{"id":"F2005B00934","name":"Civil Aviation Amendment Order (No. R88) 2004 - Civil Aviation Order 100.92 - Administration & procedure - Aircraft maintenance engineer licences - Category engines (12/12/2004)","slug":"civil-aviation-amendment-order-no-r88-2004-civil-aviation-order-100-92-administration-procedure-airc","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":32330,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2005B00934-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Civil Aviation Amendment Order (No. R88) 2004 - Civil Aviation Order 100.92 - Administration & procedure - Aircraft maintenance engineer licences - Category engines (12/12/2004)","content":"Civil Aviation Amendment Order\n\n(No. R88) 2004\n\nI, WILLIAM BRUCE BYRON, Director of Aviation Safety, on behalf of CASA, issue the following Civil Aviation Order under regulation 31 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988.\n\n\\[Signed Bruce Byron\\]\n\nBruce Byron\n\nDirector of Aviation Safety and\n\nChief Executive Officer\n\n12 December 2004\n\n\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\\_\n\n1 Name of Order\n\nThis Order is the Civil Aviation Amendment Order (No. R88) 2004.\n\n2 Commencement\n\nThis Order commences on gazettal.\n\n3 Replacement of section 100.92 of the Civil Aviation Orders\n\nSection 100.92 of the Civil Aviation Orders is omitted and a new section substituted as set out in Schedule 1.\n\nSchedule 1 Substitution of section 100.92 of the Civil Aviation Orders\n\nSECTION 100.92\n\nADMINISTRATION AND PROCEDURE — AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE ENGINEER LICENCES — CATEGORY ENGINES\n\n1 APPLICATION\n\n1.1 Except where otherwise approved or directed by CASA, this section of the CAOs applies to the requirements for the grant of an aircraft maintenance engineer licence in category engines and for the grant of additional ratings to a licence in this category.\n\n1.2 This section of the CAOs is to be read in conjunction with the current issue of CAO section 100.90 and AAC 9-92.\n\n2 DEFINITIONS\n\nTerms and abbreviations used in this section are detailed in CAO section 100.90, but in addition:\n\nsupercharging system means a system designed to increase the density of the charge entering the cylinder of an engine and includes both engine driven supercharging systems, and exhaust gas driven (turbo) supercharging systems and their associated engine fuel control system.\n\n3 RATINGS\n\nCategory engines is classified into the following ratings:\n\nGroup 1 Piston engines and associated engine systems in aeroplanes and airships, other than those classified in Group 3 and Group 21.\n\nGroup 2 Piston engines and associated engine systems in helicopters, other than those classified in Group 3 and Group 22.\n\nGroup 3 Supercharging systems.\n\nGroup 21 Piston engines and gas turbine engines and associated engine systems in aeroplanes and airships as specified by CASA and listed in AAC 9-92.\n\nGroup 22 Piston engines and gas turbine engines and associated engine systems in helicopters as specified by CASA and listed in AAC 9-92.\n\n4 LICENCE RATINGS AND FORM OF ENDORSEMENT\n\n4.1 Ratings specifying the groups of engine systems and/or the specific engine type for which the privileges of the licence may be exercised must be endorsed on the licence.\n\n4.2 Applicants who comply with the experience and examination requirements of subsections 5 and 6 of this section may be granted the appropriate rating, subject to the conditions specified at paragraphs 4.3 and 4.4.\n\n4.3 Applicants for a Group 3 rating must hold a Group 1 or Group 2 rating.\n\n4.4 A separate rating in Group 21 or Group 22 is required for each engine listed in AAC 9-92. Normally the rating granted will be for an engine series in the group.\n\n4.5 Endorsement of ratings must take the following form:\n\nPiston Engines and Systems Group 1\n\nPiston Engines and Systems Group 2\n\nSupercharging Systems Group 3\n\n\\*........................................... Group 21\n\n\\*........................................... Group 22\n\n\\*(The appropriate engine series description as listed in AAC 9-92 is inserted in the space.)\n\n5 EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR EXAMINATIONS, GRANT OF A LICENCE OR ENDORSEMENT OF A RATING\n\n5.1 There are no work experience requirements to be met prior to sitting any examination.\n\n5.2 Successful completion of a relevant training course, acceptable to CASA, will be required for all engines classified in Group 21 or Group 22 with exceptions specified by CASA and listed in AAC 9-92.