I was chatting to one of my friends from Australia about the PPL test I had written on Friday. One of the questions I had got wrong was “No person shall drop anything from an aircraft in flight” (or similar).
Here is the conversation we had:
Me: I said you’re not allowed to drop anything from the airplane
Me: but the correct answer is “… as long as it does not damage property or persons”
Andrew: wtf
Andrew: so, we could say, drop leaflets from a small plane over a suburb ;)
Me: lol
Me: yeah
Me: let me dig up the regulation
Andrew: thats crazy
Me: 602.23 No person shall create a hazard to persons or property on the surface by dropping an object from an aircraft in flight.
Andrew: so its ok to say, dump a body into the ocean from a plane? since that won’t hurt property
Andrew: interesting
Me: hmm.. I guess
Me: but wait.. there is a “persons clause”
Me: 602.25 (1) No person shall enter or leave an aircraft in flight except with the permission of the pilot-in-command of the aircraft.
Me: (2) No pilot-in-command of an aircraft shall permit a person to enter or leave the aircraft during flight unless
Me: it doesn’t indicate if the person is alive or not ;)
Me: and I guess if you are the PIC, and you are the one dumping the body, then yes. you can.
Andrew: heheh
Andrew: what about firing weapons from planes? ;)
Me: hmm
Me: Munitions of War
Me: 606.01 No person shall carry weapons, ammunition or other equipment designed for use in war on board an aircraft unless the aircraft is a Canadian aircraft or the Minister has authorized the carriage of such equipment.
Me: so I guess if its not for war… then you’re alright ;)
Andrew: heheh
Andrew: oh well
So I was wondering if anyone has ever pondered any other “loopholes” with regards to the CARs. I’m sure that there are employers out there that would take advantage of such in order to maximize profits.
Maybe Air Canada will be able to maximize profits by putting passengers destined for Moose Jaw on a Toronto-Vancouver flight, and then equipping them with parachutes. All they have to do is give the pilot-in-command the permission to open the hatch mid-flight…
A year or two ago one of the regular contributors to Plane and Pilot magazine did a step by step article on how to dump ashes (cremation) from an airplane. He had been asked on several occasions to spread the ashes of a friend or associate over a coastline or plot of land from an airplane. It would seem that he had a few messy cockpits before he figured out the right procedure. It basically involved pressurizing the cockpit and making the window the only place for the air to vent. It was pretty thorough.
So next time you want to dump a body out of a cockpit, burn it first then look up the back issues of Plane and Pilot.
As for other loopholes in CARs, there used to be one involving cell phones. You are not allowed to use one in a plane but it can be used if authorized by the pilot in command. So if you are on a cross country and you get lost you can phone the tower and get directions home (I heard that some of the traffic reporters used to do this if their radio equipment packed it in during a flight).
Congrats on the Transport Canada exam. Good luck on the Flight Test.
Spanky