This document provides an overview of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) fatigue management framework applicable to Subpart 5 (705) — Airline Operations flight crew members. The CARs framework governs flight time limits, flight duty period (FDP) limits, hours of work, and rest requirements for Canadian airline operations.
| Regulatory instrument | Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs), SOR/96-433 |
| Applicable division | Part VII, Division III — Flight Crew Member Fatigue Management (§§700.19–700.72) |
| Scope | Subpart 5 (705) Airline Operations — equivalent to USA Part 121/Part 117 |
| Last amended | SOR/2025-226 |
CARs Part VII governs all commercial air service operations in Canada. Fatigue management rules are organized by operation type:
| Division | Sections | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Division III | §§700.19–700.72 | Airline Operations (705) — In Scope |
| Division IV | §§700.100–700.135 | Medical Evacuation Flights |
| Division V | §§700.200–700.234 | Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) Exemptions |
ALPA Mobile scope: This documentation covers Division III only — the fatigue management rules applicable to 705 Airline Operations.
| Section | Subject |
|---|---|
| §700.01 | Definitions (acclimatized, rest facility classes, duty types, reserve terms) |
| §700.19 | Application and time references |
| §700.20 | Monitoring system and record-keeping obligations |
| §700.21 | Air operator scheduling obligations |
| §700.26 | Fitness for duty (crew self-declaration) |
| §700.27 | Maximum flight time limits |
| §700.28 | Maximum flight duty period (FDP) |
| §700.29 | Maximum hours of work |
| §700.36 | Home base assignment |
| §700.37 | Nutrition break requirements |
| §700.40 | Rest periods — general |
| §700.41 | Disruptive schedules (early/late/night duty transitions) |
| §700.42 | Rest periods — time zone differences |
| §700.43 | Rest period after positioning |
| §700.50 | Split flight duty |
| §700.51 | Consecutive flight duty periods |
| §700.52 | Delayed reporting time |
| §700.60 | Maximum FDP — augmented crew and rest facilities |
| §700.61 | Long-range flights restriction |
| §700.62 | Ultra long-range flights limit |
| §700.63 | Unforeseen operational circumstances — FDP and rest extensions |
| §700.70 | Flight crew member on reserve |
| §700.71 | Flight crew member on standby |
| §700.72 | Controlled rest on flight deck |
| Parameter | CARs Limit |
|---|---|
| Max flight time / 24 hrs (single pilot) | 8 hours |
| Max flight time / 28 consecutive days | 112 hours |
| Max flight time / 90 consecutive days | 300 hours |
| Max flight time / 365 consecutive days | 1,000 hours |
| Max FDP — best case (07:00–12:59 start) | 13 hours |
| Max FDP — worst case (00:00–03:59 start) | 9 hours |
| Max augmented FDP (2 extra crew + Class 1) | 18 hours |
| Ultra long-range max FDP | 18 hours |
| Ultra long-range max scheduled flight time | 16 hours |
| Max hours of work / 7 days (standard) | 60 hours |
| Max hours of work / 7 days (extended) | 70 hours |
| Max hours of work / 28 days | 192 hours |
| Max hours of work / 365 days | 2,200 hours |
| Minimum rest at home base | 12 hours (or 11 hrs + travel, or 10 hrs in suitable accommodation) |
| Minimum rest away from home base | 10 hours in suitable accommodation |
| Max reserve availability period | 14 consecutive hours |
| Rest between reserve availability periods | ≥10 consecutive hours |
| Controlled rest on flight deck | ≤45 min, cruise only, ≥30 min before descent |
| Aspect | USA — FAR Part 117 | Canada — CARs Division III |
|---|---|---|
| FDP table key variable | Number of flight segments | Average scheduled flight duration (<30 min / ≥30<50 min / ≥50 min / Day VFR) |
| Acclimation trigger | 60° longitude difference (theater boundary) | Time zone difference (4-hr and 10-hr thresholds) |
| Home base rest (long-haul) | 56 hrs + 3 physiological nights (§117.25(d)) | Local nights' rest requirements per §700.42 (varies 1–3 nights by time zone diff) |
| Weekly rest requirement | 30 consecutive hrs in 168 hrs (§117.25(b)) | 1 single day free from duty per 168 hrs AND 4 per 672 hrs (§700.29) |
| Pre-FDP rest | 10 hrs incl. 8-hr sleep opportunity (§117.25(e)) | 10–12 hrs depending on location (§700.40) |
| Split duty | §117.15 — rest opportunity (RO) extends FDP | §700.50 — break extends FDP by 50–100% of (break duration minus 45 min) |
| Reserve: hours of work | RAP counts 100% as FDP for short-call | 33% of RAP counts as hours of work (§700.29(3)(a)) |
| Nutrition break | Not specified in Part 117 | ≥15 min every 6 hours during FDP (§700.37) |
| Controlled rest on flight deck | Not addressed in Part 117 | Permitted: ≤45 min, cruise only, ≥30 min before descent (§700.72) |
| FRMS exemptions | FAA exemption process (separate from Part 117) | §§700.200–700.234 — integrated FRMS framework with 3-year initial exemption |
| Monitoring obligation | No equivalent | §700.20 — mandatory monitoring system and 24-month record retention |
| Class | Operation Type |
|---|---|
DutyPeriod_CAN | Base class for all Canadian duty periods |
DutyPeriod_CAN_UnAugmented | Standard (unaugmented) flight operations |
DutyPeriod_CAN_Augmented | Augmented crew operations |
DutyPeriod_CAN_UnAugmented_R | Unaugmented reserve operations |
DutyPeriod_CAN_Augmented_R | Augmented reserve operations |
Calculator: ALPAMobile.Application/Services/FlightTimeDutyTime/FTDTCalculator_CAN.cs + CAN/Rules_700_CAN.cs (1908 engine); ALPAMobile.Domain/Data/Models/FlightTimeDutyTime/CalculatorRest_CAN.cs serves the legacy path only
CARs Division V (§§700.200–700.234) provides a formal framework for air operators to obtain exemptions from specific Division III provisions by implementing an approved FRMS. This is a Canada-specific feature with no direct equivalent in FAR Part 117.
FRMS exemptions cannot override:
ALPA Mobile should support an FRMS exemption flag on Canadian duty periods to indicate when an operator is operating under an approved FRMS. See calculator-can.html for implementation notes.
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Definitions (Canadian) | CARs-specific term definitions |
| Calculator (Canadian) | CARs calculator logic and limit tables |
| Duty Period (Canadian) | DutyPeriod_CAN class structure and requirements |
| Use Cases (Canadian) | Canadian operational scenarios |
| Resources (Canadian) | Transport Canada links and references |
Source: Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs), SOR/96-433, Part VII, Division III. Consolidated to include amendments through SOR/2025-226. Always verify against the current version at Justice Laws website.