When you get on board an Australian airline you can be confident they have met our safety standards.
We have many checks in place to make sure they are safe. We apply these checks when we approve airlines to fly and use them for our broader regulatory oversight and surveillance activities.
Operator permissions
Airlines operating in Australia must have permission to fly and meet our safety requirements.
In Australia, operators must hold an air operator’s certificate (AOC). This is a permission granted by us under the Civil Aviation Act.
We initially issue AOCs for one year and for specified periods after that. An AOC will cover a specific commercial purpose, such as air transport operations.
How airlines get permission
The process that airlines go through to get approval from us is complex and unique to their proposed operation.
How long it takes an operator to get certified will depend on:
- how many aircraft they will fly
- where aircraft will fly (the routes)
- the type of aircraft
- the size of their operations
- the level and maintenance of crew training.
There are several steps operators go through as part of their application. This includes:
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Enquiry
We help the applicant understand the process and requirements. This can include having pre-application meetings with the applicant for initial issue AOCs and complex applications.
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Application
The applicant will submit application forms and documentation to us. If suitable, we will accept the application and start our formal assessment process. The applicant will also need to pay estimated fees to us.
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Assessment
We look at all documents to see if the applicant meets the legislative safety requirements.
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Certification
When our application team is satisfied the applicant can safely conduct its proposed operations and meet the requirements for those operations, we will issue an AOC.
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Safety assurance
We conduct regular checks and surveillance on operators once they have an AOC.
What our assessment involves
Our assessment involves a number of steps.
The first is a technical assessment of the documentation. This describes how the applicant will operate safely. We check this to make sure they can meet the required aviation safety standards.
We evaluate the applicant’s ‘exposition’ (operating manual). This outlines how the airline will comply with legislative safety requirements. This includes their:
- maintenance procedures
- safety management systems
- pilot and cabin crew training systems.
We look at whether their documentation is complete, adequate, meets the expected quality and aligns with the rules.
We might also do other checks if we think they are needed, including looking at their financial viability.
We might speak with the operator’s staff, visit their facilities and verify certain information.
The applicant must make staff and facilities available to us as needed. They might also need to give us additional information and evidence to show that they have identified and mitigated all risks.
We also verify and test the applicant has the facilities, processes, and personnel to be able to comply with their operating manuals. We may also need to assess specific standards and procedures to grant the applicant certain approvals.
We will conduct inspections of their proposed operations, facilities, aircraft and the aerodromes they will be using. For large organisations, this might require a number of visits. Proving flights may also be required to complete an assessment.
Our oversight of operators
We may cancel, suspend, or vary the AOC if we are no longer satisfied that the holder meets the legislative safety requirements.
We conduct routine surveillance on commercial operations. Our surveillance monitors an AOC holder's ability to manage safety risks and their compliance with safety regulations. We also conduct:
- unscheduled surveillance when an operator comes to our attention
- broader oversight activities such as when an operator wants to change a part of their operations (like a key operational person, the type of aircraft used or a route)
- ramp checks.
If you have concerns about the pilot or operator, we encourage you to report unsafe behaviourto us.
AOC ownership
The process of gaining an AOC is comprehensive and designed to ensure that all aspects of aviation operation comply with Australia’s rigorous safety standards.
AOCs are unique to each operator and cannot be transferred – this is explicitly outlined in Section 27 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988.
Find out more about our regulatory oversight and surveillance of operators.
3 Oct 2024
