CASA has responded to some industry concerns over the short-field take-off standards required by the new Part 61 Manual of Standards (MOS).
Schedule 2 of the MOS appears to call for students and pilots to match the short-field take-off performance set down in the aircraft flight manual (AFM) before they can be consider competent to fly the aircraft.
As those figures are derived by factory test pilots (and often influenced by the marketing departments), it is thought that pilots with little experience of the aircraft would be unable to reach the standard generally.
According to CASA, the issue is not as bad as it looks, because the figures in the AFM are corrected to temper the influence of test pilot skills.
"An average pilot, using the techniques detailed in the AFM, should be capable of operating the aircraft so that it achieves the performance figures published in that manual," a CASA spokesperson told Australian Flying.
"While both the developmental and certification take-off and landing performance flight testing will be conducted by test pilots there is a requirement that the aircraft be flown in accordance with standard techniques which must be published in the AFM.
"There is also a requirement that these techniques be easily achievable and repeatable by the average pilot who is likely to be operating the aircraft type. This must be without the use of ‘exceptional skill, alertness or strength’ on the part of that average pilot.
"The onus is on the test pilots to fly and assess the aircraft in the light of this ‘average pilot’ perspective. Before the aircraft receives its Type Certificate test pilots from the airworthiness authority (CASA, FAA etc) will also confirm that the piloting techniques used are easily repeatable, to the ‘average pilot’ standard, and that the resulting aircraft performance is accurately presented."
"The intent of the take-off from ‘short field’ competency is to ensure pilots are able to operate aeroplanes according to their aircraft flight manuals to achieve the best take-off performance under the prevailing conditions. This acknowledges differences in aircraft performance, runway conditions and environmental conditions."
The competency standards also appear nearly impossible to assess, as it is unlikely the examining flight instructor will make attempts to accurately measure the take-off distance, but most will judge the candidate on the technique applied.
What the MOS Says
Schedule 2 Competency Standards states:
2.5 A2.5 – Take-off aeroplane from ‘short field’
(a) calculate take-off and landing performance in accordance with the aeroplane’s performance charts;
(b) perform take-off aeroplane to achieve the minimum length take-off performance;
(c) perform take-off aeroplane to achieve the obstacle clearance parameters.