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General Security Information

Who is responsible for the 2010 Olympic Aviation Security Program?

The RCMP is responsible for all aspects of security pertaining to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Other government departments, including Transport Canada, Public Safety and National Defence, service providers such as NAV CANADA, Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and partner organizations responsible for aviation activities south of the border such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) were invited to provide subject matter expertise and advice pertaining to aviation security during the Olympic Games. The result is a balanced program that effectively addresses aviation security concerns, concurrent with respecting individual rights and freedoms.

What is the goal of the V2010 Olympic Aviation Security Program?

"Securing the Best Winter Games Ever as Partners in Safety, Peace and Celebration” is the vision espoused by the Vancouver 2010 Integrated Security Unit (ISU). In keeping with this theme, the goal of the Olympic Aviation Security Team is to develop and implement appropriately tailored processes and procedures that adequately address aviation security and safety concerns, concurrent with minimizing the impact on those that derive their livelihood, either directly or indirectly, from the aviation industry.

Restricted Airspace and Procedures

When will airspace restrictions be put into effect? How long will they last?

Full airspace and procedural restrictions will be implemented at 0001 local time on 29 Jan 2010, and many will remain in effect until 2359 local time on 24 Mar 2010 (see Paralympic Games restrictions, below). Details have been published in AIP Supplement 21/09, which became effective on 02 July 09, and additional information will be issued through NOTAM. Both are available from the NAV CANADA web site. NAV CANADA has also created a Vancouver 2010 Olympics Page on their site, where information specific to the 2010 Olympics will be posted as it becomes available.

Will airspace restrictions and procedures be the same for the Olympic and Paralympic Games?

Procedural restrictions implemented during the Olympic Games are expected to be more stringent than those that carry over into the Paralympic Games. To ensure that traffic remains manageable and flight safety is not compromised, however, the restricted airspace structure will remain intact through both events. Flight Authorizations will still be required (see Flight Authorization, below), while some other security processes will probably be curtailed.

How much airspace will be affected by the Olympic Aviation Security Program?

Detailed descriptions, maps and procedures for restricted airspace are published on the NAV CANADA web site, where they will be updated as required. Essentially, operations below 18,000 ft between 13NM and 30NM of Vancouver International Airport and the Whistler Athletes Village, respectively, referred to as the Olympic Rings (OR), will be procedurally affected to a degree. The airspace within 13NM of each location, however, connected by a 10NM wide swath of airspace below 12,500 ft that overlies the Sea-to-Sky corridor, will be known as the Olympic Control Area (OCA), which will be more severely restricted.

What do I need to do to operate an aircraft within/into Olympic Rings (OR) airspace?

Detailed requirements and procedures for the OR are available from the NAV CANADA web site. In general, however, flight plans must be filed with NAV CANADA, operators must comply with specific communications and transponder operating procedures, and specified manoeuvres and/or operations are prohibited. See NAV CANADA AIP Supplement for greater detail.

What do I need to do to operate an aircraft within/into Olympic Control Area (OCA) airspace?

In addition to the enhanced communication and transponder operation requirements in the OR, all aircraft must undergo full passenger and baggage screening at a designated CATSA or recognized international facility prior to entering or taking off from a location within the OCA. Additionally, except as specifically exempted, all flight and cabin crew must be registered and all flights must be individually authorized by ISU Registration and Flight Authorization (R&FA) prior to entering OCA airspace (see below).

Registration

What is Registration?

Registration is a confidential program where applicants provide the information necessary for ISU RCMP personnel to conduct an OCA Access Suitability Check. They are not criminal background checks, and cannot be used for any purpose other than determining an individual’s suitability to enter the OCA in control of an aircraft, or on board an aircraft where they have physical access to prohibited items, goods and/or flight crew. Registration is strictly voluntary, but individuals should be advised that refusal to submit the required information may preclude them from entering the OCA on board certain aircraft (those without locking cockpit doors).

Who is required to register?

Flight crew, flight instructors and student pilots planning to operate an aircraft in the OCA must be registered with R&FA prior to doing so. Additionally, cabin crew, maintenance personnel, cargo handlers, essential service providers and any other supporting individuals who have direct access to prohibited items, goods and/or flight crew must be registered prior to boarding an aircraft enroute to or departing from the OCA.

We are a scheduled airline without locking cockpit doors, so our passengers have access to flight crew. Are we required to do anything special?

Operators of passenger aircraft without locking cockpit doors are required to verify the identity of each passenger at check-in by requesting a government-issued picture ID, and ensure that information is correctly recorded on the flight manifest. Agents must then provide each passenger with a document of entitlement (boarding pass), which they in turn must present to CATSA personnel at the security screening point. Finally, the operator or their agent must submit the verified passenger manifest to R&FA (electronically) prior to departure.*

What happens if I don't submit a passenger manifest, or it doesn't arrive before I enter the OCA?

R&FA will not allow flights without locking cockpit doors into the OCA until a verified passenger manifest has been received.

Can I register myself?

Private aircraft operators (GA) will not normally be granted permission to enter the OCA, so individual (personal) registration requests will not normally be accepted. Exceptions may be entertained, however, at the discretion of ISU R&FA.

