Flight Test Management system

Under CASR Part 61.1295(5) and 61.1305(3A), flight examiners need to notify us of their intention to conduct a flight test or proficiency check.

You also need to notify us of your intention to conduct a flight test if you are an approved:

• flight instructor with a Grade 1 training endorsement
• mustering pilot
• specialised endorsement pilot.

We oversee and monitor flight tests and proficiency checks through the Flight Test Management (FTM) system.

You can use FTM to notify your intention to conduct a flight test or proficiency check at least 24 hours before it takes place if you are:

• a flight examiner
• an approved testing officer
• a relevant Part 61.040 approval holder
• an approved flight instructor with Grade 1 training endorsement (exemption CASA EX64/22)
• an approved mustering pilot (CASA 05/23)
• an approved specialised endorsement pilot (CASA 31/23)
• a CASA officer.

FTM is an easy-to-use online process that gives flight examiners:

• a single place online to find flight examiner, Part 61.040 approval holder and applicant flight tests, proficiency checks and endorsement records
• real time updates to licensing records
• ability to update, change, discontinue, cancel and submit results of notified flight tests and proficiency checks.

Using the Flight Test Management system

The FTM system is available through the CASA Self Service portal. You must have an Aviation Reference Number to log in.

Our FTM user guide or our eLearning module guides you through the process step by step.

FTM validates your flight examiner rating and approvals issued by CASA to conduct or notify a flight test. If you have any problems getting to the next stage, check that your qualifications are correct in CASA Self Service.

Contact us if you need to:

• notify us of a flight test within 24 hours
• change any details once you have passed or failed a flight test.

We update FTM several times a year and schedule these outages to cause the least disruption to users. When FTM is offline, we place messages on the FTM landing and log on pages.

Flight test management data

We use the data in FTM to keep track of the flight testing process and analyse trends at an industry level.

This helps us develop improved flight training and safety education programs.

FTM includes about 50 flight test types across aeroplane, helicopter and balloon categories.

Contact us if:

• you are unsure which flight tests you can perform in a particular aircraft
• you can’t find the data you need in FTM using the search function.

Multi-engine helicopters ratings

You can select additional aircraft types in the drop-down list for helicopter flight tests with the release of the instrument (CASA EX49/22).

These aircraft types relate to helicopters identified in Column 2 of the table in Schedule 1 of the instrument.

The applicable label names display EX49/22. You can only use these if you:

• do not hold the applicable type rating
• are authorised under the instrument to exercise the privileges of your licence in the type rating. 

Select the applicable type rating from the aircraft type list not labelled (EX49/22) where you hold the applicable type rating on your licence.

Aerial mustering endorsements

Approved mustering pilots can conduct a flight test for the grant of an aerial mustering endorsement for the relevant category of aircraft. This is in accordance with CASA 05/23.

When conducting these flight tests, the FTM selections are for the purpose of adding the low level aerial austering endorsement to the low level rating that the applicant already holds.

The applicable label name displays CASA 05/23.

Specialised endorsements

Approved specialised endorsements pilots, in accordance with CASA 31/23, can conduct a flight test for the grant of:

• a low level sling operations endorsement for the helicopter category of aircraft
• a low level winch and rappelling operations endorsement for the helicopter category of aircraft
• an aerial application firefighting endorsement and an aerial application rating for the relevant category of aircraft.

When conducting these flight tests, the FTM selections are for the purpose of adding the low level sling endorsement or low level winch endorsement to the low level rating that the applicant already holds, for the purpose of adding the aerial application firefighting endorsement, or for granting the aerial application rating.

The applicable label names display CASA 31/23.