\n\n5.3 The minimum experience required for the grant of a licence is 4 years’ aircraft maintenance or aircraft component maintenance including:\n\n    (a) 2 years’ aircraft maintenance experience in category engines; and\n    (b) practical experience in the group or type for which a rating is sought, to the scope and depth indicated in the relevant Schedule of Experience issued by CASA, or other approved documents.\n\n5.4 For engines fitted to aircraft classified as high capacity, practical experience must be specified in a Schedule of Experience compiled by the operator and found acceptable by CASA.\n\n5.5 For the endorsement of additional engine ratings, the minimum experience required is that specified in the relevant Schedule of Experience.\n\n6 EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS\n\nFor the grant of a licence or endorsement of additional ratings, applicants must pass the relevant examinations specified by CASA and listed in AAC 9-92.\n\n7 LICENCE RATINGS AND EXAMINATION EQUIVALENCY\n\n7.1 From the effective date of this CAO, ratings granted in accordance with section 100.92 will be deemed to be equivalent to the corresponding ratings listed in AAC 9-92.\n\n7.2 From the effective date of this CAO, examination credits granted in accordance with section 100.92 will be deemed to be equivalent to the examinations listed in AAC 9-92.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument replaces the existing Section 100.92 but stays within the original statutory purpose: setting administrative and procedural requirements for the grant and endorsement of aircraft maintenance engineer licences in the engines category. The amendment clarifies ratings, formalises minimum experience and training links to AAC 9‑92, and explicitly deems equivalence with AAC 9‑92 entries. Those are refinements and reallocations of detail (moving technical specifics into AAC 9‑92 and CASA approvals) rather than a significant expansion of scope beyond the existing regulatory remit over AME licensing."},"complexity_factors":["Single replacement section (Section 100.92) but references other instruments (CAO 100.90 and AAC 9-92) for many details","Five rating groups with rules linking them (Groups 1, 2, 3, 21, 22) create conditional sequencing (e.g. Group 3 requires Group 1 or 2)","Experience rules include layered requirements: total 4 years, of which 2 years must be category engines, plus group/type practical experience per CASA Schedule of Experience (nested conditions in Section 5.3)","Training-course requirement for Group 21/22 engines with CASA exceptions (Section 5.2) introduces administrative discretion","Equivalency clauses that deem ratings and examination credits equivalent to AAC 9-92 from the effective date (Section 7) — creates cross-referencing and transitional effect","Licence endorsement formatting and requirement for engine‑series‑specific endorsements for Groups 21/22 (Section 4.4–4.5)","Delegation of technical specifics to AAC 9-92 and CASA acceptance processes increases operational complexity despite short textual length"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (mechanically)**\n\n- Replaces the old section 100.92 of the Civil Aviation Orders with a new, consolidated set of rules governing the grant and endorsement of aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) licences for the \"category: engines.\" (See Schedule 1: new Section 100.92.)\n- Sets out how engine ratings are classified (Groups 1, 2, 3, 21 and 22), what must be written on the licence, and the minimum experience and examination requirements to get a licence or an additional rating. (Sections 3–7.)\n- Requires certain Group 21 and 22 engines to have successful completion of an approved training course before being granted a rating; CASA can list exceptions. (Section 5.2.)\n- Requires a minimum of four years’ relevant maintenance experience to be eligible for grant of a licence, including two years in the engines category and practical experience matching CASA’s Schedule(s) of Experience. (Section 5.3.)\n- Requires applicants to pass CASA-specified examinations; examination credits and ratings under this CAO are to be treated as equivalent to the corresponding entries in AAC 9‑92. (Sections 6 and 7.)\n- Gives CASA the administrative role of approving training, accepting operator‑compiled Schedules of Experience for high‑capacity aircraft, and listing specific engine types and exceptions in AAC 9‑92. (See passim: Sections 1.2, 4.4, 5.2, 5.4 and references to AAC 9‑92.)\n\n**Who this affects**\n\n- Individual mechanical technicians who want an aircraft maintenance engineer licence (category: engines) or extra engine ratings on an existing AME licence.