Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 - Conditions on authorisations — flight crew licences and aircraft endorsements (Edition 1)

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Explanatory Statement

Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998

Conditions on authorisations — flight crew licences and aircraft endorsements (Edition 1)

 

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. Under subsection 98 (4A) of the Act, CASA may issue Civil Aviation Orders (the CAOs) not inconsistent with the Act or regulations made under the Act.

 

Under subsection 98 (5A) of the Act, the regulations may empower CASA to issue instruments in relation to matters affecting the safe navigation and operation, or the maintenance, of an aircraft.

 

Civil Aviation Order (CAO) 40.0 contained conditions on flight crew licences. CAO 40.1.0 contained conditions on aircraft endorsements – aeroplanes. These CAOs were repealed when Part 61 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) commenced on 1 September 2014. Part 61 contains new provisions relating to flight crew licences, ratings and endorsements.

 

Regulation 11.068 allows CASA, for subsection 98 (5A) of the Act, to issue a legislative instrument that imposes a condition relating to a matter mentioned in that subsection on a specified class of authorisations.

 

Under subsection 33 (3) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, where an Act confers a power to make, grant or issue any instrument of a legislative or administrative character (including rules, regulations or by laws) the power shall be construed as including a power exercisable in the like manner and subject to the like conditions (if any) to repeal, rescind, revoke, amend, or vary any such instrument.

 

Instrument

Authorisations include flight crew licences, ratings and endorsements. CASA 244/14, which commenced on 1 September 2014, is an instrument that reissued certain paragraphs and subsections in CAO 40.0 and 40.1.0 which are still required in the interests of aviation safety, including relevant conditions. Conditions on authorisations — flight crew licences and aircraft endorsements (Edition 1) (the instrument) is an instrument that repeals and replaces CASA 244/14, with the addition of a new condition in section 8 of the instrument applicable to single-engine helicopter class ratings. Other sections in the instrument have been unaltered from CASA 244/14.

 

Paragraph 2.7 of CAO 40.0 contained requirements for the practising of instrument flying in an aeroplane while the aeroplane is flying under the V.F.R. (visual flight rules). Section 4 of the instrument contains, as conditions on pilot licences, requirements, which are substantially the same as paragraph 2.7.

 

Subsection 4 of CAO 40.0 regulated participation in land and hold short operations (LAHSO) as defined. Section 5 of the instrument contains, as conditions on pilot licences, requirements which are substantially unaltered from subsection 4. Appendixes 1 and 2 of CAO 40.0, which related to LAHSO, have been included. They are substantially unaltered.

 

Section 6 of the instrument contains a condition applicable to the holder of a MU-2 aircraft type rating. Under this condition, the holder of a MU-2 single pilot multi-engine aeroplane type rating must not exercise the privileges of the rating as pilot in command unless he or she has carried out certain training. These training requirements are substantially the same as the conditions on Mitsubishi MU-2B endorsements that were contained in subsection 8B of CAO 40.1.0. They have to be met by Mitsubishi MU-2B pilots to allow them to deal with unsafe conditions that may arise due to icing occurring on those aeroplanes.

 

Section 7 of the instrument states, as a condition on an instructor rating, that the holder of an instructor rating with a training endorsement may only conduct training for a flight activity endorsement if he or she has demonstrated competency in doing so to a person authorised to conduct a flight test for the relevant training endorsement.

 

Section 8 of the instrument states, as a condition on a single-engine helicopter class rating, that the holder of that rating may conduct operations in a R22 or R44 helicopter only if he or she has completed a flight review in accordance with regulation 61.745 of CASR 1998 that has been conducted in a R22 or R44 helicopter.

 

Legislative Instruments Act 2003 (the LIA)

For subsection 98 (5A) of the Act, CASA may issue an instrument relating to the safe navigation, operation and maintenance of aircraft. An instrument issued under paragraph 98 (5A) (a) of the Act is a legislative instrument if the instrument is expressed to apply to a class of persons or aircraft. The instrument applies to classes of persons, being pilots in command and flight instructors. The instrument is, therefore, a legislative instrument subject to tabling and disallowance in the Parliament under sections 38 and 42 of the LIA.

 

Consultation

CASA did not undertake consultation in relation to those provisions taken from CAOs 40.0 and 40.1.0, because they have been in force for considerable periods of time and are accepted as necessary by the aviation industry. In addition, section 7 simply retained a requirement under Part 5 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988, which has now been replaced by Part 61 of CASR 1998. Section 8 is a new section that has been introduced on the recommendation of the CASA Flight Crew Licensing subcommittee, with industry engagement and consultation.

 

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

A Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights is at Attachment 1.

 

Office of Best Practice Regulation (OBPR)

A Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) was not required for CASA 244/14 since that instrument replaced provisions in CAOs 40.0 and 40.1.0 which were repealed on
1 September 2014. The repeal was consequential on the making of the Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment Regulation 2013 (No. 1). The relevant RIS for that Regulation was prepared and assessed as adequate by OBPR (OBPR ID: 2777). The instrument repeals CASA 244/14 and remakes the same substantive provisions, with a new condition in section 8 that has been developed in consultation with industry.

