CASA 63/23 — Air Displays (Precision Airmotive) Ongoing Approval Instrument 2023

The instrument relies on a small set of legal and operational concepts to create a continuing approval regime. These are the concepts the instrument deploys and the meanings it gives them.

Approval: The instrument gives statutory approvals under specified CASR provisions for Precision Airmotive (the organiser) and for participants named in the program of events (s 5(1)-(4)). The approvals are explicit in purpose: to allow the Classic Air air display and associated participant flights that would otherwise be constrained by the named CASR provisions.

Condition: Each approval is conditional. Precision Airmotive’s approval is subject to compliance with any requirement in a “relevant document” that applies to Precision Airmotive and relates to the Classic Air air display (s 6). Participants’ approvals are subject to two explicit conditions: a prohibition on carrying passengers during the display and a requirement to comply with the program of events and the Air Display Manual (s 7(1)-(2)). The organiser is directed to comply with relevant documents and to provide a post-display report (s 8).

Relevant document and incorporation by reference: The instrument defines “relevant document” to mean the Classic Air Air Display Manual and the Classic Air Safety Management System, “as the document exists from time to time” (s 3, relevant document). The instrument therefore imports requirements from external documents dynamically. The notes identify the contemporary versions at commencement: Air Display Manual Version 1.2 and SMS Version 1.1 (s 3 notes).

Program of events and organiser nomination: The “program of events” is a written program prepared by the organiser which must include specified items such as participant names, crew members, aircraft types and display types (s 3, program of events). The organiser is the person nominated by Precision Airmotive and named in the program (s 3, organiser). Participants are approved only if included in the program; participant approval is explicitly tied to inclusion in the program (s 5(2)).

Temporal and scope limits: The instrument has dual expiry points. The overall instrument is repealed at the end of 31 October 2028 (s 2(b)). The substantive approvals for conducting the air display cease earlier, at the end of 17 October 2028 (s 5(7)). Directions that require post-display reporting remain in force until the instrument is repealed because the reporting requirement can apply after the last display (s 2 note; s 8(2) note).

Delegation and source authority: The instrument is made by a CASA delegate under CASR regulations (instrument preamble and signature). It therefore functions as a delegated, instrument-based approval within the regulatory architecture of CASR, drawing its legal existence from the cited CASR regulations.

Constraints on participants: Participants face a specific operational constraint: they must not carry passengers while piloting aircraft in the Classic Air air display (s 7(1)). They must also adhere to the program and the Air Display Manual (s 7(2)), which the manual requires participants be briefed upon (s 7 note).

Reporting: The organiser must submit a completed CASA Post Display Report form within 14 days of the completion of the Classic Air air display (s 8(2)). The instrument points to the CASA website as the source for the current form (s 8 note 1).

Together, these concepts establish an approval that is conditional, document-driven and time-limited, with specific operational constraints and reporting requirements designed to tie the operator and participants to the content of nominated operational documents.

The instrument sets direct obligations and approvals that affect three classes of actors: Precision Airmotive (the Australian company identified by ARN and trading name), the organiser nominated by Precision Airmotive, and the participants named in the program of events. The instrument defines these roles and their interrelations; it also implicitly affects CASA as a recipient of reporting and as the approver required by the Safety Management System in certain circumstances.

Precision Airmotive: Identified specifically as Precision Airmotive Pty Ltd, ARN 1003610, trading as Classic Air (s 3, Precision Airmotive; note). The company is the primary party granted approval to conduct the Classic Air air display (s 5(1)) and therefore carries the central compliance obligation in s 6 to “comply with any requirement, mentioned in a relevant document, that applies to Precision Airmotive and relates to the Classic Air air display”. That captures obligations that may be set out in the Air Display Manual and the Classic Air Safety Management System, as those documents exist over time (s 3, relevant document). The instrument therefore places on Precision Airmotive the duty to follow internal documents that are incorporated by reference.

