The Director General of Civil Aviation for Transport Canada recently approved various temporary exemptions to an owner and operator of an aircraft with Canadian Registration Mark "HOHO-HO". The owner of the aircraft, a certain Mr. Claus, is temporarily allowed to operate a certain "Reindeer Powered Aeroplane" in a manner that does not comply with various provisions of the Canadian Aviation Regulations. Of note, the aircraft may be operated at supersonic speeds, take-off without weight limitations, and operate in built-up areas of cities and towns without complying with standard take-off, approach and landing requirements. Transport Canada has determined that this exemption is both within the public interest and is not likely to adversely affect aviation safety.
Of note, the temporary exemptions require the operator to comply with various COVID-19 related safety measures, and the aircraft must still be compliant with the requirements to use position and anti-collision lights. However, Mr. Claus has the unique distinction of being the only operator permitted to operate with organic illumination, through an aircraft safety system referred to as a "Red-nosed Reindeer." This exemption remains in place until the end of day on December 26, 2021, the date on which official "Santa" business is completed, or when the conditions set out in the exemption are breached.
This is not the first instance in which this operator has been granted exemptions to the Canadian Aviation Regulations, which have been cited as controversial by interested parties (most notably an individual known as Mr. Grinch). However, it does not appear that these exemptions have been challenged to date.
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