CASA 27/17 - Approval – approved pilots under Civil Aviation Order 29.10 – flight tests and grant – low-level rating, low-level endorsement and mustering endorsement – aeroplane

Overview

The CASA Flight Test Notification System (FTNS) Approval Instrument 2017 (F2017N00020) was enacted in 2017 by Graeme Mills Crawford, the Aviation Group Manager and a delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), under regulations 11.056 and 61.040 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR). This instrument was introduced to address the need for approved pilots who were approved to act as such on 31 August 2014 and have not yet been granted a low-level rating flight test endorsement (aeroplane) or an aerial application rating flight test endorsement (aeroplane) to be able to conduct flight tests and grant endorsements for low-level operations and aerial mustering in aeroplanes. The policy objective of this instrument is to ensure that approved pilots meet the necessary requirements and standards for conducting flight tests and granting endorsements, thereby maintaining high safety standards in the aviation industry. The instrument specifies the conditions under which an approved person can conduct flight tests and grant endorsements, including the requirement to be registered with FTNS, to provide evidence of their approval to act as an approved pilot, to comply with certain limitations and obligations, and to complete professional development and an examiner proficiency check by a specified date. The instrument also outlines the process for FTNS registration and the consequences of failing to comply with the conditions of approval. The instrument is in force until 30 June 2019, after which it will be repealed.

Scope and Application

The CASA 27/17I instrument, issued by Graeme M. Crawford, the Aviation Group Manager and a delegate of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), pertains to the approval of specific individuals to conduct flight tests and grant endorsements for low-level operations and aerial mustering in aeroplanes. This instrument applies to persons who were approved to act as approved pilots in aeroplanes as of 31 August 2014 and have not previously been granted low-level rating flight test endorsements or aerial application rating flight test endorsements for aeroplanes. It is in force from 20 March 2017 until the end of 30 June 2019. The approval to conduct flight tests and grant endorsements is subject to conditions including registration with the CASA Flight Test Notification System (FTNS), completion of professional development, and passing an examiner proficiency check, with deadlines varying based on the month and year of the individual's birth. The instrument does not apply to those who have already been granted the specified endorsements or to those who do not meet the approval criteria as outlined. The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR) and the Civil Aviation Order 29.10, as in force at the time of approval, govern the specifics of this instrument, which may be further extended or restricted through subordinate instruments as necessary.

Key Provisions

The F2017N00020 Notifiable Instrument made under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR) by Graeme Mills Crawford, Aviation Group Manager, on behalf of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), provides specific provisions for approved pilots who were approved on 31 August 2014 and have not yet been granted a low-level rating flight test endorsement or an aerial application rating flight test endorsement for aeroplanes (section 3). This instrument, which commenced on 20 March 2017 and will be repealed by 30 June 2019, grants these approved pilots the authority to conduct flight tests and grant endorsements for low-level ratings, aeroplane low-level endorsements, and aerial mustering endorsements for aeroplanes (section 4). The approval is subject to conditions outlined in section 5, which includes mandatory registration with the CASA Flight Test Notification System (FTNS) and use of this system for flight test notifications (section 5(1)). The obligations imposed by the Act on the parties it governs include adherence to specific conditions for the approval of pilots to conduct flight tests and grant endorsements. These conditions require the approved person to be registered with FTNS and to use this system as the method of flight test notification (section 5(1)). Furthermore, prior to FTNS registration, the approved person must provide evidence to the Flight Standards Branch of CASA that they were approved to act as an approved pilot on 31 August 2014 (section 5(2)). Additionally, the approved person must comply with the limitations and obligations of the holder of a flight examiner rating under Subpart 61.U of CASR, except for certain subregulations (section 5(3)). It is also mandatory for the approved person to complete professional development and an examiner proficiency check by specified dates, which vary depending on the month and year of their birth (section 5(4) and (5)). Breach of the conditions set out in this instrument may result in civil or criminal consequences, although specific penalties are not detailed within the instrument itself. However, under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, failure to comply with conditions related to flight test notifications and approvals can result in enforcement actions, including fines and potential suspension or revocation of the approval. The exact penalties would depend on the nature and severity of the breach and would be determined in accordance with the applicable provisions of the CASR.