Organiser: Defined as the person nominated by Precision Airmotive to be air display organiser and named as organiser in the program of events (s 3, organiser). The organiser is directly required to comply with any relevant document requirements that apply to the organiser in relation to the Classic Air air display (s 8(1)). The organiser must also supply CASA with a completed CASA Post Display Report form within 14 days of air display completion (s 8(2)). Because the organiser is nominated by Precision Airmotive and named in the program, Precision Airmotive controls who becomes the organiser in practice.

Participants: Defined as the pilot in command of an aircraft being operated in the Classic Air air display (s 3, participant). Crucially, only those participants named in the program of events are granted the approval by this instrument (s 5(2)). Participants who are named and who are scheduled to conduct aerobatic manoeuvres over a populous area or aerobatics generally are individually approved for those flights under ss 5(3)-(4). Participants are subject to conditions: they must not carry passengers during the display (s 7(1)) and must comply with the program and the Air Display Manual (s 7(2)). The Air Display Manual places on the organiser an obligation to ensure participants are briefed (s 7 note). The effect is that participant involvement is conditional on program inclusion and adherence to the organiser-controlled briefing and manual.

CASA: The Civil Aviation Safety Authority is a party in two ways. First, CASA is the maker of the instrument by delegation (instrument preamble). Second, CASA is the recipient of the post display report that the organiser must lodge within 14 days (s 8(2)). The instrument also references CASA’s approval role under the Classic Air Safety Management System where certain significant changes must be approved by CASA before implementation (s 6 note). That creates an ongoing interaction between the operator’s internal processes and CASA oversight.

Other affected interests (indirect): Crew members are referenced in the definition of program of events and may be named in programs (s 3, program of events). Passengers are explicitly mentioned in the definitions note and then prohibited from being carried by participants during the display (s 7(1)). The broader public and aerobatic display attendees are indirectly affected because the instrument allows aerobatic flights over a populous area by named participants (s 5(3)), but the instrument does not specify measures directed to members of the public beyond the incorporated documents.

Geography and event-specific scope: The instrument is explicitly tied to the display area at Wangaratta aerodrome (YWGT) as described in the Classic Air Air Display Manual (s 3, display area). Therefore, the approvals and obligations apply in relation to any Classic Air air display conducted in that display area (s 4). The instrument does not extend beyond the Classic Air air display at that specified location.

Temporal limit: The approvals for Precision Airmotive and participants expire at the end of 17 October 2028 (s 5(7)), while the instrument itself is repealed at the end of 31 October 2028 (s 2(b)). The organiser’s reporting obligation survives until the instrument’s repeal because of the need to receive post-display reports (s 2 note; s 8(2) note). These timing elements affect who remains subject to obligations and approvals over time.

In short, Precision Airmotive, its chosen organiser and the pilots named in its program are the primary, directly affected parties. CASA is the regulator receiving reports and, where required by the operator’s SMS, approving significant changes. Others are affected indirectly by operational decisions made under the instrument and the documents it incorporates.

This section sets out the concrete duties imposed and the rights conferred by the instrument, with references to the specific provisions.

Rights (approvals conferred)

• Precision Airmotive: Has an approval to conduct the Classic Air air display for the purposes of subregulation 91.180(1) of CASR (s 5(1)). That is an express statutory right granted by the instrument and is the central permission enabling the organised air display.
• Participants named in the program: Each participant named in the program of events is approved under regulation 91.180 of CASR (s 5(2)). The instrument notes that this approval is required for further provisions of CASR (s 5(2) note).
• Aerobatics approvals: Participants named as conducting aerobatic manoeuvres over a populous area are approved to do so for a flight over a populous area at the air display (s 5(3)). Participants named as conducting aerobatic manoeuvres are approved to do so for a flight at the air display (s 5(4)).

