The Civil Aviation Safety Authority today published their long-awaited workplan to reduce regulatory burden on general aviation.
The workplan is in response to the new Statement of Expectations (SoE) handed to CASA by Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce in January this year and details all the steps and priorities CASA has set to comply with the SoE.
"The General Aviation Workplan clearly sets out how and when CASA will optimise the regulatory framework for the general aviation sector," CASA stated today. "This will provide advice to stakeholders when regulatory changes impacting general aviation will likely occur among the range of other priority safety initiatives for government and industry.
"Ensuring regulation is proportionate to risk and responsive to implementation challenges identified by industry helps to maximise flexibility for the sector and support commercial sustainability, while maintaining an appropriate level of safety."
CASA says the workplan also complements the Federal Government's Aviation Recovery Framework published last December, which included recognition of the need to revitalise GA.
The workplan has set the following projects as priorities:
- improve pilot licensing rules
- streamline arrangements which ensure aircraft are airworthy and properly maintained
- simplify arrangements which make sure pilots are healthy and alert
- facilitate greater operational opportunities for sport and recreational activities when safe to do so
- finalise some outstanding standards for certain flight operations.
Each project contains several proposals that CASA will tackle over the coming two years, with all reforms expected to be complete by the second quarter of 2023. Among the proposals are:
- expand privileges of Grade 1 training endorsement holders (due for completion Q3 2022)
- simplified and fast-tracked assessments for independent flight instructors (Q4 2022)
- establish Part 43 maintenance regulations for GA (Q4 2022)
- consider less onerous pathways for maintenance training for light aircraft (Q2 2023+)
- align CASR Part 21 on design and manufacture certification with international best practice (Q2 2023+)
- review CASR Part 67 medical policy (Q2 2023+)
- remove stall speed limit for aeroplanes administered by ASAOs (Q3 2022)
- improve access to Class C and D airspace for sport and recreational aircraft (Q3 2022)
- finalise rules for CASR Parts 103,105 and 131 covering sport and recreational manual of standards (Q4 2022)
- finalise the new air display manual and procedures (Q4 2022).
CASA has also pledged to support the GA sector in the future with a number of initiatives, including:
- reviewing the regulatory philosophy and implementing any necessary adjustments in consultation with industry by the end of 2022
- working with internal staff to ensure they fully embed and consistently apply the regulatory philosophy across CASA
- addressing bottlenecks in the Guidance Delivery Centre to ensure industry gets more timely and consistent answers to regulatory inquiries, via a centralised service
- continuing to promote safety education.
"CASA also recognises safety regulations, including the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR), need to be compatible with the role of general aviation in the broader industry," CASA has stated. "This is particularly relevant with regard to the challenges faced in regional and remote Australia as well as the sport and recreational sector."
The complete workplan including timelines is on the CASA website.