CASA is acting to improve air safety standards in remote areas of Australia.
Amendments to CAO 82.3 and related exemptions.
New arrangements will be available to air operators servicing remote regions, initially applying to the Torres Strait and Cape York.
Air operators taking advantage of these new arrangements will have to meet a range of higher pilot and operational safety standards when accessing remote aerodromes.
These air operators will then be given approval to carry fare paying passengers on scheduled flights.
At present many air operators in the Torres Strait and Cape York regions are certified as charter only services.
CASA observed a number of these charter operators conducting unauthorised regular public transport services earlier this year and moved to stop these services.
The new arrangements will give these operators the chance to offer approved air services to remote communities at a higher safety standard.
The new safety standards for these services include:
- higher levels of pilot training;
- demonstrated knowledge of air routes and aerodromes by pilots;
- aircraft performance limitations for aerodromes;
- special procedures for pilots to determine that aerodromes meet standards on each flight; and
- enhanced aircraft maintenance.
CASA will undertake close monitoring of the introduction of the new arrangements in the Torres Strait and Cape York areas. Two CASA staff will work in the field with operators who adopt the new standards.
CASA's Director of Aviation Safety, Mick Toller, says remote communities will have continued access to air services with even better safety standards.
'Aviation companies that have been limited to offering charter category services will now have the flexibility of choosing to operate as a regular public transport service,' Mr Toller says.
'There was a problem with some charter operators carrying passengers in the same way as regular public transport services. This was not acceptable under the existing rules.
'However, the new arrangements will give these operators the chance to upgrade safety when carrying fare paying passengers to these remote areas.
'CASA knows air services are often the only viable means of transport in the Torres Strait and Cape York, so we've worked as quickly as possible to create these flexible new arrangements.
'These new arrangements mean isolated communities will continue to be served by essential air transport but with even higher safety standards.'
There are four categories of commercial air operations in Australia - aerial work, charter, low capacity regular public transport and high capacity regular public transport.
4 March 1999
Media contact:
Peter Gibson
ph 02 6217 1015
mobile 0419 296 446
Ref: ME9904PR