Aviation recommendations

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is responsible for advancing transportation safety. One of the ways it does this is by making recommendations to federal departments and other organizations to eliminate or reduce safety deficiencies.

Under our Act, federal ministers must formally respond to TSB recommendations and explain how they have addressed or will address the safety deficiencies. Using an Assessment Rating Guide (which includes definitions for the status of recommendations), the Board evaluates the responses and their overall effectiveness. Each response is assessed as Fully Satisfactory, Satisfactory Intent, Satisfactory in Part or Unsatisfactory. Progress made to address TSB recommendations is assessed by the Board on an ongoing basis.

For recommendations and assessments made before January 1, 2005, please refer to our annual reports.

See the backgrounder on the 2011-12 reassessments of responses to the Board’s aviation recommendations.

To read the full assessment of a recommendation, click on the assessment link.

Number	Recommendation	Source report	Current assessment	Status	Watchlist
A12-02	The Department of Transport require the use of the stabilized constant descent angle approach technique in the conduct of non-precision approaches by Canadian operators.	A09Q0203	Satisfactory intent	Active	Watchlist
A12-01	The Department of Transport require that the design and depiction of the non-precision approach charts incorporate the optimum path to be flown.	A09Q0203	Satisfactory intent	Active	Watchlist
A11-06	The Department of Transport require that occupants of commercial seaplanes wear a device that provides personal flotation following emergency egress.	A09P0397	Satisfactory intent	Active
A11-05	The Department of Transport require that all new and existing commercial seaplanes be fitted with regular and emergency exits that allow rapid egress following a survivable collision with water.	A09P0397	Unable to Assess	Active
A11-04	Transport Canada require that supplemental underwater breathing apparatus be mandatory for all occupants of helicopters involved in overwater flights who are required to wear a PTSS.	A09A0016	Satisfactory intent	Active
A11-03	Transport Canada prohibit commercial operation of Category A transport helicopters over water when the sea state will not permit safe ditching and successful evacuation.	A09A0016	Satisfactory intent	Active
A11-02	The Federal Aviation Administration assess the adequacy of the 30 minute main gearbox run dry requirement for Category A transport helicopters.	A09A0016	Satisfactory intent	Active
A11-01	The Federal Aviation Administration, Transport Canada and the European Aviation Safety Agency remove the "extremely remote" provision from the rule requiring 30 minutes of safe operation following the loss of main gearbox lubricant for all newly constructed Category A transport helicopters and, after a phase-in period, for all existing ones.	A09A0016	Unable to Assess	Active
A09-06	The Department of Transport ensure that the Canadian Business Aviation Association implement an effective quality assurance program for auditing certificate holders.	A07A0134	Satisfactory intent	Active
A09-05	The Canadian Business Aviation Association set safety management system implementation milestones for its certificate holders.	A07A0134	Satisfactory intent	Active	Watchlist
A09-04	The Department of Transport require training on visual glide slope indicator VGSI systems so pilots can determine if the system in use is appropriate for their aircraft.	A07A0134	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A09-03	The Department of Transport ensure that eye-to-wheel height information is readily available to pilots of aircraft exceeding 12 500 pounds.	A07A0134	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A09-02	The Department of Transport require commercial air operators to provide contemporary crew resource management CRM training for Canadian Aviation Regulations CARs subpart 703 air taxi and CARs subpart 704 commuter pilots.	A07C0001	Satisfactory intent	Active
A09-01	The Department of Transport require air carriers to incorporate bounced landing recovery techniques in their flight manuals and to teach these techniques during initial and recurrent training.	A08O0189	Satisfactory in part	Active
A08-03	The Department of Transport, in coordination with NAV CANADA, take steps to substantially reduce the risk of collision between visual flight rules aircraft operating in Class E airspace surrounding the Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International Airport.	A06O0206	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A08-02	The Department of Transport ensure that balloons carrying fare-paying passengers have an emergency fuel shut-off.	A07C0151	Unable to Assess	Active
A08-01	The Department of Transport ensure that passenger carrying commercial balloon operations provide a level of safety equivalent to that established for other aircraft of equal passenger carrying capacity.	A07C0151	Unable to Assess	Active
A07-09	The European Aviation Safety Agency, in coordination with other involved regulatory authorities and industry, ensure that the AS 350 helicopter hydraulic cut-off switch is capable of handling the inductive electrical load of the circuit.	A05F0025	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A07-08	The Department of Transport take into account all propulsion system failures when assessing the safety of single-engine commercial operations.	A06P0010	Unable to Assess	Active
A07-07	The Department of Transport require that passenger safety briefings include clear direction to leave all carry-on baggage behind during an evacuation.	A05H0002	Satisfactory in part	Active
