Airport certification is a process whereby Transport Canada certifies that an aerodrome meets airport certification safety standards and that aerodrome data is correct and published in the appropriate aeronautical information publications. When these requirements are met, an airport certificate is issued.
The regulatory authority for airport, heliport, and water airport certification is Subpart 302 of the CARs. The regulatory authority for heliport certification can be found under Part III of the CARs, which includes reference to the respective compliance standards for aerodrome certification. Depending on the date on which the certificate was initially issued, some aerodrome operators may be complying with previous versions of the certification standards.
A certificate will be issued when an inspection confirms that all requirements for airport certification have been met, including the following:
The airport certificate is a legal aviation document that remains valid as long as the airport is operated and maintained in accordance with the operations manual. Periodic inspections are conducted to verify continued conformity to the certification standards and conditions specified in the operations manual.
Transport Canada may make amendments to the conditions applicable to the issuing of an airport certificate when: