Source: http://flysafe.raa.asn.au/regulations/civilact.html
Timestamp: 2013-12-11 23:39:48
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Some noteworthy sections ofthe Civil Aviation Act 1988, the CAR 1988 and the CASR 1998
Rev. 17 — page content was last changed 2 August 2013
This document details a few sections of the Australian Civil Aviation Act 1988, the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 and the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998; all chosen either to remind recreational pilots of their responsibilities within the field of civil aviation or because they are referred to in other documents on this website. Infringement penalties are also shown.
Sport and recreational pilots and aircraft owners are not exempt from any part of the CAA 1988. In the Act, 'aircraft' is defined as 'any machine or craft that can derive support in the atmosphere from the reactions of the air, other than the reactions of the air against the earth's surface [e.g. hovercraft]'. A notable facet of the CAA 1988 is that it specifies imprisonment for some specific offences related to aircraft operation; for example, up to two years imprisonment for flying an unregistered aircraft. Chapter 2 of the Australian Criminal Code applies to all offences created by the Civil Aviation Act 1988.
So, if charged by State or Federal police (for example) with an offence created under the Civil Aviation Act the penalty is likely to be more significant than if charged with an offence created under the CARs or CASRs. For example, CAA Section 20A states: '(2) A person must not operate an aircraft being reckless as to whether the manner of operation could endanger the person or property of another person. Penalty: Imprisonment for 5 years.' If charged under state legislation the penalty could be higher; for example, the Victorian Crimes Act states: 'A person who, without lawful excuse, recklessly engages in conduct that places or may place another person in danger of death is guilty of an indictable offence. Penalty: Level 5 imprisonment (10 years maximum)' .
(Note: RA-Aus registered aircraft were re-classified as 'Australian aircraft' in a September 2004 amendment to the Act, thereby removing an anomaly where RA-Aus aircraft were legally 'neither Australian aircraft nor foreign aircraft, but were effectively treated as foreign aircraft that were allowed to operate in Australia but did not have the nationality of any ICAO contracting state'. Thus since 2004 persons flying RA-Aus registered aircraft are clearly subject to the penalties specified in CAA 1988 and the regulations.)
The penalties in the CARs and CASRs are generally fines expressed in terms of 'penalty units' — a convenient method for State and Federal governments to index their income from fines. The monetary value of one penalty unit in the Commonwealth legislation is adjusted from time-to-time by the Federal Treasurer and is currently around $110, so a 50 penalty unit offence (the maximum) may result in only a $5500 fine rather than a term of imprisonment. The words appearing under some CARs or CASRs 'An offence against regulation ... is an offence of strict liability' imply that the offence is such that it is not necessary to prove a criminal intent in order to prove a breach of the regulation — offences under the Australian road rules are also offences of strict liability — both are "safety first" type regulations. For more information read the article 'What is strict liability' on pages 12-13 of the September-October 2007 issue of 'Flight Safety Australia'.
" ... an Act to establish a Civil Aviation Safety Authority with functions relating to civil aviation, in particular the safety of civil aviation, and for related purposes. The main object of this Act is to establish a regulatory framework for maintaining, enhancing and promoting the safety of civil aviation, with particular emphasis on preventing aviation accidents and incidents." View the full Act.
Part III Regulation of civil aviation Division 1 General regulatory provisions Section 20AA Flying an unregistered aircraft (1) A person must not fly an aircraft within Australian territory if: (a) the aircraft is not registered under the regulations; and (b) the aircraft is, under this Act or those regulations, required to be registered under those regulations. Penalty: Imprisonment for 2 years. Flying without satisfying safety requirements (4) An owner, operator, hirer or pilot of an Australian aircraft must not commence a flight in the aircraft, or permit a flight in the aircraft to commence, if one or more of the following apply: (a) there is outstanding a requirement imposed by or under the regulations in relation to the maintenance of the aircraft; (b) the aircraft will require maintenance before the flight can end; (c) there is a defect or damage that may endanger the safety of the aircraft or any person or property;
(d) the aircraft is unsafe for flight. Penalty: Imprisonment for 2 years. Section 20AB
Flying aircraft without licence etc. (1) A person must not perform any duty that is essential to the operation of an Australian aircraft during flight time unless: (a) the person holds a civil aviation authorisation that is in force and authorises the person to perform that duty; or
(b) the person is authorised by or under the regulations to perform that duty without the civil aviation authorisation concerned.
