General CASA Regs Flashcards
Basic Rule Structure:
Civil Aviation Act (CAA) 1988
- Civil Aviation Regulations CARs
- Civil Aviation Saftey Regulations CASRs
(The Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 (CARs) are the regulations made under the CAA. The CARs are currently in transition to the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998).
What does the CARs contain?
- CAOs
- CAAPs
- AACs
Civil Aviation Orders (CAOs) are the second-tier legislation that expands in greater detail on the CARs, and are being subsumed into CASRs.
Civil Aviation Advisory Publications (CAAPs) are numbered in accordance with the CARs to which they refer. They describe methods that, if adopted, ensure compliance with a particular regulation. CAAPs are only recommendations and do not necessarily outline the only available method.
AACs - airworthiness Advisory Circulars
What are the AIPs and what supplements it?
Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) is a set of documents containing aeronautical information of a lasting nature. The AIP book is the basic document and this is supplemented by:
1 - En Route Supplement Australia (ERSA) containing aerodrome, survival and other operational data.
- Departure and Approach Procedures (DAP East and DAP West) primarily for IFR operations.
- AIP Supplement (SUP) temporary changes to the information contained in the AIP which are published by means of special pages.
- Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) a notice distributed by means of telecommunication containing information concerning the establishment, condition or change in any aeronautical facility, service, procedure or hazard, the timely knowledge of which is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations.
- Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) a notice containing information that does not qualify for the publication of a NOTAM, or for inclusion in the AIP, but which relates to flight safety, air navigation, technical, administrative or legislative matters.
- Terminal Area Chart (TAC)
- En Route Chart (High and Low) (ERC-H and ERC-L)
- Planning Chart Australia (PCA)
- Visual Navigation Chart (VNC) 1:500,000 with airspace detail.
- Visual Terminal Chart (VTC) 1:250,000 with airspace detail.
- World Aeronautical Charts (WACs) are charts to a 1:1,000,000 scale which shows topographical details but not details of airspace organisation.
- Designated Airspace Handbook (DAH) contains the definitive description of Australian administered airspace and lists the volumes of airspace within the current airspace classifications (Classes A, C, D, E and G), protected airspace (prohibited, restricted and danger areas), and air routes, as well as other relevant material.
Pre-flight information:
AIP GEN 3.
Pre-flight information services are provided from the Network Coordination Centre (NCC) Pilot Briefing Office, located in Canberra. This office provides the following services:
- meteorological
- NOTAM
- flight notification
- COBT
Pilots must obtain an appropriate pre-flight briefing before departure from those places where suitable facilities exist. Where suitable facilities are not available, a briefing may be obtained from FLIGHTWATCH as soon as practicable after the flight commences. Information you request should be limited to data considered essential for the safe conduct of the flight to the first point of intended landing where additional information can be obtained. (AIP GEN 3.3)
The pre-flight briefing service is primarily an automated one. Pilots are encouraged to obtain pre-flight briefing either via the self-help electronic systems or through the briefing offices. These services are listed in ERSA GEN – PF. If required, elaborative briefings are available by contacting ATS and BoM staff from the briefing offices.
Weather forecast requirements
AIP ENR 1.10
Weather forecast information must include: an aerodrome forecast for the: destination and when required, alternate aerodrome and one of the following: a flight forecast or a GAF (at and below A100) or a SIGWX forecast (above A100) and a wind and temperature forecast For a flight to a destination for which a prescribed instrument approach procedure does not exist, the minimum requirement is a GAF. Note A wind and temperature forecast may be obtained from wind and temperature charts, grid point wind and temperature charts, route sector winds and temperatures forecasts, a NAIPS wind and temperature profile (applicable for the flight), as well as from approved flight planning systems that derive data from the Bureau of Meteorology or the WAFS.
For private, charter and aerial work night VFR operations, the obtained forecast must indicate a cloud base ceiling no less than 1000 ft AGL above the highest obstacle within 10 nm either side of track.
Flights for which a forecast is required and cannot be obtained, are permitted to depart provided the pilot is satisfied that the weather at the departure point will permit the safe return of the flight within one hour of departure. The flight is permitted to continue if a suitable forecast is obtained for the intended destination within 30 minutes after departure (AIP ENR 1.10).
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The validity period of the weather forecasts must cover the period of the flight. Furthermore, the aerodrome forecasts for the destination and alternate aerodromes—to be nominated in the flight plan—must be valid for a period of not less than 30 minutes before and 60 minutes after the planned ETA. If departure is delayed and results in the planned ETA falling outside the above- mentioned forecast validity period, meteorological updates must be obtained as necessary to ensure the safety of the flight.
