Registered Operator Responsibilities Quiz

Registered Operator Responsibilities

• Registered Operators (ROs) must follow safety regulations and ensure employees/flight crews are familiar with local laws and regulations.
• Compliance Statements assess applications for Operations Manuals (and Maintenance Control Manuals, where applicable).
• AOC holders need a current CASA Certificate of Compliance to show satisfactory passenger liability insurance.

Operator's Responsibilities for Continuous Airworthiness and Maintenance

• Continuing Airworthiness Requirements (CRS) are needed after any maintenance on an aircraft.
• Rectification of defects, compliance with Airworthiness Directives, and only approved modifications/repairs are required.
• Life-limited aeronautical products need replacing, and an Approved Maintenance Program is to be followed and measured.
• Serviceable operational and emergency equipment is required, along with an Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC).
• Maintenance details must be recorded in the flight technical log for any operational or emergency equipment that isn't in the approved design or regulated.

Minimum Equipment List (MEL)

• The MEL is a CASA-approved document.
• It outlines conditions where aircraft can operate with inoperative equipment while being dispatched.
• The MEL provides a timeframe for rectifying faulty items based on operational significance.

Configuration Deviation List (CDL)

• The CDL identifies any missing external aircraft parts before flight.
• Some examples of missing parts and the impacts are given in the sample CDL, such as a winglet, and performance penalties on takeoff/approach climbs, ceiling reduction with one engine inoperative, and fuel increase.

Operator's Responsibility to an Aircraft Maintenance Program

• CASR Subpart 42.C outlines the continuing airworthiness requirements for aircraft and aeronautical products.
• A Part 145 approval is needed for a maintenance organisation to service aircraft.
• An Approved Maintenance Program (AMP) is needed for each aircraft, outlining scheduled maintenance tasks and their frequency.
• An approved AMP must be followed at any given time.
• Maintenance Program details should be annually reviewed, incorporating revisions into the program.
• Applicable mandatory requirements for compliance with Part 21 should be incorporated into the owner or operator's Maintenance Program as soon as possible.

Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO)

• CASR Part 42 separates CAMO responsibility for continued RPT aircraft airworthiness from Part 145 Organisation's maintenance.
• The AOC holder must be approved as a CAMO to ensure ongoing airworthiness of RPT aircraft.
• Maintenance on aircraft and products needs to be conducted only by approved Part 145 organisations.

Responsibilities of a CAMO: Obligations

• A CAMO ensures maintenance and certification are performed by a Part 145 Organisation.
• Compliance with relevant Airworthiness Directives for modifications, repairs and replacements (or any other compliance required) are needed.
• Ensuring replacement of life-limited items and maintenance compliance with Approved Maintenance Programs to keep accurate records.
• Using an aircraft technical log and ensuring that each flight and current maintenance status is recorded.
• All items/equipment required by regulations are serviceable and fitted.
• Compliance with the Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC).

Requirements for Approval of a CAMO by CASA

• CAMO approval requires adequate facilities, equipment, and qualified personnel.
• CASA requires access to appropriate continuing airworthiness instructions.
• A process and procedure exposition for the organisation and its employees is needed.

Documents to be carried in Australian Aircraft

• All necessary documents (registration, airworthiness, maintenance, crew licenses, medical certifications, and flight manual) must be carried on the aircraft.
• Cargo and passenger manifests, bills of lading/manifests along with crew licenses and medical certifications need to be on hand.

External and Internal Marking and Signs

• Australian aircraft need permanent marking/signs including nationality/registration marks, aircraft registration identification plates, and identifying words.
• Relevant regulations/rules are around locations, counts, heights, widths, sizes, and spacing of signs on the aircraft.

Nationality and Registration Marks

• A hyphen separates nationality (e.g., VH) and registration (e.g., ABC) for identifying an aircraft.

Identification Plates

• Fireproof identification plates must be attached to accessible locations.
• The plates must be marked with nationality and registration information in a way to prevent loss or damage.

Identifying Words

• Aircraft carrying limited category restrictions must have the specific identifying words (LIMITED, RESTRICTED, PROVISIONAL, EXPERIMENTAL) in visible locations.

Safety Signs

• Safety placards should provide necessary information/instructions to aircraft crew and passengers.
• Signs/instructions are for safety, no smoking, seatbelt, fire extinguishers, locations, exits, emergency exits, and break-in points.
• Designated emergency areas for rescue crews must be marked clearly in red/yellow colour with white outlines.