Duties (conditions and directions)

• Precision Airmotive duties: Must comply with any requirement in a relevant document that applies to Precision Airmotive and relates to the Classic Air air display (s 6). The relevant documents are the Classic Air Air Display Manual and the Classic Air Safety Management System, “as the document exists from time to time” (s 3, relevant document). The instrument also notes a specific management of change process in the SMS that Precision Airmotive must follow and that significant changes defined in the SMS require CASA approval before implementation (s 6 note).
• Participant duties: Must not carry passengers during any aircraft operations they conduct as part of the Classic Air air display (s 7(1)). Must comply with the program of events and the Classic Air Air Display Manual (s 7(2)). The Air Display Manual, in turn, requires the organiser to ensure participants are briefed prior to the display (s 7 note).
• Organiser duties: Must comply with any requirement in a relevant document that applies to the organiser and relates to the Classic Air air display (s 8(1)). Must provide CASA, within 14 days of completion of the Classic Air air display, with a completed CASA Post Display Report form (s 8(2)). The instrument points to CASA’s website for the current form (s 8 note 1).

Administrative and procedural mechanics

• Program of events: The instrument defines the program of events and requires it to list certain items, including participant names, crew names, aircraft types, display kinds and the organiser’s name (s 3, program of events). Inclusion in the program is a prerequisite for the participant approvals in s 5(2)-(4).
• Display area: The instrument defines the display area by reference to the Air Display Manual’s description of the display area at Wangaratta aerodrome; the note identifies where a diagram exists in the manual (s 3, display area and note).
• Temporal constraints: The approvals in s 5 are limited in time and end at the end of 17 October 2028 (s 5(7)). The instrument as a whole is repealed at the end of 31 October 2028 (s 2(b)). Directions in s 8 remain until repeal for purposes of post-display reporting (s 2 note; s 8(2) note).

Delegation and formality

• The instrument is made by a CASA delegate under identified CASR regulations (instrument preamble). That establishes the formal authority for the approvals, conditions and directions recorded in the instrument.

Operational interplay: Rights are conditioned on compliance with documents that can be changed over time. The instrument repeatedly ties approvals to the operator’s own documents and to the program prepared by the organiser, thereby turning procedural and documentary adherence into a key compliance metric (s 6-8; s 3, relevant document and program of events).

In summary, the instrument confers targeted flight and aerobatic approvals for a specific air display while imposing document-centred duties, an explicit passenger prohibition for participants, and a post-display reporting duty on the organiser. Compliance with the operator’s Air Display Manual and Safety Management System is central to retaining the approvals.

The instrument itself does not prescribe express penalties or set out specific enforcement mechanisms such as fines or criminal sanctions. It records approvals granted under CASR and attaches conditions and directions to those approvals; enforcement implications therefore arise from failure to meet the conditions or directions and from the relationship between this instrument and the broader regulatory framework.

What the instrument states and implies about enforcement

• Conditions: The approvals in s 5 are expressly made “subject to” the condition in s 6 for Precision Airmotive and the conditions in s 7 for participants (s 5(5)-(6)). If a party does not comply with those conditions, the approval would not be being used in the terms set by this instrument. The instrument does not itself specify the consequence of non-compliance, such as revocation, suspension, or penalties; it leaves those consequences to the broader regulatory regime and to administrative action by CASA under the Civil Aviation Act and CASR, which are referenced but not reproduced in this instrument.
• Directions and reporting: The organiser is directed to provide a CASA Post Display Report within 14 days (s 8(2)). The instrument does not state what action CASA may take if the report is not submitted. The note explains that the directions in s 8 continue until repeal because of the reporting requirement (s 2 note; s 8(2) note). That indicates an ongoing expectation of compliance, but the instrument does not itself create statutory sanctions.
• CASA approval for significant changes: The instrument notes that the Classic Air Safety Management System requires CASA approval before certain significant changes related to the Classic Air air display are implemented (s 6 note). That introduces an explicit checkpoint where CASA exercises approval discretion, but the instrument does not set penalties for failing to obtain such approval; the instrument simply records the requirement that certain changes must be approved by CASA before implementation.
• Delegated instrument status: The instrument is made by a CASA delegate under specified CASR provisions (instrument preamble). Enforcement measures, including revocation or other administrative action, would be exercised under the broader statutory and regulatory framework and CASA’s powers, not by this instrument alone.

