Civil Aviation Order 40.6 Amendment Order (No. 1) 2008 (Cth)

I, William Bruce Byron, Director of Aviation Safety, on behalf of CASA, make this instrument under subregulation 5.14 (1) and regulations 5.16 and 5.18 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988.

[Signed Bruce Byron]

Bruce Byron
Director of Aviation Safety and
   Chief Executive Officer

15 April 2008

Civil Aviation Order 40.6 Amendment Order (No. 1) 2008

1          Name of instrument

            This instrument is the Civil Aviation Order 40.6 Amendment Order (No. 1) 2008.

2          Commencement

            This instrument commences on the day after it is registered.

3          Amendment of Civil Aviation Order 40.6

            Schedule 1amends Civil Aviation Order 40.6.

Schedule 1          Amendment

[1]        Appendix I

substitute

Appendix 1

Aeronautical knowledge standards

Syllabus of training for agricultural rating

Note   The aeronautical knowledge standards are common to both piston and turbine-powered aeroplanes and helicopters, except where specifically stated.

1          Aircraft and equipment

1.1       Care and maintenance of aircraft and role of equipment in the field

1.1.1    Explain pilot responsibilities for the following:

(a)   maintenance releases;

(b)   repair, replacement and overhaul of fitted role equipment.

1.1.2    List maintenance that may be carried out by Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) or Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL) holders.

1.1.3    Explain the following:

(a)   minimum equipment list for flights under Visual Flight Rules (V.F.R.);

(b)   permissible unserviceability;

(c)   minimum instruments required for aerial application operations under V.F.R.

1.2       Servicing and ground handling

             Explain operation and removal of tie down equipment, locking and safety devices (e.g. gust locks), covers, etc. and procedure for use of towing vehicles.

1.3       Pre-flight and after-flight inspection

1.3.1    Explain areas for particular attention (e.g. precautions for hosing down, how to identify damage/cracks/corrosion, care of brakes, undercarriage, etc.).

1.3.2    Describe inspection and flight preparation of aircraft exposed to outside parking and harsh environmental conditions (e.g. wing and control surfaces exposed to freezing conditions, engine, battery care, etc.).

1.3.3    Explain inspection requirements for aircraft role and equipment, including secure fittings of booms, spreader, hoses, pumps and operations of the dump equipment.

1.3.4    Explain fuelling procedures, including drum stowage, use and care of pumps, fuel testing, use of safety equipment/fire extinguishers, vehicle positioning and fuel quantity checks.

1.3.5    Explain the responsibilities of the pilot in command and the operator in hot refuelling, including:

(a)   the procedures and equipment required for hot refuelling; and

(b)   the inspection and testing of the fuel system; and

(c)   the safety precautions with regard to radio transmissions.

1.3.6    Explain action in event of fire hazard.

1.4       Starting and ground operations of engines

1.4.1    Explain inspection requirement for fire hazard prior to starting and state fire safety precautions.

1.4.2    State engine-start safety distances and sectors from buildings, other aircraft, exposed public areas and fuelling equipment.

2          Operational planning and operations

2.1       Ground inspection

2.1.1    Explain operating area inspection methods and purpose.

2.1.2    Explain limitations of ground inspections.

2.2       Flight between airstrip and operating area

2.2.1    Explain low flying permission relating to aerial application operations, including the associated inspection flights and transit flights from aerodrome or aircraft landing area (ALA) to a treatment area.

2.2.2    Explain the low flying restrictions, planning notice, precautions and procedures with respect to overflying or in close proximity to buildings during aerial application operations, including stating the required safety distances and minimum height from buildings.

2.3       Operations on, or in vicinity of, non-controlled and controlled aerodromes        or airstrips

2.3.1    State restrictions and conditions on aerial application operations at aerodromes with movements of regular public transport aircraft.

2.3.2    Explain the circuit requirements at various types of aerodromes and ALA, including conditions applying to exemption from compliance with CASA notified procedures.

