Australian flight crew licences and ICAO differences
Licensing differences and suggested actions for operations overseas
Differences between Australian flight crew licence requirements and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 1 standards and recommended practices for personnel licensing.
Currently there are differences between Australian legislative requirements relating to personnel licensing, and the Standards and recommended Practices (SARPs) laid down by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Australia is moving to harmonise with requirements in the SARPs as much as possible, to ensure that Australian flight crew engaged in international operations meet these other standards.
The table below lists all the current licensing differences, together with suggested actions that will enable pilots to demonstrate conformance to other countries aviation authorities.
Items marked with a (**) are those differences endorsed on the new Australian book licence.
| Australian licence qualification affected | Area of difference | ICAO Annex 1 reference | Difference | Suggested action by holder to demonstrate conformance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All licences | Validity | 1.2.5.1.1 | ICAO requires that the licence enable other states to determine its validity including validity of instrument ratings. | Carry new book style licence or old licence and logbook. |
| All licences | Ratings | 2.1.3.3 | ICAO requires aircraft type and class ratings (ie aircraft endorsements) to be entered on the licence. | Carry new book style licence or old licence and logbook. |
| Type Rating for multi-crew aircraft | Training | 2.1.5.2a) | Australian syllabus of training for type endorsement in multi-crew aircraft does not include requirement for training in procedures for crew incapacitation, co-ordination, co-operation and use of checklists. | Carry logbook or other evidence of the training. |
| PPLA /CPLA Type rating for multi-crew aircraft | Knowledge | 2.1.5.2c) | Australian requirement for issue of type rating for multi-crew aircraft does not include the requirement to demonstrate knowledge at the ATPL level. | PPL and CPL holders who operate as PIC of multi crew aircraft internationally should obtain a pass in the ATPL examination and carry evidence to that effect. |
| ATPL/CPL (**) | PIC Age limit | 2.1.10.1 | ICAO standard does not permit pilots 60 years of age or over to act as PIC in international air transport operations. | Pilots 60 years of age or over should ensure that States in which they operate accept this difference. |
| ATPL/CPL (recommendation only) |
Co-pilot age limit | 2.1.10.2 | ICAO recommends that pilots over 60 years of age do not act as co-pilot in international air transport operations. | No action required. |
| Student pilot licence | Carriage of passengers | 2.2.2 | ICAO does not permit student pilots acting as PIC to carry passengers. | GFPT holders must not operate outside Australian airspace unless specifically authorised by the State concerned. |
| Student Pilot Licence | Operations in other states | 2.2.2.1 | CAR 5.66 (3) and (4) give the erroneous impression that CASA may authorise a student licence holder to operate in other states. | CASA will rescind CAR 5.66 (3) and (4), but in the interim will not authorise the student pilot licence for use in other states. |
| PPLA (**) | Aeronautical experience | 2.3.1.3.2 | Australia permits command time for the issue of a PPLA to be in aircraft other than aeroplanes. | PPL(A) holders seeking recognition by other states, should carry a logbook with evidence of at least 10 hours solo in aeroplanes including 5 hours solo X/C with 1 flight of not less than 150 nm with at least 2 full stop landings at 2 different aerodromes. |
| CPLA (**) (other than commercially trained (approved 150 hour course) pilots) | Aeronautical experience | 2.4.1.3.1.1 | Australia permits command time for a CPLA not issued on the basis of an approved 150 hour course, to be in aircraft other than aeroplanes. | CPL(A) holders not trained through an approved 150 hour
course, seeking recognition by other states, should carry a logbook with
evidence of the following minimum PIC experience in aeroplanes: At least 100 hours as PIC. 20 hours PIC X/C including one flight of at least 300 nm including 2 full stop landings at different aerodromes. |
| ATPLA (**) (issued on the basis of flight engineer or navigator experience) | Aeronautical experience | 2.5.1.3.2 | Australia permits certain experience accrued as flight engineer or flight navigator to count towards the aeronautical experience required for the issue of an ATPLA. ICAO does not recognise such experience for this purpose. | ATPL(A) holders seeking recognition by other states should carry a logbook with evidence that current experience meets requirements for initial issue of ATPL excluding any flight engineer or flight navigator experience. |
| ATPLA | Flight test | 2.5.1.5.1 | Issue of Australian ATPLA does not require the pilot to demonstrate the ability to perform as PIC of a multi-crew aeroplane. | ATPL(A) holders seeking recognition by other states should carry a logbook with evidence of having demonstrated the ability to perform as PIC of a multi-crew aeroplane. |