If the pre-flight briefing is obtained more than one hour before taxiing for departure, you should obtain an update before departure to ensure that the latest information available can be used for the flight. This update should be obtained by:
NAIPS pilot access
telephone or
when the above is impracticable, by radio.
More than one flight may be included in one flight plan provided that the meteorological forecast validity period covers all flights and relevant AIS information is available at flight planning.
Alternate requirements – weather reports and forecasts:
In addition to the above requirements, CAR 239 also requires you to consider flying to an alternate aerodrome during pre-flight planning and ensuring you carry additional fuel to allow for any alternate courses of action. CASA gives directions regarding alternate planning requirements in the AIP ENR 1.1. In deciding whether or not to plan for an alternate, you must consider each of the following:
weather reports and forecasts—weather conditions and integrity of weather information
radio navigation aids (if NVFR)—availability and serviceability and
runway lighting (if NVFR)—type and reliability of runway lighting and availability of aerodrome personnel.
As pilot in command, you must make provision in your pre-flight planning for an alternate aerodrome if:
you plan to arrive at your destination:
30 minutes before the commencement of
during or
30 minutes after the end of the validity period of a forecast that indicates meteorological conditions that are below alternate minima or
if the forecast for the destination is:
not available or
is attached with the term ‘provisional’.
The VFR alternate minima are as follows:
for aeroplanes:
a cloud base that is SCT with a ceiling of 1500 ft
8 km visibility; and
for helicopters:
a cloud base that is SCT with a ceiling of 1000 ft
3000 m visibility.
This alternate provision does not apply to day VFR flights within 50 nm from the point of departure.
Alternate minima
For flight by aeroplanes under VFR (day or night) and helicopters operating under VFR at night, the alternate minima are a ceiling of 1500 ft and a visibility of 8 km (AIP ENR 1.1). For VFR helicopter operations by day, the alternate minima are the same as for night unless the additional conditions specified below are met.
When operating a helicopter under VFR, and the use of helicopter VMC is permissible at the destination, the pilot in command must provide for a suitable alternate aerodrome when either of the following conditions is forecast at the destination:
cloud – more than SCT below a ceiling of 1000 ft or
visibility – less than 3000 m.
A flight permitted to operate under VFR at night (AIP ENR 1.2) must provide for an alternate aerodrome within a one hour flight time from the destination unless:
the destination is served by a radio navigation aid (NDB/VOR) and the aircraft is fitted with the appropriate radio navigation system capable of using the aid or
the aircraft is fitted with an approved GNSS receiver and the pilot and aircraft meet the requirements of AIP GEN
Weather conditions
Except when operating an aircraft under VFR by day within 50 nm of the point of departure, the pilot in command must provide for a suitable alternate aerodrome when arrival at the destination will be during the currency of, or up to 30 minutes prior to the forecast commencement of, the following weather conditions:
cloud – more than SCT below the alternate minimum
visibility – less than the alternate minimum
visibility – greater than the alternate minimum, but the forecast is endorsed with a percentage probability of fog, mist, dust or any other phenomenon restricting visibility below the alternate minima or
wind – a crosswind or downwind component more than the maximum for the aircraft. Wind gusts must be considered.
Note
In determining requirements for alternate aerodromes, forecast amounts of cloud below— the alternate minima are cumulative. For determining requirements, the cumulative cloud amount is interpreted as follows (AIP ENR 1.1):
FEW plus FEW is equivalent to SCT;
FEW plus SCT is equivalent to BKN and
SCT plus SCT is equivalent to BKN or OVC.
When weather conditions at the destination are forecast to be as specified above, but are expected to improve at a specific time, provision for an alternate aerodrome need not be made if sufficient fuel is carried to allow the aircraft to hold until that specified time plus 30 minutes.
When weather conditions at the destination are forecast to be above the values specified above, but additionally, intermittent or temporary deteriorations in the weather below those values are forecast, provision of an alternate need not be made if sufficient additional fuel is carried to allow the aircraft to hold for:
30 minutes for intermittent deterioration (INTER) and
60 minutes for temporary deterioration (TEMPO).
When thunderstorms, or their associated severe turbulence, or their probability are forecast at the destination, sufficient additional fuel must be carried to permit the aircraft to proceed to a suitable alternate or to hold for:
30 minutes when the forecast is endorsed INTER or
60 minutes when the forecast is endorsed TEMPO.
