CASA 548/09 – Amendment of instrument CASA 287/06 - Specification – examinations for aircraft maintenance engineer licence category engines

Administered by Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Legislation au F2010L00074 Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

Explanatory Statement

Civil Aviation Order 100.92

Amendment of instrument CASA 287/06 — Specification – examinations for aircraft maintenance engineer licence category engines

 

Legislation

Section 98 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (the Act) empowers the Governor-General to make regulations for the Act and the safety of air navigation.

 

CASA issues aircraft maintenance engineer licences (AME licences) under regulation 31 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 (CAR 1988). Licences are endorsed with 1 or more work categories which describe the areas in which the privileges of the licence may be exercised. These categories are airframes, engines, radio, electrical and instruments.

 

Under regulation 31B of CAR 1988, the privileges conferred by an AME licence for a particular category are further refined by means of ratings which are also endorsed on the licence. The Civil Aviation Orders (CAOs) may specify ratings and the maintenance activities covered by them, for example, CAO 100.91 for the category airframes, CAO 100.92 for the category engines, CAO 100.93 for the category radio, CAO 100.94 for the category electrical, and CAO 100.95 for the category instruments.

 

Only a qualified person may apply to CASA for the issue of an AME licence. A qualified person means a person who has passed the required examinations. Under subregulation 5 (1) of CAR 1988, the required examinations may be prescribed in CAOs.

 

Under regulation 31C of CAR 1988, examinations for particular ratings may be prescribed in CAOs. Under subsection 6 of CAO 100.92, for the grant of a licence, or the endorsement of a rating, applicants must pass the relevant examinations specified by CASA.

 

Specification

Specification – examinations for aircraft maintenance engineer licence category engines (the Specification) contains the operative provisions for examinations for an AME licence in the engines category, and the examinations for the endorsement of ratings on the licence.

 

As explained and applied by a series of provisions in Schedule 1 of the Specification, the table in Schedule 1 lists the relevant examinations by reference to the core subjects, specific group subjects and specific aircraft type examinations. All core subjects are generally mandatory. Specific group subjects are required depending on the rating which a person seeks to have endorsed on the licence. Specific aircraft type examinations are required if the person seeks a rating for that specific aircraft type.

 

The provisions in clause 4 of Schedule 1 describe the examination credits that may be available to an applicant, and provide for certain written or oral examinations to be waived if conditions are met.

Aviation Australia

Aviation Australia Pty Ltd (Aviation Australia) is an Australian proprietary company incorporated in Queensland with shares held on behalf of the State. The shareholder of Aviation Australia is the Minister for Education and Training, in trust, on behalf of the State of Queensland, and the Minister appoints the Board of Directors. Through the Aviation Australia Advisory Forum, Aviation Australia consults with the aviation industry in developing Aviation Australia’s programs.

 

Aviation Australia is a recognised organisation for the training and examination of candidates wishing to qualify for maintenance authorities (MAs) under CAO 100.66. Among the

mandatory courses required for an MA is Module 10, Aviation Legislation, in Part 3, Appendix 4 of CAO 100.66. This course involves detailed training and examination in the Australian aviation regulatory framework for a wide range of relevant activities, including aircraft maintenance certification, type certification, commercial responsibilities, airworthiness and equipment requirements, and associated documentation requirements.

 

Specification Amendment — Airworthiness Administration

One of the core subjects required for an AME licence under the Specification is Airworthiness Administration (code AA), a course in which the examination is similar to, though not quite as exacting as, Module 10. Currently, an MA holder who has successfully completed Module 10 and who wishes to qualify as an AME holder must also pass the examination in Airworthiness Administration because under the Specification no credit is recognised for Module 10.

 

Aviation Australia has developed its Module 10 course for MA candidates in such a way that CASA is satisfied that it offers an even more effective method of training and examination in the subject matters of Airworthiness Administration. Other recognised organisations may also achieve this outcome.

 

To recognise this, CASA has amended section 4 of the Specification to provide an AME candidate with a credit for Airworthiness Administration if the candidate has knowledge of Module 10, Aviation Legislation, in Part 3, Appendix 4 of CAO 100.66, and has demonstrated the knowledge by successful examination for clause 13 of CAO 100.66, and his or her knowledge training and examination were conducted by a recognised organisation under CAO 100.66 that is specifically approved in writing for this purpose.

 

CASA approval is dependent on CASA’s satisfaction that, through Module 10, the recognised organisation can train and examine in the comprehensive specifics of Airworthiness Administration for a licence group. This is the case for Aviation Australian and a separate approval instrument will be issued for that organisation as a result of the Specification Amendment.