Practical enforcement avenues that the instrument enables or interacts with

• Loss or limitation of approval in practice: Because approvals are granted under specific CASR provisions and are subject to conditions, a participant or organiser who does not meet conditions risks that their operational approvals will not be valid for the activity in question. The instrument creates a factual basis for CASA to review or query the validity of operations carried out under the instrument. The instrument itself does not list revocation processes, but the conditional character of the approvals places compliance as a necessary factual predicate to the right to operate under those approvals.
• Reporting and oversight: The requirement for a post-display report provides CASA with monitoring information that it can use for oversight. The instrument does not state the uses of the report, nor the consequences of non-delivery, but the reporting obligation makes inspection, audit or follow-up action by CASA possible within the broader regulatory framework.

What is not in the instrument

• No specified penalties: There are no civil or criminal penalties or infringement notices set out in this instrument itself.
• No procedural enforcement steps: The instrument does not provide a process for CASA to revoke or amend the instrument or to issue penalties; any such actions would be taken under the broader legislative scheme referenced in the instrument.

Consequence for compliance planning

• Parties must assume that compliance is monitored through documentary obligations (Air Display Manual, SMS, program) and the post-display report. The instrument makes compliance an operational requirement tied to approvals; managing that compliance is therefore necessary to preserve the practical benefit of the approvals and to avoid regulatory follow-up under CASA’s broader powers, which the instrument does not restate.

In short, this instrument confers approvals and imposes conditions and reporting obligations, but it does not itself set penalties or detailed enforcement steps. Enforcement and penalties lie, in practice, in the wider regulatory framework to which the instrument links the approvals and obligations.

The instrument is an exercise of delegated administrative authority under the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 and it expressly situates itself within that regulatory architecture. The text cross-references specific CASR provisions and the Civil Aviation Act 1988 as sources for defined terms, and it ties approvals to provisions of CASR.

Direct statutory links

• Source of authority: The instrument is made under CASR regulations 11.056, 11.245 and 91.045, as stated in the opening paragraph. That identifies the instrument as an authorised administrative instrument within the CASR framework.
• Definitions: The instrument notes that certain terms and expressions have the same meaning as in the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and the regulations, explicitly including “air display”, “crew member” and “passenger” (s 3 note). Those external statutory definitions therefore operate to give precise legal meaning to the terms used in the instrument.
• Approvals referenced to CASR provisions: The approvals granted by the instrument are given for the purposes of specified CASR provisions: subregulation 91.180(1) for the organiser (s 5(1)), regulation 91.180 for participants (s 5(2)), and subparagraphs of regulation 91.185 for aerobatic manoeuvres over or at a populous area (ss 5(3)-(4)). The instrument also notes that the participant approval is required for paragraphs 91.265(2)(b) and 91.267(2)(b) (s 5(2) note). This explicit cross-referencing makes the instrument an implementing mechanism that supplies the approvals needed to operate under those CASR rules.

Incorporation of operator documents and interaction with regulatory approvals

• Dynamic incorporation: The instrument incorporates the Classic Air Air Display Manual and Classic Air Safety Management System “as the document exists from time to time” (s 3, relevant document). That creates an operational interaction where changes to those documents alter the substance of duties attached to the approvals, subject where applicable to the SMS requirement that significant changes receive CASA approval before implementation (s 6 note). This design effectively delegates certain operational rule-making to the operator’s own documents, under CASA oversight.
• Program of events as an operational legal trigger: The instrument makes participant approval contingent on a participant being listed in the program of events (s 5(2)). The program is a written document that must contain specified information (s 3, program of events). The program therefore functions as an incorporated instrument that triggers individual approvals under CASR.

Interaction with CASA oversight

• CASA as approver and report recipient: The instrument requires CASA approval in at least one context (management of change where certain changes are significant) and requires the organiser to supply CASA with a post-display report (s 6 note; s 8(2)). That establishes an ongoing regulatory oversight loop: the operator’s SMS can propose changes, CASA may be required to approve significant changes, and post-display reporting feeds CASA’s monitoring.

Temporal and administrative interactions

• Different expiry dates: The instrument’s approvals and directions expire at different times (s 2, s 5(7)). That creates a sequence in which the approval to conduct the air display expires on 17 October 2028 while the instrument remains on the books until 31 October 2028 to accommodate post-display reporting (s 2 note; s 5(7)). Parties must therefore manage compliance with the timing imposed by this instrument as it overlaps with other regulatory timelines.