A07-06	The Department of Transport require all Code 4 runways to have a 300 m runway end safety area RESA or a means of stopping aircraft that provides an equivalent level of safety.	A05H0002	Satisfactory in part	Active	Watchlist
A07-05	The Department of Transport and other civil aviation authorities require crews to establish the margin of error between landing distance available and landing distance required before conducting an approach into deteriorating weather.	A05H0002	Satisfactory in Part	Active	Watchlist
A07-04	France's Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile and other civil aviation authorities mandate training for air transport pilots to better enable them to make landing decisions in deteriorating weather.	A05H0002	Satisfactory in part	Dormant	Watchlist
A07-03	The Department of Transport mandate training for all pilots involved in Canadian air transport operations to better enable them to make landing decisions in deteriorating weather.	A05H0002	Satisfactory in Part	Active	Watchlist
A07-02	France's Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile and other civil aviation authorities establish clear standards limiting approaches and landings in convective weather.	A05H0002	Satisfactory in part	Dormant	Watchlist
A07-01	The Department of Transport establish clear standards limiting approaches and landings in convective weather for all air transport operators at Canadian airports.	A05H0002	Satisfactory in part	Active	Watchlist
A06-10	To reduce the number of post-impact fires in impact-survivable accidents involving existing production aircraft weighing less than 5700 kg, Transport Canada, the Federal Aviation Administration, and other foreign regulators conduct risk assessments to determine the feasibility of retrofitting aircraft with the following: selected technology to eliminate hot items as a potential ignition source; technology designed to inert the battery and electrical systems at impact to eliminate high-temperature electrical arcing as a potential ignition source; protective or sacrificial insulating materials in locations that are vulnerable to friction heating and sparking during accidents to eliminate friction sparking as a potential ignition source; and selected fuel system crashworthiness components that retain fuel.	SII A05-01	Unsatisfactory	Active
A06-09	To reduce the number of post-impact fires in impact-survivable accidents involving new production aeroplanes weighing less than 5700 kg, Transport Canada, the Federal Aviation Administration, and other foreign regulators include in new aeroplane type design standards:methods to reduce the risk of hot items becoming ignition sources; technology designed to inert the battery and electrical systems at impact to eliminate high-temperature electrical arcing as a potential ignition source; requirements for protective or sacrificial insulating materials in locations that are vulnerable to friction heating and sparking during accidents to eliminate friction sparking as a potential ignition source; requirements for fuel system crashworthiness; requirements for fuel tanks to be located as far as possible from the occupied areas of the aircraft and for fuel lines to be routed outside the occupied areas of the aircraft to increase the distance between the occupants and the fuel; and improved standards for exits, restraint systems, and seats to enhance survivability and opportunities for occupant escape.	SII A05-01	Unsatisfactory	Active
A06-08	Transport Canada, together with the Federal Aviation Administration and other foreign regulators, revise the cost-benefit analysis for Notice of Proposed Rule Making 85-7A using Canadian post-impact fire statistics and current value of statistical life rates, and with consideration to the newest advances in post-impact fire prevention technology.	SII A05-01	Unsatisfactory	Active
A06-07	The Department of Transport, in conjunction with the International Civil Aviation Organization, the Federal Aviation Administration, the European Aviation Safety Agency, and other regulatory organizations, establish a requirement for transport category aircraft to be equipped with a take-off performance monitoring system that would provide flight crews with an accurate and timely indication of inadequate take-off performance.	A04H0004	Unsatisfactory	Dormant
A06-06	The European Aviation Safety Agency, in coordination with other involved regulatory authorities and industry, urgently develop and implement an inspection program that will allow early and consistent detection of damage to the rudder assembly of aircraft equipped with part number A55471500 series rudders.	A05F0047	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A06-05	The Department of Transport, in coordination with other involved regulatory authorities and industry, urgently develop and implement an inspection program that will allow early and consistent detection of damage to the rudder assembly of aircraft equipped with part number A55471500 series rudders.	A05F0047	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A06-04	The Federal Aviation Administration require that Cessna 208 operators maintain a minimum operating airspeed of 120 knots during icing conditions and exit icing conditions as soon as performance degradations prevent the aircraft from maintaining 120 knots.	A05C0187	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A06-03	The Federal Aviation Administration take action to revise the certification of Cessna 208, 208A, and 208B aircraft to prohibit flight into forecast or in actual icing meteorological conditions exceeding "light," until the airworthiness of the aircraft to operate in such conditions is demonstrated.	A05C0187	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A06-02	The Department of Transport require that Canadian Cessna 208 operators maintain a minimum operating airspeed of 120 knots during icing conditions and exit icing conditions as soon as performance degradations prevent the aircraft from maintaining 120 knots.	