Part 66 Manual of Standards Amendment Instrument 2026 (No. 2)

Explanatory Statement

Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998

Part 66 Manual of Standards Amendment Instrument 2026 (No. 2)

Purpose

The purpose of the Part 66 Manual of Standards Amendment Instrument 2026 (No. 2) (the instrument) is to provide licensed aircraft maintenance engineers (LAMEs) with an additional pathway to remove exclusions of an aircraft system, or a subset of an aircraft system, from their aircraft engineer licence (AEL) by enabling them to use self-study as an additional training method for exclusion removal, without decreasing existing training and practical experience standards.

The instrument amends the Part 66 Manual of Standards (the Part 66 MOS) to specify the basic knowledge and practical experience requirements for the holder of an AEL to remove an exclusion from their AEL by undertaking self-study. These Part 66 MOS amendments are consequential to recent changes to regulation 66.072 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR) that enable applicants to use this new self-study pathway to remove exclusions from their AELs provided they give the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) evidence that they meet these basic knowledge and practical experience requirements.

As modular licences are a kind of AEL, the arrangements also apply to the removal of exclusions of aircraft systems or subsets of aircraft systems from modular licences. The instrument also clarifies the requirements for removal of exclusions from aircraft type ratings endorsed on AELs.

Legislation

Under section 9 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988 (the Act), CASA has the function of conducting the safety regulation of a range of matters, including, under paragraph 9(1)(c), developing and promulgating appropriate, clear and concise aviation safety standards.

Section 98 of the Act empowers the Governor-General to make regulations for the Act and in the interests of the safety of air navigation. Relevantly, the Governor-General has made CASR. Under subsection 98(5A) of the Act, the regulations may empower CASA to issue instruments in relation to, among other matters, the maintenance and airworthiness of aircraft.

Part 66 of CASR, Continuing airworthiness—aircraft engineer licences and ratings, deals with various categories and types of AELs and ratings granted by CASA for:

• the performance of maintenance certification for maintenance carried out on aircraft
• issuing certificates of release to service for aircraft in relation to maintenance carried on aircraft.

For subsection 98(5A) of the Act, regulation 66.015 of CASR empowers CASA to issue a Manual of Standards (MOS) for Part 66 of CASR, prescribing matters required or permitted to be prescribed by the Part 66 MOS or necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to Part 66. In particular, the following paragraphs of subsection 66.015(2) provide that the Part 66 MOS may provide for the following:

• paragraph 66.015(2)(f) — the training and experience requirements for the grant of an aircraft engineer licence
• paragraph 66.015(2)(g) — the required subject modules for an aircraft engineer licence
• paragraph 66.015(2)(i) — the required level of knowledge for each subject module, or each part of a subject module
• paragraph 66.015(2)(j) — the required units of competency for an aircraft engineer licence
• paragraph 66.015(2)(ja) — the required aircraft type training, subject modules and units of competency for a rating on an aircraft engineer licence
• paragraph 66.015(2)(k) — the basic knowledge examination standard for category training.

Part 1 of the CASR Dictionary defines aircraft engineer licence as meaning any of the following licences granted under regulation 66.025 or 66.026:

(a) subcategory A1;

(b) subcategory A2;

(c) subcategory A3;

(d) subcategory A4;

(e) subcategory B1.1;

(f) subcategory B1.2;

(g) subcategory B1.3;

(h) subcategory B1.4;

(i) category B2;

(j) category C.

Part 3 of the CASR Dictionary defines rating as meaning an authorisation granted under regulation 66.080 or 66.095, being a permission:

(a) to perform maintenance certification, under a category B1 or B2 licence, for maintenance carried out on a particular aircraft type; or

(b) to issue a certificate of release to service, under a category B1, B2, or C licence, for an aircraft of a particular aircraft type in relation to maintenance carried out on the aircraft.

Relevant CASR provisions

Regulation 66.072 of CASR provides for the removal of exclusions from AELs.

