Sport aviation self-administering organisations

Australian sport aviation operates under a self-administration scheme. This means that we set the regulations and then work with self-administering organisations to apply and enforce them.

Many members of self-administering organisations operate under exemptions from the Civil Aviation Regulations. The oversighting organisations must develop a specific rule set to enable their operations.

Sport aviation participants wanting to undertake these activities must:

• be members of a self-administering organisation
• operate in accordance with the organisation’s rule set. 

Without membership, you are not legally allowed to take part in these activities.

Self-administering organisations oversee their member’s activities and provide us with:

• safety assurance that activities are being conducted safely
• specialist knowledge about the sport aviation industry
• regular reports about self-administering organisation activities and safety performance.

Our relationship with self-administering organisations helps to create a safer sport aviation industry.

Rules for self-administering organisations

These rules are changing, Part 149 of CASR commenced on 14 July 2019 and has a final transition date of 13 July 2022. See Part 149 for the rules for approved self-administering organisations.

Self-administering organisations 

We currently oversee the following self-administering organisations.

Australian Ballooning Federation

The Australian Ballooning Federation administers recreational ballooning. This includes private balloon pilot:

• training
• checking
• certification.

Australian Parachute Federation

The Australian Parachute Federation administers parachuting regulations for most parachuting activities. This includes:

• issuing certifications
• jump pilot authorisations
• instructor ratings.

Australian Skydiving Association

The Australian Skydiving Association administers parachuting regulations.

Australian Sport Rotorcraft Association

The Australian Sport Rotorcraft Association oversees gyroplanes including administering:

• operational and airworthiness standards
• gyroplane pilot certificates.

Australian Warbirds Association Limited

The Australian Warbirds Association Limited:

• administers the airworthiness of limited category aircraft
• oversees adventure flight operators.

Gliding Federation of Australia

The Gliding Federation of Australia:

• administers maintenance requirements of the aircraft to ensure airworthiness and pilot certificates
• assesses aircraft for the issue of Type Acceptance Certificates operational and airworthiness standards
• conducts aircraft registration processes for CASA.

We may recognise your experience on gliders towards your flight crew licence.

Recreational Aviation Australia

Recreational Aviation Australia (RAAus) can administer the following aircraft:

• ultralight
• recreational
• weight shift microlight
• Light Sport Aircraft. 

RAAus oversees the training and certifying of:

• pilots
• flying instructors
• maintainers.

The RAAus also:

• register their aircraft fleet
• oversee a number of flight training schools across Australia.

Sports Aviation Federation of Australia

The Sports Aviation Federation of Australia (SAFA) administers operations for:

• hang gliding
• paragliding
• weight-shift microlights.

The SAFA administers:

• pilot training
• pilot certifications
• instructor certifications
• operational procedures.

Find out more about being an informed participant in sport aviation.

Other industry organisations

Sport Aircraft Association of Australia

Sport Aircraft Association of Australia (SAAA) provides support for aircraft builders through:

• maintenance training
• test flights
• airworthiness administration
• approval processes.

The SAAA also conducts maintenance training courses for amateur-built aircraft builders.

The SAAA use the Risk Radar Aviation tool to identify and manage the risks involved when building an experimental aircraft.