Reckless operation of aircraft (1) A person must not operate an aircraft being reckless as to whether the manner of operation could endanger the life of another person. (2) A person must not operate an aircraft being reckless as to whether the manner of operation could endanger the person or property of another person. [For penalty see Section 29.]
Offences in relation to aircraft
(3) The owner, operator, hirer or pilot of an aircraft commits an offence if he or she:
(a) operates the aircraft or permits the aircraft to be operated; and
(b) the operation of the aircraft results in a contravention of subsection 20A (2). [ i.e. A person must not operate an aircraft being reckless as to whether the manner of operation could endanger the person or property of another person.]
Section 30DB
Serious and imminent risk prohibition
The holder of a civil aviation authorisation must not engage in conduct that constitutes, contributes to or results in a serious and imminent risk to air safety.
The recreational and sport aviation 95 series exemption CAOs currently provide exemptions from some of the following CARs. The 'exemption' provision does not mean that recreational and sport pilots can ignore that regulation, it just signifies that there are particular provisions in the CAOs or in the RAAOs procedures manuals that make a particular CAR redundant. Failure to comply with the rules/requirements of the manuals renders the exemptions null and void thus the exempted regulations and associated penalties become immediately applicable. Those CARs that are currently exempt are marked with an asterisk following the CAR number. Note that the exemptions are usually replaced by requirements within the 95-series CAOs or the RA-Aus Operations/Technical Manuals. For example the exemption from CAR 157 'Low flying' is offset by CAO 95.55 sections 7.1 (b) (h) (i), 8.1 and 8.2 plus RA-Aus operations manual section 2.01 para 10. CAR 1988 Part 5* Qualifications of flight crew *Note: all of Part 5 is exempted by the 95 series CAOs that apply to RA-Aus aircraft. Part 5 includes CARs 5.81 (aeroplane flight reviews), 5.82 (recent experience requirements) and 5.53 (pilot log books). CAR 5.82 is included here as an example of the replacement of civil aviation legislation by similar rules in the Operations Manual (section 2.07 para 11b). CAR 5.84 has been added here as a reference for recreational pilots considering the PPL.
CAR 5.82* Private (aeroplane) pilot: recent experience requirements
(1) A private (aeroplane) pilot must not fly an aeroplane as pilot in command if the aeroplane is carrying any other person and the pilot has not satisfied whichever of the following requirements is applicable:
(a) if the flight is undertaken in daylight—the pilot has, within the period of 90 days immediately before the day of the proposed flight, carried out at least 3 take-offs and 3 landings while flying an aeroplane as pilot in command or as pilot acting in command under supervision, or in dual flying;
(b) if the flight is undertaken at night—the pilot has, within the period of 90 days immediately before the day of the proposed flight, carried out at least 3 take-offs and 3 landings at night while flying an aeroplane as pilot in command or as pilot acting in command under supervision, or in dual flying.
CAR 5.84*
Private pilot (aeroplane) licence: aeronautical experience required
(1) For the purposes of paragraph 5.77 (1) (f), a person's aeronautical experience must consist of at least 40 hours of flight time as a pilot, being flight time that includes:
(a) at least 5 hours of general flight time as pilot in command; and
(b) at least 5 hours of cross-country flight time as pilot in command; and
(c) at least 2 hours of instrument flight time.
(2) The 40 hours must be recognised flight time that was flown in a registered aeroplane, recognised aeroplane, helicopter, gyroplane, glider, power-assisted sailplane or group A [ i.e. 3-axis ... JB ] ultralight.
(3) For the purposes of paragraph (1) (b), the flight time must include 1 flight of at least 150 miles, that includes at least 1 full stop landing at, and at least 1 take-off from, each of 2 or more aerodromes:
(a) that are not the aerodrome from which the flight commenced; and
(b) that are not within the student pilot area limit of the aerodrome from which the flight commenced.
(4) For the purposes of subregulation (3), a landing is a full stop landing if, after landing, the aeroplane's speed is reduced to taxi speed before take-off begins.
