{"id":"F2022L01085","name":"CASA EX65/22 — Maintenance on Limited Category and Experimental Aircraft Exemption 2022","slug":"casa-ex65-22-maintenance-on-limited-category-and-experimental-aircraft-exemption-2022","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":102571,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2022L01085-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-03","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"CASA EX65/22 — Maintenance on Limited Category and Experimental Aircraft Exemption 2022","content":"Instrument number CASA EX65/22\n\nI, CHRISTOPHER PAUL MONAHAN, Executive Manager, National Operations & 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 Christopher P. Monahan\\]\n\nChristopher P. Monahan  \nExecutive Manager, National Operations & Standards\n\n17 August 2022\n\nCASA EX65/22 — Maintenance on Limited Category and Experimental Aircraft Exemption 2022\n\n1 Name\n\nThis instrument is CASA EX65/22 — Maintenance on Limited Category and Experimental Aircraft Exemption 2022.\n\n2 Duration\n\nThis instrument:\n\n(a) commences the day after it is registered; and\n\n(b) is repealed at the end of 31 July 2024.\n\n3 Repeal\n\nInstrument CASA EX55/20 — Maintenance on Limited Category and Experimental Aircraft Exemption 2020 is repealed.\n\n4 Definitions\n\nIn this instrument:\n\n> exempted aircraft means an aircraft that is a limited category aircraft or an aircraft in relation to which an experimental certificate is in force.\n\n> exempted aircraft maintenance means maintenance on an exempted aircraft that is not the following:\n\n(a) maintenance of instruments and equipment on the exempted aircraft required by CASR, CAR or the Civil Aviation Orders;\n\n(b) maintenance to comply with a condition on the special certificate of airworthiness or experimental certificate for the exempted aircraft;\n\n(c) maintenance specified in an airworthiness directive or in a direction issued by CASA;\n\n(d) maintenance to comply with an instruction specified in the exempted aircraft’s approved maintenance data.\n\n> major design change, in relation to an exempted aircraft, means a design change that has a significant effect on any of the following:\n\n(a) the weight and balance of the aircraft;\n\n(b) the structural strength of the aircraft;\n\n(c) the performance of the aircraft;\n\n(d) the operational characteristics of the aircraft;\n\n(e) other characteristics that may affect the validity of the special certificate of airworthiness or the experimental certificate for the aircraft.\n\n5 Application\n\nThis instrument applies to the registered operator of an exempted aircraft and to each person carrying out exempted aircraft maintenance.\n\n6 Exemptions\n\n(1) In relation to exempted aircraft maintenance, the registered operator of the aircraft and the person carrying out the maintenance are exempt from compliance with the following provisions of CAR:\n\n(a) regulation 42U;\n\n(b) paragraphs 42W (2) (b) and (4) (a) and (c).\n\n(2) For the registered operator, the exemptions are subject to the condition mentioned in subsection 7 (1).\n\n7 Conditions\n\n(1) If the exempted aircraft maintenance involves a major design change, the registered operator of the exempted aircraft must not operate the aircraft or allow the aircraft to be flown after the maintenance until the following requirements are satisfied:\n\n(a) the registered operator has provided the information mentioned in subsection (2) in writing to:\n\n(i) CASA’s Airworthiness and Engineering Branch; or\n\n(ii) an authorised person who holds power to make decisions under regulations 21.006A and 21.009 and the provisions of Subpart 21.M of CASR; or\n\n(iii) a person who is authorised to issue a certificate of airworthiness in the category of the exempted aircraft; or\n\n(iv) an approved design organisation;\n\n(b) the person to whom the information is provided informs the registered operator in writing that the major design change is acceptable.\n\n(2) For paragraph (1) (a), the information is the following:\n\n(a) a description of the maintenance that involves the major design change;\n\n(b) if the maintenance has been carried out, photographs that provide supplementary explanation of the key steps of the description mentioned in paragraph (a);\n\n(c) the reasons for making the major design change;\n\n(d) how the maintenance may affect each of the matters mentioned in the definition of major design change;\n\n(e) why the major design change will not adversely affect the safety of the exempted aircraft.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument repeals CASA EX55/20 (s3) but does not itself state an expansion or contraction of the classes of maintenance or persons covered. As drafted it applies to registered operators and persons carrying out exempted aircraft maintenance and sets specific exemptions and a pre-flight notification/acceptance requirement for major design changes (s5, s6, s7). The text does not assert a change in policy scope beyond repealing the earlier instrument."