Air Canada co-pilot falls ill during flight

[PJ2]

Does AC operate a confidential counselling service for its crew such as BA's Crewcare?

Yes. AC is an absolutely first class responder with long-established employee health programs and policies.

I wish the pilot well and hope for a speedy recovery. Clearly, asking for names here is entirely inappropriate.

Canadian Flight Time and Duty Day regulations are draconian.

Domestically, a fourteen-hour duty day with two pilots is legal.

Where a bunk is provided and the flight is augmented by one pilot, (to 3 pilots), a duty day of 20 hours is legal in Canada and if there are "unforeseen circumstances", (as seen by the bean counters...?), a duty day of 23 hours is legal in Canada.

Here are the Standards for Flight Time and Duty Day Regulations from the CARS (Canadian Air Regulations -Standards):

DIVISION II - STANDARDS FOR FLIGHT TIME AND FLIGHT DUTY TIME LIMITATIONS AND REST PERIODS

720.15 Flight Time Limitations

The standards for increasing the flight time limitations for flight crew members are:

(1) Where the flight is conducted under Subpart 2 or 3 of Part VII of the Canadian Aviation Regulations or with a deHavilland DHC-6 aircraft not conducting a scheduled passenger service or with a helicopter not conducting a scheduled passenger service or heli-logging, for any 6 non-overlapping periods of 30 consecutive days within a 365 consecutive day period, the maximum flight time in any aircraft shall not exceed:

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(a) where the flight crew member conducts single-pilot IFR operations, 8 hours in any 24 consecutive hours;

(b) 60 hours in any 7 consecutive days;

(c) 150 hours in any 30 consecutive days;

(d) 210 hours in any 42 consecutive days;

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(e) 450 hours in any 90 consecutive days;

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(f) 900 hours in any 180 consecutive days;

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(g) the accumulated 30-consecutive day, 42-consecutive day and 90 consecutive day flight times may be reset to zero if the flight crew member is provided with at least 5 consecutive days free from all duty;
and

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(h) 1200 hours in any 365 consecutive days.

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(2) For heli-logging operations, the maximum flight time in all flying shall not exceed:

(a) 120 hours in any 30 consecutive days for single-pilot helicopters;

(b) 150 hours in any 30 consecutive days for helicopters operated by two pilots; and

(c) 1,200 hours in any 365 consecutive days.

720.16 Flight Duty Time Limitations and Rest Periods

The standards for increasing the flight duty time limits for flight crew members are:

(1) Where the flight is conducted under Subpart 2 or 3 of Part VII of the Canadian Aviation Regulations or with a deHavilland DHC-6 aircraft not conducting a scheduled passenger service, or with a helicopter not conducting a scheduled passenger service or heli-logging, for the 6 non-overlapping periods of 30 consecutive days referred to in subsection 720.15(1), the maximum flight duty time may be extended to 15 consecutive hours if:

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(a) the minimum rest period is increased by 1 hour; or

(b) the maximum flight time does not exceed 8 hours in any 24 consecutive hours.

(2) Where the flight is conducted under Subpart 4 or 5 of Part VII of the Canadian Aviation Regulations using an aircraft other than a helicopter, and the flight crew is augmented by the addition of at least one fully qualified flight crew member, flight duty time may be extended to 15 consecutive hours if:

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(a) the additional flight crew member occupies a flight deck observer seat during take-offs and landings unless the observer seat is required by an air carrier inspector, in which case, a passenger seat must be available for the flight crew member; and

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(b) the subsequent minimum rest period is increased by at least 2 hours.

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(3) Where a flight crew is augmented by the addition of at least one flight crew member, the division of duty and rest is balanced between the flight crew members and a flight relief facility is provided, flight duty time may be extended if:

(a) where a flight relief facility - seat is provided, the flight duty time may be extended to 17 consecutive hours, in which case the maximum flight deck duty time for any flight crew member shall be 12 hours;

(b) where a flight relief facility - bunk is provided, the flight duty time may be extended to 20 consecutive hours, in which case the maximum flight deck duty time for any flight crew member shall be 14 hours;

(c) the subsequent minimum rest period shall be at least equal to the length of the preceding flight duty time; and

(d) a maximum of 3 sectors may be completed.

(4) Where a flight crew is augmented by the addition of at least one flight crew member in accordance with subsections (2) or (3), the total flight time accumulated during the flight shall be logged by all flight crew members for the purposes of calculating the maximum flight times in section 700.15 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations.

(amended 1998/09/01; previous version)
(5) Where the flight is conducted under Subpart 2 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations in aerial application operations, the maximum flight duty time may be extended for a split flight duty assignment provided that:

(a) the total flight duty time shall not exceed 14 hours in 24 consecutive hours;

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(b) rest periods that allow a total of at least 9 hours opportunity to sleep in 24 consecutive hours shall be taken in suitable accommodation;

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(c) one of these rest periods shall allow at least 5 consecutive hours opportunity to sleep between 20:00 and 06:00 local time; and

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(d) the flight crew member shall receive at least 5 periods of 24 consecutive hours free from duty within each 30 consecutive days.

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)

720.17 Unforeseen Operational Circumstances

The standards for compliance with this section are:

(1) Flight duty time and flight time limitations may be extended by up to 3 consecutive hours provided that:

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(a) where flight duty time is extended, the subsequent minimum rest period shall be increased by an amount at least equal to the extension to the flight duty time;

(amended 1998/03/23; previous version)
(b) the pilot-in-command shall notify the air operator, in accordance with procedures outlined in the company operations manual, of the length of and the reason for the extension;

(c) the air operator shall retain the notifications until the completion of the next Department of Transport audit; and

(d) the air operator shall notify the Minister as soon as practicable.

(2) Flights shall be planned to be completed within the maximum flight time and maximum flight duty time taking into account the time necessary for pre-flight and post-flight duties, the flight or series of flights, forecast weather, turn-around times and the nature of the operation.