By Adam Hunt
Every year COPA does a complete review and revision of its popular series of COPA Guides. This annual review, along with periodic updates when needed throughout the year, means the COPA Guides are always up to date.
Each year COPA also adds more Guides – there are now 14 of them in total,
covering many topics of interest to COPA members and personal flying. The newest
one is the COPA Guide to Certified Aircraft, with lots of useful information for
owners of that category of aircraft.
That volume now completes the series of COPA Guides on each of the different
aircraft categories – there is now one on amateur-builts, ultralights, owner
maintenance and limited class aircraft.
The COPA Guides are available to COPA members at no charge in three electronic
formats – HTML, MS Word and Adobe Acrobat PDF in the members’ only section of
the COPA website.
Paper versions are also available from the COPA Office for a fee to cover our
costs. The paper versions of the
COPA Guides are stapled photocopies and are not
hard-bound.
Here is a rundown on the current COPA Guides:
AOPA/COPA Guide to Cross Border Operation -
Completely rewritten and updated for a post 9/11 world! Written jointly by AOPA
and COPA, this 145-page guide is for pilots planning to fly across the
Canadian/American border. It includes information for pilots of either country
on cross-border flight procedures, regulations, customs and much more. COPA
Member paper copy price (excludes taxes and postage) $20.00. Non-member price:
$30.00
COPA Guide to Buying an Aircraft -
This guide to private aircraft purchasing starts with determining the right
aircraft and goes to completion of the sale. The extensive detail is designed to
carry first time aircraft buyers safely through the process.
The package includes step-by-step procedures, good-to-know tips, articles by well-known authors and forms for Offer to Purchase, Bill of Sale and two different sample Partnership Agreements. COPA Member paper copy price (excludes taxes and postage) $20.00. Non-member price: $30.00
COPA Guide to the COPA Flights - COPA Flights are the local chapters of COPA. Join the growing number of
aviation communities that are establishing COPA Flights to revitalize
recreational flying in their area. This guide outlines how to start, run and
promote a COPA Flight. Paper copy price: FREE!
COPA Guide to Getting Back into Flying -
This guide is for people who used to fly and would like to get back into flying.
It explains the requirements and gives an easy checklist to get you though the
medical, recency and recurrency requirements along with much more useful
information. Paper copy price: FREE! This guide is available to the public on
the COPA website, too.
COPA Guide To Estimating Aircraft Operating Costs -This
is an aircraft operating cost estimating program. Just plug in the numbers and
the program works out your aircraft costs per year and per hour. Requires
Microsoft Excel to operate. Paper copy price: FREE!
Note: This is really not well adapted to paper
copy since it is an Excel spreadsheet, but a copy can be mailed to those who
need it.
COPA Guide to Private Aerodromes -
Completely revised with more information on Federal Jurisdiction! This
guide will assist COPA members in developing their own private aerodrome
including dealing with municipal and provincial governments. COPA member paper
copy price (excludes taxes and postage) $10.00. Non-member price: $15.00
Court Cases cited in this COPA Guide are available separately in Adobe Acrobat PDF format on the COPA website:
Johannesson V West St Paul (1952).
Orangeville Airport Ltd V. Town of Caledon et al (1975)
Venchiarutti V. Longhurst and Longhurst (1992)
Greater Toronto Airports Authority V. The City of Mississauga (1998)
Greater Toronto Airports Authority V. The City of Mississauga Appeal (2000)
Mullaney V. Red Deer County (1999)
COPA Guide to Young Eagles – Newly
revised edition! This guide details how to get involved in Young Eagles on your
own or as part of a COPA Flight. It includes how to run a Young Eagles day
safely and effectively. Paper copy price: FREE!
COPA Guide to Enforcement – Newly
updated, this is a COPA guide to assist you when you find yourself the subject
of a Transport Canada enforcement action, including what to expect, how the
system works and how to deal with the investigation process and TATC (formerly
CAT) appeal, if necessary. The guide deals with loss of medical appeals too.
COPA Member paper copy price (excludes taxes and postage) $10.00. Non-member
price: $15.00
COPA Guide to Dealing with Aircraft Accidents –
This guide has been written by Garth Wallace to
give information to pilots about the practical and psychological aspects of
aircraft accidents. It is an excellent guide for COPA Flights, local clubs and
communities to use for accident planning - read it before you have an accident
in your community! COPA member paper copy price (excludes taxes and postage)
$10.00. Non-member price: $15.00
COPA Guide to Certified Aircraft –
This is the world of
traditional factory built aircraft that are certified to government standards –
Cessnas, Pipers, Beechcraft and other well known aircraft. Certified aircraft
make up the majority of aircraft flying in Canada today! This guide will take
you through some of the keys things to know about certified aircraft including
aircraft certification, STCs, LSTCs, ADs,
annual inspections, “out-of-phase” maintenance items and more! COPA member paper
copy price (excludes taxes and postage) $20.00. Non-member price: $30.00
COPA Guide to the Owner-Maintenance Category
- This guide explains the background and regulations governing the
Owner-Maintenance Aircraft Category. It includes everything you need to know to
put an aircraft in the O-M category. COPA Member paper copy price (excludes
taxes and postage) $10.00. Non-member price: $15.00
COPA Guide to Ultralights – An
introduction to ultralight aircraft for both new pilots and experienced non-ultralight
pilots! The guide includes sections on what ultralight airplanes are, which
licences are required, regulations and operating cost reports on some typical
ultralights to give a flavour for owning and flying these aircraft. There is
also data on ultralight safety and answers to many questions about ultralights.
COPA member paper copy price (excludes taxes and postage) $20.00. Non-member
price: $30.00
COPA Guide to Amateur-Builts – This guide is designed as an introduction to amateur-built aircraft of
all types. It takes the pilot new to amateur-builts through the whole spectrum
of aircraft in this category, including airplanes, helicopters, gyroplanes,
balloons, airships, gyrogliders and lots more.
This Guide is designed to give you
the background information that you will need to get involved in amateur-built
aircraft, whether you are planning to design your own plane, build from plans,
build a kit or buy a used amateur-built aircraft. It covers some of the
pitfalls, regulations and choices available. It is designed to get you started!
COPA member paper copy price (excludes
taxes and postage) $20.00.
Non-member price: $30.00
COPA Guide to the Limited Class - Welcome to the fascinating world of ex-military warbirds, Soviet Bloc transports, jet trainers, military liaison aircraft, non-certified sailplanes from exotic parts of the world and many more unusual types of aircraft – the uniquely Canadian “limited class.” This 34 page Guide to the Limited Class will walk the pilot or prospective owner of one of these aircraft through the new Canadian rules, covering the advantages and the pitfalls found in this diverse group or aircraft. COPA member paper copy price (excludes taxes and postage) $20.00. Non-member price: $30.00