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Under development
CASR Part 133 – Passenger Transport Services and international and heavy cargo operations - rotorcraft

Parts 133, 121 and 135 of the new Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASRs) all deal with a range of passenger and/or cargo operations — Part 133 is for rotorcraft, 121 for larger aeroplanes, and 135 for smaller aeroplanes.

The proposed regulations in Part 133 will set the minimum acceptable standards applicable to rotorcraft that are:

  • conducting a Passenger Transport Service (PTS), or
  • carrying heavy cargo, or
  • carrying cargo internationally.

Part 133 will consolidate into one Part of the new CASRs the regulatory requirements that will apply in addition to, or in substitution for, the general operating and flight rules prescribed in Part 91, when using rotorcraft for air transport operations.

Who Part 133 affects

  • Air Operators involved in current charter and RPT operations (passenger and cargo) in rotorcraft.
  • Personnel including flight crew members, ground and support personnel involved in the operation of rotorcraft that are currently engaged in passenger-carrying Charter or Low Capacity Regular Public Transport (LCRPT) aviation operations.
  • Travelling public.

Key proposals

  • A simplified structure for regulations relating to Passenger Transport Services, International Cargo and Heavy Cargo using rotorcraft, with CASR Part 133 solely addressing these operations.
  • A single standard to be introduced for Passenger Transport Services, whether unscheduled or scheduled operations.
  • The applicability and standards of CASR Part 133 ‘Passenger Transport Services’ aligned to CASA's hierarchy of priorities within the Classification of Civil Aviation Activities Policy for rotorcraft. Support for the systems approach to safety by requiring rules to make clear who is responsible for complying with each rule.
  • Placing a degree of responsibility on operators for providing guidance to their personnel on how to comply with regulations, when conducting operations under their Air Operator's Certificate.
  • In recognition of aircraft accident history and potential risk mitigators, improving the standards for Passenger Transport Services conducted under the Visual Flight Rules at night.
  • Linking the requirements for Passenger Transport Services conducted under the Visual Flight Rules at night more directly to the safety risks of such operations.
  • Establishing safety-based outcomes for overwater flights, and providing a greater degree of flexibility to operators to establish procedures, training and recency requirements that are most appropriate to the circumstances of their operations.
  • Establishing rotorcraft performance standards that incorporate consideration of exposure to the potential for a forced landing, and that allow for risk management of this exposure through appropriate consideration of the likelihood and consequences of a forced landing event.
  • Safety standards for rotorcraft Passenger Transport Services are based on certification under CASR Part 119, with its requirements for: continuing airworthiness under an approved aircraft maintenance program, operational risk management under a safety management system, and procedural training and checking of flight crews under an approved training and checking system.

CASR Part 133