Subregulation 66.072(1) provides that the holder of an AEL that is subject to the exclusion of an aircraft system or subset of an aircraft system may apply to CASA for removal of the exclusion.

Subregulation 66.072(2) provides that subject to regulation 11.055 of CASR, CASA must remove the exclusion if CASA is satisfied, on the basis of evidence mentioned in subregulation (3), that the holder has met the requirements necessary for the removal of the exclusion.

Subregulation 66.072(3) provides that for the purposes of subsection (2), CASA must receive:

(a) evidence from a maintenance training organisation that the holder meets the basic knowledge and competency requirements for the aircraft system or subset under section 66.A.25 of the Part 66 MOS; or

(b) evidence from the holder that the holder meets the basic knowledge and practical experience requirements for the aircraft system or subset under sections 66.A.25 and 66.A.70 of the Part 66 MOS.

The description of regulation 66.072 above reflects the amendments made to the regulation by Schedule 4 to the Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (Minor Changes) Regulations 2026. Regulation 202.356 of CASR (which was inserted by those amendment regulations) provides that the amendments of regulation 66.072 made by Schedule 4 to the Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (Minor Changes) Regulations 2026 apply in relation to an application for the removal of an exclusion on an aircraft engineer licence made on or after the commencement of that Schedule.

Paragraph 66.100(b) of CASR provides that if CASA grants a rating subject to an exclusion under regulation 66.095, CASA must decide whether any practical experience is necessary for the removal of the exclusion.

Regulation 66.110 of CASR provides for the removal of exclusions from ratings. Subregulation 66.110(1) provides that the holder of a rating that is subject to the exclusion of an aircraft system or subset of an aircraft system may apply to CASA for removal of the exclusion.

Subregulation 66.110(2) provides that subject to regulation 11.055, CASA must remove the exclusion if:

(a) CASA is satisfied, on the basis of evidence received from a maintenance training organisation or a Part 145 organisation, that the holder has:

 (i) successfully completed the aircraft type training for the aircraft type required by the Part 66 MOS for the aircraft system or subset; and

 (ii) obtained any practical experience that, under regulation 66.100, is necessary to remove the exclusion; and

(b)  the holder’s licence is not subject to the exclusion of the aircraft system or subset.

Relevant MOS provisions

Section 66.A.25 of the Part 66 MOS contains basic knowledge and competency requirements for an aircraft system or subset. Section 66.A.70 provides for the removal of exclusions endorsed on an AEL and exclusions annotated on a rating.

Other relevant legislation

Under subsection 14(1) of the Legislation Act 2003 (the LA), a legislative instrument may make provision in relation to matters by applying, adopting or incorporating provisions of an Act or disallowable legislative instrument as in force at a particular time or as in force from time to time. A legislative instrument may also make provision in relation to matters by applying, adopting or incorporating any matter contained in any other instrument or writing as in force at, or before, the time the legislative instrument commences. Under subsection 14(2) of the LA, unless the contrary intention appears, the legislative instrument may not make provision in relation to a matter by applying, adopting or incorporating any matter contained in an instrument or other writing as in force or existing from time to time. However, subsection 98(5D) of the Act provides that, despite section 14 of the LA, a legislative instrument made under the Act or the regulations may apply, adopt or incorporate any matter contained in any instrument or other writing as in force or existing from time to time, even if the other instrument or writing does not yet exist when the legislative instrument is made.

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. Under subsection 13(1) of the LA, subsection 33(3) applies to legislative instruments as if each provision of the instrument were a section of an Act.

Background

An exclusion in relation to an AEL means a limitation applied to the licence by CASA, which excludes the holder of the licence from exercising certification privileges in relation to maintenance carried out on an aircraft system or subset of an aircraft system. The design of an aircraft is comprised of many systems, such as electrical systems, instrument and radio systems, hydraulic systems, landing gear systems, etc. These systems can further be divided into subsets (or subsystems), such as the electrical subsystem of the landing gear system.