2.4       Aerial inspection

2.4.1    Explain the method and purpose [i.e. how and what are you looking for?].

2.4.2    Explain the use of mnemonics as an aide-mémoire to key operational planning issues (e.g. “WISHSTANDE”).

2.4.3    Explain key considerations for operations between airstrip and the treatment area and for general low level navigation.

2.4.4    Describe how to locate and plan for the management of obstructions and ground undulations from the air.

2.4.5    Explain low level map reading procedures, including interpretation of topographical details on different maps.

2.5       Weather

2.5.1    State when the use of weather forecast is necessary, including the authorised sources and the conditions governing their uses.

2.5.2    Explain how to obtain and interpret aviation meteorological forecasts and charts.

2.5.3    Describe the effects of inversion on aerial application.

2.5.4    Describe indicators of mechanical and thermal turbulence and shifting wind and explain implications for low level aerial application.

2.5.5    Describe cloud types as indicators of approaching or existing weather conditions, including associated flying conditions.

2.5.6    Describe winds affecting low level flying and associated flying conditions.

2.5.7    Describe the effect of mountainous influence on airflow and associated flying conditions.

2.5.8    Describe types of fog and their formation.

2.5.9    Describe weather phenomena hazardous to low flying operations.

2.5.10  Recall the terrain and weather conditions that may lead to disorientation during low level flight (e.g. flight into rising ground and toward low ground, false horizons, ridgeline and valley effects) and explain pilot corrective action.

2.5.11  Explain typical terrain and seasonal effects on local wind direction, strength and mechanical or thermal turbulence.

2.6       Planning and risk control

             Describe the planning tools available to an aerial application pilot, including:

(a)   explaining SWOT analysis and identifying elements of strength, weakness, opportunities and threats in SWOT analysis in planning the conduct of an aerial application; and

(b)   describing the process of risk assessment, including the following:

             (i)  identifying potential hazards or risk using SWOT analysis;

            (ii)  describing what a risk assessment matrix is, and how to use it;

            (iii)  assessing risk — probability versus severity, bias in assessments of risk;

           (iv)  assigning priority to identified risk; and

(c)   describing risk management, including:

              (i)  explaining the use of risk management hierarchy such as eliminating risk, substituting for a smaller risk, engineering around risk and administering around risk; and

             (ii)  describing typical strategies to apply for each level of the risk management hierarchy; and

            (iii)  identifying who will do what, when and how and with what resources; and

(d)    explaining what is an aerial Application Management Plan (AMP), including:

              (i)  describing its key components and how it affects safety of        the flight (but excluding those related to chemicals and their handling); and

             (ii)  the importance of decision making, including the influence of capture error and inexperience; and

            (iii)  the importance of monitoring an AMP, and the need for pilots to match changing conditions; and

            (iv)  describing typical changing weather conditions that require monitoring, for example, wind direction and speed and estimating their magnitude and direction; inversions and changing atmospheric stability; position of the sun and the danger of its glare; and importance of maintaining a clean, clear and serviceable windscreen.

2.7       Loading

2.7.1    Explain considerations for dumping.

2.7.2    Convert between metric, imperial weights and US weights and measures.

2.7.3    Convert volume to weight for fuel and hopper loading.

3          Operational techniques

3.1       Treatment area

3.1.1    Describe methods of treatment (for main runs and clean up swaths), given:

(a)   wind direction; and

(b)   sun glare; and

(c)   obstructions, particularly wires and powerlines; and

(d)   irregular shaped areas; and

(e)   types of application (e.g. spraying, seeding, top dressing, etc).

3.1.2    Describe problems associated with top dressing application, such as hilly terrain, downdraughts, turbulence, false horizon effect, high country and irregular areas.