A05C0187	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A06-01	The Department of Transport take action to restrict the dispatch of Canadian Cessna 208, 208A, and 208B aircraft into forecast icing meteorological conditions exceeding "light," and prohibit the continued operation in these conditions, until the airworthiness of the aircraft to operate in such conditions is demonstrated.	A05C0187	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A04-04	The Department of Transport ensure the continued airworthiness of Canadian-registered aircraft fitted with the CFM56-5 series engine by developing an appropriate safety assurance strategy to make certain that, in the event of a permanent magnet alternator failure, the electronic control unit will revert to aircraft power.	A02P0261	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A04-03	The Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile and the Federal Aviation Administration issue airworthiness directives to require the implementation of all CFM56-5 series jet engine service bulletins whose purpose is to incorporate software updates designed to ensure that, in the event of a permanent magnet alternator failure, the electronic control unit will revert to aircraft power.	A02P0261	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A04-02	The Department of Transport re-evaluate the standard weights for passengers and carry-on baggage and adjust them for all aircraft to reflect the current realities.	A04H0001	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A04-01	The Department of Transport require that actual passenger weights be used for aircraft involved in commercial or air taxi operations with a capacity of nine passengers or fewer.	A04H0001	Fully Satisfactory	Inactive
A03-09	Regulatory authorities harmonize international rules and processes for the protection of cockpit voice and image recordings used for safety investigations.	A98H0003	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A03-08	Regulatory authorities develop harmonized requirements to fit aircraft with image recording systems that would include imaging within the cockpit.	A98H0003	Unsatisfactory	Active
A03-07	Regulatory authorities require, for all aircraft manufactured after 1 January 2007 which require an FDR, that in addition to the existing minimum mandatory parameter lists for FDRs, all optional flight data collected for non-mandatory programs such as FOQA/FDM, be recorded on the FDR.	A98H0003	Satisfactory in Part	Active
A03-06	Regulatory authorities, in concert with the aviation industry, take measures to enhance the quality and intelligibility of CVR recordings.	A98H0003	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A03-05	Regulatory authorities establish the requirements and industry standard for circuit breaker resetting.	A98H0003	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A03-04	Regulatory authorities require that every system installed through the STC process undergo a level of quantitative analysis to ensure that it is properly integrated with aircraft type-certified procedures, such as emergency load-shedding.	A98H0003	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A03-03	Regulatory authorities take action to ensure the accurate and consistent interpretation of the regulations governing material flammability requirements for aircraft materials so as to prevent the use of any material with inappropriate flammability characteristics.	A98H0003	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A03-02	Regulatory authorities develop a test regime that will effectively prevent the certification of any thermal acoustic insulation materials that, based on realistic ignition scenarios, would sustain or propagate a fire.	A98H0003	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A03-01	Regulatory authorities quantify and mitigate the risks associated with in service thermal acoustic insulation materials that have failed the Radiant Panel Test.	A98H0003	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A02-05	The Department of Transport take action to reduce the short term risk and eliminate the long term risk of contaminated insulation materials and debris propagating fires, and coordinate and encourage a similar  from other appropriate regulatory authorities.	A02O0123	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A02-04	The Department of Transport take action to reduce the short term risk and eliminate the long term risk of heater ribbon installation failures starting fires, and coordinate and encourage a similar  from other appropriate regulatory authorities.	A02O0123	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A02-03	Transport Canada, the United States Federal Aviation Administration, and Fairchild explore options for SA226 and SA227 aircraft to be equipped with a brake pressure warning indicator for each main wheel brake system.	A98Q0087	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A02-02	The Department of Transport take immediate action to implement regulations restricting pilots from conducting approaches where the ceiling does not provide an adequate safety margin for the approach or landing.	A99Q0151	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A02-01	The Department of Transport expedite the approach ban regulations prohibiting pilots from conducting approaches in visibility conditions that are not adequate for the approach to be conducted safely.	A99Q0151	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A01-05	The Bell 214B and Bell 205 flight manuals be modified to provide information regarding the inaccuracy of fuel quantity indications, thereby allowing pilots to make informed decisions in the event of a loss of fuel boost pump pressure.	A99P0075	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A01-04	As a prerequisite to certification, all aircraft systems in the pressurized portion of an aircraft, including their sub-systems, components, and connections, be evaluated to ensure that those systems whose failure could exacerbate a fire in progress are designed to mitigate the risk of fire-induced failures.	A98H0003	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A01-03	A certification test regime be mandated that evaluates aircraft electrical wire failure characteristics under realistic operating conditions and against specified performance criteria, with the goal of mitigating the risk of ignition.	A98H0003	Satisfactory in part	Active
