Maintenance Matters

November 1, 2023November 1, 2023

Article supplied by CASA

Welcome to the October edition of Maintenance matters – a newsletter to keep you up-to-date with the rules and safety topics for your sector. The consultation period on our proposed modular licensing structure is now closed. We look at what’s next. We have made things easier for maintenance organinsations to renew their certificates online. We provide you with an update on the progress made with the proposed maintenance rules for general aviation.

In this issue
Industry feedback will help fine tune amendments to the MOS
How to interpret your LAME licence – Category C
Renew your Part 145 certificate faster online
General aviation maintenance rules – we are making progress
Safety Management Systems
Link your ARN to your organisation

Industry feedback will help fine tune amendments to the MOS. Thank you for taking the time to submit feedback on our proposed modular licensing structure. It will help us make any final changes to the Part 66 Manual of Standards and the associated implementation arrangements.
Read more

How to interpret your LAME licence – Category CY ou are now the holder of a Category C licence. This licence category can only be used for the issue of certificate of release of service (CRS) for large aircraft. As the holder of this Category C licence, you can issue a CRS following base maintenance on aircraft carried out by a Part 145 approved maintenance organisation. This privilege applies to the aircraft in its entirety. A Category C licence can be endorsed with specific aircraft type ratings.
Read Part 2 (3.6) of AC 66-08

Renew your Part 145 certificate faster online. Did you know you can renew your Part 145 maintenance organisation certificate, without any changes, using myCASA instead of downloading and completing a manual form? We have moved renewals for more certificates into myCASA to make it easier for you to interact with us online. If you are an accountable manager and your individual ARN is linked to your organisation’s ARN, you will now see a Certificates section containing any certificates you are authorised to manage when you login into myCASA. You can renew these certificates online when they are due in just a few clicks. If you need to make any changes to your Part 145 certificate, you’ll need to complete and submit the traditional form.

Sign in to myCASA

General aviation maintenance rules – we are making progressAs part of our General Aviation Workplan, we committed to establish new Part 43 maintenance regulations specifically for general aviation. We’ve consulted extensively and have taken industry feedback, including feedback received through the Technical Working Group and Aviation Safety Advisory Panel on board.
Read more

And the answer is!In the September edition we asked which Part 66 licence can certify an avionics system requiring only a simple test to prove its serviceability?
While 66% of our readers told us the answer was a Category B1 licence holder, it was brought to our attention that our question may not have been clear enough for some. We acknowledge the question was a little ambiguous.
Read more

Test your knowledge!

Which Part 66 licence do you need to hold to issue a CRS after base maintenance of large aircraft carried out by a Part 145 AMO? The correct answer will be published in the November edition.

Pilot Safety Hub

October 9, 2023October 9, 2023

Article supplied by CASA

Safety during school holidays

October 9, 2023October 9, 2023

Article supplied by CASA

CASA is urging travellers to follow the rules and show consideration to airline and airport staff as well as each other during the upcoming school holidays.

To ensure safety and respect when travelling by air during this term break and beyond, we’re supporting the ‘No More Carry On’ campaign.

It’s a call for patience and preparedness as travellers, airline crew and airport teams once again face a peak in airline travel.

‘We’re really pleased to be involved again in this important safety initiative,’ says CASA CEO and Director of Aviation Safety Pip Spence.

‘We understand and appreciate people are excited to be travelling again ¬– especially during these school holidays – and that’s evident by just how full flights currently are.

‘But passengers need to be mindful they may sometimes face long waiting queues, flight delays, and missing baggage. And while that can be frustrating, it’s no excuse for bad behaviour towards airport and airline staff or other passengers.

‘It’s also against the law to behave in an offensive or disorderly manner on board an aircraft, or to disregard the safety instructions of airline crew.

‘Harmful and unruly behaviour puts everyone’s safety at risk and can disrupt the important safety duties of airline crew, cause distractions during critical phases of flight and jeopardise the safety of other passengers.

‘As the aviation safety regulator, our role is to help ensure that when passengers and crew board a plane they get to their destination safely. We want everyone flying these school holidays travelling or working in a safe environment.

