Flight crew licensing scheme - Draft Advisory Circular 61-01 v1.0

Overview

We want your feedback on a new draft advisory circular (AC) that provides guidance on the structure and application of the flight crew licensing system.

The rules for flight crew licensing are contained in Part 61 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR).

The draft advisory circular covers all aspects of Part 61 flight crew licensing and training, including the rationale for licences, ratings, and endorsements (Part 61 authorisations).

It is aimed at everyone involved in flight crew licensing – including pilots, flight schools and CASA personnel.

We are seeking feedback on whether draft AC 61-01:

• is easy to navigate
• helps you understand the safety framework of the flight crew licensing system and where to find information
• clearly explains how Part 61 is structured
• provides the intent of the Subparts to the rules and requirements to achieve and maintain an authorisation where references are interdependent and are across multiple regulations
• clearly outlines the privileges allowed by the holder of the licence, rating or endorsement, and any conditions or limitations on the exercise of those privileges
• provides sufficient information to assist with everyday questions that arise in relation to Part 61.

The draft AC provides advice on:

• the philosophy behind Part 61 and why there is a need for a licensing system
• how Part 61 sets the safety framework for the grant of licences, ratings and endorsements
• the rules governing authorisation privileges
• the importance of training, how it is managed, and how competency is assessed.

Why your views matter

Your feedback will help us make sure the proposed guidance is suitable, clear and will work as intended.

Please submit your comments on Draft AC using the survey link on this page. If you are unable to provide feedback this way, please contact us for advice through regulatoryconsultation@casa.gov.au.

Documents for review

All documents related to this consultation are attached in the ‘Related’ section at the bottom of the overview page. They are:

• Draft AC 61-01 v1.0 – Flight crew licensing scheme
• MS Word copy of online consultation for ease of distribution and feedback within your organisation.

Please read the AC document before providing your feedback.

What happens next

At the end of the response period, we will:

• review all comments received
• make responses publicly available on the consultation hub (unless you request your submission remain confidential)
• publish a Summary of Consultation which summarises the feedback received and outlines any intended changes and next steps.

Feedback that improves the guidance will be incorporated into the final advisory circular.

Related news - development of a plain English guide

As part of our commitment to help you understand the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations, we are also developing 2 plain English guides for the flight crew licensing rules - one for aeroplane pilots and the other for helicopter pilots.

These guides will help pilots understand the privileges, limitations and recency requirements of licences, ratings and endorsements, with easy-to-read tables of minimum requirements.

We plan to have these guides published later this year. In the meantime, see the other guides we have published on our website to get an idea.