pilot readback requirements

New Transport Canada Readback Rules: What Every Canadian Pilot Needs to Know

BySupport Canadian Flt Trainers

On November 20, 2025, Transport Canada published Advisory Circular (AC) 602-008 – Pilot Readback Requirements. It explains new rules that will soon affect every pilot operating in Canadian Domestic Airspace, from student pilots in the circuit to airline crews on the line.

These changes haven’t “gone live” in the regulations yet, but they will become applicable in November 2026. The exact date will be one year after the amendments to the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) are published in Canada Gazette Part II.

This post breaks down what’s changing in plain language and what you should start doing now to be ready.

Why is Transport Canada changing readback rules?

According to AC 602-008, Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) has three main goals:

  1. Align with ICAO Annex 11 on pilot readbacks of safety-related information.
  2. Reduce runway incursions and taxi incidents by tightening runway-related communications.
  3. Improve frequency efficiency by making better use of ATIS and clear, standard phraseology.

Readbacks are not just radio “etiquette.” They create a closed-loop communication:

  • The pilot reads back the critical bits.
  • The controller or FSS performs a “hearback” — listening for errors and correcting any mismatches.

The idea is that if it can cause an accident when misunderstood, it probably needs a readback.

1. Mandatory readbacks of safety-critical information

The biggest change: certain pieces of information, when given directly by an ATS unit, must now be read back by the pilot.

Whenever ATC or a Flight Service Station gives you these items by voice, you must read them back:

Even if you already got this information from the ATIS, if it’s spoken to you on frequency, it now requires a readback.

Example: arrival call with landing info

FSS unit: “Mike Echo Charlie, Gatineau Radio, runway two-seven, wind two-eight-zero at ten, altimeter two-nine-nine-one, traffic Cessna one-seven-two in the circuit.”

Pilot (required): “Runway two-seven, altimeter two-niner-niner-one, Mike Echo Charlie.”

Notice the readback will now focus on the runway and altimeter, and the callsign. The wind and traffic are useful but not the required readback elements.

2. “Hold short” is now a must read back

Taxi is where a lot of risk lives, especially near active runways. The Advisory Circular reinforces and formalizes expectations for runway-related taxi instructions.

a) HOLD SHORT = mandatory readback

Any time ATC instructs you to hold short of a runway, the full instruction must be read back, including the words “hold short” and the runway designator.

Example:

ATC: “India Zulu Victor, taxi via Bravo, hold short runway two-six.”
Pilot (required): “Hold short runway two-six, India Zulu Victor.”

If you just respond with your callsign or “roger,” you’re no longer meeting the standard.

b) CROSS RUNWAY = strongly recommended readback

When ATC instructs you to cross a runway, a readback is not strictly mandatory under the new rules, but Transport Canada strongly recommends reading it back to support situational awareness and reduce the chance of a runway incursion.

Example:

ATC: “India Zulu Victor, cross runway two-six, continue taxi via Bravo to apron one.”
Pilot (recommended): “Cross runway two-six, India Zulu Victor.”

Practical takeaway: if a runway is mentioned in a taxi instruction, you should say the runway back—whether it’s a hold-short or a crossing.

Boeing 747 take-off

3. New requirement: state the ATIS identification on initial contact

Many pilots already do this as good practice. The difference now is that it becomes a regulatory requirement in Subpart 602 of the CARs.

On initial contact with the appropriate ATS unit, you must state which ATIS you have by its identification letter (e.g., “information Bravo”).

  • Saying “with the ATIS” is not sufficient.
  • You must say something like “with information Bravo”.

Example: initial call after listening to ATIS

Pilot: “Saskatoon Tower, Cessna Golf Juliet Victor Charlie, with information Bravo.”

This tells the controller that you’ve already received:

  • Current weather and altimeter
  • Runway in use/arrival and departure info
  • Notams included in the ATIS

…and they don’t need to repeat that material unless something has changed.

Who does this apply to?

Per AC 602-008, these requirements apply to all pilots operating aircraft in Canadian Domestic Airspace.

That includes:

  • Recreational, student, and PPL pilots
  • FTU operations and charter ops
  • Airline and commuter pilots
  • VFR and IFR alike, whenever you’re communicating with an ATS unit

If you use a Canadian callsign on the radio in Canada, these changes are aimed at you.

When do I actually have to comply?

Timeline at a glance:

  • AC 602-008 effective date: 20 November 2025 (guidance).
  • Regulatory changes in CARs 602: will become applicable in November 2026.
  • Exact applicability date: one year after the day the new regs are published in Canada Gazette Part II (publication date still to come at the time of writing).

The advisory circular is essentially Transport Canada’s “heads-up” to the industry so that schools, operators, and pilots can adjust training, SOPs, and habits ahead of time.

What should pilots and flight schools do now?