},"complexity_factors":["Targeted scope limited to 'exempted aircraft' (limited category or with an experimental certificate) and to 'exempted aircraft maintenance' — definitional detail affects coverage (s4, s5).","Express exclusions from the exemption for instrument/equipment work, certificate-condition work, airworthiness-directive or CASA directions, and approved maintenance-data work — requires operators to classify maintenance precisely (s4 definition of exempted aircraft maintenance).","Specific statutory provisions exempted are narrow: CAR reg 42U and certain paragraphs of 42W — practitioners must map activities to these provisions to confirm exemption (s6(1)).","Condition for major design changes requires written submission of detailed information and photographs and written acceptance before flight — creates a pre-flight clearance compliance step (s7(1)–(2)).","Multiple possible recipients for the information (CASA Airworthiness & Engineering Branch; authorised persons under regs 21.006A/21.009 and Subpart 21.M; persons authorised to issue a certificate of airworthiness; approved design organisations) — choice affects process and potential costs/timelines (s7(1)(a)(i)–(iv)).","Operators bear the compliance and evidentiary burden to explain safety effects and justify the change, including impacts on weight/balance, structure, performance and operational characteristics — substantive technical detail required (s7(2)(d)–(e)).","Instrument is time-limited (commences day after registration; repeals 31 July 2024) which creates regulatory uncertainty and planning considerations for operators and maintainers (s2).","Repeal of earlier instrument CASA EX55/20 introduces a transition/legal-history element that practitioners must check when comparing obligations over time (s3).","Cross-references to CAR, CASR, Civil Aviation Orders and Subpart 21.M increase interpretive complexity because compliance requires consultation of multiple instruments (s4, s6(1), s7(1)(a)(ii))."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument exempts registered operators and people doing maintenance on limited-category and experimental aircraft from specified CAR maintenance rules for most non-critical work, while excluding instrument/equipment, certificate-condition, airworthiness-directive, and approved-data maintenance. If maintenance amounts to a \"major design change\", the operator must submit specified written information (including photos and safety reasoning) to CASA or authorised/design organisations and obtain written acceptance before the aircraft may fly. It shifts documentation and clearance duties onto operators and maintenance providers and vests final accept/reject authority with CASA or authorised persons."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument maintains its original narrow scope. It replaces a previous 2020 exemption (CASA EX55/20) with the same purpose: providing limited maintenance flexibility for non-standard aircraft categories. The scope remains tightly constrained to specific aircraft types (limited category and experimental) and explicitly excludes safety-critical maintenance."},"complexity_factors":["Only 2 defined terms in section 4 ('exempted aircraft' and 'exempted aircraft maintenance', plus 'major design change' embedded in conditions)","Single clear exemption target: regulations 42U and specific paragraphs of 42W of the Civil Aviation Regulations (CAR)","Straightforward conditional structure: exemption applies universally, with one specific condition triggered only by 'major design changes'","No nested exceptions or complex cross-referencing beyond the basic CAR citations","Limited duration instrument (sunset clause built in)","Clear scope limitation through negative definitions (what is NOT covered by the exemption)"],"plain_english_summary":"This temporary CASA exemption lets owners and mechanics of limited-category and experimental (home-built/modified) aircraft perform certain non-mandatory, routine maintenance without following some usual regulatory requirements. It does not allow work on instruments, mandatory safety equipment, CASA-required tasks, or departures from official maintenance manuals. Any maintenance that materially alters weight, structure, performance or handling still requires written CASA or authorised-expert approval before flight."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/casa-ex65-22-maintenance-on-limited-category-and-experimental-aircraft-exemption-2022","history":"/api/acts/casa-ex65-22-maintenance-on-limited-category-and-experimental-aircraft-exemption-2022/history","analysis":"/api/acts/casa-ex65-22-maintenance-on-limited-category-and-experimental-aircraft-exemption-2022/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/casa-ex65-22-maintenance-on-limited-category-and-experimental-aircraft-exemption-2022/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/casa-ex65-22-maintenance-on-limited-category-and-experimental-aircraft-exemption-2022/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/casa-ex65-22-maintenance-on-limited-category-and-experimental-aircraft-exemption-2022/documents"}}