CASA EX43/20 — Use of Radiocommunication System in Firefighting Operations (Victoria) Exemption 2020 (Cth)

Instrument number CASA EX43/20

I, WARREN CRAIG MARTIN, Executive Manager, Regulatory Services & Surveillance, a delegate of CASA, make this instrument under regulations 11.160 and 11.205 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.

[Signed C. Martin]

Craig Martin
Executive Manager
Regulatory Services & Surveillance

28 February 2020

CASA EX43/20 — Use of Radiocommunication System in Firefighting Operations (Victoria) Exemption 2020

1          Name

This instrument is CASA EX43/20 — Use of Radiocommunication System in Firefighting Operations (Victoria) Exemption 2020.

2          Duration

This instrument:

(a)   commences on the day after it is registered; and

(b)   is repealed at the end of 31 May 2022.

3          Definitions

Note   In this instrument, certain terms and expressions have the same meaning as they have in the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and the regulations. These include: AA, firefighting operations and radiocommunication system.

In this instrument:

CFA means the Country Fire Authority, ARN 543037, of Victoria.

DELWP means the Victorian Government Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, ARN 902118.

4          Application

This instrument applies to a person, who is an employee of DELWP or an officer or member of 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 DELWP or CFA; and

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

5          Exemption

(1)     The radio operator is exempt from compliance with regulation 83 of CAR.

(2)     The exemption in subsection (1) is subject to the conditions stated in section 6.

6          Conditions

(1)     The radio operator must have completed a training course prescribed by DELWP for use of the radiocommunication system.

(2)     The radio operator must have been assessed by the person holding, or acting in, the position of Chief Fire Officer of DELWP, or the Chief Fire Officer’s delegate, as competent to transmit messages to pilots of aircraft and ground crew engaged in firefighting operations using aviation communications protocol.

(3)     The radio operator must only use the aviation bandwidth VHF AM frequency allocated to DELWP and CFA by AA and the Australian Communications and Media Authority when on board an aircraft being used for firefighting operations for DELWP or CFA.

(4)     The radio operator must only use the allocated aviation bandwidth VHF AM frequency for aircraft-to-aircraft and air‑to‑ground communications.