INTER and TEMPO holding fuel requirements are not cumulative. When a forecast has a number of INTER or TEMPO deteriorations, holding fuel is required only for the most limiting requirement (AIP ENR 1.1).
When TAFs include an FM or a BECMG causing an operational requirement to either become effective or be removed, the timing for the change in operational requirement is as follows (AIP ENR 1.1):
when the weather during the FM or BECMG is forecast to create an operational requirement, that operational requirement will become effective 30 minutes before the onset of the FM time, or 30 minutes before the start of the BECMG period; and
when the weather during the FM or BECMG is forecast to remove an operational requirement, that operational requirement will remain effective until 30 minutes after the FM time, or 30 minutes after the end of the BECMG period.
The additional fuel required by the above conditions must be carried when the ETA of the aircraft at its destination or alternate falls within the period of 30 minutes before the forecast commencement time to 30 minutes after the expected time of cessation of these deteriorations. If the holding time required because of INTER or TEMPO or the probability of INTER or TEMPO requirements (as described above) extends past 30 minutes after the forecast cessation of these deteriorations, the aircraft need only carry sufficient fuel to hold until 30 minutes after the forecast cessation time (AIP ENR 1.1).
Due to the continuous weather watch provided by TTF, the 30-minute buffers required by the above conditions do not apply. Flights which will be completed within the time of validity of the TTF may be planned wholly with reference to the destination TTF (AIP ENR 1.1).
TTF may have either one visibility or two visibilities included in the report. Operational requirements will apply when (AIP ENR 1.1):
the sole visibility is less than the alternate minimum or
the higher visibility is less than the alternate minimum.
Flights which cannot use TTF will plan the flight on the current TAF until such time as the destination ETA falls within the validity periods of a TTF (AIP ENR 1.1).
Charts available (but not limited to)
VFR IFR
Planning Chart Australia (PCA) En Route Chart – Low (ERC–L)
World Aeronautical Chart (WAC) En Route Chart – High (ERC–H)
Visual Terminal Chart (VTC) Terminal Area Chart (TAC)
Visual Navigational Chart (VNC) Aerodrome (AD) Chart
AIRSERVICES STORE
Airservices Publication Service
T: 1300 306 630
W: www.airservicesaustralia.com/store
Planning chart australia
PCA depicts the following information:
GAF boundaries
WAC coverage and chart titles
location names and abbreviations
estimated FIS VHF coverage at 5000 ft and 10,000 ft and
HF network boundaries.
Visual charts
World Aeronautical Charts (WACs) (scale 1:1,000,000) are designed for pre-flight planning and pilotage. They are constructed on Lambert’s Conformal Conic Projection. Australian coverage is shown on the front of each chart.
Visual Navigation Charts (VNCs) (scale 1:500,000) are designed for VFR operations. They contain an aeronautical overlay of controlled airspace over a topographical base, and contain some radio communication and other navigational data appropriate for visual navigation. Map coverage is shown on the front of each map.
Visual Terminal Charts (VTCs) (scale 1:250,000) are designed for visual operations near terminal areas. They contain some topographical detail and appropriate airspace, radio communication and navigation aid information. VTCs are intended for use up to and including FL180.
Note
When planning visual navigation outside the coverage of VTCs, pilots will need to refer to the appropriate VNC (if available) or IFR chart ERC-L for depiction of controlled airspace and prohibited, restricted and danger areas (AIP GEN 3.2).
En-route charts and terminal area charts
ERCs-L, ERCs-H and TACs are presented at various scales and depict airspace, air routes and radio navigation facilities.
ERCs-L are intended for use primarily up to and including FL200. ERCs-L show an outline of the areas covered by TACs and VTCs. These areas impact on the ERC-L presentation as follows:
within the areas covered by TACs, full details of air routes may not be shown due to lack of space
air route information within these areas will usually only include the route line and bearing. Where space permits, the route designator, distance and LSALT may also be shown and
within the areas covered by TACs and VTCs, full details of airspace may not be shown. Information may only indicate lateral boundaries. Restricted and danger area numbers and sport aviation symbols may not be shown.
For complete details of aeronautical data in these areas refer to the appropriate TACs or VTCs.
ERCs-H are intended to be used for operations above FL200.
TACs show details applicable to both high and low level operations in terminal areas. Aerodrome charts, apron charts, noise abatement procedures, SID charts, STAR charts, DME and GPS Arrival charts and IAL charts are IFR charts and are published in DAP East and DAP West (AIP GEN 3.2).
