CASR Part 61 Question and Answers

[Evil Twin]

I'm with you handy pants. Has this 'process' not undermined what little confidence any aviator had in the regulator. Further the instructions issued by CASA with reference to recovery from low RRPM if followed could prove fatal.

[froginasock]

... from the CASA site here ... http://www.casa.gov.au/scripts/nc.dll?W ... =PC_102547 ... no idea how long its been up ... well done AHIA ...

CASA has responded to feedback from the aviation community on new flight review requirements for the low-level rating.

As a result the 12 month flight review requirement for the low-level rating has now been extended to 24 months.

Feedback also indicated concerns with the new requirement to maintain a minimum of two hours of low-level flying over six months. This requirement has been removed.

Most of the feedback on the low-level rating came from the helicopter industry, which put forward a case to show there were minimal safety benefits from the new requirements while they created administrative difficulties for pilots and air operators.

However, as CASA and the aviation community have identified aerial mustering as a higher risk activity there are recent experience requirements for these operations.

Aerial mustering pilots will be required to have flown a minimum of 20 hours of aerial mustering operations in the preceding 12 months. If mustering pilots cannot meet this requirement they can complete a flight review, proficiency check or flight test that includes aerial mustering.

...

Frog

[Jayrow Pilot]

So CASA has now issued a new exemption for fire fighting ops.

CY can you explain for those who have not conducted F/F ops before the date what they have to complete training wise (ref)
Which schools have approved trainers to conduct this rating?
I'm hearing from a junior pilot that this is going to be an expensive exercise for those having to fund themselves

JP

[CYHeli]

Hi JP.
The exemption is only for previously experienced fire pilots.
There is no course yet to qualify a new fire pilot (hence the exemption).

The course doesn't exist yet because CASA and industry are still getting to an agreement. Most of industry has a very different view to CASA on this, but we are moving forward. The Aerial Application Association (Phil Hurst and Co) and the AHIA are driving this on your behalf.

Once it is decided what is required, a school can then commence the training. I can't give any indication at this stage what it will look like.

[SpecialGray]

Not sure if this has been brought up before, so apologies if it has, but some new pilots may find it useful.

When applying for a CPL, some pilots used to also apply for a PPL, the point being that should they lose their class 1 medical, but still be able to get a class 2, they could continue to fly, at least recreationally. This was necessary as the old CPL license HAD to have a class 1 medical to be valid. No class 1, no license.

This is not the case now, thankfully. I spoke to Nick at CLARC this morning (very helpful chap) and he pointed me to the new P61 regs. See below for details, but essentially, if you have a CPL, and 'only a class 2', you can fly as a private pilot.

61.415 Limitations on exercise of privileges of pilot licences—medical certificates: commercial, multi‑crew and air transport pilot licence holders
(1) The holder of a commercial pilot licence, multi‑crew pilot licence or air transport pilot licence is authorised to exercise the privileges of the licence only if the holder also holds:
(a) a current class 1 medical certificate; or
(b) a medical exemption for the exercise of the privileges of the licence.
(2) However, the holder of a commercial pilot licence or air transport pilot licence is authorised to exercise the privileges of the licence in an activity that would be authorised by a private pilot licence if the holder also holds a current class 2 medical certificate.
(3) Also, the holder of a commercial pilot licence or air transport pilot licence is authorised to exercise the privileges of the licence in an activity that would be authorised by a recreational pilot licence if the holder:
(a) also holds a current recreational aviation medical practitioner’s certificate; and
(b) meets the requirements mentioned in subregulation 61.405 (2).
Note A licence holder must not exercise the privileges of his or her licence during any period of temporary medical unfitness that could render the holder unable to exercise those privileges safely: see regulation 67.270.

[froginasock]

Noticed CASA has released a few videos to explain how good the new Parts (141/142) are .. and how they have provided industry 'sample' expositions and fantastic explanatory material - despite only releasing these 'samples' a week ago - two whole years after the introduction of 61 - and the videos make it sound like they've been out forever!!

And despite CASA's best efforts each operator says directly - or indirectly - 'we were forced to change' - with Bristow commenting they've had to put someone on it (the paperwork) full time ... and they're still working through it piece by piece (yes it's a large complex operation - but the small operators (142) will need the same paperwork without the same human resources) .... and all this at still no cost to industry?