Canadian Aviation Regulations: Structure and Application
How the CARs Are Built
A candidate must understand that the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) are not a single document but a structured body of law made under the Aeronautics Act. Each regulation carries a two-part number: the first part identifies the Part (the subject area), the second identifies the specific provision. Parts 1-3 cover general provisions, aircraft marking, and administration; Parts 4 and 5 cover personnel licensing and airworthiness; Parts 6 and 7 cover general operating rules and commercial air services; Parts 8 and 9 cover instrument procedures and commercial transportation respectively.
Standards and Advisory Material
A crucial distinction: the regulations themselves are law, while the associated Standards (found in the same part, sections ending in "S") are incorporated by reference and therefore also enforceable. Advisory Circulars, in contrast, are guidance only and carry no legal force. Questions frequently test this hierarchy.
Common Traps
- Confusing a Standard with an Advisory Circular. If a question asks what is legally binding, the answer is the regulation and its referenced Standard, not the AC.
- Assuming a regulation number's first digit tells you the topic. It does not; you must know the Part structure.
- Forgetting that the Aeronautics Act is the enabling statute; the CARs cannot exceed it.
Worked Example
A question asks whether a maintenance technician may follow an Advisory Circular that describes an acceptable method. The correct reasoning: the AC is advisory, so following it is one way to show compliance, but the legal obligation flows from the regulation and its Standard. If the AC conflicts with the Standard, the Standard governs.
Rule of Thumb
"Regulation = must; Standard = must (referenced); AC = may." Anchor every compliance question to that chain.