A01-02	For the pressurized portion of an aircraft, flammability standards for material used in the manufacture of any aeronautical product be revised, based on realistic ignition scenarios, to prevent the use of any material that sustains or propagates fire.	A98H0003	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A01-01	The Department of Transport undertake a review of its safety oversight methodology, resources, and practices, particularly as they relate to smaller operators and those operators who fly in or into remote areas, to ensure that air operators and crews consistently operate within the safety regulations.	A99A0036	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A00-20	Appropriate regulatory authorities review current in-flight firefighting standards including procedures, training, equipment, and accessibility to spaces such as attic areas to ensure that aircraft crews are prepared to respond immediately, effectively and in a coordinated manner to any in flight fire.	A98H0003	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A00-19	Appropriate regulatory authorities ensure that emergency checklist procedures for the condition of odour/smoke of unknown origin be designed so as to be completed in a timeframe that will minimize the possibility of an in-flight fire being ignited or sustained.	A98H0003	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A00-18	Appropriate regulatory authorities take action to ensure that industry standards reflect a philosophy that when odour/smoke from an unknown source appears in an aircraft, the most appropriate course of action is to prepare to land the aircraft expeditiously.	A98H0003	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A00-17	Appropriate regulatory authorities, together with the aviation community, review the methodology for establishing designated fire zones within the pressurized portion of the aircraft, with a view to providing improved detection and suppression capability.	A98H0003	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A00-16	Appropriate regulatory authorities, in conjunction with the aviation community, review the adequacy of in-flight firefighting as a whole, to ensure that aircraft crews are provided with a system whose elements are complementary and optimized to provide the maximum probability of detecting and suppressing any in-flight fire.	A98H0003	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A00-15	NAV CANADA commit, with a set date, to the installation and operation of an automated conflict prediction and alerting system at the nation's air traffic control facilities to reduce the risk of a midair collision.	A99H0001	Satisfactory in part	Inactive
A00-14	The Department of Transport ensure that helicopters used by private operators to transport passengers receive a standard of maintenance equivalent to that for fixed-wing aircraft for the same type of operation.	A99W0061	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A00-13	The Department of Transport ensure that air operators store aircraft survival gear on aircraft in flame-resistant material and package emergency pyrotechnics and other highly flammable survival equipment at least to the standards required by International Air Transport Association IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations.	A99W0061	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A00-12	The National Transportation Safety Board review the circumstances and findings of this investigation and evaluate the need for mandatory airworthiness action by the Federal Aviation Administration.	A98Q0114	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A00-11	The Department of Transport take steps to ensure that operators and maintenance personnel are aware, in the interests of safety, of the importance of proper maintenance of aircraft journey logbooks and are aware of their responsibilities in this regard.	A98Q0114	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A00-10	The Department of Transport, in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Administration, take steps to have all operators of Cessna 150 and 152 aircraft notified about the circumstances and findings of this accident investigation and the need to restrict spin operations until airworthiness action is taken to prevent rudder jamming.	A98Q0114	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A00-09	The Department of Transport issue an Airworthiness Directive to all Canadian owners and operators of Cessna 150 and 152 aircraft addressing a mandatory retrofit design change of the rudder horn stop bolt system to preclude over-travel and jamming of the rudder following a full rudder input.	A98Q0114	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A00-08	The Department of Transport notify the United States Federal Aviation Administration, in accordance with Annex 8, "Airworthiness of Aircraft," to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, about the circumstances of this accident and the safety actions taken, with the view toward wider application of the safety actions.	A98O0184	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A00-07	The Department of Transport ensure that all Canadian operators of the Beech King Air with the Aviadesign landing gear modification are advised of the circumstances of this accident and the safety actions taken, with the view toward implementing similar changes to prevent a future similar accident.	A98O0184	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A00-06	The Department of Transport improve the quality of pilot decision making in commercial air operations through appropriate training standards for crew members.	A98A0067	Satisfactory intent	Active
