International flight bulletin: Recent changes in the NAV CANADA service charges

International flight bulletin: Recent changes in the NAV CANADA service charges

O TTAWA—NAV CANADA today announced that its customer service charges will increase by three percent effective January 1, 2003, except for annual and quarterly charges, which will increase by the same percentage, effective March 1, 2003.

General aviation summary

NAV CANADA announced on December 18, 2002, that effective January 1 its customer service charges will increase by three percent. Non-Canadian registered aircraft weighing 6,614 pounds or less are subject to a quarterly charge of 15 Canadian dollars = 9.66806 U.S. dollars. Effective March 1, 2003, annual and quarterly charges will increase by the same three percent. Non-Canadian registered aircraft will be charged on the basis of the first recorded arrival into a Canadian airport during each quarter of the annual fee period. The aircraft weight used is the typical maximum permissible takeoff weight for the aircraft type by reference to the Canadian Civil Aircraft Register. As an example, a light U.S.-registered general aviation aircraft will be billed the quartile charge once, regardless of how many times the border was crossed during that quarter. If the same aircraft enters Canadian airspace once each quarter, the total of all quarterly fees billed is 50 Canadian dollars = 32.22688 U.S. dollars. Some exemptions from charges are provided for gliders, ultralights, balloons, fire fighting and related operational training, and air ambulance operations paid by government. Also exempt are aircraft performing in airshows, operating for registered charity as defined by the Income Tax Act (Canada) or foreign equivalent, and search and rescue under the direction of police or the Department of National Defense.

The quarterly charge will be billed following the quarter in which air navigation services were provided or made available to the aircraft based on fiscal quarters. For example, flights made in March through May will be billed in June. Flights that occur during two quarters, for example enter Canada in May and leave in June, will have two bills, one for each quarter with a delay of three months between bills.

Payment by check, money order, or credit card (Visa or MasterCard) can be made in Canadian or equivalent U.S. dollars, converted at the exchange rate for buying Canadian dollars on the day the remittance is deposited by NAV CANADA. Checks, money orders, and credit card authorization forms must be sent by mail.

Non-payment and late penalties may be applied. In addition, NAV CANADA may apply to the courts for an order authorizing the corporation to seize and detain aircraft for which there are unpaid or overdue charges.

NAV CANADA customer service representatives can be reached at 800/876-4693 or by e-mail at [email protected]. The announcement of reduced service charges for general aviation and larger aircraft, which may have terminal, enroute, and extra service charges, are detailed on NAV CANADA’s Web site (See attachment below.)

Should you require additional assistance, contact AOPA’s technical services department at 800/872-2672.

Announcement of new and revised service charges
January 28, 2000

GENERAL

NAV CANADA hereby announces new and revised service charges, pursuant to Section 37 of the Civil Air Navigation Services Commercialization Act, S.C. 1996, c. 20 (ANS Act). This announcement sets out the new and revised charges that apply to three categories of air navigation services: (i) Terminal, (ii) Enroute, and (iii) Oceanic. These charges will become effective on March 1, 2000, except as otherwise indicated. All other service charges not amended by this announcement remain in effect.

Pursuant to Section 42 of the ANS Act, persons wishing to appeal the within changes to charges may do so by making an application to the Canadian Transportation Agency within 30 days after the day the announcement required by Section 37 in respect of the charge that is the subject of the appeal was filed with the agency. The filing date of the said announcement is January 28, 2000. An appeal may only be made on one or more of the grounds set out in Section 43 of the ANS Act.

This announcement consists of four sections:

International communication services charge

Airport surface detection equipment (ASDE) charge at L.B. Pearson International Airport

Revisions to flat fees

Billing and payment terms and conditions

Note:

All references to dollars refer to Canadian dollars.
All references to tonnes refer to metric tonnes.

International communication services charge

The international communication services (int’l comm) charge will be $46.33 except for a flight providing position reports via datalink, in which case the charge will be $23.43 per flight.

The differentiated int’l comm charge will become effective on the later of March 1, 2000, or the date when position reporting via datalink is accepted for operational purposes by NAV CANADA.

The one-year adjustment, representing a decrease of $2.38 per flight, as provided for in the announcement of reduced service charges dated August 16, 1999, will still apply.

Airport surface detection equipment (ASDE) charge at L.B. Pearson International Airport (LBPIA)

A new ASDE charge will apply to each departure from LBPIA by aircraft with a maximum permissible takeoff weight over 3 metric tonnes. The formula for the ASDE charge will be the same as for the terminal services charge with a unit rate of $0.45.

The charge will apply in addition to existing charges relative to terminal or enroute services (including daily charges).

The ASDE charge will be in effect until the capital costs, including interest, as described in the details and principles document of November 1999, have been recovered. At that time, NAV CANADA will make the appropriate notice and announcement to remove this charge. The cost recovery period is currently estimated at approximately four years.

Revisions to flat fees

The weight exemption level for small aircraft will be increased from 600 kg to 617 kg.

For aircraft restricted to aerial agricultural spraying, the annual charge will be $58 for aircraft over 2.0 and up to 3.0 tonnes. The annual minimum for such restricted aircraft over 3.0 tonnes will also be $58.

The one-year adjustment, representing a decrease of $3, as provided for in the announcement of reduced service charges, dated August 16, 1999, will still apply.

It should be noted that flights by aircraft over 3.0 tonnes restricted to aerial agricultural spraying continue to be subject to the daily or movement-based charges at aerodromes with air navigation facilities staffed either by NAV CANADA or by a person acting under the authority of the minister of National Defence.

The 12.0 tonne weight-break point for the daily charge will be increased to 12.3 tonnes. As a result, the 8.6 to 12.0 and 12.0 to 15.0 weight groups will be revised to 8.6 to 12.3 and 12.3 to 15.0, respectively.

Billing and payment terms and conditions

4.1 Provision of information

Customers must file an updated fleet submission any time their fleet is modified. In the absence of such submission, NAV CANADA calculates the charge for the flight based upon the highest published maximum permissible takeoff weight for an aircraft of the same type.

This does not apply to customers operating only aircraft weighing 3.0 tonnes or less.

4.2 Payment terms and conditions

If an operator frequently fails to pay any invoice, or any undisputed part thereof, by the normal due date; i.e., 30th day after the invoice date, NAV CANADA may demand immediate payment upon receipt of invoices with any interest on overdue accounts being calculated from the date of receipt of the invoice.

Interest and administrative charges are due upon receipt of statement for same.

4.3 Claims

A claim may be filed with NAV CANADA within 90 days from the date of the invoice. If payment of a disputed amount is withheld by the operator and after investigation by NAV CANADA, that outstanding amount is deemed to have been payable on the due date, interest will accrue from that due date.

December 18, 2002