{"id":"F2019L00134","name":"CASA 09/19 — Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Instrument 2019","slug":"casa-09-19-civil-aviation-community-service-flights-conditions-on-flight-crew-licences-instrument-20","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":439923,"registerId":"F2019L00134-fast-fetch-1775955758894","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"CASA 09/19 — Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Instrument 2019","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\nmeta-description: Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Instrument 2019\ntitle: CASA 09/19 as amended\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\nCASA 09/19 — Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Instrument 2019\n\n(as amended)\n\nmade under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.\n\nThis compilation was prepared on 25 March 2026 taking into account amendments up to CASA 15/26 – Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights – Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Amendment Instrument 2026. It is a compilation of CASA 09/19 — Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Instrument 2019 as amended and in force on 25 March 2026.\n\nPrepared by the Legal Services Branch, Legal Division, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Canberra.\n\nCompilation No. 5.\n\nContents\n\nPage\n\n[1 Name](#_Toc225342317)\n\n[2 Repeal](#_Toc225342318)\n\n[3 Definitions](#_Toc225342319)\n\n[4 Application](#_Toc225342320)\n\n[5 Conditions on flight crew licences for community service flights etc.](#_Toc225342321)\n\n[6 Community service flights](#_Toc225342322)\n\n[7 General requirements](#_Toc225342323)\n\n[7A Other persons who may be carried on board](#_Toc225342324)\n\n[8 Excluded aircraft](#_Toc225342325)\n\n[9 Aeronautical experience requirements](#_Toc225342326)\n\n[10 Operational and flight notification requirements](#_Toc225342327)\n\n[11 Logbook requirements](#_Toc225342328)\n\n[Notes to CASA 09/19 — Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Instrument 2019](#_Toc225342329)\n\n1 Name\n\n  This instrument is CASA 09/19 — Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Instrument 2019.\n\n2 Repeal\n\n  This instrument is repealed at the end of 31 March 2029.\n\n3 Definitions\n\nNote   A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in CASR or CAR, including the following:\n\n(a) AIP;\n\n(b) amateur-built aircraft;\n\n(c) Amateur Built Aircraft Acceptance, or ABAA;\n\n(d) crew member;\n\n(h) experimental certificate;\n\n(i) flight time;\n\n(j) IFR;\n\n(k) limited category aircraft;\n\n(n) pilot (used as a verb);\n\n(o) registered;\n\n(p) type (for an aircraft);\n\n(q) VFR.\n\n  In this instrument:\n\ncommunity service flight: see section 6.\n\n4 Application\n\n  This instrument applies in relation to a flight in an aircraft conducted as a private operation.\n\n5 Conditions on flight crew licences for community service flights etc.\n\n Conditions\n\n (1) For the purposes of regulation 11.068 of CASR, this instrument imposes conditions on flight crew licences.\n\n Entity requirements and procedures — approval by CASA\n\n (2) However, a condition mentioned in section 7, 8 or 9, or paragraph 10 (a) or (b), does not apply to the holder of a flight crew licence who is operating an aircraft for a community service flight, if:\n\n(a) the entity that is coordinating, arranging or facilitating the flight has established requirements and procedures for the purpose of the safe conduct of community service flights that it coordinates, arranges or facilitates; and\n\n(b) CASA has approved, under subsection (3), a document in which the entity has set out the requirements and procedures mentioned in paragraph (a); and\n\n(c) the holder complies with each of the requirements and procedures that apply to the person in relation to the flight.\n\n (3) For the purposes of paragraph (2) (b), CASA may approve a document setting out the entity’s requirements and procedures, if CASA is satisfied that:\n\n(a) the entity will make the document available to each person who operates an aircraft for a community service flight that the entity coordinates, arranges or facilitates; and\n\n(b) compliance with the requirements and procedures by a person operating an aircraft for a community service flight would meet a safety outcome at least equivalent to that which would be met if the person were compliant with the conditions mentioned in sections 7, 8 and 9, and paragraphs 10 (a) and (b).\n\nNote   See Part 1 of the Dictionary to CASR for the definition of flight crew licence.\n\n6 Community service flights\n\n (1) A flight is a community service flight if it meets the description in subsections (2) to (5).\n\n (2) The flight involves:\n\n(a) the transport of one or more individuals (a patient) to a destination for the purpose of each such individual receiving non-emergency medical treatment or services at the destination; or\n\n(b) the transport of a patient from a destination mentioned in paragraph (a) (the treatment destination) to another treatment destination; or\n\n(c) the transport of a patient from a treatment destination to any other place.