Instrument number CASA 57/18
I, CHRISTOPHER PAUL MONAHAN, Executive Manager, National Operations & Standards, a delegate of CASA, make this instrument under regulations 11.056 and 141.035 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.
[Signed Christopher P. Monahan]
Christopher P. MonahanExecutive Manager, National Operations & Standards
28 August 2018
CASA 57/18 — Flight Training (Helicopter Firefighting Endorsement) Approval 2018
1 Name
This instrument is CASA 57/18 — Flight Training (Helicopter Firefighting Endorsement) Approval 2018.
2 Duration
This instrument:
(a) commences on 1 September 2018; and
(b) is repealed at the end of 31 August 2021.
3 Definitions
Note In this instrument certain terms and expressions have the same meaning as they have in the Civil Aviation Act 1988, Part 61 of CASR and the CASR Dictionary, including: aerial application operation, AOC, ARN and flight training. Aerial work purpose has the same meaning as in paragraph 206 (1) (a) of CAR.
(1) In this instrument:
aeronautical experience, for paragraph 5 (2) (b), means aeronautical experience in the conduct of relevant firefighting operations in a helicopter, in accordance with the requirements of Civil Aviation Order (CAO) 29.5 or 29.6, that is:
(a) recorded in the logbook of the operator’s chief pilot or the nominated senior pilot; and
(b) of such a nature and extent as to satisfy the operator’s chief pilot of his or her own, or the nominated senior pilot’s, competency to conduct relevant firefighting operations.
aeronautical experience, for subparagraph 5 (2) (c) (i), means aeronautical experience as a pilot conducting flight training in a helicopter that is:
(a) recorded in the nominated senior pilot’s logbook; and
(b) of such a nature and extent as to satisfy the operator’s chief pilot of the nominated senior pilot’s competency to conduct flight training.
fire control authority, of a State or territory, includes a parks, wildlife or forestry service.
helicopter firefighting endorsement means an endorsement of that kind granted under Subpart 61.R.
MOS means the Part 61 Manual of Standards Instrument 2014, as in force from time to time.
nominated senior pilot means a senior pilot of the operator nominated by the operator’s chief pilot.
operator means a person who, for at least the 3 years immediately before first conducting relevant flight training under this approval instrument:
(a) held an AOC authorising the person to undertake aerial application operations in a helicopter; and
(b) had an operations manual that contains procedures for relevant firefighting operations; and
(c) had annually conducted relevant firefighting operations under the written authorisation of the National Aerial Firefighting Centre (NAFC), or of a State or territory fire control authority.
PICUS means pilot in command under supervision.
relevant flight training means flight training for the grant of a helicopter firefighting endorsement.
relevant firefighting operations means helicopter operations conducted for an aerial work purpose in the form of:
(a) dropping water or fire retardant for the purposes of fire fighting; or
(b) external sling load operations in which water or fire retardant is picked-up, carried and released for the purposes of fire fighting.
(2) A reference in this instrument to a provision that includes the numerals “61” is a reference to the provision in Part 61 of CASR.
4 Approval
(1)The operator is approved to conduct relevant flight training.
(2)The approval is subject to the conditions mentioned in section 5.
5 Conditions
Requirements for delivery of relevant flight training
(1) The operator must ensure that relevant flight training is delivered only by the operator’s chief pilot or a nominated senior pilot.
Requirements for trainers
(2) The operator must ensure that its chief pilot or a nominated senior pilot (as the case may be), at the time of delivering the relevant flight training:
(a) is authorised under regulation 61.1125 to exercise the privileges of the helicopter firefighting endorsement; and
(b) has aeronautical experience in the conduct of relevant firefighting operations; and
(c) for a nominated senior pilot:
(i) has aeronautical experience as a pilot conducting flight training; or
(ii) is supervised by the chief pilot in the conduct of flight training.
Requirements for trainees
(3) The operator must ensure that relevant flight training is delivered only to a trainee who has:
(a) a commercial pilot licence with a helicopter category rating under Part 61; and
(b) a helicopter low-level endorsement under regulation 61.1080; and
(c) if the relevant flight training is for relevant firefighting operations using an external sling load — a sling operations endorsement under regulation 61.1080.
