Answers to common questions
- Will CASA be charging me to issue a Part 137 AOC?
- No, provided that you nominate to CASA expressing your interest to transition to Part 137. Your transition must be completed in time to have a Part 137 AOC issued before 25 May 2008 or you must cease operations.
- Will CASA be conducting an on-site visit before my new certificate is issued?
- No; we will just carry out a desk assessment to ensure you are compliant with Part 137.
- I am thinking about putting a turbine powered aircraft on line, so can my new AOC be varied at the same time as it is re-issued.
- Yes; your new certificate will allow the use of any single engine certificated piston/turbine aircraft provided that your ops manual covers the use of that aircraft. (Other changes would be outside of the transition procedure)
- I would like to retain my old ops manual and just update it to cover Part 137.
- This is OK as long as all appropriate amendments are incorporated - the assessment process will be longer since the manual will have to be assessed by CASA for compliance
- My present certificate has to be renewed every 3 years, will that still be the case with the new Part 137 certificates?
- No, the intention is to now issue the Aerial Application Operations – other than rotorcraft only AOCs for a period of 7 years.
- I am Chief Pilot of my operation. How will the annual proficiency check (APC) requirement affect me?
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Chief Pilot of an operator approved under CAO 82.0 is taken to be the ‘Head of Flight Operations’ (HOFO) under Part 137. (137.065)
- Pilots employed by an operator – APC must be conducted by HOFO or qualified aerial application ATO or instructor.
- HOFO or any other pilot – APC must be conducted by a qualified aerial application ATO or instructor or a person qualified to conduct aeroplane flight reviews for regulation 5.108 of CAR.
- NOTE: A pilot who has completed less than 50 hours flight time in aerial application operations in the 12 months immediately before the check must have the APC conducted by a qualified aerial application ATO or instructor only.
- APC can replace the aeroplane flight review.
- Does Part 137.200 mandate the need for every operator to have an MEL?
- No, but IF, for whatever reason (whether by law or choice), an operator has a MEL, then, for the instruments and items of equipment listed in it, the operator is in effect exempted from the obligation that would otherwise apply to ensure that those instruments and items of equipment were serviceable.