\n\n (3) The flight is provided to a patient, and any person who accompanies the patient to provide support and assistance, without a charge being made to any of those persons for their carriage.\n\n (4) Medical treatment is not provided on board the aircraft for the flight, other than the administering of medication or in response to an unexpected medical emergency.\n\n (5) The flight is coordinated, arranged or facilitated by an entity for a charitable purpose or community service purpose.\n\nNote   Section 2B of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 defines charitable purpose as having the meaning given by Part 3 of the Charities Act 2013.\n\n7 General requirements\n\n (1) It is a condition on a flight crew licence that its holder must not operate an aircraft for a community service flight unless:\n\n(a) the licence is a private pilot licence, commercial pilot licence or air transport pilot licence; and\n\n(b) the flight is conducted in an aeroplane or a helicopter; and\n\n(c) the aircraft does not carry on board any persons other than:\n\n (i) a patient mentioned in paragraph 6 (2) (a), and any other passenger who accompanies a patient to provide support and assistance; and\n\n (ii) a crew member; and\n\n (iii) a person permitted to be carried under section 7A; and\n\n(d) the holder holds a current class 1 or 2 medical certificate, or a medical exemption under paragraph 61.410 (1) (b) or 61.415 (1) (b) of CASR.\n\nNote   Subpart 67.C of CASR provides for the requirements relating to medical certificates.\n\n (2) To avoid doubt, the provisions of CASA EX11/25 — Medical Certification (Basic Class 2 Medical Certificate) Exemption 2025 do not apply to the holder of a flight crew licence who operates an aircraft for a community service flight.\n\nNote   An Aviation Medical Certificate (Basic Class 2) issued by CASA under CASA EX11/25 — Medical Certification (Basic Class 2 Medical Certificate) Exemption 2025 is not a class 1 or class 2 medical certificate.\n\n7A Other persons who may be carried on board\n\n  For subparagraph 7 (1) (c) (iii), a person (other than a crew member) may be carried on board if the person has duties that are demonstrably and directly related to the safe conduct of the flight or of future community service flights, and the person has the ability and experience to perform those duties.\n\nNote   The person may include a person who:\n\n(a) communicates with the patient or other passengers on behalf of the pilot in command; or\n\n(b) provides guidance, mentoring and advice to the pilot in command about how to conduct a community service flight; or\n\n(c) is the holder of a pilot licence who proposes to conduct community service flights coordinated, arranged or facilitated by the same entity and is on board as an observer.\n\n8 Excluded aircraft\n\n (1) It is a condition on a flight crew licence that its holder must not pilot an aircraft operated for a community service flight if the aircraft is excluded under subsection (2).\n\n (2) For subsection (1), an aircraft is excluded if:\n\n(a) the aircraft is:\n\n (i) an amateur-built aircraft accepted under an Amateur Built Aircraft Acceptance; or\n\n (ii) an aircraft in the limited category; or\n\n(b) there is an experimental certificate in force for the aircraft; or\n\n(c) the aircraft is not registered.\n\n9 Aeronautical experience requirements\n\nGeneral requirements\n\n (1) It is a condition on a flight crew licence that its holder must not pilot an aircraft operated for a community service flight unless the holder has aeronautical experience that includes:\n\n(a) a landing, within the 30 days ending on the day of the flight, in:\n\n (i) if the community service flight is conducted in an aircraft that is class rated — an aircraft of that class; or\n\n (ii) if the community service flight is conducted in an aircraft that is type rated — that type of aircraft; and\n\n(b) for a flight that is conducted under the VFR — at least 10 hours of flight time in an aircraft of the same type as the aircraft used for the community service flight; and\n\n(c) for a flight that is conducted under the IFR — at least 20 hours of flight time in an aircraft of the same type as the aircraft used for the community service flight; and\n\n(d) for a flight that is conducted in a multi-engine aeroplane — at least 25 hours of flight time as pilot in command of a multi-engine aeroplane.\n\nNote 1   See Part 1 of the Dictionary to CASR for the definition of type.\n\nNote 2   For paragraph 9 (1) (a), a period of time expressed to end on a day includes that day: see subsection 36 (1) of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.\n\nAdditional requirements for private pilots\n\n (2) Subsection (3) applies if the holder of a private pilot licence does not also hold a commercial pilot licence or an air transport pilot licence.\n\n (3) It is a condition on the private pilot licence that its holder must not pilot an aircraft operated for a community service flight unless the holder has aeronautical experience that includes:\n\n(a) at least 400 hours of flight time conducted in an aeroplane or a helicopter; and\n\n(b) at least 250 hours of flight time as pilot in command of an aeroplane or a helicopter.