3.1.3    Explain precautionary actions before starting a clean-up.

3.1.4    Explain selection, placement and type of markers.

3.1.5    Explain how to identify wire runs, and minimise associated risks, with the following:

(a)   preliminary inspection of treatment area;

(b)   how to judge distance to the wire;

(c)   the danger and forms of distraction;

(d)   considerations for flying above or under the wire;

(e)   considerations for crossing oblique wires;

(f)    visual cues of wire locations such as pole runs, type, numbers and attitude of insulators, cross stress and angle of cross stress, supplementary or spur wires and buildings;

(g)   characteristics and dangers of high wires and guy wires;

(h)   factors affecting misjudgement of wire clearance;

(i)    how to maintain awareness of located wires;

(j)    the hazards of mental overload.

   3.2     Describe the operation of DGPS for track guidance, including the importance of maintaining an active scan outside the cockpit while referencing the DGPS.

4          Human factors

4.1       Dehydration

4.1.1    Describe the symptoms of dehydration.

4.1.2    List fluids suitable for re-hydration and explain why.

4.2       Fatigue

4.2.1    Recall and explain single pilot V.F.R. fatigue symptoms and management.

4.2.2    Explain what are “acute” and “chronic” fatigues.

4.2.3    Explain the effects of fatigue on information processing.

4.2.4    Explain how to prevent and treat cases of flight crew fatigue.

4.2.5    Explain the biological clock and how it affects flight crew.

4.3       Stress

             Explain:

(a)   the effects of stress on information processing; and

(b)   the relationship between stress and arousal; and

(c)   the management of stress; and

(d)   the physical stress of acceleration forces on the human body and recall the “g” limitations for the average pilot.

4.4       Drugs

4.4.1    Explain the undesirable effects of over the counter and prescription drugs, in particular, the side effects of:

(a)   aspirin, antihistamines, nasal decongestants; and

(b)   amphetamines, tranquillisers, sedatives, antibiotics; and

(c)   cold and cough mixtures; and

(d)   excessive caffeine.

4.4.2    Explain what safety precautions a pilot must observe when taking “over the counter” or prescription drugs.

4.5       Spatial disorientation and illusions

4.5.1    Describe and explain:

(a)   flight circumstances that may produce disorientations and visual illusions such as false horizon, illusions encountered in manoeuvring and illusions encountered in approach and landing; and

(b)   equilibrium system illusions such as flicker vertigo, somatogravic and somatogyral illusion.

4.5.2    Explain how to identify, prevent and overcome states of disorientation and illusion.

4.6       Influences on safe aerial application operations

             Explain how safe aerial application may be influenced by:

(a)   attitude, culture, and climate; and

(b)   operational awareness; and

(c)   planning and risk control.

4.7       Hazardous attitudes

             Explain attitudes such as:

(a)   anti-authority; and

(b)   deference; and

(c)   invulnerability; and

(d)   impulsiveness; and

(e)   macho; and

(f)    resignation.

4.8       Conflict management

             Describe the symptoms of conflict and explain the strategies that can be implemented to manage conflict.

4.9       Organisational culture

             Explain how organisational culture and safety climate affects safe operations, including the following:

(a)   recall and explain Reason’s 4 essential components of a genuine safety culture;

(b)   recall and explain Westrum’s 3 types of organisational culture;

(c)   influence of pilots on organisational culture;

(d)   relationship between organisational culture and safety climate.

4.10     Decision making

             Explain decision-making concepts, including the following:

(a)   models of decision making;

(b)   role of memory and experience in decision making;

(c)   relationship between situation awareness and decision making.

4.11     Aeronautical risk management

            Explain decision-making traps, such as:

(a)   simple rules; and

(b)   law of small numbers; and

(c)   confirmation bias; and

(d)   “get-home-itis” (motivation); and

(e)   gambler’s fallacy (misconceptions of chance); and

(f)    false hypothesis; and

(g)   experience biases (capture error); and

(h)   problems with checklists.

4.12     Source of social influence on pilots

             Explain the types and sources of social influence on pilots, including the following:

(a)   authority;

(b)   peers;

(c)   competition;

(d)   perfection;

(e)   groupthink;

(f)    risky shift.

