What are the IFR Pilot recency requirements in Canada?

Question

Hello. I would like to get my IFR rating in the future and was wondering what the recency requirements would be. Someone told me that you have to go for a Transport Canada check ride every 2 years. But in the United States you only have to keep current and no further check rides are necessary.

Thank-you for your time.

Answer 1

There are a number of difference currency requirements for the Transport Canada Instrument Rating.

After obtaining your initial rating, you have to complete an IFR renewal every two years. Redoing a Type Rating or PPC check ride with a TC inspector or an approved company check pilot counts as a renewal.

If your IFR expires (you did not get a check ride within 2 years), you have an additional 2 years to renew your IFR by simply completing another check ride. After those 2 years (4 years since your last ride) - in order to renew your IFR you have to both complete a check ride AND re-write the INRAT written exam.

On top of those requirements, 1 year after you've received your instrument rating, in order to stay current and fly IFR, you need to have completed 6 hours of instrument time and 6 simulated or actual IFR approaches in the last 6 months. This last one is a little confusing, but see http://www.tc.gc.ca/CivilAviation/Regser...  subsection 3 for a full explanation.

When you're working full time as a pilot flying IFR, it's pretty straight forward to get things renewed as you'll have to do a PPC ride or Type Rating renewal every two years or less. However, if you're not regularily flying IFR, it can be a bit of a pain.

Cheers,

James Ball

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