The instrument amends the Part 66 MOS to specify the requirements to be met by LAMEs who choose to undertake self-study to remove an exclusion of an aircraft system or subset of an aircraft system from a category or subcategory of their licence. This new pathway was facilitated by the recent amendment to regulation 66.072 by the Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (Minor Changes) Regulations 2026 and will assist LAMEs who have exclusions on their licence to expand the scope of their AELs.

Before the amendments made to regulation 66.072 by Schedule 4 of the Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (Minor Changes) Regulations 2026, the required training and assessment for removal of such an exclusion from an AEL had to be provided by a maintenance training organisation (MTO). Maintenance training organisation is defined in Part 3 of the CASR Dictionary as meaning a person who holds an approval under regulation 147.030 that is in force.

Feedback received from industry as part of the Part 66 of CASR post-implementation review indicated some frustration, difficulty and uncertainty with AEL training requirements. To address this feedback, CASA introduced (in August 2021) a Part 66 self-study training and examination pathway (the self-study pathway) as the solution to some of industry’s concerns relating to aircraft engineer training. This new pathway introduced added flexibility and improved accessibility to Australia’s aircraft engineer training and licensing scheme.

A benefit of CASA’s Part 66 self-study scheme is that CASA uses Aspeq, a third-party exam provider to administer training module examinations, and Aspeq has exam-sitting locations at numerous locations across Australia. This in turn provides added flexibility for candidates using self-study when they sit an exam as they may be able to sit it at a location closer to them rather than having to travel to their nearest MTO as would candidates who are using the MTO pathway.

To provide further relief to industry, CASA proposed to permit AEL holders to utilise the flexibility of the self-study pathway to also remove exclusions from their category or subcategory of licence. To achieve this, an amendment to regulation 66.072 was required. This amendment was included in the Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (Minor Changes) Regulations 2026.

Regulation 66.072, as amended, while preserving the MTO training pathway for exclusion removal, also allows for CASA to remove an exclusion from a licence held by a person who undertook self-study if CASA receives evidence from the person that they meet the basic knowledge and practical experience requirements for the aircraft system or subset under sections 66.A.25 and 66.A.70 of the Part 66 MOS.

Section 66.A.70 of the Part 66 MOS, as substituted by Item 4 of Schedule 1 of the instrument, should be read together with regulation 66.072, as amended by the Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (Minor Changes) Regulations 2026 as the amendments include in the Part 66 MOS the required basic knowledge and practical experience for exclusion removal by use of the self-study pathway.

Use of the appropriate logbook

One of the requirements specified in section 66.A.70 for use of the self-study pathway for removal of an exclusion of an aircraft system or subset from a licence (whether or not a modular licence) is that the applicant must record in the CASA Part 66 Basic Practical Experience Exclusion Removal Logbook (the Basic Practical Experience Exclusion Removal Logbook) (a new logbook developed by CASA specifically for this purpose) evidence of their acquisition of the basic practical maintenance experience, on the excluded system or subset, specified in that logbook.

In contrast, when the holder of a modular licence who uses the self-study pathway applies to add a category or subcategory on, or extension of privileges of, their modular licence, they must record in the CASA Part 66 Modular Licence Basic Practical Experience Logbook (designed specifically for that purpose), evidence of their completion of the task list (as defined in Table 3A of the Part 66 MOS) if no minimum period of relevant practical maintenance experience is specified in Table 3A.

When applying to remove an exclusion of an aircraft system or subset from an AEL (that is, an exclusion listed in Appendix VIII of the Part 66 MOS), there is no minimum practical experience time requirement. An applicant only needs to record (in the appropriate logbook) their evidence of maintenance tasks completed under supervision on the excluded aircraft system or subset.

Overview of instrument

In accordance with subsection 33(3) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901, the instrument amends the Part 66 MOS. All references in this Overview to sections are references to sections of the Part 66 MOS.

The amendments to the Part 66 MOS made by the instrument specify the different requirements for applicants for exclusion removal who are being trained by an MTO and for applicants who are undertaking the self-study pathway. Firstly, a new paragraph (i) is inserted into section 66.A.25 that clearly specifies that an applicant for exclusion removal, who is being trained by an MTO, must complete the units of competency mentioned in Appendix VIII for removal of the exclusion, via training conducted by the MTO, before the exclusion is removed. This was previously covered by previous paragraphs 66.A.70(b) and (e).