\n\nAdditional requirements for commercial pilots\n\n (4) Subsection (5) applies if the holder of a commercial pilot licence does not also hold an air transport pilot licence.\n\n (5) It is a condition on the commercial pilot licence that its holder must not pilot an aircraft operated for a community service flight unless the holder has aeronautical experience that includes at least 150 hours of flight time conducted as pilot in command of an aeroplane or a helicopter.\n\nNote 1   The term pilot, used as a verb, has the meaning given by regulation 61.010 of CASR.\n\nNote 2   For the meaning of flight time as a pilot in command: see regulation 61.090 of CASR.\n\n10 Operational and flight notification requirements\n\n  It is a condition on a flight crew licence that its holder must not pilot an aircraft operated for a community service flight unless:\n\n(a) the aircraft carries no more than 5 passengers (including any patient mentioned in paragraph 6 (2) (a) and persons carried on board under section 7A); and\n\n(b) the aircraft is not operated under the VFR at night; and\n\n(c) the flight notification that the holder is required to submit to Airservices Australia under subsection 9.02 (3) of the Part 91 Manual of Standards:\n\n (i) is in writing unless the holder cannot submit the notification in writing because they do not have internet access in the place they are located; and\n\n (ii) identifies the flight as a community service flight using the acronym “CSF”; and\n\n (iii) is either “full flight details” or “SARTIME”; and\n\n (iv) includes the number of persons on board.\n\nNote 1   For paragraph (c), the flight can be identified by entering the acronym in the “remarks” section of the flight notification: see AIP ENR 1.10.\n\nNote 2   Under the Electronic Transactions Act 1999, a requirement under the Commonwealth law to give information in writing can be met in electronic form.\n\n11 Logbook requirements\n\n (1) Subsection (2) applies if the holder of a flight crew licence pilots an aircraft operated for a community service flight.\n\n (2) It is a condition on the licence that its holder must, as soon as practicable after the community service flight is completed, and in addition to the requirements in regulation 61.345 of CASR to record information about flights in a personal logbook, record that the flight is a community service flight in the logbook.\n\nNotes to CASA 09/19 — Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Instrument 2019\n\nCASA 09/19 — Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Instrument 2019 (in force under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998) as shown in this compilation is amended as indicated in the Tables below.\n\nTable of Orders\n\n- Year and number Date of FRL registration Date of commencement Application, saving or transitional provisions\n- CASA 09/19 Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Instrument 2019 14 February 2019 (F2019L00134) 19 March 2019 (see s. 2) —\n- CASA 13/19 Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights – Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Amendment Instrument 2019 8 April 2019 (F2019L00554) 9 April 2019 (see s. 2) —\n- CASA 15/21 Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Amendment Instrument 2021 26 February 2021 (F2021L00161) 27 February 2021 (see s. 2) —\n- CASA 19/22 Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Amendment Instrument 2022 17 March 2022 (F2022L00332) 18 March 2022 (see s. 2) —\n- CASA 18/25 — Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights — Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Amendment Instrument 2025 18 March 2025 (F2025L00376) 18 March 2025 (see s. 2) —\n- CASA 15/26 – Civil Aviation (Community Service Flights – Conditions on Flight Crew Licences) Amendment Instrument 2026 25 March 2026 (F2026L00363) | 1.50 p.m. (A.C.T.) 25 March 2026 (see s. 2) |\n| --- |\n\n\n \n\n- Table of Amendmentsad. = added or inserted am. = amended rep. = repealed rs. = repealed and substituted\n- Provision affected How affected\n- para. 2(a) rep. Legislation Act 2003, s 48D\n- s. 2 am. F2022L00332 rs. F2025L00376 am. F2026L00363\n- s. 3 am. F2022L00332\n- s. 5 rs. F2022L00332\n- s. 7 am. F2019L00554, F2022L00332, F2025L00376\n- s. 7A ad. F2022L00332\n- s. 8 am. F2019L00554\n- s. 9 am. F2019L00554, F2022L00332\n- s. 10 am. F2019L00554, F2021L00161, F2022L00332\n- s. 11 rs. F2022L00332\n\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"Originally introduced in 2019 as a temporary 2-year measure (expiring March 2021), the instrument has been repeatedly extended and expanded. The 2022 amendments added section 7A permitting additional safety observers/mentors on board, and the 2025/2026 amendments pushed the sunset date to 2029. The scope has grown from basic flight crew conditions to include detailed operational requirements (flight notifications, passenger limits, specific medical certificate exclusions) and an alternative compliance pathway for approved organisations. What began as a temporary patch has become a semi-permanent regulatory framework with increasingly granular safety requirements."