‘Under our aviation safety rules substantial penalties can be imposed for offensive or disorderly behaviour on board an aircraft and for failing to comply with any safety-related instructions. This can include fines of up to $15,650 (per offence) and in some cases up to 2 years’ imprisonment.

‘So please don’t take your frustrations out on staff or other passengers.

‘While on board we also encourage you to listen to the safety briefings and follow all airline crew directions and requests.

‘Once again, we strongly support this campaign and we really want you to enjoy these school holidays and travel safely, wherever your exiting destination may be.

More information is available on the A4ANZ website.

CASA supports next generation of aircraft engineers

August 25, 2023August 25, 2023

Article supplied by CASA

Three aspiring licensed aircraft maintenance engineers are the latest to receive a scholarship from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

Ella Watson from Western Australia and Queensland’s Spencer Holmes and Joshua Kilgour will all receive up to $5,000 each to help them achieve their Civil Aviation Safety Regulation (CASR) Part 66 engineer licence.

CASA Chief Executive Officer and Director of Aviation Safety Pip Spence says that high quality aircraft maintenance engineers are critical for the future of a safe and vibrant aviation industry.

‘All 3 recipients have demonstrated an obvious commitment to aviation safety and it’s evident that they’re in this career for the long haul,’ Ms Spence says.

‘I’d like to congratulate Ella, Spencer and Joshua for all the work they have done within the industry so far and wish them all the best for their future careers in aircraft maintenance engineering.

‘We received almost 90 applications in this scholarship round and the standard once again exceeded the evaluation panel’s expectations.

‘It was also encouraging to see such a wide range of candidates, from those working for major commercial operations through to others employed in smaller organisations across regional Australia.

‘We know there’s a shortage of licensed aircraft engineers not just here, but across the globe, and this scholarship program is one way we can show support for the aviation industry now and into the future.

‘This is the third year we’ve run the program and we’ll be offering it again in 2024, so I hope all aspiring aircraft maintenance engineers consider submitting an application when that round opens.’

The scholarship program focuses on applicants who have already started their structured training towards a licence outcome, or aircraft maintenance engineers who have not gone through a structured training program but are currently working in the industry gaining experience.

It also assists those who have demonstrated an interest in aviation maintenance, made progress through their own initiative, demonstrated aptitude for the role, and made a positive contribution to the safety culture of their profession or organisation.

More information about the AME scholarship program is available on the aircraft maintenance engineer scholarship page of our website.

Media contact

CASA Media

Mobile:

1300 773 806

Email:

media@casa.gov.au

Reference number:

MR4623

Safety Promotion Sponsorship Program now open

August 7, 2023August 15, 2023

Article supplied by CASA

We’re doing something a little different with our Safety Promotion sponsorship program.

From today, we’ve refreshed the program so sponsorship opportunities are now available throughout the year, rather than the previous twice yearly offering.

Applicants can now plan further in advance, and they’re not bound to a deadline.

Applications are then reviewed in November, February and May.

The program provides a great opportunity for us to support organisations, flying clubs or individuals who are raising awareness of aviation safety in line with our safety promotion activities and priorities.

We sponsor activities with a specific focus on improving safety outcomes such as conferences, workshops, seminars, and other educational initiatives.

In most cases, sponsorship takes the form of financial support but could also include goods or services, such as information materials, communication collateral, or we could provide CASA staff to speak at a conference or event.

Find out more about the updated sponsorship program.

CASA to work with aviation sector on 5G

June 22, 2023August 15, 2023

Article supplied by CASA. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority will work with the aviation industry and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) on the introduction of expanded 5G services in Australia.

CASA has worked closely with ACMA to ensure that the roll-out of wireless broadband services, including 5G, in the 3.7 – 4.0 GHz band (mid-band) can be done in a way that ensures the safety of aircraft and acknowledges the importance of Australian aviation.

This includes measures mitigating against potential interference by 5G to radio altimeters (radalts) used in aircraft to determine height above terrain. Information from radalts is displayed to pilots and used by other safety systems.

Radio altimeters operate in the 4.2 – 4.4 GHz range and mid-band 5G transmissions have been introduced without issue in several jurisdictions. However, the introduction of 5G transmissions in 3.7 – 3.98 GHz range in the United States raised concerns about possible interference with radio altimeters, particularly during low altitude operations during take-off and landing near airports.

