you being able to wave at the other people as you go by.

[Squaretail]

Here's another US/Canada operational difference: pop-up IFR clearances are standard in the US. Approach an airport with marginal weather? Ask for a clearance and fly an approach. No problem. In Canada you'll (usually) be asked if you're declaring an emergency, and if not, be directed to contact FIC to file a full flight plan with all details, then some point after that you can go back to ATC when the details pop up on their system.

Ugh, I hate that. They even do it when there's already a full VFR flight plan in the system. Ridiculous.

On the other hand, Americans seem to think you're crazy if you aren't IFR in the first place.