CTAF
Depiction of Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) AIP GEN 3.2
At non-controlled aerodromes where MULTICOM 126.7MHz is not the CTAF, or non‑controlled aerodromes that have an associated navaid, an entry ‘CTAF’ followed by the designated frequency, is annotated in a box associated with the location. Radio carriage is required at all non-controlled aerodromes which are identified in the ERSA as being certified, registered or military. ERSA should always be consulted as part of the pre-flight planning process before operating at non-controlled aerodromes.
Broadcast areas AIP GEN 3.2
Broadcast areas are defined airspace volumes in Class G airspace for which a discrete frequency (CTAF) has been allocated. All operations, including those at aerodromes (charted and uncharted) and landing sites within this area shall use this CTAF as the broadcast frequency. Broadcast Areas are depicted on charts by a dotted dark green line and a label stating ‘for operations in this area SFC - use CTAF ’. The vertical boundaries of a Broadcast Area are:
• Surface to 5000 ft AMSL (default); or
• Surface to: the base of CTA (if 8500 ft or less) or a nominated level.
GAF
Graphical area forecasts (GAF) for operations surface to 10,000 ft AIP GEN 3.5
These domestic forecasts are issued for aircraft operations at or below 10,000 ft. They comprise of an image and supporting text detailing the meteorological conditions. GAFs are prepared and issued for the 10 areas as detailed on AUS PCA.
A flight forecast (text based forecasts) may be issued for any part of a flight for which a routine GAF is not prepared.
These forecasts are available from the ATS automated briefing systems, and briefing offices listed in ERSA GEN.
GAF areas
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Preparation and issue times
GAFs are issued with the 6 hour validity periods 2300Z to 0500Z, 0500Z to 1100Z, 1100Z to 1700Z and 1700Z to 2300Z
At each issue time two GAFs will be issued covering a 12 hour period, for example at 2200Z, both 2300Z to 0500Z and 0500Z to 1100Z GAFs will be issued
GAFs will be issued no later than 30min before the commencement of the validity period of the first GAF
the issuance of a new GAF replaces the previously issued GAF for the same validity period.
TAF
Aerodrome forecasts are a statement of meteorological conditions expected for the specified period in the airspace within a radius of five nm of the aerodrome reference point. Issued every 6 hours (12 for small airports)
Aerodrome forecasts and reports
METAR is used to identify routine observations (hourly or half-hourly) when conditions are above specified levels. SPECI is used to identify special observations, that is, observations when conditions are below specified criteria, or when there have been significant changes since the previous report. SPECI is also used to identify observations reported 10 minutes following an improvement to above SPECI conditions.
TTF METAR or TTF SPECI is used to identify METAR or SPECI to which a trend forecast is appended. The use of this identifier is restricted to those locations that issue Trend Forecasts.
TAF, TAF AMD, TAF COR, TAF… CNL, TAF… NIL and PROV TAF are used to identify Aerodrome Forecast, Amended Aerodrome Forecast, Corrected Aerodrome Forecast, Cancelled Aerodrome Forecast, Nil Aerodrome Forecast and Provisional Aerodrome Forecast respectively.
For message formats, see AIP GEN sections 14 (METAR/SPECI), 15 (TAF) and 17 (TTF).
ELT
When undertaking a flight more than 50 nm radius from the aerodrome of departure, you must carry a serviceable ELT. If the ELT is installed on the aircraft it must be armed before flight. If it is a portable ELT it must be carried in a readily accessible place.
Exceptions to this requirement are:
flights wholly within 50 nm of the aerodrome of departure
aerial agriculture flights
where CASA has issued an approval (CASR 21.197)
the aircraft is new and the flight is for a purpose associated with its manufacture, preparation or delivery or
the flight is for the purpose of moving the aircraft to a place to have an approved ELT fitted to the aircraft, or to have an approved ELT that is fitted to it repaired, removed or overhauled.
an entry has been made in the aircraft’s log book stating the ELT make, model
and serial number together with the date it was removed and the reason for
doing so
a placard stating ‘ELT not installed or carried’ has been placed in a position visible to the pilot and
not more that 90 days have passed since the ELT was removed.
Pre-flight briefing requirements
a weather forecast and NOTAMs are mandatory for flights away from the vicinity of an aerodrome (CAR 239) and, for VFR, an alternate must be provided for flights more than 50 nm from point of departure when forecast is below alternate minimum of 1500 ft ceiling and 8 km visibility (AIP ENR 1.1).
