CASA today published CASR Part 91 general operating rules for public review before they become law.
Part 91 is package of regulations that consolidated both new and current rules from the Civil Aviation Regulations and Civil Aviation Orders, creating what CASA describes as the "rules of the road."
"Once in place, they will form the foundation for all civil aviation flight operations," CASA's Summary of Proposed Regulation (SPR) states, "much like the 'rules of the road', and will apply to all pilots, aircraft owners and operators, people who fuel and handle aircraft, loading personnel, air display organisers and air traffic services."
Part 91 covers rules such as responsibilities of the pilot in command, right-of-way rules, collision avoidance, minimum heights, VFR and IFR rules, flight instruments, emergency equipment, airspace classification and navigation regulations.
Most significantly, CASA has created a Part 91 Manual of Standards (MOS), which transfers most of the technical detail out of the CASR and into the MOS. According to the SPR, this was done to "allow CASA to more effectively respond to the need for changed requirements, as the MOS is more easily amended than the CASR."
Part 91 will not apply to UAVs and rockets (Part 101), aircraft covered by Recreational Aviation Administration Organisations such as RA-Aus (future Part 103) and free piloted balloons (future Part 131).
Part 91 will be open for public review until 6 October. The proposed legislation, list of amendments and the SPR are all on the CASA website.