Licensing and Certification
Licence Structure
Canadian personnel licensing distinguishes between licences, ratings, and endorsements. A licence establishes the broad privilege (for example, a pilot licence or an aircraft maintenance engineer licence); ratings add privileges within that licence (such as a type rating or instrument rating); endorsements record specific authorizations. A candidate must be able to place a given privilege in the correct category, because questions frequently test the difference between holding a licence and holding the privilege to exercise it.
Privileges and Limitations
The central principle is that a person may exercise only those privileges expressly granted. Holding a licence does not imply authority to perform every task within that trade. Currency and recency requirements also attach to privileges: a licence may remain valid while the holder is not current to exercise certain privileges.
Common Traps
- Confusing validity of the licence with currency to exercise privileges; these are separate questions.
- Assuming a rating transfers automatically; ratings are specific and must be held.
- Overlooking medical fitness requirements, which are a condition of exercising privileges, not merely a paperwork item.
- Confusing the issuing authority's role in certification with the holder's responsibility to remain compliant.
Worked Example
A question asks whether an individual may sign a maintenance release for a type they have not been trained on. The correct reasoning: the licence grants general authority, but the specific privilege to certify that work requires the appropriate rating or endorsement and, where applicable, type training. Without it, the signature is not valid even though the licence is valid.
Rule of Thumb
Separate every licensing question into three checks: (1) Do I hold the licence? (2) Do I hold the rating or endorsement for this specific task? (3) Am I current and medically fit to exercise it? All three must be yes.