5          Legislation relating to aerial application operations

   5.1     Calculate flight and duty time limitations.

   5.2     Explain the privileges and limitations of an agricultural rating.

   5.3     State the requirements for supervision of a pilot who has a grade 2 agricultural rating.

   5.4     Explain low flying permissions and restrictions for aircraft engaged in ferry to/from and during aerial application operations.

   5.5     State requirements applicable to aerial application operations in the vicinity of government or licensed aerodromes.

   5.6     Explain weight and performance applicable to aerial application operations.

6          Aircraft performance (aeroplane only)

   6.1     Explain the reasons and how temperature, height above mean sea level (AMSL), pressure, humidity, weight, field surface and relative wind affect:

(a)   lift-off distance; and

(b)   climb angle, rate of climb; and

(c)   landing stop distance.

   6.2     Explain the reasons and how temperature, pressure, height and humidity affect power available, including calculating pressure and density height.

   6.3     Determine weight and balance and take-off distance from performance charts, including:

(a)   maximum payload/fuel that may be carried; and

(b)   the position of the CG under different load configurations; and

(c)   ensuring that the CG remains within limits throughout the flight.

   6.4     Explain how loads and turn rate affect aircraft performance (stall speed, angle of attack, inertia).

   6.5     Describe the minimum physical standards for an aerial application airstrip.

   6.6     Explain the aerodynamic forces at play during maximum rate turning and incipient stall.

   6.7     Explain the effects of rolling “G” on aircraft.

   6.8     Given a nominal straight and level stall speed, calculate stall speed at 30º, 45º and 60º angles of bank.

   6.9     Explain factors to be considered during fixed radius turns onto downwind (e.g. effect of wind gradient, rolling “g”, bank angle on stall speed, sensory illusion of groundspeed (G/S) versus IAS, drift, slip, skid).

6.10     Explain ground effect.

6.11     Explain possible aerodynamic and controllability effects associated with load dumping.

7          Aircraft performance (helicopter only)

   7.1     Explain the reasons and how temperature, pressure, height AMSL, humidity, weight, ground surface and relative wind affect:

(a)   hover performance; and

(b)   distance to achieve translational lift; and

(c)   climb angle, rate of climb.

   7.2     Explain the reasons and how temperature, pressure, altitude and humidity affect power available and power required to calculate pressure and density height.

   7.3     Determine payload (under IGE and OGE conditions) and helicopter balance using performance charts, including the following:

(a)   maximum payload/fuel that may be carried;

(b)   calculation of CG under different load configurations;

(c)   calculation of payload and fuel to retain CG within limits throughout the flight;

(d)   arithmetic calculations to reposition internal equipment to adjust CG position;

(e)   distribution of internal equipment in accordance with deck loading limits.

   7.4     Recall the standards recommended for “basic” and “standard” helicopter landing sites (HLS).

   7.5     Explain ground effect, Vne and retreating blade stall.

7.6       Rotor disc behaviour under reduced/negative “g”

7.6.1    Explain the relationship between cyclic input, disc attitude, rotor hub/shaft position and fuselage responsiveness on a teetering head helicopter system under 1 “g”, negative “g” and normal disc loading conditions.

   7.7     Explain “control power”.

7.8       Dynamic rollover

             Explain:

(a)   what is dynamic rollover; and

(b)   how to avoid dynamic rollover; and

(c)   how to correct in a dynamic rollover situation.

7.9       Loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE)

             Explain:

(a)   the phenomenon of LTE; and

(b)   factors that contribute to LTE (high density altitude, high gross weight, turning down wind at low airspeed i.e. below the speed for minimum powered level flight, exceeding manufacturer recommended relative wind and operating gross weight limits); and

(c)   indications of LTE; and

(d)   recovery from LTE.

7.10     Explain the implications of flying inside the helicopter height or velocity avoid curve.

7.11     Explain the degradation of performance with contamination on rotor blades (e.g. mud picked up by rotor wash during hovering operations).