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple nested conditions and exceptions (e.g., section 5(2) provides exemption from sections 7, 8, 9 and paragraph 10(a)-(b) if entity has CASA-approved procedures)","Cross-references to external regulations including CASR (Civil Aviation Safety Regulations), CAR (Civil Aviation Regulations), Part 91 Manual of Standards, and AIP (Aeronautical Information Publication)","Defined terms scattered across instruments (some in section 3, others referenced as defined in CASR/CAR)","Tiered aeronautical experience requirements with different thresholds for private pilots (400/250 hours), commercial pilots (150 hours), and additional requirements for multi-engine, VFR vs IFR, and recent landing currency","Conditional logic in passenger carriage rules (section 7A permitting 'demonstrably and directly related' safety personnel)","Sunset clause with amendment history tracking (repeal date moved multiple times: originally 2021, then 2024, 2026, now 2029)"],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument sets safety rules for volunteer pilots flying patients to medical appointments — tightening who may fly, what aircraft may be used, experience and medical standards, passenger limits, flight‑planning and logbook requirements, and banning night VFR. It targets volunteer pilots, charities arranging flights, and the patients who rely on them.\n\nIt aims to prevent accidents while preserving access to free medical transport, with an alternate compliance route if an organisation’s CASA‑approved safety system is equivalent. Expires 31 March 2029."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument remains focused on regulating safety‑related conditions on flight crew licences for private community service flights (carrying patients to non‑emergency medical treatment). Amendments since the original instrument have adjusted detail (experience hours, added s.7A clarifying allowable additional persons, and introduced or clarified the CASA‑approved entity procedures pathway) and refined operational rules (notification, passenger limits, excluded aircraft), but these changes refine how the original safety objective is implemented rather than expanding the instrument’s substantive scope beyond community service flights as originally defined (see s.6 and s.5)."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple cross‑references to CASR, AIP and Manual of Standards (e.g. regs and Part 91 MOS) increasing interpretive steps","Conditional exemption pathway allowing entity procedures subject to CASA approval (s.5) — adds discretionary assessment and substitution logic","Several distinct licence‑type and flight‑rule dependent experience minima (s.9) — nested conditions by licence and VFR/IFR","Multiple categorical exclusions for aircraft (amateur‑built, limited category, experimental, unregistered) (s.8)","Operational requirements combining passenger limits, night VFR prohibition and specific flight notification content — multiple operational constraints (s.10)","Recordkeeping requirement layered on top of CASR logbook rules (s.11 plus reg 61.345 CASR)","Definitions and reliance on external definitions in CASR and CAR (s.3 and notes) — additional lookup steps","Time‑limited instrument with a repeal date (s.2) and a history of multiple amendments — practical complexity for users keeping current","Presence of a permissive note (s.7A) describing permissible additional persons with illustrative examples — interpretive guidance","Amendments across several years changing language and adding sections (7A added, various amendments to s.7, s.9, s.10) — version‑tracking complexity"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanics)**\n\n- It places specific conditions on flight crew licences when the licence holder operates a \"community service flight\" (defined in s.6). The instrument only applies to flights conducted as private operations (s.4).\n\n- A \"community service flight\" is a no-fee flight coordinated by an entity for a charitable or community purpose that carries one or more patients to or from non‑emergency medical treatment (s.6). Medical treatment is not provided on board except medication or emergency response (s.6(4)).\n\n- Key licence-holder conditions required to operate such flights include: holding a private, commercial or air transport pilot licence (s.7(1)(a)); carrying only permitted persons (patients, carers, crew and certain other persons) (s.7(1)(c) and s.7A); holding a current class 1 or 2 medical certificate (s.7(1)(d)); not using excluded aircraft types (s.8); meeting recent‑experience and minimum hours requirements that vary by licence type and flight rules (VFR/IFR) (s.9); observing passenger limits and operational notification rules (s.10); and marking the flight as a community service flight in the pilot’s logbook after completion (s.11).\n\n- Aircraft exclusions: amateur‑built aircraft accepted under an ABAA, aircraft in the limited category, aircraft with an experimental certificate, and unregistered aircraft are excluded (s.8).\n\n- Experience minima include a landing within the previous 30 days in the same class/type (s.9(1)(a)), minimum type‑specific hours (10 hrs VFR; 20 hrs IFR; 25 hrs pilot‑in‑command for multi‑engine aeroplanes) and, for licence subsets, aggregate totals (private pilots who do not hold higher licences: 400 hrs total and 250 hrs PIC; commercial pilots who are not ATPL: 150 hrs PIC) (s.9(1) and (3)–(5)).