Release #: 17.14
March 16, 2017

ALPA Canada Statement on Transport Canada’s Recent Action to Protect Aviation Safety Against Irresponsible Recreational Drone Use

Toronto, Ont.—Capt. Dan Adamus, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) Canada, issued the following statement today after Transport Canada announced an interim order for recreational drone operators restricting use near high-risk areas such as airports:

“ALPA supports Transport Canada’s recent action to limit the use of unmanned air vehicles [UAVs] near areas where aviation safety would be jeopardized. We are also in favour of the new requirement to mark recreational UAVs with a unique identifier. While this is certainly an important step forward, ALPA believes a registration that occurs at the point of sale should be the ultimate goal and encourages Transport Canada to include this element in the new regulations.

“Securing basic information on the individual purchasing the UAV would help law-enforcement authorities identify the owner if the device were to encounter a problem. This measure would also help highlight the serious nature of operating a UAV in shared airspace and the responsibility of the operator to safeguard public safety.

“As the largest nongovernmental safety and security agency in the world, ALPA remains committed to working with the Canadian and U.S. governments to develop regulations that include increased awareness for operators as to the dangers associated with irresponsible use.”

Founded in 1931, ALPA is the world’s largest pilot union, representing more than 55,000 pilots at 32 airlines in the United States and Canada, including the flightcrew members who fly for Air Georgian, Air Transat, Bearskin, Calm Air, Canadian North, First Air, Jazz Aviation, Kelowna Flightcraft, and Wasaya. Visit the ALPA website at www.alpa.org or follow us on Twitter @WeAreALPA.

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CONTACT: ALPA Media, 703-481-4440 or Media@alpa.org