Proposed new rules for parachuting from aircraft - Part 105 - (CD 1909OS)

Overview

The proposed parachuting regulations have been designed to be a discrete rule set for parachuting activities – a new Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR) Part 105. 

There are relatively few rules within the Part 105, largely consolidating existing requirements – for operations, maintenance, personnel, aircraft and equipment. Full details are included in the documents available under “Related” section below. 

Where new requirements have been introduced, they generally reflect current practices of the sports bodies. They also directly address safety issues highlighted by recent accident investigations. These include: 

• requirements for reserve and emergency parachutes
• defect reporting for parachutes
• the types of aircraft that can be used
• pilot licensing and minimum pilot experience
• drug and alcohol testing for safety sensitive positions

Some of the proposed regulations impose a higher standard for parachute operations that involve a trainee or tandem parachutist.

The proposed regulations also make provision for a Part 105 Manual of Standards (MOS) which is intended to be introduced in 2020. The MOS will be developed in collaboration with industry and subject to a separate public consultation.

Some additional requirements are intended to be introduced through the Manual of Standards, and the Part 105 regulations create provisions for this to occur. We will seek feedback on these topics during the MOS consultation in 2020. These include:

• personnel fatigue management
• aircraft loading
• airworthiness standards for reserve and emergency parachutes
• aircraft equipment and oxygen requirements
• parachutists dropping things over populous areas
• other operational matters such as entering cloud, radio broadcasts and management of drop zones
• the types of additional sport/recreational aircraft (operating under future Part 103 regulations) that can be used
• pilot requirements for sports/recreational (Part 103) aircraft
   

This consultation is structured to seek your comments on the specific requirements included in the Part 105 regulations – but not the provisions that may be introduced through the MOS. An opportunity for any general comments is included at the end. 

Linkage to Part 149 – Self Administering-Aviation Organisations 

Proposed Part 105 of CASR provides the complementary operational requirements for parachuting activities that will be administered by Approved Self-Administering Aviation Organisations (ASAOs) approved under CASR Part 149 as Part 105 ASAOs. 

CASA expects that individual members of these organisations will not need to change their existing practices.

Why your views matter

We are consulting to ensure that the proposed rules are clearly articulated and will work in practice and as they are intended. This consultation is seeking feedback on the proposed parachuting regulations.

The survey has been designed to give you the option to provide feedback on the survey in its entirety or to provide feedback on the policy topics of interest to you.

Your feedback will make a valuable contribution to our policy decision-making process and help to inform any future regulatory change.

Documents for review

The Summary of proposed change to CD 1909OS and Draft Part 105 of CASR – Parachuting from aircraft, are provided below in the ‘Related’ section. This section includes a downloadable MS Word copy of this consultation for ease of distribution and feedback within your organisation.

Providing your feedback

Submissions for this consultation will only be accepted through the Consultation Hub. If you run into any difficulties, please contact regulatoryconsultation@casa.gov.au.

General comments and file upload option

There is a general comments box at the end of the consultation, into which you can place your comments on matters related to the regulatory amendment, which have not already been addressed in the consultation.

Note: Due to IT security policies, documents or files can no longer be automatically uploaded with your submission. If you have a document you would like attached to your submission, please email  regulatoryconsultation@casa.gov.au.

Using an iPad

If you are using an iPad to complete the survey you will be asked to 'download the relevant PDF'. Depending on the software you have on your iPad you may need to download the free viewer to review the single document PDF files. Where a file is a 'multi-file or portfolio PDF you will need to source the Adobe free view - available from iTunes.

What happens next

Once the consultation has closed, we will register and review each submission received through the online response form. We will make all submissions publicly available on the Consultation Hub, unless you request your submission remain confidential. We will also publish a Summary of Consultation which summarises the feedback received and outlines any intended changes and details our plans for the regulation.

Information about how we consult and how to make a confidential submission is available on the CASA website .

 To be notified of any future consultations, you can subscribe to our consultation and rulemaking mailing list .

What happens next

What happens next

Once the consultation has closed, we will register and review each submission received through the online response form. We will make all submissions publicly available on the Consultation Hub, unless you request your submission remain confidential. We will also publish a Summary of Consultation which summarises the feedback received and outlines any intended changes and details our plans for the regulation/standard.

Information about how we consult and how to make a confidential submission is available on the CASA website .

 To be notified of any future consultations, you can subscribe to our consultation and rulemaking mailing list .