Notwithstanding the recent remarks by the President of MAAC, he appears to be avoiding the issue. The new rules are not in place, yet. They absolutely do come into force on the 1st of June. So saying everything is alright until then is correct, but it is avoiding the need for preparation.
Transport Canada regulations do come into force in June. The way the regulations are written, it implies that, even with MAAC membership several things may apply.
1) Likley the exam will have to be written and passed. This is absolutely applicable if you fly at your cottage, public park or a non MAAC flying field. This will not likely be exempted even with MAAC membership.
2) The breadth of the material covered is far more than is relevant to Model Aviation. Icing on pitot tubes, cloud types and implications for flying, temperature and pressure effects on flight performance, and maintenance, are just some of the items that are outlined as knowledge requirements. Many do not apply to Model Aviation, but the persons who prepared the regulations, either do not understand that, do not care, or did it in a deliberate manner so as to impede persons legally flying model aircraft.
3) Your aircraft will have to be registered. MAAC may get agreement for reduced fees for multiple aircraft, but they in all likelyhood will have to be registered. MAAC may even have to put in place requirements that aircraft at a MAAC event display the TC license number.
It is imperative that some sort of MAAC sponsored and organized ground schools be started soon. The breadth of material is massive. It needs to be gathered together and put in some form of textbook format.
Transport Canada is recommending on their web site that persons take formal training before writing the exam.
On this page they even have a link to find training schools. Prices range from $300 to $3000 at the few I looked at.
http://www.tc.gc.ca/en/services/aviation/drone-safety.htmlI am trying to get people to take this action by Transport Canada seriously. Regulators move slowly. These regulations are massively out of proportion to the need, for what and how model aviation takes place. From that I conclude that they are being adament that they want these rules applied. I feel that they will be loathe to allow carve outs that would eliminate testing and registration of aircraft.
So if you have input to MAAC, tell them, it is imperative that they get working on course materials and quickly. It will soon be February. That only leaves 4 months before we may be given the bad news of what limited exemption we may be given.
If you think that is a long ways off, remember it will take better than a month to prepare and distribute course material.
I am thinking of taking the full size license ground school course as it covers almost all the required material.
If anyone has taken and passed the exam, they should speak up and indicate what materials were covered on the exam.