Here are some practical steps to build into your training and operations:

1. Update radio-training and checkrides

  • Make runway, altimeter, squawk, and hold-short readbacks a standard grading item.
  • Include taxi-to-hold-short and runway-crossing scenarios in sim sessions and oral exams.
  • Encourage concise but complete readbacks: “Hold short runway 24, C-GABC” instead of long, rambling replies.

2. Standardize phraseology

Consider using simple internal standards such as:

This keeps your readbacks short, consistent, and easy for ATS to hear and correct.

3. Make ATIS identification part of the pre-call flow

Build a mini-flow for controlled airports:

  1. Listen to ATIS and note the letter.
  2. Set altimeter and brief runway in use.
  3. Only then call clearance, ground, tower, or FSS, stating “with information ___” on the first call.

For uncontrolled/MF aerodromes with an ATIS, use the same habit when calling the appropriate ATS unit.

4. Review SOPs, briefing cards, and kneeboard cheatsheets

Operators and schools should:

  • Amend SOPs and training manuals to reflect the new requirements.
  • Update kneeboard quick-reference cards with a reminder about:

This way, new students will learn the post-2026 standard from the beginning.

Key takeaways

  • Three items are now mandatory readbacks when issued by ATS:
  • “Hold short” + runway must always be read back.
  • Runway crossing instructions: readback is strongly recommended and should become standard practice.
  • On initial contact, you must state the ATIS identification (e.g., “with information Bravo”), not just “with the ATIS.”
  • The rules will become legally applicable in November 2026, once the CARs amendments are published and the one-year lead-in has passed.

Do these new readback rules apply to all pilots in Canada?

Yes. The new readback requirements will apply to all pilots operating in Canadian Domestic Airspace – from student and recreational pilots all the way up to airline crews. If you’re using a Canadian callsign in Canadian airspace and talking to an ATS unit, these rules are for you.

When do the new pilot readback rules actually come into force?

Transport Canada has published Advisory Circular AC 602-008 now, but the regulatory changes in the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) will apply in November 2026, after the amendments are officially published in the Canada Gazette Part II and the one-year lead-in period has passed.

What exactly do I have to read back under the new rules?

When information is given directly to you by an ATS unit, you will be required to read back at least: The runway in use or assigned runway, the altimeter setting, the transponder code, and any instruction to “hold short” of a runway, including the runway number. Runway crossing instructions are not strictly mandatory to read back, but Transport Canada strongly recommends it—so the smart habit is: if a runway is mentioned, say the runway back.

Will this affect my flight test or written exam?

Indirectly, yes. Transport Canada’s goal is for pilot-controller communication to align with the updated CARs and ICAO standards. Examiners and FTUs will naturally begin to expect:
Solid readbacks of runway/altimeter/squawk/hold-short items
Proper use of ATIS identification on first contact
Clear, concise phraseology that supports situational awareness, especially around runways
If you’re training or renewing, it’s smart to treat these new standards as “the new normal” now.

Does Canadian Flight Trainers’ online ground school cover radio communication and readbacks?

Yes. Our online ground school includes training on:
Standard R/T phraseology, how to structure initial calls and position reports, correct use of readbacks and “hearback” loops between pilots and ATS, practical examples of taxi, departure, arrival, and circuit calls.

We’re also updating our material to reflect the new Transport Canada readback requirements, so students learn the post-2026 standard, not the “old way” they’ll have to unlearn later.

I did my licence years ago. Is your ground school a good way to refresh my radio skills?

Yes. If you trained under older practices, our courses are a great way to:
Refresh standard phraseology, get up to speed on current Canadian procedures, practice more disciplined runway- and safety-critical readbacks, reinforce best practices with modern examples, videos, and quizzes.
Many licensed pilots use our courses as a refresher before returning to flying or preparing for an upgrade.

Does Canadian Flight Trainers help with the radiotelephone (ROC-A) and real-world R/T?

Canadian Flight Trainers was Canada’s first online ground school to provide remote ROC-A examinations in Canada. Our popular ROC-A Course teaches you everything you need to know to obtain your ROC-A and speak on the radio.

Is watching videos enough, or do I also need in-air practice?

Ground school (ours or anyone’s) will give you the “what” and “why” of readbacks and phraseology. To really lock it in, you should combine:
Ground school learning (videos, examples, quizzes), with in-air or simulator practice with an instructor who expects you to use the new readback standards every time.

We encourage students to bring what they’ve learned from Canadian Flight Trainers into every dual lesson: read back the runway, altimeter, squawk, and hold-shorts exactly as practiced in the course.

How can I enrol in Canadian Flight Trainers online ground school?

You can view our courses and enrol online at:
Canadian Flight Trainers – Online Ground School

Our courses are designed for Canadian pilots and are being actively updated to reflect the latest Transport Canada guidance, including these new pilot readback requirements.

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