FSS changing phraseology at Canadian airports

Flight service specialists at uncontrolled Canadian airports will no longer advise pilots of “active” or “preferred” runways. Specialists will now advise the “runway” based on criteria such as:

• runway most aligned with wind
• current traffic pattern
• noise abatement or other restrictions
• runway conditions
• other reasons where a particular runway would be preferable

Regardless of what runway is outlined by the specialist, pilots are responsible to determine the suitability of a choose runway and comply with the traffic pattern. IFR aircraft do not have priority.

Read the aeronautical information circular here. You can also check out NavCanada’s blog here.

Old Format Examples

• “… preferred runway 23 …”
• “… active runway 23 …”

New Format

• “… runway 23 …”
• “… runway 23, traffic is a C172 in the left downwind …”
• (following a pilot choosing a runway more suit for operations) “… roger, runway 32, runway 23 is available …”

Photo by Brent Cox (https://unsplash.com/@brentcox)