Secondly, the instrument substitutes section 66.A.70 with 2 new sections; a new section 66.A.70 that relates to removal of exclusions from licences and a new section 66.A.75 that relates to removal of exclusions from ratings. Previously both kinds of exclusions were dealt with in section 66.A.70.

New section 66.A.70, firstly, clarifies what the practical effect is of having an exclusion of an aircraft system or subset of an aircraft system from an AEL. Secondly, it sets out the basic knowledge and practical experience requirements, for an excluded aircraft system or subset, that an applicant undertaking self-study must meet. The basic knowledge requirements are those for the aircraft system or subset under section 66.A.25, and the practical experience required is the basic practical maintenance experience, on the excluded system or subset, required under the Basic Practical Experience Exclusion Removal Logbook. This is a new Logbook that CASA has developed specifically for this purpose.

Finally, new section 66.A.70 makes clear that an applicant undertaking self-study must record in the Basic Practical Experience Exclusion Removal Logbook evidence of their acquisition of the basic practical maintenance experience, on the excluded system or subset, that is specified in the logbook.

New section 66.A.75 does not make any substantive changes to the theoretical and practical training and assessment required to remove exclusions from ratings but clarifies the provisions so that the requirements are more understandable.

The instrument also includes some explanatory notes regarding removal of exclusions from licences or ratings, and the related requirements. The instrument also makes some minor editorial changes, for example, to fix incorrect cross-references in Appendix section reference notes.

CASA has assessed the impact of the instrument on aviation safety and is satisfied that the amendments it makes to the Part 66 MOS will maintain an acceptable level of aviation safety. They do not diminish the knowledge and practical maintenance experience requirements to remove an exclusion from a licence, and evidence must be provided to CASA that the person meets the applicable basic knowledge and practical experience requirements. For both the MTO and self-study pathways, practical experience must have been gained from a representative cross-section of maintenance tasks (on the excluded system) on operating aircraft relevant to the category or subcategory of licence held, the only difference being that if the applicant is utilising the self-study pathway, these tasks are carried out on-the-job under the supervision of a LAME, whereas under the MTO pathway they are carried out under the supervision of an instructor.

Proof that a licence holder who undertook self-study has met the requirements for exclusion removal will be CASA’s receipt of evidence of the licence holder’s successful completion of the knowledge exams relevant to the excluded aircraft system or subset of an aircraft system, plus submission of evidence (via completion of the Basic Practical Experience Exclusion Removal Logbook) that the applicant has completed the basic practical experience on the excluded aircraft system or subset of an aircraft system, that is required under the Logbook. CASA will have a record of all the CASA exams (including pass or fail results) conducted by Aspeq, which may be used as evidence that the applicant has met the knowledge requirements for removal of the exclusion.

Documents incorporated by reference

In accordance with subsection 98(5D) of the Act, the instrument incorporates the CASA Part 66 Basic Practical Experience Exclusion Removal Logbook, as it exists from time to time.

The CASA Part 66 Basic Practical Experience Exclusion Removal Logbook is freely available on the CASA website at <www.casa.gov.au>.

Content of instrument

Section 1 names the instrument.

Section 2 provides that the instrument commences immediately after the commencement of Schedule 4 of the Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (Minor Changes) Regulations 2026, or on the day after it is registered, whichever is later.

Section 3 provides that Schedule 1 amends the Part 66 Manual of Standards.

The following references to items are to items in Schedule 1. All references to provisions are to provisions of the Part 66 MOS unless otherwise specified.

Item 1 inserts a definition of Basic Practical Experience Exclusion Removal Logbook. This is a new Logbook CASA has developed for the purpose of specifying the basic practical maintenance experience to be completed by a person using the self-study pathway to remove an exclusion.

