CARs 602.19
Right of Way Rules for Aircraft in Canada
When two aircraft converge at about the same altitude, the one that has the other on its right gives way, unless they are different kinds: an aeroplane gives way to airships, gliders, balloons and tows (CARs 602.19). Head-on, both turn right. An overtaking aircraft gives way by turning right. Approaching to land, the higher aircraft gives way to the lower.
Who gives way, at a glance
| Situation | Who gives way | How | CARs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Converging, same kind of aircraft | The one that has the other on its right | Not specified; never over, under or ahead unless well clear | 602.19(2) and (4) |
| Converging, different kinds | The more manoeuvrable kind | As above | 602.19(2)(a) to (d) |
| Head-on, or nearly so | Both | Each alters heading to the right | 602.19(5) |
| Overtaking | The overtaking aircraft | Alters heading to the right, until entirely past and clear | 602.19(6) |
| Another aircraft landing or about to land | Everyone else, in flight or on the surface | Not specified | 602.19(7) |
| Two aircraft approaching to land | The higher one | Not specified | 602.19(8) |
| An aircraft in an emergency | Every pilot who is aware of it | Not specified | 602.19(1)(b) |
In the figure, place the other aircraft around yours and turn its heading. The verdict follows the rule that applies: on your right and crossing, you give way; head-on, you both turn right; closing from behind, it is overtaking.
CROSSING FROM YOUR RIGHT — YOU give way
It is on your right, so you give way, and you must not pass over or under, or cross ahead of it — 602.19(2), (4).
- Converging here means the two paths cross ahead of both aircraft; crossing means converging but neither head-on nor overtaking. On a crossing course only one aircraft can have the other on its right.
- The CARs put no number on “head-on or approximately so” or on “overtaking”. The ±20° head-on zone is this figure's choice; the ±70° overtaking sector is the ICAO Annex 2 §3.2.2.4 definition. Overtaking needs no collision course (parallel tracks count), and the figure has no speeds, so it takes the aircraft behind to be the faster one.
- Landing: an aircraft approaching to land gives way to one lower on the approach — 602.19(8) — but the lower one must not overtake or cut in front of a higher one in the final stages of its approach — 602.19(9).
The rule, word for word
CARs 602.19 has ten subsections. These four settle most exam questions. TC AIM RAC 1.8 reprints the section.
“When two aircraft are converging at approximately the same altitude, the pilot-in-command of the aircraft that has the other on its right shall give way, except as follows: (a) a power-driven, heavier-than-air aircraft shall give way to airships, gliders and balloons; (b) an airship shall give way to gliders and balloons; (c) a glider shall give way to balloons; and (d) a power-driven aircraft shall give way to aircraft that are seen to be towing gliders or other objects or carrying a slung load.”
“Where an aircraft is required to give way to another aircraft, the pilot-in-command of the first-mentioned aircraft shall not pass over or under, or cross ahead of, the other aircraft unless passing or crossing at such a distance as will not create a risk of collision.”
“Where two aircraft are approaching head-on or approximately so and there is a risk of collision, the pilot-in-command of each aircraft shall alter its heading to the right.”
“An aircraft that is being overtaken has the right of way and the pilot-in-command of the overtaking aircraft, whether climbing, descending or in level flight, shall give way to the other aircraft by altering the heading of the overtaking aircraft to the right, and no subsequent change in the relative positions of the two aircraft shall absolve the pilot-in-command of the overtaking aircraft from this obligation until that aircraft has entirely passed and is clear of the other aircraft.”
The kind of aircraft comes first
The right-hand rule only decides between two aircraft of the same kind. Between different kinds, the one that is harder to manoeuvre has the right of way, from whichever side it comes (CARs 602.19(2)(a) to (c)):
| This aircraft | Gives way to |
|---|---|
| Power-driven heavier-than-air: aeroplanes and helicopters | Airships, gliders and balloons |
| Airship | Gliders and balloons |
| Glider | Balloons |
| Balloon | None of these |
Then CARs 602.19(2)(d) adds the tow: a power-driven aircraft gives way to an aircraft "seen to be towing gliders or other objects or carrying a slung load". Three things follow from the words:
- Aeroplanes and helicopters are the same kind. Both are power-driven and heavier than air, so between them the right-hand rule decides.
- The tow outranks only power-driven aircraft. A towing aeroplane is itself power-driven and heavier than air, so it still gives way to gliders, airships and balloons under 602.19(2)(a).
- A hang glider is a glider. CARs 101.01 defines it as "a glider that is designed to carry not more than two persons and has a launch weight of 45 kg (99.2 pounds) or less". It gives way to balloons, and an aeroplane gives way to it.
