Commonwealth legislation

CASA 06/26 — Foreign Registered Aircraft in Australian Territory (Radio Altimeters) Direction 2026

In ForceCTH

Jurisdiction

Commonwealth

Collection

legislative instrument

Plain English Summary

6/10 complexity

This direction requires operators of foreign‑registered aircraft (including New Zealand ANZA AOC holders) to ensure radio altimeters used for low‑visibility approaches in Australian territory meet the radio‑frequency interference tolerance standards set out in two FAA airworthiness directives published in mid‑2023. It applies from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029.

Operators bear costs for testing, modification or operational restrictions. CASA publishes a list of temporarily exempt aerodromes (exemptions end 31 March 2027) and therefore decides where the requirement applies.

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Current sections

Direct links to the current provisions in CASA 06/26 — Foreign Registered Aircraft in Australian Territory (Radio Altimeters) Direction 2026.

CASA 06/26 — Foreign Registered Aircraft in Australian Territory (Radio Altimeters) Direction 2026

Instrument number CASA 06/26

I, PHILIPPA JILLIAN SPENCE, Director of Aviation Safety, on behalf of CASA, make this instrument under regulation 11.245 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.

[Signed P. Spence]

Pip Spence
Director of Aviation Safety

10 March 2026

CASA 06/26 — Foreign Registered Aircraft in Australian Territory (Radio Altimeters) Direction 2026

1 Name

This instrument is CASA 06/26 — Foreign Registered Aircraft in Australian Territory (Radio Altimeters) Direction 2026.

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 aerodrome, AOC, Australian territory, foreign air transport AOC, foreign registered aircraft, low-visibility approach, New Zealand AOC with ANZA privileges and operator, of an aircraft.

2 Duration

This instrument:

(a) commences on 1 April 2026; and

(b) is repealed at the end of 31 March 2029.

Note For regulation 11.250 of CASR, the directions issued in this instrument cease to be in force at the end of 31 March 2029.

3 Application

This instrument applies to the operator of an aircraft if the aircraft is:

a foreign registered aircraft that is operating in Australian territory under a foreign air transport AOC; or

(b) a foreign registered aircraft that is operating in Australian territory under a New Zealand AOC with ANZA privileges that is in force for Australia.

4 Directions — Radio altimeters

(1) Subject to subsection (3), the operator of the aircraft must ensure that each radio altimeter fitted to an aeroplane used for the conduct of a low-visibility approach in Australian territory complies with the requirements for tolerance to radio frequency interference specified for a “radio altimeter tolerant airplane” in FAA Airworthiness Directive AD 2023-10-02 (FAA AD 2023-10-02) as existing on 26 May 2023.

Note 1 In FAA AD 2023-10-02, a “radio altimeter tolerant airplane” is defined for the purposes of the AD as “one for which the radio altimeter, as installed, demonstrates the tolerances specified in paragraphs (g)(1)(i) and (ii) of this AD, using a method approved by the FAA.”.

Note 2 26 May 2023 is the date FAA AD 2023-10-02 was published in the Federal Register of the United States Government.

(2) Subject to subsection (3), the operator of the aircraft must ensure that each radio altimeter fitted to a rotorcraft used for the conduct of a low-visibility approach in Australian territory complies with the requirements for tolerance to radio frequency interference specified for a “radio altimeter tolerant rotorcraft” in FAA Airworthiness Directive AD 2023-11-07 (FAA AD 2023-11-07) as existing on 22 June 2023.

Note 1 In FAA AD 2023-11-07, a “radio altimeter tolerant rotorcraft” is defined for the purposes of the AD as “one for which the radio altimeter, as installed, demonstrates the tolerances specified in paragraphs (g)(1)(i) and (ii) of this AD, using a method approved by the FAA.”.

Note 2 22 June 2023 is the date FAA AD 2023-11-07 was published in the Federal Register of the United States Government.

(3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to the operator of an aircraft used for the conduct of a low-visibility approach at an aerodrome that is included in a written list of aerodromes, as the list exists from time to time, that is:

(a) maintained by CASA for the purposes of this instrument; and

(b) published on the CASA website.

Note As at commencement of this instrument, the list is available on CASA’s website at

Note: https://www.casa.gov.au/operations-safety-and-travel/safety-advice/5g-and-aviation-safety

(4) Subsection (3) is in force until the end of 31 March 2027.

Source text

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.

1 CASA 06/26 — Foreign Registered Aircraft in Australian Territory (Radio Altimeters) Direction 2026

Instrument number CASA 06/26

I, PHILIPPA JILLIAN SPENCE, Director of Aviation Safety, on behalf of CASA, make this instrument under regulation 11.245 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.

[Signed P. Spence]

Pip Spence
Director of Aviation Safety

10 March 2026

CASA 06/26 — Foreign Registered Aircraft in Australian Territory (Radio Altimeters) Direction 2026

1 Name

This instrument is CASA 06/26 — Foreign Registered Aircraft in Australian Territory (Radio Altimeters) Direction 2026.

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 aerodrome, AOC, Australian territory, foreign air transport AOC, foreign registered aircraft, low-visibility approach, New Zealand AOC with ANZA privileges and operator, of an aircraft.

2 Duration

This instrument:

(a) commences on 1 April 2026; and

(b) is repealed at the end of 31 March 2029.

Note For regulation 11.250 of CASR, the directions issued in this instrument cease to be in force at the end of 31 March 2029.

3 Application

This instrument applies to the operator of an aircraft if the aircraft is:

a foreign registered aircraft that is operating in Australian territory under a foreign air transport AOC; or

(b) a foreign registered aircraft that is operating in Australian territory under a New Zealand AOC with ANZA privileges that is in force for Australia.

4 Directions — Radio altimeters

Note 1 In FAA AD 2023-10-02, a “radio altimeter tolerant airplane” is defined for the purposes of the AD as “one for which the radio altimeter, as installed, demonstrates the tolerances specified in paragraphs (g)(1)(i) and (ii) of this AD, using a method approved by the FAA.”.