Item 2 omits the definition of Part 66 licence because that term is no longer used in the Part 66 MOS.

Item 3 inserts a new paragraph 66.A.25(i) into the Part 66 MOS to give effect to paragraph 66.072(3)(a) of CASR. New Paragraph 66.A.25(i) sets out the competency requirements for an applicant for removal of an exclusion from an AEL, whether or not a modular licence, who is being trained by an MTO. Paragraph 66.A.25(i) specifies that the applicant must complete the units of competency mentioned in Appendix VIII for removal of the exclusion, via training conducted by the MTO.

Paragraph 66.A.25(b) sets out the basic knowledge requirements to be met by both kinds of applicants for the removal of exclusions from an AEL, other than a modular licence. Paragraph 66.A.25(ba) sets out the basic knowledge requirements to be met by both kinds of applicants for the removal of exclusions from modular licences.

Item 4 substitutes section 66.A.70 with new sections 66.A.70 and 66.A.75.

New section 66.A.70 deals with the removal of exclusions from AELs.

Paragraph 66.A.70(a) clarifies what the practical effect is of having an exclusion of an aircraft system or subset of an aircraft system from an AEL, which is that such an exclusion prevents the licence holder from exercising certification privileges for the aircraft system or subset. Some explanatory notes follow paragraph 66.A.70(a), the first making clear that an AEL may be endorsed with more than 1 exclusion and the others explaining the operation of regulation 66.072.

Paragraph 66.A.70(b) sets out the basic knowledge and practical experience requirements, for an excluded aircraft system and subset, that an applicant undertaking self-study must meet. The paragraph specifies that the basic knowledge requirements are those for the aircraft system or subset under section 66.A.25 (see paragraphs 66.A.25(b) and (ba) and the examination standard mentioned under paragraph 66.A.25(c)) and the basic practical maintenance experience, on the excluded system or subset, required under the Basic Practical Experience Exclusion Removal Logbook.

Paragraph 66.A.70(c) provides that an applicant undertaking self-study must record in the Basic Practical Experience Exclusion Removal Logbook evidence of their acquisition of the basic practical maintenance experience required under paragraph (b).

New section 66.A.75 deals with the removal of exclusions from ratings. Ratings are aircraft type ratings endorsed on AELs. Because section 66.A.70 already required amending to deal with AEL exclusion removal using the self-study pathway, the opportunity has been taken to include the requirements for removal of exclusions from ratings in their own MOS section and make them easier to understand.

New section 66.A.75 includes the same requirements relating to ratings exclusion removal as did the previous section 66.A.70, except that new paragraphs 66.A.75(a) and (b) mention the CASR provisions for which the training or experience is specified and paragraph 66.A.75(a) clarifies that the training required for subparagraph 66.110(2)(a)(i) of CASR is theoretical training and examination mentioned in paragraph 66.A.45(d).

A note has been included at the beginning of the section that explains how regulation 66.100 operates for CASA to remove an exclusion endorsed on a rating.

Item 5 is a minor editorial amendment that updates a cross-reference at the top of Appendix VII to refer to new paragraph 66.A.75(d).

Item 6 is a minor editorial amendment that updates a cross-reference in Note 2 to Appendix VII to refer to new paragraphs 66.A.75(a) and (b).

Legislation Act 2003

Paragraph 10(1)(d) of the LA provides that an instrument will be a legislative instrument if it includes a provision that amends or repeals another legislative instrument. This instrument amends the Part 66 MOS that was registered as a legislative instrument and is, therefore, also a legislative instrument, subject to tabling and disallowance in the Parliament under sections 38 and 42 of the LA.

Sunsetting

Part 4 of Chapter 3 of the LA (the sunsetting provisions) does not apply to the instrument, because the instrument relates to aviation safety and is made under CASR (item 15 of the table in section 12 of the Legislation (Exemptions and Other Matters) Regulation 2015).

Generally speaking, item 15, when invoked, is necessary to ensure that, in the interests of aviation safety, a relevant instrument has enduring effect, certainty and clarity for aviation operators and organisations. That is the case for the Part 66 MOS itself, which is an enduring piece of aviation safety legislation.

