I fly a TBM for the owner and I was tasked to see if we could go to Iceland. The aircraft is not equipped with an HF radio.
I stumbled upon the following CAR:
602.39 No pilot-in-command of a single-engined aircraft, or of a multi-engined aircraft that would be unable to maintain flight in the event of the failure of any engine, shall commence a flight that will leave Canadian Domestic Airspace and enter airspace over the high seas unless
(a) the pilot-in-command holds a pilot licence endorsed with an instrument rating;
(b) the aircraft is equipped with
(i) the equipment referred to in section 605.18,
(ii) a high frequency radio capable of transmitting and receiving on a minimum of two appropriate international air-ground general purpose frequencies, and
Seems pretty clear cut that I need an HF.
My question is how do all these small GA planes cross? Even our TBM made it over from France at some point...
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"Then from 1000 ft AGL until the final capture altitude, the A/C accelerates backwards up along the altitude profile with idle thrust"
Yeah, that's what I was thinking as well.
The answer might lie within the definition of "high seas":
high seas means any body of water, or frozen surface thereof, that is not within the territorial waters of any state; (haute mer)
As per https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_waters, "territorial waters" include Exclusive Economic Zone which extends 200nm from the shore. This means there isn't much "high seas" between Canada and Greenland.
I'll go with that
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"Then from 1000 ft AGL until the final capture altitude, the A/C accelerates backwards up along the altitude profile with idle thrust"
If you enter oceanic airspace without HF, TC will get a report. The shift supervisor at Gander Radio confirmed that to me by phone. Whether it gets passed to enforcement depends on TC, but it's a clear breach. If you stay in domestic airspace you don't need HF.
It's easy to get to Iceland via the northern route, crossing from the Edmonton FIR to Nuuk FIR avoiding Gander Oceanic. If you are flying CYFB BGSF, you cross between FIRs at IKNOG.
Don't bother with satellite communications. If you're too low for VHF, relay position reports via any number of commercial aircraft overhead. But in a TBM you'll be in VHF range the whole time. It's very straightforward.
Screenshot 2023-05-03 at 11.36.02 PM.png (1.91 MiB) Viewed 1034 times
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Last edited by photofly on Wed May 03, 2023 8:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
photofly wrote: ↑Wed May 03, 2023 8:31 pm
If you enter oceanic airspace without HF, TC will get a report. The shift supervisor at Gander Radio confirmed that to me by phone. Whether it gets passed to enforcement depends on TC, but it's a clear breach.
It's easy to get to Iceland via the northern route, crossing from the Edmonton FIR to Nuuk FIR avoiding Gander Oceanic.
Don't bother with satellite communications. If you're too low for VHF, relay position reports via any number of commercial aircraft overhead. But in a TBM you'll be in VHF range the whole time. It's very straightforward.
Screenshot 2023-05-03 at 11.36.02 PM.png
For what it's worth, it's mainly important on the southern routes on the way back into Canada. Eastbound Gander will likely clear you to the destination and you only need radio for position reports. On the way back Greenland will only clear you through their airspace and you're supposed to contact Gander on HF to get clearance into their airspace. That's a little bit harder to ignore. Not that either are recommended, but just in case one is tempted.
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As an AvCanada discussion grows longer:
-the probability of 'entitlement' being mentioned, approaches 1
-one will be accused of using bad airmanship
I've also found this in the AIM at the end of 2.5.2:
NOTE:
Because of VHF coverage, aircraft may proceed across the Atlantic
without HF radio subject to the following restrictions:
(a) below FL 195, routing YFB – SF – KFV; and
(b) FL 250 or above, routing YYR – OZN (or NA) – KFV.
So whereas there is no clear exception in the CAR itself and it seems to be open to interpretation, the AIM suggests you can do it. I really dislike operating in the gray areas but it is what it is.
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"Then from 1000 ft AGL until the final capture altitude, the A/C accelerates backwards up along the altitude profile with idle thrust"
YFB to BGSF is only 486nm, and you don't leave the shore of Canada for almost half that distance, so even if the definition of high seas means 200nm from shore then you're not at any time "over the high seas" on that route. So - no interpretation needed, you're good.
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DId you hear the one about the jurisprudence fetishist? He got off on a technicality.
photofly wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 7:00 am
YFB to BGSF is only 486nm, and you don't leave the shore of Canada for almost half that distance, so even if the definition of high seas means 200nm from shore then you're not at any time "over the high seas" on that route. So - no interpretation needed, you're good.
Exactly. This is the key. On those VHF only permitted routes you are at no point over the “high seas”.
YFB-BGSF-BIRK-EGPC can be done without HF. The Atlantic orientation chart 1/2 from Jeppesen is a gold mine of info.That gets you between Canada and europe in most small aircraft.