Head-on and overtaking: always to the right
Head-on, neither aircraft has the right of way. Each pilot "shall alter its heading to the right" (CARs 602.19(5)), so the two turn away from each other. A pilot who turns left, or only changes speed, can turn into the other.
Overtaking is the opposite: the aircraft ahead has the right of way, and the one catching up gives way by "altering the heading of the overtaking aircraft to the right" (CARs 602.19(6)). The duty does not end when the geometry changes. It lasts until the overtaking aircraft "has entirely passed and is clear of the other aircraft".
The CARs and the TC AIM put no angle on "head-on or approximately so", or on where overtaking begins. The figure draws head-on as within 20° of the nose, and overtaking as closing from within 70° of the other aircraft's tail. Those are the figure's conventions, not numbers in the rule.
Landing and taking off
Near an aerodrome, three subsections decide, and a fourth applies before any take-off or landing.
“Where an aircraft is in flight or manoeuvring on the surface, the pilot-in-command of the aircraft shall give way to an aircraft that is landing or about to land.”
“The pilot-in-command of an aircraft that is approaching an aerodrome for the purpose of landing shall give way to any aircraft at a lower altitude that is also approaching the aerodrome for the purpose of landing.”
“The pilot-in-command of an aircraft at a lower altitude, as described in subsection (8), shall not overtake or cut in front of an aircraft at a higher altitude that is in the final stages of an approach to land.”
“No person shall conduct or attempt to conduct a take-off or landing in an aircraft until there is no apparent risk of collision with any aircraft, person, vessel, vehicle or structure in the take-off or landing path.”
The right of way is not a licence to hold course
Subsection (1) overrides everything after it. It opens "Despite any other provision of this section", so the aircraft with the right of way must still act, and an emergency outranks every other rule. CARs 602.21 adds the general duty: "No person shall operate an aircraft in such proximity to another aircraft as to create a risk of collision."
“Despite any other provision of this section, (a) the pilot-in-command of an aircraft that has the right of way shall, if there is any risk of collision, take such action as is necessary to avoid collision; and (b) where the pilot-in-command of an aircraft is aware that another aircraft is in an emergency situation, the pilot-in-command shall give way to that other aircraft.”
On the water
A floatplane on the water follows CARs 602.20, which treats vessels like aircraft. It gives way to an aircraft or vessel on its right (602.20(1)). Approaching one head-on, or approximately so, it alters heading to the right (602.20(2)). Overtaking, it "shall alter its heading to keep well clear of the other aircraft or the vessel" (602.20(3)). On the water the overtaking rule names no side.
Where candidates lose marks
- "Right is right." The aircraft on the right has the right of way. If the other aircraft is on your left, you are on its right, and it gives way to you.
- Category beats side. An aeroplane gives way to a glider, airship or balloon converging from its left.
- Size and speed give no right of way. An airliner is a power-driven heavier-than-air aircraft, like a trainer.
- Turns are to the right, head-on and overtaking. No subsection tells you to climb, descend, change speed or turn left.
- Converging, only the aircraft that gives way manoeuvres, and 602.19(2) does not say how. It must not pass over, under or ahead of the other unless well clear (602.19(4)).
- Lower goes first on approach, but the lower aircraft must not cut in front of a higher one in the final stages of its approach (602.19(9)).
- The balloon outranks everyone, and of two balloons converging at different altitudes, the higher gives way to the lower (602.19(3)).
Practice
These are Transport Canada's own PSTAR questions, reproduced word for word from TP 11919E, Study and Reference Guide: Student Pilot Permit or Private Pilot Licence for Foreign and Military Applicants, Aviation Regulations (7th ed., December 2022), Department of Transport, Canada, with the Department's permission. The keys agree with Transport Canada's published answer key; the explanations are TC Exam Prep's.
Question 1 of 4
When two aircraft are converging at approximately the same altitude
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Question 2 of 4
When converging at approximately the same altitude
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Question 3 of 4
When two aircraft are approaching head-on or approximately so and there is danger of collision, each pilot shall
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Question 4 of 4
Two aircraft are on approach to land, the aircraft at the higher altitude shall
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Taught in
- PSTAR › Air Traffic Rules & AirspaceCollision Avoidance and Right of Way · free with an account
- PPL › Air LawRight-of-Way Rules (CARs 602.19) · Private Pilot Licence course
Each chapter goes further than this page, and ends with a quiz.
Other topics
Checked 16 October 2026. CARs 602.19, 602.20, 602.21 and the hang glider definition in 101.01 quoted from SOR/96-433 as consolidated to 17 June 2026 (Justice Laws Website). TC AIM RAC 1.8 checked against TC AIM, October 1, 2026. TC Exam Prep is independent and not affiliated with Transport Canada.