 

Making and commencement

The instrument has been made by the Acting Director of Aviation Safety, on behalf of CASA, in accordance with subsection 73 (2) of the Act.

 

The instrument commences on the day of registration.

 

Attachment 1

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

Prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the
Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011

 

Conditions on authorisations — flight crew licences and aircraft endorsements (Edition 1)

 

This legislative instrument is compatible with the human rights and freedoms recognised or declared in the international instruments listed in section 3 of the
Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011.

 

Overview of the legislative instrument

Civil Aviation Orders (CAOs) 40.0 and 40.1.0 contained conditions on flight crew licences and aircraft endorsements – aeroplanes. These CAOs have been repealed due to the commencement of Part 61 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 on 1 September 2014, which contains new provisions relating to flight crew licences, ratings and endorsements.

 

This legislative instrument saves certain paragraphs and subsections in CAO 40.0 and CAO 40.1.0, as well as under Part 5 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988, which are still required in the interests of aviation safety together with the relevant conditions.

 

Human rights implications

This legislative instrument does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms.

 

Conclusion

This legislative instrument is compatible with human rights as it does not raise any human rights issues.

Civil Aviation Safety Authority

Overview

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) were enacted to establish safety standards for the operation of civil aviation in Australia and to provide for the safety of air navigation. The gap this legislation aimed to address was the need for comprehensive and updated regulatory standards that could ensure the safety of flight crew and aircraft operations. Enacted by the Parliament of Australia, the CASR 1998 empower the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to issue regulations and orders that govern various aspects of aviation safety. The policy objective is to maintain and enhance the safety of civil aviation through effective regulation and oversight. This particular piece of legislation, Conditions on authorisations — flight crew licences and aircraft endorsements (Edition 1), serves to reissue and update certain conditions on flight crew licences and aircraft endorsements that were previously contained in Civil Aviation Orders (CAO) 40.0 and 40.1.0, ensuring these safety requirements remain in place despite the repeal of those orders.

Scope and Application

The Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, specifically as amended by Conditions on authorisations — flight crew licences and aircraft endorsements (Edition 1), apply to flight crew members and aircraft operators within Australia. This regulation targets authorisations such as flight crew licences, ratings, and endorsements, ensuring the safe navigation, operation, and maintenance of aircraft. The instrument is crafted under the authority provided by section 98 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988, enabling the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to issue conditions that pertain to the safe navigation and operation of aircraft. The legislative instrument ensures that flight crew members and aircraft operators comply with safety standards, which are critical for maintaining the integrity of Australia's civil aviation system. This instrument does not include any stated exclusions or exemptions, ensuring a consistent application across the relevant industry. The instrument also allows CASA to issue further subordinate instruments to manage and refine these conditions as necessary, thus providing flexibility in addressing emerging safety concerns.

Key Provisions

The key provisions of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, as updated by the instrument titled "Conditions on authorisations — flight crew licences and aircraft endorsements (Edition 1)", focus on ensuring that flight crew licences, ratings, and endorsements meet certain safety conditions. Regulation 11.068 (Section 11.068) allows the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to impose conditions on specified authorisations to ensure the safe navigation, operation, and maintenance of aircraft. The instrument builds on the repealed Civil Aviation Orders (CAOs) 40.0 and 40.1.0 by reissuing necessary conditions in the interests of aviation safety. For instance, Section 4 of the instrument replicates the conditions in paragraph 2.7 of CAO 40.0 regarding the practice of instrument flying in aeroplanes under visual flight rules (VFR). Section 5 retains the requirements for land and hold short operations (LAHSO) as defined in subsection 4 of CAO 40.0. Additionally, Section 6 of the instrument mandates that holders of a MU-2 aircraft type rating must complete certain training before exercising their privileges as pilot in command, aligning with previous conditions in CAO 40.1.0. The obligations imposed by this instrument on the parties it governs, primarily pilots and flight instructors, include adhering to specific conditions tied to their licences, ratings, and endorsements. For example, pilots must ensure they meet the training requirements outlined in Section 6 before acting as pilot in command of a MU-2 aircraft. Flight instructors with a training endorsement must demonstrate their competency in conducting specific training activities to a person authorised to conduct a flight test for the relevant endorsement, as stated in Section 7. Moreover, holders of a single-engine helicopter class rating must complete a flight review in a R22 or R44 helicopter before conducting operations, as stipulated in Section 8. Failure to comply with the conditions set forth in the instrument can lead to significant consequences. While the instrument itself does not explicitly detail penalties for non-compliance, the overarching framework under the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (Section 98) and the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998) may impose penalties. Non-compliance with aviation safety regulations can result in civil penalties, including fines, and criminal penalties, which may include imprisonment, depending on the severity of the breach. The specific penalties would be determined based on the nature and extent of the breach and the relevant provisions of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and associated regulations.

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Administrative Law
Civil Aviation Law
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Legislative Instrument
Concepts
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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.