After introducing measures to mitigate the possibility of interference, the US Federal Aviation Administration now requires operators to upgrade or replace radalts failing to meet a minimum performance level for aircraft landing procedures that are reliant on this equipment.

Australia will see a range of mitigations on deployments above 3.7 GHz until 31 March 2026. This is designed to protect against the risk of 5G interfering with radio altimeters and minimise disruptions to aviation operations.

The mitigations will restrict wireless broadband deployments in the 3.7-4.0 GHz band around runways and approaches identified by CASA at 21 airports nationally where landings using radio altimeters are permitted. There will also be limits on power and unwanted emissions.

We do not expect to impose operational limits on air operators during this interim period. However, operators will need to upgrade radalts that do not meet minimum performance levels before the interim period ends. We will liaise with industry about the applicable performance standards for radalts and available options for upgrading.

CASA is monitoring developments internationally as 5G is rolled out and we are confident the interim measures put in place by ACMA will ensure continued safe aviation operations.

Ongoing mitigations after 2026 will include a 200 MHz buffer between wireless broadband and radio altimeter frequencies as well as limits on power and unwanted emissions.

We encourage pilots to report any spurious radio altimeters incidents by using our defect reporting form or to the ATSB via their notification form.

CASA issued its latest airworthiness bulletin on the 5G issue on 4 March 2022 and a revised version is due out soon.

Further information is available on the ACMA 5G and aviation page.

Review of Southport airspace commences

June 22, 2023August 15, 2023

Article supplied by CASA. The review of Southport airspace commences. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is reviewing the Gold Coast airspace in which two helicopters tragically collided in January.

CASA is seeking direct feedback from pilots and operators separate to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation into the Sea World Helicopters accident on 2 January.

An initial review of the airspace has not indicated there are any safety issues relating to airspace arrangements, but this broader work will seek input from airspace users and operators.

‘While there’s no indication at this stage that airspace design played a part in this devastating accident, we want to make sure we’ve given all pilots and airspace users the opportunity to provide their views on airspace arrangements,’ CASA Branch Manager Air Navigation, Airspace and Aerodromes, Adrian Slootjes, said.

‘The first stage of this work involves collecting data to inform a formal airspace review.

‘We’ve had people on the ground last week observing operations and talking to operators. This will be used alongside information we receive through our broader consultation activities.

‘We want all pilots and operators that fly in this area to let us know about their experiences.

‘We were greatly saddened by this tragedy and our condolences go to the families of all those involved.’

Data will be collected to help CASA analyse aircraft operations, aircraft landing areas, helicopter landing sites and the surrounding airspace. This will be used to inform a formal airspace review.

The accident is subject to an Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigation that is anticipated to be completed in the second half of 2024.

‘We will also be cooperating with the ATSB as it continues its investigation,’ Mr Slootjes said.

‘Should any new or additional information become available through that investigation we will take immediate action and consider it alongside our own work.’

CASA approved a new Head of Flying Operations for Sea World Helicopters and worked closely with the operator to review procedures and operations in April 2023.

The ATSB investigation means it is inappropriate for CASA officials to comment further.

Editor’s note: Pre-recorded news grabs suitable for use on television and radio are available on Google Drive. The grabs are given by Anthony Nugent, section manager Office of Airspace Regulation, Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Australia Signs MoU with Tonga Civil Aviation Division

December 22, 2022

Article supplied by CASA

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tonga Civil Aviation Division.

A hand holding a metalling pen, holding it over a stack of folded-over papers.

The MoU will see the 2 countries work more closely across technical, regulatory and safety matters.

CASA Chief Executive Officer and Director of Aviation Safety, Pip Spence, said that the arrangement is one way in which Australia supports aviation safety in the Asia-Pacific.

Under the MoU, the Tonga Civil Aviation Division, Ministry Of Infrastructure may request, and CASA may provide, technical assistance or advice in relation to regulatory activities.

‘This MOU acknowledges Australia and Tonga’s roles as aviation safety regulators in the region and as participants in the Pacific Aviation Safety Office,’ Ms Spence said.

