{"id":"F2024L00201","name":"CASA EX07/24 — Low-level Operations (Air Displays and Aerobatic Manoeuvres) Exemption 2024","slug":"casa-ex07-24-low-level-operations-air-displays-and-aerobatic-manoeuvres-exemption-2024","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":105106,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2024L00201-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"CASA EX07/24 — Low-level Operations (Air Displays and Aerobatic Manoeuvres) Exemption 2024","content":"Instrument number CASA EX07/24\n\nI, STEVEN JAMES CAMPBELL, Executive Manager National Operations and Standards, a delegate of CASA, make this instrument under regulations 11.160 and 11.205 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.\n\n\\[Signed S. Campbell\\]\n\nSteven Campbell  \nExecutive Manager National Operations and Standards\n\n21 February 2024\n\nCASA EX07/24 — Low‑level Operations (Air Displays and Aerobatic Manoeuvres) Exemption 2024\n\n1 Name\n\nThis instrument is CASA EX07/24 — Low‑level Operations (Air Displays and Aerobatic Manoeuvres) Exemption 2024.\n\n2 Duration\n\nThis instrument:\n\n(a) commences on the day after it is registered; and\n\n(b) is repealed at the end of 31 January 2027.\n\n3 Definition\n\n> Note In this instrument, certain terms and expressions have the same meaning as they have in the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and the regulations. These include: aerobatic manoeuvres, air display, Australian territory, pilot in command, populous area and public gathering.\n\nIn this instrument:\n\n> low‑level operation has the meaning given by regulation 61.010 of CASR.\n\n4 Exemptions\n\n(1) The exemptions stated in subsection (3) apply to a pilot (the pilot) of an aircraft who:\n\n(a) does not hold any of the following:\n\n(i) a low‑level rating;\n\n(ii) an aerial application rating;\n\n(iii) an aerobatics (unlimited) flight activity endorsement; and\n\n(b) is conducting a low‑level operation:\n\n(i) at an air display in Australian territory approved by CASA under regulation 91.045 of CASR for the purposes of regulation 91.180 of CASR; or\n\n(ii) during a flight that is solely and demonstrably a practice flight in Australian territory for an actual, or anticipated, air display to be conducted in Australian territory.\n\n(2) To remove doubt, but without limiting subparagraph (1)(b)(ii), the exemptions stated in subsection (3) apply to a pilot of an aircraft who is conducting a low‑level operation during a practice flight to become competent for an actual, or anticipated, air display before receiving the display organiser’s approval to participate in the display.\n\n(3) The pilot is exempt from compliance with the following provisions in relation to the operation:\n\n(a) subregulation 61.065(1) of CASR, to the extent that it prohibits the pilot from conducting a low‑level operation because the pilot does not hold either a low‑level rating or aerial application rating;\n\n(b) subregulation 61.375(7) of CASR, but only in relation to item 5 of Table 61.375 of CASR.\n\n(4) The exemptions stated in subsection (6) apply to a pilot (also the pilot) of an aircraft who:\n\n(a) holds an aerobatics (unlimited) flight activity endorsement; and\n\n(b) does not hold any of the following:\n\n(i) a low‑level rating;\n\n(ii) an aerial application rating; and\n\n(c) is conducting a low‑level operation:\n\n(i) at an air display in Australian territory approved by CASA under regulation 91.045 of CASR for the purposes of regulation 91.180 of CASR; or\n\n(ii) during a flight that is solely and demonstrably a practice flight in Australian territory for an actual, or anticipated, air display to be conducted in Australian territory; or\n\n(iii) for the purpose of practising aerobatic manoeuvres with the aircraft.\n\n(5) To remove doubt, but without limiting subparagraph (4)(c)(ii), the exemptions stated in subsection (6) apply to the pilot of an aircraft who is conducting a low‑level operation during a practice flight to become competent for an actual, or anticipated, air display before receiving the display organiser’s approval to participate in the display.\n\n(6) The pilot is exempt from compliance with the following provisions in relation to the operation:\n\n(a) subregulation 61.065(1) of CASR, to the extent that it prohibits the pilot from conducting a low‑level operation because the pilot does not hold either a low‑level rating or aerial application rating;\n\n(b) subregulation 61.375(7) of CASR, but only in relation to item 5 of Table 61.375 of CASR.