Aviation Document Booklet (ADB) Expired
Fleet Manager
Joined: Aug 2006
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 7,082
Likes: 2,939
From: Ontario, Canada
The ADB looks exactly like a passport (identical format). Your license(s) appear in one section, your PPC's etc. appear, and your medical validity (stamps or stickers) appear later in the booklet. It has pages after you license(s) where an authorized person can endorse the booklet to give you a type or class endorsement on the spot.
I've never been eager about it, 'cause it's really bulky compared to the old paper license, but it is an all in one document (the medical used to be a separate piece of paper), and it is absolute photo ID, which the old paper one was certainly not.
The ADB itself now has a ten year validity, which is primarily based upon the age of the photo in it. So, your license never expires, but the booklet can. I had let mine expire (confusion about a seven year validity - now understood). Transport Canada would offer me a temporary license if the ADB took too long to arrive to me.
Not my first choice for a system, but it works...
I've never been eager about it, 'cause it's really bulky compared to the old paper license, but it is an all in one document (the medical used to be a separate piece of paper), and it is absolute photo ID, which the old paper one was certainly not.
The ADB itself now has a ten year validity, which is primarily based upon the age of the photo in it. So, your license never expires, but the booklet can. I had let mine expire (confusion about a seven year validity - now understood). Transport Canada would offer me a temporary license if the ADB took too long to arrive to me.
Not my first choice for a system, but it works...
Joined: Jun 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 7,175
Likes: 294
From: Nanaimo (CAC8)
I've never been eager about it, 'cause it's really bulky compared to the old paper license, but it is an all in one document (the medical used to be a separate piece of paper), and it is absolute photo ID, which the old paper one was certainly not.
In a piece of bureaucratic stupidity or more probably, inter-departmental warfare, the radio licence (Restricted Operator Certificate - Aeronautical) is a piece of paper, issued by a separate government department - Business and Industry - and thus is not included in the ADB, which is issued by Transport Canada.
I first became aware of this, when I tried to rent an aircraft and was not allowed to because I didn't have my ROC-A with me! It is now firmly stapled in my ADB.
Joined: Sep 2001
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
Posts: 2,783
Likes: 203
From: Toronto
I look upon the ADB as a wet behind the ears neophyte MBA resumé enhancement project, commonplace in many government departments.
When I last renewed late '23, the process was more cumbersome than passport renewal and it took several months, including intervention from the RAMO office,. before I received a sticker for my recent medical.
They had "supply chain" difficulties.
The hopefully good news is that there's a TC Air app announced that is touted to significantly simplify the renewal. I'll check it out in 2033.
When I last renewed late '23, the process was more cumbersome than passport renewal and it took several months, including intervention from the RAMO office,. before I received a sticker for my recent medical.
They had "supply chain" difficulties.
The hopefully good news is that there's a TC Air app announced that is touted to significantly simplify the renewal. I'll check it out in 2033.
Joined: Oct 2007
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 1,027
Likes: 120
From: Wherever I go, there I am
E-mail from our chief pilot yesterday said that TC has apparently cleared the backlog of ADBs, that the TC Air App is now live, and that TC has advertised a 30-business day service level for ADB Renewals. It also said that the ADB Exemption (latest being NCR-011-2024) which expires on March 31 will not be renewed as it has been every year since the pandemic.
If all true, this should be good news for anyone seeking an initial issue of a license or rating as service levels should return to normal in short order.
If all true, this should be good news for anyone seeking an initial issue of a license or rating as service levels should return to normal in short order.
Joined: Jun 2002
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 7,175
Likes: 294
From: Nanaimo (CAC8)
Here it is:
The question now is “Will it make any difference?”
PS A friend of mine has just used the app to apply for a renewal. I will report back.
The question now is “Will it make any difference?”
PS A friend of mine has just used the app to apply for a renewal. I will report back.
Last edited by India Four Two; 23rd March 2025 at 16:17.
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 60
Likes: 30
From: Toronto, Canada
I recently did the Canadian Aviation Document renewal. (An uncomplicated PPL, FWIW.)
Submitted Jan 28 using the app, got email same day (I think) confirming the submission, got email the next day saying it was approved, got the Aviation Document in the mail Feb 9, under 2 weeks later.
Stunningly fast by Transport Canada standards, when historically one is used to months and months of waiting for anything.
It was interesting that the app just asked for a selfie against a white background; one didn't have to go get an official passport-style photo to mail in.
The selfie was a little fiddly since I didn't have enough plain background wall anywhere, so I had to affix a white sheet onto on a big cabinet, tightly stretched to avoid creases & shadows. Also, for the photo taken with the assistance of my wife (so technically not a selfie), zooming in a fair bit was needed to get my head to fill the oval of the on-screen guide. Otherwise with the normal wide angle of a smart phone camera, at the suggested 3 ft distance, one got too much background (past my taped up sheet!) and not enough "head & shoulders" photo. Photo quality was evidently still fine with some zooming on a modern smart phone.
It was also tricky to fulfill the "no shadows" requirement. I think the software rejected my photos a couple times while using the app, until I got it right. Had to get enough natural light in the room to avoid the problem of room lights casting shadows. So it actually worked better for me, turning off room lights, making the room darker but more evenly lit.
So the whole process would probably would work smoother if one handed one's phone to someone at a passport photo place, with their good lighting and background screen, but one can do the whole process at home.
Hope this helps somebody.
Submitted Jan 28 using the app, got email same day (I think) confirming the submission, got email the next day saying it was approved, got the Aviation Document in the mail Feb 9, under 2 weeks later.
Stunningly fast by Transport Canada standards, when historically one is used to months and months of waiting for anything.
It was interesting that the app just asked for a selfie against a white background; one didn't have to go get an official passport-style photo to mail in.
The selfie was a little fiddly since I didn't have enough plain background wall anywhere, so I had to affix a white sheet onto on a big cabinet, tightly stretched to avoid creases & shadows. Also, for the photo taken with the assistance of my wife (so technically not a selfie), zooming in a fair bit was needed to get my head to fill the oval of the on-screen guide. Otherwise with the normal wide angle of a smart phone camera, at the suggested 3 ft distance, one got too much background (past my taped up sheet!) and not enough "head & shoulders" photo. Photo quality was evidently still fine with some zooming on a modern smart phone.
It was also tricky to fulfill the "no shadows" requirement. I think the software rejected my photos a couple times while using the app, until I got it right. Had to get enough natural light in the room to avoid the problem of room lights casting shadows. So it actually worked better for me, turning off room lights, making the room darker but more evenly lit.
So the whole process would probably would work smoother if one handed one's phone to someone at a passport photo place, with their good lighting and background screen, but one can do the whole process at home.
Hope this helps somebody.