‘We are committed to promoting a positive and collaborative safety culture through our own aviation safety regulatory system as well as supporting the broader aviation community.’

‘I am pleased to have signed this agreement which acknowledges the importance of safety in the region and our support for the Pacific.’

The arrangement was announced by Australia’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP, during a visit to Tonga last week.

How CASA ensures safety with a new airline

November 25, 2022

Article supplied by CASA

Last month saw Bonza Australia’s second aircraft, named ‘Bazza’, touching down at its Sunshine Coast base. It joins ‘Shazza’ as part of the Bonza’s new fleet.

The arrival came as a specialised Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) team continued to review processes and documents to ensure Bonza meets the required aviation safety standards to obtain an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from CASA.

The process airlines go through to obtain a domestic AOC is complex and unique to each operator.

Factors include the size of the network, the number and type of aircraft involved as well as the level and maintenance of crew training.

While the CASA and Bonza teams work through the application process, here is some information about how CASA ensures that any new and existing operator flies safely in our skies.

Note that this information is general in nature. Any operators wishing to apply for an AOC should review our information for air operators.

How to get permission to fly

Operators conducting commercial operations in Australia must hold an AOC. This is a permission granted under the Civil Aviation Act. AOCs are issued for a specified period and initially for 1 year. An AOC will cover a specific commercial purpose, such as air transport operations.

The process

We treat the assessment of an AOC application as a project. We have a formal and structured method for managing all activities along with an agreed schedule and a definition of the roles and responsibilities of CASA staff.

The AOC certification process consists of 4 phases.

Phase 1: enquiry

This is where we help the applicant understand the process and requirements to make an application for an AOC There may be a number of pre-application meetings for initial issue AOCs and complex applications.

Phase 2: application

This is where the applicant will submit application forms and documentation to CASA. If suitable, the application will be formally accepted by CASA and it is at this point that the assessment process formally begins. A detailed estimate of fees will be provided to the applicant which must be paid prior to the assessment starting.

Phase 3: assessment

This is where all supporting documentation is assessed to determine if the applicant meets the legislative safety requirements. The first phase takes the form of a technical assessment of the documentation that describes how the applicant will operate safely, and to make sure Bonza meets the required aviation safety standards. This evaluation includes areas such as the applicant’s ‘exposition’ (operating manual) outlining how the airline will comply with legislative safety requirements. This includes:

maintenance procedures
safety management systems
pilot and cabin crew training systems.

During the documentation assessment, inspectors evaluate for completeness, adequacy, quality and adherence to the legislation requirements. We may also conduct a financial viability assessment at this stage, particularly where operators are planning passenger-carrying scheduled services.

The applicant also has a range of responsibilities in this process, including to make staff and facilities available to us to verify matters, providing us with information and evidence to show that all risks have been identified and mitigated.

Verification and testing is done to ensure that the applicant has the facilities, processes, and personnel to be able to comply with their exposition (operating manuals). We may also need to assess specific standards and procedures to grant the applicant certain approvals. We will conduct inspections of their proposed operations, facilities, aircraft and aerodromes. For large organisations, this might require a number of visits. Proving flights may also be required to complete an assessment.

Phase 4: certification

Where we are satisfied that the applicant is safe and meets the requirements, we issue an AOC.

Safety assurance

We conduct regular checks and surveillance on operators once they have an AOC.

We may cancel, suspend or vary the AOC if we are no longer satisfied that the holder meets the legislative safety requirements.

CASA Briefing

October 13, 2022

Article supplied by CASA

Director of Aviation Safety, Pip Spence

Getting young people interested in aviation and developing the expertise of those already in the industry is crucial to the wellbeing of our sector.

Every incentive helps so I was pleased to be able to announce at the recent Safeskies conference in Canberra that we are offering a new scholarship program for safety managers.

These are people who play a crucial role in maintaining our safety record and we will be offering 3 scholarships worth up to $5000 each to help them increase their knowledge and skills through professional development.

We are encouraging safety managers who are committed to the development of a healthy aviation safety culture to apply.

More specifically, we are looking for people with a minimum of 2 years’ industry experience who use their initiative and display a high standard of aptitude and leadership.