 

Legislative Instruments Act

Under subsection 5 (1) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 (the LIA), if an instrument is of a legislative character and made in the exercise of a power delegated by the Parliament, it is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the LIA. Because of its prescriptive character, the Specification, and any Specification Amendment is considered to be a legislative instrument and is, therefore, subject to tabling and disallowance in the Parliament under sections 38 and 42 of the LIA.

 

Regulation Impact Statement (RIS)

The amendment benefits Aviation Australia, and relevant AME candidates, and will not increase costs for, or impose any additional requirements on, the aviation industry. Therefore, the Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR) does not require a RIS for the Specification amendment because a preliminary assessment of the business compliance costs indicates that the Specification amendment will have only a nil to low impact on business.

 

Consultation, making and commencement

Consultation under section 17 of the LIA has not been undertaken in this case other than with Aviation Australia. The new examination credit that is being introduced is beneficial to both Aviation Australia, and relevant AME candidates. The instrument comes into effect at the start of the day after it is registered. It has been made by the Deputy Director of Aviation Safety, a delegate of CASA under regulation 7 of CAR 1988.

[Instrument number CASA 548/09]

Overview

The Civil Aviation Order 100.92, enacted to amend the specification for examinations for aircraft maintenance engineer licences in the engines category, was introduced to streamline and enhance the qualification process for aviation professionals. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is the enacting body, authorised under Section 98 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 to make regulations for aviation safety. The policy objective of this amendment is to provide credit for knowledge of Airworthiness Administration to Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AME) candidates who have successfully completed relevant modules, thereby reducing redundancy in training and examinations. This amendment specifically allows candidates who have passed the Module 10, Aviation Legislation, examination under CAO 100.66 to be credited for the Airworthiness Administration examination in the Specification, provided their training and examination were conducted by a recognised organisation approved by CASA. This legislative change aims to acknowledge the effectiveness of recognised organisations' training programs and reduce unnecessary burdens on AME candidates.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Order 100.92 pertains to the examinations required for aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) licences in the engines category and the endorsement of ratings on these licences. This order applies to individuals seeking to obtain or maintain an AME licence in the engines category and to recognised organisations that administer the required examinations, including Aviation Australia, which is an Australian proprietary company appointed by the Minister for Education and Training, Queensland. The scope of this order is national, as it is issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), which is the federal body responsible for regulating civil aviation in Australia. The order provides the necessary specifications for examinations, detailing mandatory core subjects, specific group subjects based on the rating sought, and specific aircraft type examinations. The order may be subject to further amendments and refinements through subordinate instruments, ensuring it remains aligned with industry needs and regulatory standards.

Key Provisions

The main operative sections of the amended Civil Aviation Order 100.92 (CAO 100.92) pertain to the adjustments made to the specifications of examinations required for aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) licences in the engines category. Under clause 4 of Schedule 1 of the amended Specification, it is now permissible for an applicant who has successfully completed and passed the Module 10, Aviation Legislation, examination for a maintenance authority (MA) to receive credit for the Airworthiness Administration (AA) examination, provided certain conditions are met (clause 4(1)). Specifically, the applicant must demonstrate knowledge of the relevant module, and their knowledge must have been assessed by a recognised organisation approved in writing by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) (clause 4(2)). This amendment is designed to recognise the effectiveness of the training and examination provided by approved recognised organisations, such as Aviation Australia. The obligations imposed by the amended CAO 100.92 on the parties involved are primarily directed at applicants for AME licences in the engines category and recognised organisations providing training and examinations. Applicants who have completed and passed the Module 10 examination must ensure that their training and examination were conducted by an approved recognised organisation. Recognised organisations, in turn, must ensure that their training and examination methods meet CASA’s standards for effectively covering the comprehensive specifics of Airworthiness Administration. CASA’s approval is contingent upon its satisfaction with the recognised organisation’s ability to deliver such training and assessments. For breaches of the requirements set out in the amended CAO 100.92, there are no specific offences or penalties outlined in the text. However, as the CAO is a legislative instrument under the Legislative Instruments Act 2003, non-compliance with the provisions could potentially lead to civil or administrative consequences under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 or other relevant legislation. CASA, as the regulatory body, would be responsible for enforcing compliance and taking appropriate action against any breaches. The specific consequences would depend on the nature and severity of the breach, but they could include sanctions such as fines, suspension, or revocation of the AME licence.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Administrative Law
Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Licensing & Registration
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.