However, the instrument is an amending instrument and, therefore, will be automatically repealed under section 48A of the LA, which will happen before the sunsetting provisions would have repealed the instrument if they had applied.

Consultation

Public consultation was conducted from 3 October 2025 to 31 October 2025 on a draft of the Part 66 MOS licence exclusion amendments made by the instrument and on an exposure draft of the amendment made to regulation 66.072 of CASR by the Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (Minor Changes) Regulations 2026. The draft instrument provided for consultation also included Part 66 MOS amendments relating to aircraft type ratings and endorsements, which CASA was able to progress earlier than the amendments made by the instrument, which require the amendment to regulation 66.072 to have been made. The Part 66 MOS amendments relating to aircraft type ratings and endorsements were made by the Part 66 Manual of Standards Amendment Instrument 2025 in December 2025.

CASA received 17 responses to the consultation conducted, with engagement from several stakeholder groups including LAMEs, approved MTOs and approved maintenance organisations.

Most comments received were in relation to the proposed CASR amendment and Part 66 MOS amendments to allow LAMEs to use the self-study training pathway to remove exclusions from their AEL. Many respondents expressed their support of the proposal, with some providing additional comment. As at commencement of the instrument, a summary of the feedback received on this consultation is available on the CASA Consultation Hub on the CASA website at <https://consultation.casa.gov.au>.

CASA is satisfied that no further consultation is appropriate or reasonably practicable for this instrument for section 17 of the LA.

Sector risk, economic and cost impact

Subsection 9A(1) of the Act states that, in exercising its powers and performing its functions, CASA must regard the safety of air navigation as the most important consideration. Subsection 9A(3) of the Act states that, subject to subsection (1), in developing and promulgating aviation safety standards under paragraph 9(1)(c), CASA must:

(a) consider the economic and cost impact on individuals, businesses and the community of the standards; and

(b) take into account the differing risks associated with different industry sectors.

The cost impact of a standard refers to the direct cost (in the sense of price or expense) which a standard would cause individuals, businesses and the community to incur. The economic impact of a standard refers to the impact a standard would have on the production, distribution and use of wealth across the economy, at the level of the individual, relevant businesses in the aviation sector, and the community more broadly. The economic impact of a standard could also include the general financial impact of that standard on different industry sectors.

The economic and cost impact of the instrument has been determined by:

(a) the identification of individuals and businesses affected by the instrument; and

(b) consideration of how the requirements to be imposed on individuals and businesses under the instrument will be different compared to existing requirements; and

(c) a valuation of the impact, in terms of direct costs on individuals and businesses affected by the instrument to comply with the different requirements. This valuation is consistent with the principles of best practice regulation of the Australian Government; and

(d) a valuation of the impact the different requirements would have on the production, distribution and use of wealth across the economy, at the level of the individual, relevant businesses in the aviation sector, and the community more broadly; and

(e) consideration of community impacts, beyond those direct impacts on individuals and businesses affected by the instrument, that are relevant if the instrument were to result in flow-on effects to other aviation businesses, or local non-aviation businesses that experience a change in their activity due to the instrument.

The requirements of the instrument apply to LAMEs who elect to use the self-study training and examination pathway for exclusion removal training as an optional alternative to the existing Part 147 MTO exclusion removal training pathway. The amendments will provide cost savings for such LAMEs, and their employer if their employer pays for their training, compared to the cost of such LAMEs utilising the current MTO exclusion removal training pathway. This is because LAMEs using the self-study training and examination pathway would only be paying to sit the relevant knowledge module exams and not paying fees for the practical aspect of the training.

In line with existing arrangements of the self-study training and examination scheme, whereby CASA charges an individual a fixed fee for each Part 66 knowledge module exam sitting, the same arrangements will apply for knowledge module exam sittings for exclusion removal.

