CASA yesterday released a consultation draft paper on proposed expanded training privileges for Grade 1 flying instructors.
The regulator believes the proposed changes to CASR Part 61 will encourage Grade 2 instructors to upskill and make more Grade 1 instructors available for Part 141 flying schools.
In the consultation paper, CASA admits that the principles of Part 61 relating to Grade 1s have not produced the desired results.
"CASA has been reviewing parts of the flight training and testing scheme that are not working as efficiently as intended," the consultation paper states.
"Practical barriers to the efficient conduct of entry control testing have emerged since the commencement of Part 61 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR) in 2014. The intended proportionate approach to flight testing has not materialised."
Among the changes CASA is proposing is to allow Grade 1 instructors to conduct training for:
- Grade 2 Training Endorsements
- Design feature Training Endorsements
- Flight Activity Training Endorsements
- Low-level Training Endorsements
- Assessments and grants of nominated ratings and endorsements.
Under the now-extinct CAR Part 5, Grade 1 instructors were able to assess other instructors and authorise them to do certain types of training such as spinning. When CASR Part 61 was implemented in 2014, that became a flight test and so could be done only by holders of a Flight Examiner rating.
It created a situation where highly-qualified, experienced and skilled Grade 1 instructors could do little more than a Grade 2.
"The Part 61 G1 training endorsement privileges do not reflect the responsibilities that would normally be associated with the capabilities of instructors holding the endorsement," CASA says.
"For this reason, there are minimal differences between the G1 and G2 training endorsements, and therefore diminished incentive for flight instructors to seek a G1 training endorsement.
"This is believed to be one of the reasons for the diminishing availability of suitably qualified flight instructors to become the HOO [Head of Operations – CFI] for Part 141 operators."
With airlines regularly recruiting Grade 1 and Grade 2 instructors from flying schools, industry sources are reporting a critical situation where flying schools are on the verge of closing because they can't get Grade 1 instructors to fill the HOO roles demanded by Parts 141 and 142.
CASA says the proposals will give Grade 1 instructors privileges similar to those that existed under CAR 5.
The full proposal is on the CASA Consultation Hub and is open for feedback until 31 August.