Requirements for relevant flight training
(4) The operator must ensure that relevant flight training is delivered in accordance with a course of training prepared by the operator that:
(a) covers the matters mentioned in Schedule 1; and
(b) includes appropriate information about the pass standards for the aeronautical knowledge assessments, the practical flying assessment and the overall assessment.
Requirements for operator controls over relevant flight training
(5) The operator must ensure that:
(a) the aeronautical knowledge training, the practical flight training, and the assessments comply with the requirements set out in Schedule 1; and
(b) both the theoretical and practical components of the relevant flight training are conducted in a suitable ground environment and airspace, with appropriate facilities and training resources; and
(c) the helicopter used for the relevant flight training is airworthy and suitable for the training; and
(d) each person conducting relevant flight training (including assessment) is competent to do so.
Requirements for operator records
(6) The operator must prepare as soon as practicable, and retain in safe custody for at least 3 years from their creation, the following records for each trainee:
(a) the trainee’s name, ARN, and dates of commencement and ending of training;
(b) for each relevant flight training activity, and each practical flying assessment, details of the following:
(i) the location;
(ii) the date;
(iii) the aircraft type, and nationality and registration marks;
(iv) the name and ARN of the instructor conducting the flight training activity;
(v) the name and ARN of the person conducting the practical flying assessment;
(vi) the flight time, and whether the flight was dual, solo or PICUS;
(vii) the record and results of the trainee’s performance against the relevant competencies mentioned at Unit AA5 – Helicopter firefighting operation, under Aerial Application Rating in Schedule 2 of the MOS;
(c) the results for each of the aeronautical knowledge assessments;
(d) a copy of the certificate of completion for the relevant training mentioned in subsection (7).
Requirement for a certificate of completion of training
(7) The operator must issue a trainee who successfully completes relevant flight training with a certificate of completion that:
(a) identifies the operator and the trainee; and
(b) records the trainee’s results for each of the aeronautical knowledge assessments, the practical flying assessment and the overall assessment.
Schedule 1 Relevant flight training for a helicopter firefighting endorsement
Aeronautical knowledge training
1There must be at least a 1 day training course, followed by a written and oral assessment, covering the following (aeronautical knowledge assessment 1):
(a) fire behaviour;
(b) firefighting techniques using belly tanks, or sling loads with single-drop or multi‑drop buckets (as the case requires);
(c) communication protocols;
(d) operator procedures;
(e) relevant procedures of fire control authorities.
Note Fire fighting includes what is colloquially known as “firebombing”.
2There must be at least a separate 1 day training course, followed by a written and oral assessment, covering the following (aeronautical knowledge assessment 2):
(a) human factors;
(b) hazard awareness;
(c) risk management for firefighting operations.
3Each of aeronautical knowledge assessment 1 and 2 must be conducted under the supervision of the operator’s chief pilot.
Practical flight training
4Subject to clause 5, there must be dual flight training covering at least the following, and progressing from simple to complex situations:
(a) flight preparation;
(b) access to water or retardant sources, and loading;
(c) transit to relevant location;
(d) approach and delivery of water or fire retardant;
(e) threat and error management;
(f) helicopter performance management in the operational context;
(g) management of non-normal and emergency operations in the operational context;
(h) application of learning acquired under clauses 1 to 3.
5Such additional solo or PICUS practice flights as are required by the instructor conducting the training, involving the targeted application of water or fire retardant.
6The number and nature of the flights mentioned in clause 5 must be such as to ensure that a level of competency is achieved, bearing in mind the trainee’s existing flying qualifications and experience.
7There must be a practical flying assessment based on the practical flight standards for the endorsement in the MOS.
Overall assessment
8There must be an overall assessment based on aeronautical knowledge assessment 1 and 2, and the practical flying assessment.
9The overall assessment must not be a pass unless each of the aeronautical knowledge assessments has been passed, and the practical flying assessment has been passed.