The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has granted COVID-19 exemptions to four sport aviation bodies including Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus).
The exemptions, signed this week, provide extensions on Bienneial Flight Reviews (BFR) and medical requirements during the current industry down-turn, based on a presumed relaxing of COVID-19 restrictions and on the BFR due date.
RAAus Pilot Certificate holders with a BFR that expires between 1 March and 31 July 2020 will be automatically granted an extra 90 days. If a BFR falls due between 31 July and 30 September, an extension of two months will be issued and for BFRs that expire between 30 September and 30 November an extension of one month will be issued.
RAAus informed members on Thursday, providing detail in an announcement.
" ... in plain English, if your BFR is due between 1 March 2020 and 31 July 2020, an automatic 90-day extension has been applied, which should enable sufficient time for a renewal to be completed, assuming COVID-19 restrictions are eased or clarified. As the dates for BFRs progress throughout the year, additional extensions of reducing lengths will automatically be applied, there is no action required by you.
RAAus also announced measures to assist members with expiring medical assessments.
"A six-month extension of RAAus medical requirements which expire after 1 March 2020 has also been implemented. This includes those RAAus members who are over 75 years of age requiring annual medical statements or members who utilise the RAAus Medical Questionnaire and Examination Commercial Driver Licence health standard or CASA Medical Certificate relevant to their requirements.
"Members must comply with any conditions imposed on their current medical certificate, but may continue to exercise the privileges of their Certificates. You do not need to do anything."
The extensions also apply to some instructor proficiency and flight test arrangements for RAAus, the Australian Balloon Federation, the Gliding Federation of Australia and the Australian Sport Rotorcraft Association.
The enabling instrument automatically expires on 30 December this year.