A00-05	The Department of Transport review the equipment standard for SEIFR and include equipment technologies that would serve to further minimize the risks associated with SEIFR flight.	A98A0067	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A00-04	The Department of Transport require that single-engine instrument flight rules SEIFR operators have in place an automatic system or an approved program that will monitor and record those engine parameters critical to engine performance and condition.	A98A0067	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A00-03	The Department of Transport require that the magnetic chip detecting system on PT-6-equipped single-engine aircraft be modified to provide a warning to the pilot of excessive ferrous material in the entire engine oil lubricating system.	A98A0067	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A00-02	The Department of Transport require that SEIFR aircraft have a sufficient emergency electrical supply to power essential electrical systems following engine failure throughout the entirety of a descent, at optimal glide speed and configuration, from the aircraft's maximum operating level to ground level.	A98A0067	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A00-01	The Department of Transport require that pressurized SEIFR aircraft have sufficient supplemental oxygen to allow for an optimal glide profile during an engine-out let-down from the aircraft's maximum operating level until a cabin altitude of 13 000 feet is attained.	A98A0067	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A99-08	On an urgent basis, regulatory authorities validate all thermal acoustical insulation materials in use, or intended for use, in applicable aircraft, against test criteria that are more rigorous than those in Appendix F of FAR 25.853, and similar regulations, and that are representative of actual in-service system performance.	A98H0003	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A99-07	Regulatory authorities confirm that sufficient action is being taken, on an urgent basis, to reduce or eliminate the risk associated with the use of metallized PET-covered insulation blankets in aircraft.	A98H0003	Satisfactory in part	Dormant
A99-05	The Department of Transport reassess Category I approach and landing criteria re-aligning weather minima with operating requirements to ensure a level of safety consistent with Category II criteria.	A97H0011	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A99-04	Aircraft required to have two flight recorders be required to have those recorders powered from separate generator buses.	A98H0003	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A99-03	As of 01 January 2005, for all aircraft equipped with CVRs having a recording capacity of at least two hours, a dedicated independent power supply be required to be installed adjacent or integral to the CVR, to power the CVR and the cockpit area microphone for a period of 10 minutes whenever normal aircraft power sources to the CVR are interrupted.	A98H0003	Satisfactory intent	Active
A99-02	As of 01 January 2005, all aircraft that require both an FDR and a CVR be required to be fitted with a CVR having a recording capacity of at least two hours.	A98H0003	Satisfactory intent	Active
A99-01	As of 01 January 2003, any CVR installed on an aircraft as a condition of that aircraft receiving an original certificate of airworthiness be required to have a recording capacity of at least two hours.	A98H0003	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A95-10	The Department of Transport require the installation of GPWS on all turbine-powered, IFR-approved, commuter and airline aircraft capable of carrying 10 or more passengers.	A93H0023	Fully satisfactory	Inactive	Watchlist
A94-17	The Bombardier Corporation amend the Twin Otter (DHC-6) Aircraft Flight Manual (PSM 1-63-1A) and Supplementary Operating Data Manual (PSM 1-63-1) to include appropriate warnings regarding any safety limitations associated with the operation of the aircraft in the "maximum performance" STOL configuration.	A92C0048*	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A91-08	The Department of Transport sponsor modifications to the existing design of the emergency exit handle access system on Bell models 204, 205, 212, and 214 helicopters that are currently equipped with emergency exit handle covers, to ensure that the emergency exit handles can consistently and easily be accessed.	A90P0121*	Fully satisfactory	Inactive
A90-81	The Department of Transport require verification of proficiency in basic instrument flying skills for commercially-employed helicopter pilots during annual pilot proficiency flight checks.		Unsatisfactory	Dormant
A90-83	That the FAA require the installation of radio altimeters in all helicopters conducting commercial, passenger-carrying operations in areas where flat-light or whiteout conditions routinely occur.		Unsatisfactory	Dormant
A90-88	That the Department of Transport examine the policy for the contracting of manned weather observation services with a view to expanding the service in remote locations of highest risk.		Fully satisfactory	Inactive

*These older reports are not available on the website. For more information, contact us.