CAR 1988 Part 7 Navigation logs
(1) The pilot in command of an aircraft shall keep a log of such navigational data as is required to enable him or her to determine the geographical position of the aircraft at any time while the aircraft is in flight.
(2) The log shall be kept in chronological order and, in the case of an Australian aircraft engaged on an international flight, shall include the following information:
(a) points of departure and destination;
(b) required track;
(c) wind velocity used for calculations;
(d) headings flown;
(e) true airspeed;
(f) position lines, fixes and pinpoints obtained;
(g) times of alteration of headings;
(h) estimated times of arrival at turning points and destination; and
(i) such other information relevant to the navigation of the aircraft as CASA directs.
CAR 1988 Part 9 Aerodromes
Use of aerodromes by aircraft of Contracting States
(1) Aerodromes established under the Air Navigation Regulations or licensed under this Part and open to public use shall be open to any aircraft which possesses the nationality of a Contracting State.
(2) Subject to these regulations, an aircraft which possesses the nationality of a Contracting State shall be entitled to use the aerodromes and all air navigation facilities, including radio and meteorological services, which are provided for public use for the safety and expedition of air navigation.
(Note: RA-Aus registered aircraft were formally accorded Australian nationality in 2004 under the terms of the Chicago Convention on international civil aviation. Previously RA-Aus aircraft were more or less legally 'stateless'.)
(1) A person must not land an aircraft on, or engage in conduct that causes an aircraft to take off from, a place that does not satisfy one or more of the following requirements:
(b) the use of the place as an aerodrome is authorised by a certificate granted, or registration, under Part 139 of CASR;
(c) the place is an aerodrome for which an arrangement under section 20 of the Act is in force and the use of the aerodrome by aircraft engaged in civil air navigation is authorised by CASA under that section;
(d) the place (not being a place referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c)) is suitable for use as an aerodrome for the purposes of the landing and taking-off of aircraft;
and, having regard to all the circumstances of the proposed landing or take-off (including the prevailing weather conditions), the aircraft can land at, or take-off from, the place in safety.
(2) CASA may, in relation to an aerodrome, issue directions relating to the safety of air navigation.
(3) A person must not contravene a direction.
(4) An offence against subregulation (1) or (3) is an offence of strict liability.
CAR 1988 Part 10 Air Traffic Services and other services CAR 120
Weather reports not to be used if not made with authority
(1) The operator or pilot in command of an aircraft must not use weather reports of actual or forecasted meteorological conditions in the planning, conduct and control of a flight if the meteorological observations, forecasts or reports were not made with the authority of: (a) the Director of Meteorology; or (b) a person approved for the purpose by CASA. Penalty: 5 penalty units. CAR 1988 Part 11 Conditions of flight CAR 133*
Conditions to be met before Australian aircraft may fly
(1) Subject to regulation 317 and regulation 21.197 of CASR, the pilot in command of an Australian aircraft must not commence a flight if each of the following requirements is not satisfied:
(a) the aircraft has a nationality mark and a registration mark painted on, or affixed to, it in accordance with Part 45 of CASR;
(c) the flight is not in contravention of any condition that:
(i) is set out or referred to in the maintenance release or in any other document approved for use as an alternative to the maintenance release for the purposes of regulation 49, or subregulation 43 (10); or
(ii) is applicable to the maintenance release by virtue of a direction given under regulation 44;
(d) any maintenance that is required to be carried out before the commencement of the flight, or that will be required to be carried out before the expiration of the flight, to comply with any requirement or condition imposed under these regulations with respect to the aircraft has been certified, in accordance with regulation 42ZE or 42ZN, to have been completed;
(e) the aircraft complies with these regulations in respect of the number and description of, and the holding of licences and ratings by, the operating crew.
CAR 140*
(4) The pilot in command of an aircraft must not fly the aircraft over a prohibited area.
(5) The pilot in command of an aircraft must not fly the aircraft over a restricted area if the flight is not in accordance with conditions specified in the notice declaring the area to be a restricted area.
(6) If the pilot in command of an aircraft finds that the aircraft is over a prohibited area or a restricted area in contravention of subregulation (4) or (5), the pilot must:
(a) immediately have the aircraft flown to a position where it is not over the area; and
(b) when the aircraft reaches a position where it is not over the area, report the c