Part 21 of CASR Certification and airworthiness requirements for aircraft and parts

Rule status

Current

Part 21 of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CASR) sets out the certification and airworthiness requirements for aircraft and aircraft parts. It includes rules relating to:

  • type certificates
  • type acceptance certificates
  • supplemental type certificates
  • production certificates
  • certificates of airworthiness
  • export airworthiness approvals.

Part 21 also covers the approval of aircraft engines, propellers, and certain materials and parts. It references the airworthiness certification standards mentioned in Parts 22-35. These include:

  • Part 22 - Sailplanes
  • Part 23 - Small Aeroplanes
  • Part 25 - Transport Category Aeroplanes
  • Part 26 - Primary/Intermediate category aeroplanes
  • Part 27 - Rotorcraft
  • Part 29 - Rotorcraft (Transport Category)
  • Part 31 - Manned free balloons
  • Part 32 - Engines for Very Light Aeroplanes
  • Part 33 - Aircraft Engines
  • Part 35 - Aircraft propellers.

Subpart 21.H

Subpart 21.H covers the certification of a new category of aircraft called Light Sport Aircraft (LSA). This includes aircraft used for aviation sport and recreational activities, such as:

  • ultra- light airplanes
  • gliders
  • balloons
  • powered parachutes
  • weight-shift control aircraft
  • gyroplanes.

Subpart 21.J

Subpart 21.J sets out the rules for certification and operations of approved design organisations (ADOs). The ADOs may carry out certain design and technical data approval functions regulated by Part 21, without further reference to CASA or an authorised person.

Who it affects

Part 21 of CASR affects anyone in the Australian aviation community involved in the design, manufacture and airworthiness certification of aircraft, aeronautical products and parts.

Legislation

Legislative instruments

Legislative instruments include exemptions to regulatory requirements in aviation regulations or a Manual of Standards.

Exemptions may apply to a broad range of people.

Instruments related to this part will display in this space or you can view our list of legislative instruments.

8 legislative instruments available

There are no legislative instruments available for this rule.

Non-legislative instruments

Non-legislative instruments apply to a particular person. There are some exemptions to regulatory requirements in aviation regulations or a Manual of Standards listed here.

Non-legislative Instruments related to this part will display in this space or you can view our list of non-legislative instruments.

There are no non-legislative instruments available for this rule.

Guidance material

Advisory material provides advice and guidance to explain particular regulatory requirements of a CASR Part. Guidance material relating to this part will appear in this space or you can view all our guidance material.

52 guidance material available

AC 21-31 - Type certificates for imported aircraft

Updated:

Advisory Circular AC 21-31 provides guidance to those applying for a Type Certificate for foreign aircraft types in accordance with CASR Subpart 21.29, where the automatic acceptance procedures of the Subpart do not apply.

DOWNLOAD AC 21-31 Type certificates for imported aircraft (PDF, 301.18 KB)
Advisory Circular Version: 1.1

AC 21-30 - Type acceptance certificates for imported aircraft

Updated:

Advisory Circular AC 21-30 provides information and guidance to applicants applying for the issue of type acceptance certificates (TACs) for foreign aircraft types, using the automatic acceptance procedures of CASR 21.029A.

DOWNLOAD AC 21-30 Type acceptance certificates for imported aircraft (PDF, 47.79 KB)
Advisory Circular Version: 2.0

AC 21-29 - Commercial assistance during construction of amateur-built experimental aircraft and amateur-built aircraft

Updated:

Advisory Circular AC 21-29 gives information, guidance and assistance to interpret and determine the requirements for persons in involved in the construction, manufacture and fabrication of plans of amateur-build aircraft.

DOWNLOAD AC 21-29 Commercial assistance during construction of amateur-built experimental aircraft and amateur-built aircraft (PDF, 822.46 KB)
Advisory Circular Version: 1.1

AC 21-28 - Permissible unserviceabilities - unrepaired defects (r. 21.007)

Updated:

Advisory Circular AC 21-28 provides guidance in relation to approval of an unrepaired defect in an aircraft under regulation 21.007 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR).

DOWNLOAD AC 21-28 Permissible unserviceabilities - unrepaired defects (r. 21.007) (PDF, 839.59 KB)
Advisory Circular Version: 1.1

AC 21-27 - Manufacturing approval overview

Updated:

Advisory Circular AC 21-27 provides guidance concerning Part 21 manufacturing authorisations of aircraft, aircraft engines, propellers, articles and aeronautical products. It does not cover approvals granted under the continuing airworthiness regulations.

DOWNLOAD AC 21-27 Manufacturing approval overview (PDF, 521.14 KB)
Advisory Circular Version: 2.2

AC 21-25 - Limited category aircraft - permit index

Updated:

Advisory Circular AC 21-25 provides information on the process we use when assigning a permit index number to an aircraft that has been granted a special CofA in the limited category.

DOWNLOAD AC 21-25 Limited category aircraft - permit index (PDF, 489.26 KB)
Advisory Circular Version: 5.1

Related content

Related rules and publications

Last updated date
Updated:
Online version available at: https://www.casa.gov.au//rules/regulatory-framework/casr/part-21-casr-certification-and-airworthiness-requirements-aircraft-and-parts
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