\n\n- Operational limits include a maximum of 5 passengers, prohibition on VFR at night, and a written (when practicable) flight notification to Airservices identifying the flight as “CSF” with full‑flight or SARTIME details and the number of persons on board (s.10).\n\n- CASA may approve an entity’s own safety requirements and procedures in place of some of these conditions (sections 7, 8, 9 and parts of s.10), if CASA is satisfied the entity’s document will be made available to operators and achieves at least equivalent safety outcomes (s.5(2)–(3)).\n\n**Who this affects**\n\n- Volunteer and paid pilots conducting private community flights (patients, carers) (s.4, s.6, s.7).\n- Entities that coordinate or facilitate community service flights (charities, community service organisations) that may either operate under the instrument directly or seek CASA approval for their own procedures (s.5, s.6(5)).\n- Airworthiness/operations: owners/operators who might otherwise use amateur‑built, limited category, experimental or unregistered aircraft for community flights are excluded (s.8).\n- Airservices Australia receives notifications and must be provided with specific flight details (s.10).\n\n**Why it matters (official purpose and practical effects)**\n\n- The instrument is presented as a safety measure: it creates minimum medical, experience, aircraft and notification standards for a specific class of charitable flights (see s.7–11). That is the instrument’s stated objective.\n\n- Practical trade‑offs and incentives:\n  - Safety trade‑off: higher experience, recent landing and medical standards aim to reduce operational risk for flights carrying patients (s.7, s.9). Those requirements restrict who can fly and what aircraft may be used, which may reduce the available pool of volunteer pilots and aircraft.\n  - Cost and access: excluding amateur‑built and experimental aircraft (s.8) and setting minimum hours (s.9(3)–(5)) increases the operating cost or reduces capacity for some small community providers or solo volunteers who relied on such aircraft or lower hours.\n  - Administrative burden: pilots must make specific written (when practicable) notifications to Airservices and record the flight as a community service flight in the logbook (s.10, s.11). Entities seeking to operate under their own approved procedures must prepare, publish and obtain CASA approval for a safety document (s.5(2)–(3)), which imposes a compliance cost on organisations.\n  - Concentration of benefits and barriers: CASA’s power to approve entity documents (s.5) gives larger or better‑resourced organisations a route to tailor requirements, potentially favouring entities that can prepare robust procedures and fund the approval process.\n\n**Who pays and who decides**\n\n- Pilots and coordinating entities bear most direct costs: meeting medical certification, accumulating required flight hours, maintaining logbooks and submitting flight notifications (s.7, s.9, s.10, s.11). Entities that seek CASA approval must prepare procedures and interact with CASA (s.5).\n\n- CASA decides whether an entity’s procedures are acceptable and enforces these licence conditions; Airservices receives flight notifications (s.5, s.10).\n\n**Implementation and compliance risks**\n\n- CASA approval of entity procedures (s.5) introduces administrative discretion and potential delay; verifying that an entity’s procedures produce an \"equivalent\" safety outcome may require subjective judgement.\n\n- Operational verification (ensuring pilots meet recent‑landing and hours requirements, that excluded aircraft are not used, that notifications are correctly made and logbook entries recorded) will create compliance work for regulators and operators.\n\n**Net effect on private choice and market activity (brief)**\n\n- The instrument tightens minimum standards for volunteer/community flights, likely improving regulatorily defined safety parameters but making some low‑cost or ad‑hoc community flights (especially those using amateur/experimental aircraft or marginally‑experienced volunteer pilots) infeasible without organisational support or CASA‑approved procedures (s.7–9, s.8, s.5)."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/casa-09-19-civil-aviation-community-service-flights-conditions-on-flight-crew-licences-instrument-20","history":"/api/acts/casa-09-19-civil-aviation-community-service-flights-conditions-on-flight-crew-licences-instrument-20/history","analysis":"/api/acts/casa-09-19-civil-aviation-community-service-flights-conditions-on-flight-crew-licences-instrument-20/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/casa-09-19-civil-aviation-community-service-flights-conditions-on-flight-crew-licences-instrument-20/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/casa-09-19-civil-aviation-community-service-flights-conditions-on-flight-crew-licences-instrument-20/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/casa-09-19-civil-aviation-community-service-flights-conditions-on-flight-crew-licences-instrument-20/documents"}}