| Co-pilot instrument rating aeroplanes (**) | Aeronautical experience | 2.6 | Australia issues a co-pilot instrument rating which has no additional experience requirement over that required for the licence held. | The co-pilot instrument rating is valid for operations outside Australia, only if recognised by the state whose airspace is entered. |
| Command instrument rating, aeroplanes | Cross country experience | 2.6.1.2.2a) | Australia does not specify that 10 hours of the 50 hours PIC X/C requirement for issue of a CIR be on aeroplanes. | CIR (aeroplanes) holders seeking recognition by other states should carry a logbook with evidence of at least 10 hours PIC X/C in aeroplanes. |
| Command instrument rating aeroplanes | Instrument experience | 2.6.1.3.1 | Australia does not require that the 10 hours dual IF instruction required for the issue of the rating be in aeroplanes. | CIR (aeroplanes) holders seeking recognition by other states, should carry a logbook with evidence of 10 hours dual IF instruction in aeroplanes. |
| CPLH (**) | Aeronautical experience | 2.8.1.3 | Australia only requires 125 hours aeronautical experience for applicants not completing an approved course for CPLH. | CPL(H) holders not trained on an approved course seeking recognition by other states, should carry a logbook with evidence of having obtained at least 150 hours aeronautical experience. |
| CPLH (**) | Instrument instruction | 2.8.1.3.1.1 | Australia does not require 10 hours instrument flight (IF) instruction in helicopters. | CPL(H) holders seeking recognition by other states, should carry a logbook with evidence of 10 hours IF instruction in helicopters. |
| CPLH | Instrument training and testing | 2.8.1.4 and 2.8.1.5 | Australia does not require training and testing in flight manoeuvres and recovery from unusual attitudes by reference solely to basic flight instruments. | CPL(H) holders seeking recognition by other states should carry a logbook with evidence of training and testing in these manoeuvres. |
| ATPLH | Instrument (IF) and night flight (NF) experience | 2.9.1.3.1.1 | Australia does not require any IF or NF experience for ATPLH issue. | ATPL(H) holders seeking recognition by other states, should carry a logbook with evidence of 30 hours IF and 50 hours NF as PIC or co-pilot in helicopters. |
| Co-pilot IR helicopters (**) | Instrument experience | 2.10 | Australia issues a co-pilot instrument rating which has no additional experience requirement over that required for the licence held. | The co-pilot instrument rating is valid for operations outside Australia, only if recognised by the state whose airspace is entered. |
| Command Instrument Rating helicopters | Cross country experience | 2.10.1.2.2a) | Australia does not specify that 10 hours of the 50 hours PIC X/C requirement for issue of a CIR be in helicopters. | CIR (helicopters) holders seeking recognition by other states should carry a logbook with evidence of at least 10 hours PIC X/C in helicopters. |
| Command Instrument Rating helicopters | Instrument instruction | 2.10.1.3 | Australia does not require that the 10 hours dual IF instruction required for the issue of the rating be in helicopters. | CIR (helicopters) holders seeking recognition by other states, should carry a logbook with evidence of 10 hours dual IF instruction in helicopters. |
| Instructor rating helicopter | Instrument experience | 2.11.1.2 | Australia requires a helicopter instructor to have a CPLH but this does not include 10 hours instrument instruction in helicopters. | FIR (helicopters) holders seeking recognition by other states, should carry a logbook with evidence of 10 hours IF instruction in helicopters. |
| Glider pilot | Licence | 2.12 | Australia does not issue a glider pilot licence. | Holders of Gliding Federation of Australia certificates should be aware that the certificate is not a valid licence for use in another State unless authorised by that state. Preferably the certificate should be so endorsed. |
| Private pilot free balloon | Licence | 2.13 | Australia does not issue a private pilot licence free balloon. | Holders of a Private Pilot Certificate (Balloons) should be aware that the certificate is not a valid licence for use in another state unless authorised by that state. Preferably the certificate should be so endorsed. |
| Restricted flight engineer | Licence | 3.3 | Australia issues a restricted flight engineer licence which does not meet ICAO requirements for a flight engineer. | Where the minimum crew complement for an Australian registered aircraft requires a licensed flight engineer, a restricted flight engineer may be utilised in international operations only if the crew also includes at least one licensed flight engineer. |
| Flight engineer | Training | 3.3.1.2 | Australian flight engineer syllabus does not require training in flight performance and planning, human performance and limitations and operational procedures. | Operators and/or licence holders should obtain such training and evidence of successful completion should be carried by the licence holder. |
| Flight engineer (recommendation only) | Training | 3.3.1.2.1 | Australian flight engineer syllabus does not require training in fundamentals of navigation, principles and operations of self contained systems and operational aspects of meteorology. | Operators and/or licence holders may obtain such training at their own discretion and evidence of successful completion may be carried by the licence holder. |