\n- Employers/operators of aircraft and maintenance organisations that must provide or document operative experience and any operator Schedules of Experience for high‑capacity aircraft.\n- Training providers who supply CASA‑acceptable courses for engines listed in Group 21 and Group 22.\n- CASA as the regulator responsible for making the lists in AAC 9‑92, accepting training and experience documents, and approving exceptions.\n\n**Why it matters (practical effects)**\n\n- Applicants: introduces a clear minimum experience floor (4 years total, including 2 years in engines) and formal practical experience requirements tied to CASA schedules; applicants must pass CASA examinations and in some cases complete accepted training courses. (Sections 5.3, 5.2, 6.)\n- Employers/operators: may need to document and certify that staff have the required practical experience; operators of high‑capacity aircraft may need to prepare Schedules of Experience acceptable to CASA. (Section 5.4.)\n- Training industry: providers of acceptable engine‑specific courses for Group 21/22 may see demand because completion of an accepted course is required for those groups unless an exception applies. (Section 5.2.)\n- Regulatory discretion: CASA retains significant administrative choice — it lists specific engine types and exceptions in AAC 9‑92, approves training courses, and accepts Schedule(s) of Experience — which affects how the rules apply in practice. (Sections 1.2, 4.4, 5.2, 5.4, 7.)\n\n**Stated purpose and practical trade‑offs**\n\n- The order states its purpose in plain terms: to set the administrative and procedural rules for granting AME licences and engine ratings. (Section 1.1.)\n- Practical trade‑offs and incentives: Applicants bear the direct costs of gaining experience, passing examinations and completing approved training (where required). Employers may bear indirect costs if they must provide supervised experience or fund training. CASA bears the administrative cost of keeping AAC 9‑92 current and assessing courses and Schedules of Experience.\n- Compliance burden and behavioural effects: The rules channel applicant behaviour toward documented, CASA‑acceptable training and experience pathways; they require applicants to hold broader category experience (Group 1/2) before narrow system ratings (Group 3), and require discrete endorsements for specific engines listed by CASA (Groups 21/22). That creates incentives for maintenance workers to: (a) obtain category experience early; (b) complete CASA‑acceptable courses for certain engines; and (c) for employers to provide or record qualifying on‑the‑job experience.\n\n**Where discretion and implementation risk lie**\n\n- CASA’s lists and approvals (AAC 9‑92, Schedule(s) of Experience acceptance, training course approvals) determine how onerous the requirements are in practice. (Sections 1.2, 4.4, 5.2, 5.4.)\n- The CAO delegates technical detail to AAC 9‑92 and CASA acceptance processes; implementation risk arises if AAC 9‑92 is not kept up to date or if approvals are inconsistent, which affects applicants’ ability to predict what is needed.\n\n**Who pays, who decides, and what behaviour changes**\n\n- Who pays: applicants and (indirectly) their employers pay the costs of training, examination, and time spent gaining experience; CASA funds the administrative processes.\n- Who decides: CASA decides which engines are in Group 21/22, what exceptions apply, which training courses and Schedules of Experience are acceptable, and equivalence of examinations/ratings. (Sections 1.2, 4.4, 5.2, 5.4, 7.)\n- Behaviour changes: more structured training and documentation of experience; sequencing of ratings (must have Group 1 or 2 before Group 3), discrete ratings per engine series for Group 21/22, and reliance on CASA‑approved documentation to qualify for licences or endorsements.\n\n**Key mechanical details (by section)**\n\n- Section 2: defines \"supercharging system\" (important to Group 3 classification).\n- Section 3: divides engine ratings into 5 groups (1, 2, 3, 21, 22) and links Groups 21/22 to AAC 9‑92.\n- Section 4: prescribes licence endorsement text and rules (e.g. Group 3 requires prior Group 1 or 2; Group 21/22 ratings are specific to each engine listed in AAC 9‑92).\n- Section 5: experience rules — no experience required just to sit exams (5.1), training course required for most Group 21/22 engines (5.2), minimum 4 years’ experience for licence including 2 years in category engines and group/type practical experience per CASA schedule (5.3), operator Schedule for high‑capacity aircraft (5.4).\n- Section 6: examination pass required per CASA/AAC 9‑92.\n- Section 7: makes ratings and examination credits under this CAO equivalent to AAC 9‑92 entries from the effective date.