The Canadian Federal Pilots Association says the new system goes against repeated calls by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada for enhanced inspections.John Lehmann/The Globe and Mail
The federal government has reduced the number of regularly scheduled inspections in Canadian airports and various sectors of the aerospace industry, sparking concerns over the safety of flying operations in the country.
Transport Canada said it is moving toward a system of inspections that is based on risk, which means that some systematic checks are no longer done regularly to allow inspectors to focus on problematic areas.
The government is arguing the new regime has gotten rid of some of the inherent bureaucracy and redundancy in the system, while increasing the efficiency of the thousands of checks carried out every year.
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Still, federal inspectors feel that regular inspections created a safer environment for flyers. The Canadian Federal Pilots Association, which represents a large number of federal inspectors, investigators and pilots, said the new system is part of a cost-cutting effort that goes against repeated calls by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada for enhanced inspections.
The new system will affect the number and type of inspections that are carried out in airports across the country, at heliports and in companies that operate business aircraft and helicopters, the CFPA said.
"It appears as if they are going at all measures to save costs anywhere," Greg McConnell, CFPA national chair, said in an interview. "Transport Canada is going backwards, not forwards. They are doing less, not more. I'm not so sure this is a wise thing."
The CFPA has provided The Globe and Mail with an internal Transport Canada bulletin that created the new inspection rules last August.
Transport Canada did not publicly reveal the changes to avoid tipping off various operators to the changes in coming inspections, government officials said.
The goal of the new system is to focus resources on problem areas and other identified risks in the industry, which can only be achieved by having fewer inspections in airports and operations with proven safety records, the officials said.
"Transport Canada has a robust, risk-based oversight program that allows the department to prioritize its resources more strategically on areas of higher risk," the department said in a written statement. "Our oversight team is made up of dedicated aviation safety professionals with countless years of experience who work together to keep our skies safe. The department continuously evaluates and modifies its oversight tools to ensure they continue to be effective."
But Mr. McConnell said Canada is bucking international trends by reducing inspections.
"In the United States, the [Federal Aviation Administration] inspect their airports on an annual basis. I think we deserve the same level of inspection and safety for all Canadians," he said.
Mr. McConnell said his members, including civilian-aviation inspectors, TSB investigators and Coast Guard pilots, are "certainly not in favour" of the new regime.