Who can register flight and cabin crew?

Passenger, Cargo, Charter and Corporate carriers will register their respective flight and cabin crews, and Essential Service Providers should register medical, emergency response, technical, support and attending personnel. If a single individual or small number of individuals are responsible for an Essential Service (i.e. Avalanche Control), their respective airlift provider may register them when they register their crews (using the appropriate form).

As employers, how do we know that we are not violating privacy laws?

The Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) requires that employers advise employees (including volunteers) before they release personal information to another agency. Employees must be advised what information will be released, to whom it will be released and the purpose for its release, and be afforded the opportunity to refuse permission to do so. Employers will be required to indicate that they have received authorization to release the information provided on the form from each applicable individual.

Will Boundary Bay Flight Schools have to register?

Flight Schools at Boundary Bay are responsible to register all of their respective instructors and students. They should also register maintenance test personnel and support staff that may be required to fly.

Can/should we register our personnel in advance of the Games?

Early registration is highly encouraged, as R&FA workload is expected to increase significantly when OCA airspace becomes active in Jan 2010. Registration forms are available for download effective 01 Aug 2009, and applications will be accepted immediately thereafter.

We’re ready to register our crews/employees. What is the first step?

Carriers/Employers should register with R&FA first, by downloading, completing and emailing the appropriate form from the R&FA web site to V2010-R&FA@rcmp-grc.gc.ca. Once your company information has been incorporated into the R&FA database, you will receive an email with a link to a password-protected section of the web site where follow-on instructions and additional forms can be downloaded.

We operate on a schedule. Should we submit it to R&FA as well?

All affected carriers should submit flight schedules to R&FA as far in advance of OCA airspace activation as possible. R&FA personnel will incorporate these into a database which will allow changes and additions to be processed in a timely manner.

We operate a mixed fleet of aircraft, some with and some without locking cockpit doors. How can we help R&FA?

In order to enhance R&FA’s ability to discriminate between aircraft that require manifests and those that don’t, carriers operating a mixed fleet of passenger aircraft (with and without locking cockpit doors) should complete and submit this form to R&FA. R&FA will utilize this data to build automated filters that quickly identify flights that are not required to submit passenger manifests, which will facilitate immediate release.

Can I scan the registration form and fax it, or change it to a different format?

Electronic forms should not be altered, and should be returned to ISU R&FA in the format they were downloaded. This will assist ISU R&FA personnel with electronic processing and help operators avoid delays.

Flight Authorization (FA)

What is Flight Authorization?

Flight authorization is a formal approval process developed by the ISU. The aim is to detect and deter potential airborne threats to Olympic and Paralympic participants, venues and spectators, and prevent intentional disruption(s) of both events. This will be accomplished by controlling access to OCA airspace, limiting the likelihood of unlawful flight crew interference, and assisting air defence personnel in identifying unauthorized and/or intentionally non-compliant aircraft.

Who will require a Flight Authorization?

Unless exempted, all aircraft wishing to enter, operate in, or depart from a location within the OCA must request and receive authorization to do so from R&FA. Flight crew and other specified individuals must be registered with R&FA prior to requesting an FA (see Registration, above), and individual registration codes (IRC) issued by R&FA are to be entered on all FA requests.

How do I get a Flight Authorization?

Forms will be available for download from the R&FA web site in Nov or Dec 2009. Requesting carriers/organizations/ companies must register with R&FA before access to the site will be granted.

I fly a corporate passenger jet, and I have received a Flight Authorization from R&FA. What do I do with the form?

The Flight Authorization form and approved manifest must remain with the aircraft until the flight has landed in or departed the OCA, as it may be requested and verified by the Police of Jurisdiction (POJ) at the security portal/gateway.

Can I scan the Flight Authorization request form and fax it, or change it to a different format?

Electronic forms should not be altered, and should be returned to R&FA in the format they were downloaded. This will assist R&FA personnel with electronic processing and help operators avoid delays.

We provide Essential Services such as emergency MedEvac and airlift support to several regional Search and Rescue Teams. How do we ensure we are not delayed?

Essential Service Providers and their respective Airlift Support Agencies will still require a Flight Authorization, but they will be afforded an abbreviated process to obtain one. Advance registration of all personnel on board is critical to a timely response, as it will allow flight crew and responders to bypass security screening and facilitate immediate release of the flight.

I have received a Flight Authorization from R&FA. Can we jump in the airplane and go?

No. First you must determine whether you require an arrival and/or departure slot time from the regional Airport Reservation (AIRRES) Office. Following that, you must file a flight plan with NAV CANADA and, depending upon the type of flight and departure point/destination, you may be required to request a Flow Control Time from the Air Traffic Flow Management Unit. Finally, immediately prior to departure enroute to or from a facility within the OCA you and your passengers must report to a designated CATSA facility where all personnel and baggage will be security screening.

Contact Information

How do I contact R&FA?

R&FA can be reached by email [click here]. Telephone numbers, including an emergency/essential service contact number, will be published shortly before airspace activation.