Part 119 of CASR Australian air transport operators - certification and management

Part 119 of Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR) sets out the certification and management rules for air transport. Many of the rules are scalable for operations of different sizes and complexities.

The term air transport replaces both charter and regular public transport (RPT) and adds medical transport operations such as patient transport.

The Part 119 rules include:

• qualifications for key personnel
• requirements for change management for operations
• scalable training and checking system (T and C)
• scalable human factors and non-technical training (HF/NTS) 
• scalable Safety Management Systems (SMS).

There are exemptions from Part 119 requirements, and directions that require additional compliance, in instrument CASA EX82/21. CASA has received multiple queries about the following two exemptions:

• Section 7AA of CASA EX68/24 changes certain hire or reward flights to private flights. This applies to operators conducting certain flights for business, government or owner purposes. This exemption means the operator does not need to hold an AOC or comply with the air transport CASR Part 121, 133, or 135 for these flights. This exemption will be replaced once CASA consults on, and implements, enduring safety controls within the Part 119 MOS. The first stage of this work will focus on business and owner aviation.
• Section 7AB of CASA EX68/24 allows non-scheduled air transport or medical transport operators to cross-hire aircraft without pre-approval. The aircraft must not be one that is used for scheduled air transport. Other conditions also apply. Read the exemption for further details. This exemption currently lasts until 1 December 2024 but will be extended for a full 3 years to enable time for the Air Transport Continuing Airworthiness Project to be conducted.

Who it affects

Part 119 of CASR applies to all operators conducting, or intending to conduct, Australian air transport operations. These operators are called Australian air transport operators, previously known as:

• charter operations
• RPT operations
• air ambulance operations.

While Part 119 deals with general certification and management, additional rules apply depending on your operations. 

You will also need to comply with two or more of the following:

• Part 133 – Rotorcraft air transport 
• Part 135 – Smaller aeroplane air transport
• Part 121 – Larger aeroplane air transport
• Part 91 – General operating and flight rules (All operators and pilots).