\n\n(7) The exemption stated in subsection (9) applies to the pilot in command (the pilot in command) of an aircraft who:\n\n(a) holds an aerobatics (unlimited) flight activity endorsement; and\n\n(b) does not hold any of the following:\n\n(i) a low‑level rating;\n\n(ii) an aerial application rating; and\n\n(c) is conducting a low‑level operation:\n\n(i) at an air display in Australian territory approved by CASA under regulation 91.045 of CASR for the purposes of regulation 91.180 of CASR; or\n\n(ii) during a flight that is solely and demonstrably a practice flight in Australian territory for an actual, or anticipated, air display to be conducted in Australian territory; or\n\n(iii) for the purpose of practising aerobatic manoeuvres with the aircraft.\n\n(8) To remove doubt, but without limiting subparagraph (7)(c)(ii), the exemption stated in subsection (9) applies to the pilot in command of an aircraft who is conducting a low‑level operation during a practice flight to become competent for an actual, or anticipated, air display before receiving the display organiser’s approval to participate in the display.\n\n(9) The pilot in command is exempt from compliance with subregulation 91.267(2) of CASR, in relation to the operation, if:\n\n(a) the operation involves the aircraft being flown other than over a populous area or public gathering; and\n\n(b) the pilot in command is not authorised under Part 61 of CASR, or does not hold an approval under regulation 91.045 of CASR, to fly the aircraft below the height mentioned in paragraph 91.267(2)(a) of CASR.\n\n(10) The exemptions stated in subsections (3) and (6) are subject to the condition stated in subsection 5(1).\n\n(11) The exemption stated in subsection (9) is subject to the conditions stated in subsections 5(1), (2) and (3).\n\n5 Conditions\n\n(1) The pilot, or pilot in command, must comply with any conditions of an approval, if relevant to the operation, mentioned in subparagraph 4(1)(b)(i), (4)(c)(i) or (7)(c)(i), as applicable.\n\n(2) The pilot in command must, before conducting the operation, conduct a risk assessment of the area to be flown over during the operation.\n\n(3) The pilot in command must ensure that the point on the ground, or water, vertically below the aircraft, during the operation, is not within 150 m of a person, vessel, vehicle or structure, or of livestock.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"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"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument remains tightly focused on its original purpose: creating exemptions for low-level flight operations specifically related to air displays and aerobatic practice. It does not expand beyond this specialised aviation context."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple nested eligibility criteria requiring pilots to both hold AND not hold specific endorsements simultaneously (e.g., must hold aerobatics endorsement but NOT hold low-level rating)","Three distinct exemption categories with overlapping but slightly different conditions (subsections 4(1), 4(4), and 4(7))","Cross-references to external regulations (CASR Parts 61 and 91) including specific subregulations and table items without reproducing their text","Conditional logic with 'to the extent that' limitations on exemptions rather than blanket exemptions","Geographic and operational restrictions (Australian territory, populous area exclusions, 150m buffer zones)","Temporal limitation with automatic repeal date","Clarifying subsections (4(2), 4(5), 4(8)) that expand interpretation without adding substantive content"],"plain_english_summary":"This is a temporary exemption issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) that allows certain pilots to fly aircraft at low altitudes during air shows and practice flights, even if they don't normally have the required qualifications.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Pilots performing at air displays (air shows) in Australia\n- Pilots practising for air displays\n- Pilots with aerobatic endorsements practising manoeuvres\n\n**What it does:**\nNormally, pilots need specific ratings (qualifications) to fly low-level operations—either a \"low-level rating\" or an \"aerial application rating\" (used for crop dusting). This exemption lets pilots without those ratings fly low in three specific situations:\n\n1. **During approved air displays** — Pilots without low-level or aerial application ratings can fly low if CASA has approved the air display.\n\n2. **During practice flights for air displays** — Pilots can practise low flying to prepare for an upcoming show, even before they've been officially approved to participate in that show.\n\n3. **During aerobatic practice** — Pilots who hold an \"aerobatics (unlimited)\" endorsement (meaning they're qualified for advanced stunts) can fly low while practising manoeuvres.