CASA EX166/16 Exemption — use of radiocommunication system in firefighting operations (Victoria) (Cth)

Instrument number CASA EX166/16

I, MARK ANDREW FERNAN, Acting Safety Assurance Senior Manager, Aviation Group, a delegate of CASA, make this instrument under subregulations 11.160 (1) and 11.205 (1) of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998).

[Signed M. Fernan]

Mark Fernan
Acting Safety Assurance Senior Manager
Aviation Group

21 November 2016

Exemption — use of radiocommunication system in firefighting operations (Victoria)

1          Duration

This instrument:

(a)   commences on the day of registration; and

(b)   is repealed at the end of 31 October 2019.

2          Application

This instrument applies to a person who is an employee of the Victorian Government Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DEWLP) or an officer or member of the Country Fire Authority of Victoria (CFA) operating a radiocommunication system of a kind used for the purpose of ensuring the safety of air navigation (the radio operator), if the radio operator:

(a)is on board an aircraft being used for firefighting operations for DEWLP or CFA; and

(b)is not qualified to transmit on the radio frequency for paragraph 83 (1) (b) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 (CAR 1988).

3          Exemption

The radio operator is exempt from compliance with regulation 83 of CAR 1988.

4          Conditions

The exemption is subject to the following conditions:

(a)the radio operator must have completed a training course prescribed by DEWLP for use of the radiocommunication system; and

(b)the radio operator must have been assessed as competent by the Chief Fire Officer of DEWLP, or the Chief Fire Officer’s delegate, to transmit messages to pilots of aircraft and ground crew performing firefighting operations; and

(c)the radio operator must only use the aviation bandwidth VHF AM frequency allocated to DEWLP and CFA by Airservices Australia and the Australian Communications and Media Authority for aircraft-to-aircraft and air-to-ground communications when on board an aircraft being used for firefighting operations for DEWLP or CFA.