Placards

• A placard is an essential aircraft part with a unique part number in the aircraft illustrated parts list/catalogue for type approval.
• Placards must be easily readable.
• Procedures cards/decal details will be on pre-flight checklists.
• They indicate inoperative equipment and are often addressed by Airworthiness Directives (ADs).

Certification of Aircraft, Parts and Appliances I(10.5)

• Learning objectives cover the structure and intent, purpose, and issue of types of Certificates of Airworthiness (Standard/Special/Restricted).

Part 21 Certification and Airworthiness

• Deals with certification/airworthiness requirements for civil aircraft.
• Includes topics on type certification and the approval of aircraft parts/appliances.

Type Certificate

• A Type Certificate (TC) is issued by CASA to define a type of aircraft, aircraft engine, or propeller.
• Ensures designs meet the appropriate requirements, including testing, analysis, and flight testing.
• Covers all aspects for approval and satisfactory operation, identification of aircraft and aeronautical products.

Provisional Type Certificate (PTC)

• A temporary TC that applicants may request while working towards a full TC.
• Provides benefits such as flight crew training, sales, and marketing, and reduces insurance premiums.
• Allow manufacturers to train staff and conduct sales tests before issuing the TC.

Supplemental Type Certificate (STC)

• Allows a major change to a type-certificated aircraft, aircraft engine, or propeller to be approved, before it is used.
• An STC is obtained when an organisation proposes a major change.
• Used when selling the major change design to multiple customers.

Type Acceptance Certificates (TAC)

• CASA issues a TAC for aircraft types approved by foreign authorities.
• Ensures compliance needed for the issue of Certificates of Airworthiness (CofAs) in Australia.
• Types: Transport, Normal, Utility, Acrobatic, Commuter, Manned Free Balloons, Special Classes, Primary and Restricted.

Application for a Type Certificate

• An application that needs to be accompanied by a three-view drawing of the aircraft, basic data/specifications and descriptions about the engine and operational characteristics.

Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS)

• Describes the aircraft's airworthiness requirements.
• Includes information about design, dimensions, wing loading, limiting air speeds, and engine/propeller combinations.

Airworthiness Certification

• Explains the meaning of a Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) in terms of Standard and Special airworthiness.
• Explains the different categories (e.g., Normal, Utility, Acrobatic, Commuter, Transport) for which a Standard CofA can be issued.

Certification Categories and Designation

• Aircraft categorised for ways of use, and classifying aircraft based on their characteristics and operational uses.
• Standards (e.g., CASR Part 22-29) are needed for Airworthiness.

Issuing Special Certificate of Airworthiness

• Provides information about eligibility criteria, and procedures for a special CofA for aircraft meeting specific conditions or categories.

Restricted Certificates of Airworthiness

• Explains requirements/procedures for Restricted Category TCs, which include situations where aircraft are manufactured or changed for special operations, ex-military, special purposes or certain conditions.

Parts 22, 23, 25, 27 and 29 CASR Airworthiness Standards

• These are standards relating to aircraft airworthiness.

Part 22

• Standard for sailplanes, gliders, and powered sailplanes (normal/aerobatic flight).

Part 23

• Airworthiness for aeroplanes (normal, utility, acrobatic, commuter).

Aeronautical Products Classification (CASR Part 21)

• Five categories (Class I, Unapproved Class I, Class II, Class III, and Overhauled) for different products.

Class I Products

• Includes complete aircraft, aircraft engines, and propellers.
• Products must have undergone type certification as per the civil specifications or Type Certificate Data Sheets.

Unapproved Class I Products

• Designed by or for, and by foreign manufacturers who haven't had type certification done.

Class II Products

• Major components of a Class I product (wings, fuselages, empennage assemblies, landing gear, etc.) are examples.

Class III Products

• Standard parts, such as rivets, bolts, electrical fittings, fluid line fittings, and filters.

Overhauled Product

• Products that haven't been operated since overhaul.
• Functional tests, inspection, and approval are required before service.

Production Certification

• Processes, inspection, and testing of manufacturing aircraft/aeronautical products in a controlled environment, and regulating the manufacturing/production oversight of these products.
• Production Certificate is used to regulate manufacturing approvals.

Test your knowledge on the responsibilities of Registered Operators in aviation. This quiz covers safety regulations, compliance statements, and maintenance requirements necessary for continuous airworthiness. Ensure you're familiar with the relevant laws and best practices in the industry.