\n\n**Important safety conditions:**\n- The pilot must follow any conditions CASA set when approving the air display\n- The pilot must do a risk assessment of the area before flying\n- The aircraft must stay at least 150 metres away from people, vehicles, buildings, boats, or livestock on the ground\n- If flying over non-populous areas, pilots with aerobatic endorsements can go lower than normally allowed\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis exemption recognises that air display pilots need to practise low-level flying and aerobatics, but the normal licensing system doesn't perfectly fit their needs. It creates a legal pathway for them to do this specialised flying without requiring every display pilot to get a crop-dusting or general low-level rating. However, it maintains safety through strict conditions and the requirement that actual displays must be CASA-approved.\n\nThe exemption runs until 31 January 2027."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":6,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"No prior instrument text is supplied, so change from an earlier scope cannot be determined from this instrument alone. The instrument itself creates limited, temporary exemptions for low‑level operations at CASA‑approved air displays, qualifying practice flights and aerobatic practice, subject to the conditions and cross‑references set out in ss 3–5 and expiring on 31 January 2027."},"complexity_factors":["Multiple overlapping pilot categories with slightly different exemption triggers and scopes (see ss 4(1)–(9)).","Cross‑references to several CASR provisions (regulation 61.010 definition; regs 61.065, 61.375(7), 91.267(2); and approval under reg 91.045) create dependency on external rules (see ss 3–4).","Conditional exemptions tied to both event approval and the factual status of a flight as a 'practice' or 'air display' (see ss 4(1)(b), 4(4)(c), 4(7)(c)).","Safety conditions impose operational obligations on the pilot in command (risk assessment and 150 m minimum vertical separation) that carry compliance and evidentiary burdens (see s 5(2)–(3)).","Temporal limitation (commencement upon registration and repeal on 31 Jan 2027) requires ongoing administrative tracking (see s 2).","Use of near‑identical exemption language in several subparts increases drafting redundancy and the risk of interpretive ambiguity (see ss 4(3), 4(6), 4(9)).","Discretion resides with CASA for approvals and with pilots for risk assessments, creating layered decision points and potential enforcement variability (see regs 11.160, 11.205 preamble and ss 5(1)–(2)).","Qualification phrase 'solely and demonstrably a practice flight' is fact‑dependent and may create evidentiary uncertainty for compliance checks (see ss 4(1)(b)(ii), 4(4)(c)(ii), 4(7)(c)(ii))."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument temporarily exempts certain pilots from CASR low‑level rating and related limits when flying low at CASA‑approved air displays, qualifying practice flights or when practising aerobatics, subject to conditions including a pre‑flight risk assessment and keeping the aircraft vertically at least 150 m from people, vessels, vehicles, structures or livestock (see ss 4–5). CASA (through its delegate) determines when the exemption applies; pilots and operators must meet approval conditions and carry compliance costs. The exemption expires 31 January 2027."},"summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a standalone exemption instrument that does not amend any existing law."},"complexity_factors":["multiple categories of pilots","cross references to several regulations","specific conditions on operations"],"plain_english_summary":"This exemption lets pilots lacking a low‑level or aerial application rating conduct low‑level operations at approved air displays and practise aerobatic manoeuvres (including those with an aerobatics endorsement), relieving certain CASA regulation requirements.  \n\nIt’s subject to conditions—eg risk assessment and generally keeping 150 m from people/objects—and runs until 31 January 2027, enabling controlled display flying without extra ratings."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/casa-ex07-24-low-level-operations-air-displays-and-aerobatic-manoeuvres-exemption-2024","history":"/api/acts/casa-ex07-24-low-level-operations-air-displays-and-aerobatic-manoeuvres-exemption-2024/history","analysis":"/api/acts/casa-ex07-24-low-level-operations-air-displays-and-aerobatic-manoeuvres-exemption-2024/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/casa-ex07-24-low-level-operations-air-displays-and-aerobatic-manoeuvres-exemption-2024/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/casa-ex07-24-low-level-operations-air-displays-and-aerobatic-manoeuvres-exemption-2024/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/casa-ex07-24-low-level-operations-air-displays-and-aerobatic-manoeuvres-exemption-2024/documents"}}