They must also be working in a key aviation position, or have worked in one previously, and if you’re in this category I would encourage you to apply.

We believe this this a great opportunity to help successful individuals build their aviation expertise in the same way our engineering scholarships have benefitted promising Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs).

We announced 5 recipients of the engineering scholarship at the Rotortech Conference in May this year. We received more than 100 high-quality applications and the winners from Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia demonstrated a commitment to achieving the highest professional standards in their chosen fields.

First alphanumeric aircraft registration marks out nowThere’s more than a Spring change in the air with the arrival of Australia’s new alphanumeric aircraft registration marks.

The first release of 1500 new marks went live on 23 September 2022 and was necessary because the existing registration system had reached its limit.
Read more

Aviation medical consultation attracts big responseThe summary of consultation on our proposal to simplify and modernise our approach to medical certification has been published.

We received more than 600 responses to the consultation. The feedback received has been grouped into 5 themes.
Read more

Read our latest RPAS advisory circularAn updated version of the Advisory Circular 101-01: Remotely piloted aircraft systems, licensing and operations is now available.

Changes to the document reflect updates that have been made to drone regulations and the supporting manual of standards over the past 12 to 24 months.
Read more

Update on Mallacoota AirportReintroduced instrument flight procedures at Mallacoota Airport are expected to come into effect on 3 November.

We’ve been working closely with Airservices Australia and the East Gippsland Shire Council to re-introduce instrument flight procedures as soon as possible.
Read more

Readers recommend Flight Safety Australia!Almost 95 per cent of Flight Safety Australia (FSA) readers would recommend the magazine to others.

We survey the readers of our flagship aviation safety magazine every 2 years to gain insights that allow us to measure its impact on safety and behaviour.
Read more

Have your say on control tower visual surveillance systemsWe’re proposing changes to air traffic services standards to enable electro-optical technology such as video cameras to be used for aerodrome control services.

This will involve amending the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations Part 172 Manual of Standards to allow visual surveillance systems (VSS) to be used at air traffic control towers, including remotely controlled facilities.
Read more

FAA expands rotor blade checks on Robinson helicoptersAn Airworthiness Directive (AD) covering tail rotor blade cracks on certain Robinson helicopters has been superseded by a new version that covers R66 models and a wider range of blades.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released FAA AD 2021-19-08 last year requiring operators to check blades for cracking on some R44 and R44 II models.
Read more

Discover how we ensure safety with a new airlineEver wondered what’s involved in approving an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) for a new domestic airline?

We’ve outlined some of the steps we go through to ensure a new operator meets Australia’s stringent aviation safety standards.
Read more

Deadline approaches for medical records move to myCASADon’t forget to sign up to myCASA or review your login details before we move our online Medical Records System (MRS) later this month.

We are moving MRS to sit within the myCASA portal to make more of our online services accessible from the one place.
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CASA Wings Awards on againWe’re continuing our support of Australian Flying’s CASA Wings Awards through our sponsorship program.

The program aims to improve and raise awareness of the importance of aviation safety for the benefit of the wider aviation community.
Read more

New AvSafety seminar: Mitigating risks at non-controlled aerodromes CASA’s aviation safety advisors will soon be flying into your community to deliver our latest safety seminar for pilots: Non-Controlled Aerodromes: Manage Your Risks.

You’ll hear about all the hazards of a non-controlled aerodrome – and listen to a vivid real-world case study of how things went wrong.
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Experts discuss accident investigationJoin our expert panellists as they analyse a collision on runway at Caloundra Airport in Queensland, involving a light aircraft and a helicopter.

See a visual recreation of the accident and the radio calls that led up to the non-fatal accident. Our expert panel will discuss what was going on and their own flying experiences.
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Upcoming webinars: Loss of situational awareness in the circuitExpand your piloting skills with our next online webinar series: Loss of situational awareness in the circuit.

Using real life examples, our industry experts and experienced pilots will help you build your situational awareness and learn how to consider decisions and workload while flying.

Register today for seminars on Tuesday 4 and 11 October.

If you’ve missed any of our previous webinars, you can catch up via our YouTube channel.