\n\n**Limits of the instrument**\n\n- Many specifics (which engine series, which exceptions, the precise Schedules of Experience) are left to AAC 9‑92 or CASA approvals; the CAO sets the framework rather than detailed lists. (Sections 1.2, 4.4, 5.2, 5.4.)\n\n**Bottom line**\n\nThis amendment replaces the administration and procedural rules for AME engine‑category licences with clarified groupings, formal minimum experience and examination requirements, and explicit delegation to AAC 9‑92 and CASA for the technical lists, training approvals and acceptance of experience documentation. It shifts some of the substantive detail from the CAO text into CASA lists and schedules, which increases the regulator’s implementation role and leaves applicants and employers dependent on CASA’s published guidance for precise compliance steps."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This is a straightforward substitution of a single administrative section dealing with engine maintenance licensing. The scope remains tightly focused on qualification requirements for aircraft maintenance engineer licences in the engines category, consistent with the original purpose of CAO 100.92."},"complexity_factors":["Cross-referencing to external documents: requires reading alongside CAO 100.90, AAC 9-92, and CASA-issued Schedules of Experience","Nested prerequisites: Group 3 rating requires pre-existing Group 1 or 2 rating (paragraph 4.3)","Conditional logic for high-capacity aircraft: paragraph 5.4 imposes additional requirements based on aircraft classification","Delegated legislative structure: relies heavily on material contained in AAC 9-92 which is not reproduced in the instrument itself","Dual pathway structure: distinguishes between general ratings (Groups 1-3) and specific type ratings (Groups 21-22) with different rules for each"],"plain_english_summary":"This legislation updates the rules for who can legally work on aircraft engines in Australia. It replaces an older section of the Civil Aviation Orders (CAOs) that deals with **aircraft maintenance engineer licences** specifically for the **engines category**.\n\n**What it does:**\n- Sets out five different **ratings** (specialist qualifications) for engine mechanics:\n  - **Group 1:** Piston engines in planes and airships\n  - **Group 2:** Piston engines in helicopters\n  - **Group 3:** Supercharging systems (turbochargers and superchargers)\n  - **Group 21:** Specific piston and turbine engines in planes/airships (listed in a separate document called AAC 9-92)\n  - **Group 22:** Specific piston and turbine engines in helicopters (also listed in AAC 9-92)\n\n**Key requirements:**\n- To get a licence, you need **4 years** of maintenance experience, including **2 years** specifically working on engines, plus hands-on experience in the specific group you want to be rated for.\n- You can sit exams without prior work experience, but you need the experience before the licence is granted.\n- To work on supercharging systems (Group 3), you must already hold a Group 1 or Group 2 rating.\n- For complex or high-capacity aircraft engines, operators must create detailed experience schedules that CASA must approve.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- People training to become licensed aircraft maintenance engineers (LAMEs) specialising in engines\n- Current mechanics seeking additional ratings\n- CASA (the aviation safety regulator) and approved training organisations\n\n**Why it matters:**\nThis ensures only properly qualified and experienced people can certify aircraft engines as airworthy. The rules distinguish between different engine types because a piston engine in a small plane requires different skills than a turbine engine in a helicopter or a turbocharged system."},"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/civil-aviation-amendment-order-no-r88-2004-civil-aviation-order-100-92-administration-procedure-airc","history":"/api/acts/civil-aviation-amendment-order-no-r88-2004-civil-aviation-order-100-92-administration-procedure-airc/history","analysis":"/api/acts/civil-aviation-amendment-order-no-r88-2004-civil-aviation-order-100-92-administration-procedure-airc/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/civil-aviation-amendment-order-no-r88-2004-civil-aviation-order-100-92-administration-procedure-airc/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/civil-aviation-amendment-order-no-r88-2004-civil-aviation-order-100-92-administration-procedure-airc/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/civil-aviation-amendment-order-no-r88-2004-civil-aviation-order-100-92-administration-procedure-airc/documents"}}