Watch Past COPA Safety Seminars
Can’t make a live safety seminar? No problem – watch past seminars on replay via our YouTube channel.
Please note, you must attend our safety seminars live to receive credit for seminars that meet the 24-month pilot recurrent training program (PRTP) requirements of CAR 401.05(2)(a).
Piloted Aircraft Safety Seminars
VFR phraseology and airport procedures
Clear communication is key for safe flying. This seminar will cover everything you need to know about VFR Phraseology, how to talk to Air Traffic Control, and how to talk to other pilots, when control service is not available.
Spring into Action with COPA
Was your lonely plane parked in a hangar all winter? This seminar will help you ease back into flying with tips and tricks to keep you safe, while covering changes in weather.
Getting Ready for Spring and PDM
This seminar broadcast will cover two topics: pilot decision making (PDM) and carb ice and atmospheric icing. The PDM presentation will lead participants through scenarios on how they can make the right decisions before and during the flight to prevent an incident or accident that could be embarrassing or worse.
The second topic will explore what carb ice and atmospheric icing is, meteorological conditions for icing and risk of carb icing, how to fix it, how to avoid it, SOPs for carb heat use, and more.
En Route CFIT and Post-Lockdown Flying
This seminar meets the 24-month recurrent training requirement of CAR 401.05. In the broadcast, we will examine how we can fly smarter and plan to mitigate risks before we confront them in the air. The first topic will focus on the En Route portion of flight and the second half of the seminar will address how to manage the risk of flying GA aircraft as we emerge from the COVID–19 lockdown.
Getting Ready for Summer Flying
This safety seminar will first walk participants through the two most challenging aspects of flight operations; takeoffs and landings.
In the first presentation we will address the challenges and offer a series of best practices to enhance awareness and make both of these events safer and less stressful. In the second presentation we will once again draw our attention to the changes in our aircraft performance and in our human performance that are associated with weather patterns shifting from springtime to summer.
Seasonal Float Flight Review and Water Egress - Key Considerations
In the first half of the seminar, Brian Douglas and John Porter will focus on key aspects to cover in a seasonal flight review including pilot and aircraft preparation, and considerations in float flying procedures after a long winter.
Following this presentation, Bryan Webster will then speak on water egress, stressing the importance of preparing for a water egress, and providing an update on the state of water egress training especially given the restrictions associated with the pandemic. The seminar will be about 1-1.5 hours in duration and include time for questions.
The Mountains are Calling!
In this COPA safety seminar on mountain flying, we will focus on an introduction of how to fly over and through the mountains safely. This overview is not designed to replace specific flying training when we go mountain flying but rather to demonstrate why this training is so necessary for safe mountain operations in many parts of Canada. In this presentation, Garmin will also highlight specific Garmin-features across their product-line that relate to mountain flying.
Buying Your First Aircraft
Everything you wanted to know about buying your first aircraft, but were afraid to ask, will be covered in this presentation, featuring Canadian aviators Phil Lightstone and Peter Campbell.
Please note: As of January 2022, COPA is no longer partnered with VREF Aircraft Valuation.
Aircraft Maintenance and Airworthiness Safety Seminar
This seminar meets the 24-month recurrent training requirement of CAR 401.05.
The training will delve into the details of aircraft owner responsibilities for the regular preventative and annual maintenance programs for their personal aircraft. As new aircraft owners you have “care and custody” of your prized possession. With ownership comes the opportunity to manage your one-aircraft fleet like the pros.
Owning the Process of Your Annual Inspections
In this COPA safety seminar, we will continue our brief series on the aircraft ownership experience. We will provide planning considerations for your mandatory annual inspection, including potential upgrades. In the second part of the presentation, our speakers will focus on how to get the aircraft ready for a successful inspection.
COPA's Helicopter Safety Awareness Panel
In this edition of COPA’s monthly safety seminar series, we will look to the world of vertical flight by discussing the health of the Canadian recreational helicopter community from a safety perspective. This special panel discussion will feature representatives from the Helicopter Association of Canada, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada and Transport Canada Civil Aviation’s General Aviation Safety Program.
A Pilot’s Guide to Winter Flying
In this seminar, we will look at the considerations and challenges that occur when flying in cold weather. Winter flying involves knowing how you, and your aircraft, will operate in the cold, and how that differs from the summer months. This seminar will cover winter ground operations, including aircraft surface contamination, starting your aircraft, and runway surface conditions, as well as winter weather and aircraft performance. We will also look at airborne icing, and winter survival.
Transitioning to Ultralight - Ultra-Easy? Part 1
Part 1 will cover all you need to know about transitioning from flying a heavier, certified GA aircraft to flying an ultralight aeroplane. It will cover the different types of ultralight aeroplanes, safety considerations, and performance differences. Come join us to learn all about ultralights and how to fly them!
Transitioning to Ultralight - Ultra-Easy? Part 2
Part 2 will include a Hangar Talk style session featuring a panel of ultralight experts. The experts include 3 axis ultralight instructors and representatives from the trike and paramoter (powered paraglider) communities. The panel will be on hand to discuss any questions that you might have on transitioning to ultralights along with general training inquiries, rules and regulations.
VFR phraseology and airport procedures
Clear communication is key for safe flying. This seminar will cover everything you need to know about VFR Phraseology, how to talk to Air Traffic Control, and how to talk to other pilots, when control service is not available.
Topics include:
- NAV CANADA’s Phraseology Document
- Transponder Operation
- Radio & Radiotelephony Procedures
- Airspace Classifications
- Emergency Considerations
- A Quick Peak at How You Look on Radar
Weather Briefings and Flight Planning Tools 101
Ready for a refresher on various flight planning software, hazardous weather and weather tools? Join COPA for our latest seminar!
Our main presenter, Conrad Hatcher has enjoyed a lifetime involvement with aviation. He has had the great fortune to turn his passion for flight into a long career that has included stints as a flight instructor, Transport Canada Inspector, airline pilot, corporate pilot and pilot examiner. Mr. Hatcher is the co-founder and presenter of Hangaaar, an online groundschool platform where he gets to share his love of aviation while providing training to aspiring pilots at various levels. When he is not around airplanes he enjoys spending time with his family and Sheeba his Alaskan Malamute.
RPAS Safety Seminars
RPAS and GA: two separate worlds connected by one sky
Curious about what’s happening with the growing number of drone applications in our skies? In this panel discussion with Transport Canada, NAV CANADA and Coastal Drone, COPA will explore what drone regulations both traditional and remote aircraft pilots should be aware of and about Canada’s plans for integrating remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) safely into Canadian airspace. The panel will begin with an overview of the CARs from Transport Canada followed by an introduction of NAV CANADA’s new app which enables drone operators to fly remote aircraft safely and legally in controlled airspace.
Drones: How to Get Started and Where to Fly
Are you curious about drones? This COPA safety seminar will provide guidance on where to started and include topics such as selecting a drone, common drone issues, getting certified, your first flight, places to fly (and where not to), common drone incidents, a new drone voluntary reporting system and the need for continuous improvement.
Upcoming Live Seminars
For live safety seminars and to learn more about the COPA Safety Program, click here.
Accident Forgiveness Insurance Incentive
Are you attending a COPA safety seminar? Click here to learn more about the insurance incentive available.