Other cost impacts of the instrument on industry that have been identified are:

• the costs incurred for the purchase of (CASA-recognised) EASA knowledge module textbooks by individuals who choose self-study as the method of theoretical training for exclusion removal
• the potential impact on revenue of existing Part 147 training organisations due to the possible reduction of student enrolment numbers for exclusion removal training.

CASA has assessed that the economic and cost impact of the instrument is not significant and will result in an overall reduction in cost for LAMEs, or the employers of LAMEs, who elect to undertake the self-study pathway to remove exclusions on their AELs. The Office of Impact Analysis (OIA) has also made the assessment that the impact of the instrument is minor and that an Impact Analysis (IA) is not required. As there is no significant economic or cost impact on individuals or businesses, there will be no community impacts.

Impact on categories of operations

The instrument is likely to have a beneficial effect on all categories of operations due to its beneficial effect on the aircraft maintenance industry. LAMEs who elect to use the self-study pathway for exclusion removal training, compared to using the current MTO training pathway, will benefit from cost savings from only having to pay for examination sitting fees. There will also be improved accessibility to training for individuals to sit CASA exams at numerous locations across the country. Maintenance businesses would benefit from an increase in maintenance capability by utilising the additional competencies gained by an employee who has utilised the self-study training pathway.

There could be some negative impact on such individuals that is related to the self-study pathway possibly resulting in longer timeframes for completion of the knowledge component of exclusion removal training to qualify for removal of an exclusion from a licence. This impact will be dependent upon the individual’s ability to devote time for study.

Impact on regional and remote communities

The instrument is likely to have a beneficial effect on individuals located in remote and regional parts of the country, as these individuals are not restricted by their physical location, if undertaking exclusion removal training via self-study. In addition, the instrument provides the added flexibility to sit CASA exams at numerous locations across the country.

Office of Impact Analysis

An IA is not required in this case, as the instrument is covered by a standing agreement between CASA and OIA under which an IA is not required for amendments to Manuals of Standards (OIA reference number: OIA23-06250).

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

The Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights at Attachment 1 has been prepared in accordance with Part 3 of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011.

Making and commencement

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

The instrument commences immediately after the commencement of Schedule 4 of the Civil Aviation Legislation Amendment (Minor Changes) Regulations 2026, or on the day after it is registered, whichever is later. It is automatically repealed in accordance with section 48A of the LA.

Attachment 1

Statement of Compatibility with Human Rights

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

Part 66 Manual of Standards Amendment Instrument 2026 (No. 2)

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

The purpose of the Part 66 Manual of Standards Amendment Instrument 2026 (No. 2) (the instrument) is to provide licensed aircraft maintenance engineers (LAMEs) with an additional pathway to remove exclusions of an aircraft system, or a subset of an aircraft system, from their aircraft engineer licences (AELs) by enabling them to use self-study as an additional training method for exclusion removal, without decreasing existing training and experience standards.

The instrument amends the Part 66 Manual of Standards (the Part 66 MOS) to specify the basic knowledge requirements, and the basic practical maintenance experience, required for the holder of an AEL to remove an exclusion from their AEL by undertaking self-study. These Part 66 MOS amendments are consequential to recent changes to regulation 66.072 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 that enable applicants to use this new self-study pathway to remove exclusions from their AELs provided they provide the Civil Aviation Safety Authority with evidence that they meet these basic knowledge and practical experience requirements.

As modular licences are a kind of AEL, the arrangements also apply to the removal of exclusions of aircraft systems or subsets of aircraft systems from modular licences. The instrument also clarifies the requirements for removal of exclusions from aircraft type ratings endorsed on AELs.

Human rights implications

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

The instrument engages in a positive way with the right to work in Article 6 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights by providing a new, less expensive pathway for LAMEs who have an AEL subject to exclusions of an aircraft system, or subset of an aircraft system, to remove the exclusion and expand the coverage of their AEL. This in turn will enable LAMEs to perform more kinds of maintenance work, potentially gaining more work and, thereby, earning more money.

Conclusion

This legislative instrument is compatible with human rights.

Civil Aviation Safety Authority