What the instrument does not do explicitly

• It does not reproduce or amend the underlying CASR provisions cited. It does not set out the full compliance, enforcement or sanctioning regime that exists in CASR or the Civil Aviation Act 1988; it simply supplies approvals and attaches conditions and directions.
• It does not attempt to displace other legal obligations that parties may have under CASR or the Civil Aviation Act beyond the approvals recorded in s 5.

Net effect on legal relations

• The instrument operates as a tailored regulatory authorisation that interacts with CASR by supplying approvals, while importing operational obligations through incorporation of the operator’s manual and SMS. CASA retains oversight through required approvals for significant SMS changes and through its receipt of post-display reports. The instrument therefore functions as a bridging device between statutory rules in CASR and operator-level documentation and practices.

The instrument itself contains minimal structural amendment history information. It is a stand-alone delegated instrument with a clear commencement date, version information for incorporated documents as at commencement, and specified repeal dates. The instrument sets out the documents it incorporates and the versions current at commencement, thereby capturing a snapshot of the incorporated materials.

Instrument creation and dates

• Signature and date: The instrument is signed by Daniel Gerard Smith, Acting National Manager Regulatory Services, Regulatory Oversight Division, as a CASA delegate, dated 15 December 2023 (instrument header and signature block). The instrument states it “commences on the day after it is registered” and is repealed at the end of 31 October 2028 (s 2(a)-(b)). The approvals in s 5 cease to be in force at the end of 17 October 2028 (s 5(7)).
• Incorporated document versions at commencement: The instrument notes the versions of the incorporated documents at commencement. As at commencement, the Classic Air Air Display Manual Version 1.2 dated October 2023 was the latest version (s 3 note under relevant document (a)). Similarly, the Classic Air Safety Management System Version 1.1 dated October 2023 was the latest version (s 3 note under relevant document (b)). These notes serve as a contemporaneous record of the operator materials that were current when the instrument was made.

Amendment mechanics implicit in the instrument

• Dynamic incorporation: The instrument expressly contemplates that the relevant documents exist “from time to time” (s 3, relevant document). That means the operator may update those documents after commencement, and the instrument will continue to import them in their updated form unless the instrument is itself amended or repealed. The instrument further instructs compliance with those documents “as the document exists from time to time” (s 6-8 cross-references). This design creates a running interaction rather than requiring formal amendment of the instrument to capture changed operator requirements.
• CASA approval of significant changes: The instrument’s note records that the Classic Air Safety Management System requires Precision Airmotive to follow the management of change process set out in the SMS before certain changes are made, and that if any such change is a “significant change” as defined in the SMS, the change must be approved by CASA before implementation (s 6 note). That means significant operational changes must loop back to CASA approval, which is an amendment gate for certain operational changes even if the SMS itself is updated.

No recorded amendments in the instrument text

• The instrument does not record any subsequent amendments or alterations. The instrument is presented as a single instrument with a commencement date relative to registration and with a built-in expiry schedule. There are no s 9, s 10 or other amendment clauses in the text that would indicate a mechanism for later amendment by the delegate within the instrument itself.

Relevance for users

• Parties relying on the instrument should note the dates and the fact that incorporated documents may change after commencement. Because the instrument imports those documents in their current and future forms, users must track updates to the Air Display Manual and SMS. The instrument’s notes set the baseline versions at commencement (Air Display Manual v1.2; SMS v1.1) (s 3 notes).
• Any changes deemed significant under the SMS require CASA approval before implementation (s 6 note). That creates a practical checkpoint for material operational changes and is a de facto amendment control for specified operator-level changes.

In sum, the instrument itself is a single dated instrument with an explicit beginning and end date, includes contemporaneous version notes for the incorporated documents, and provides a procedural link for CASA oversight of significant changes through the SMS. It does not record any later amendments; it relies on dynamic incorporation of operator documents and CASA’s approval function for material changes.

The instrument, as provided, does not contain any record of litigation, judicial review, or administrative appeals. There are no references within the text to any proceedings, determinations, or legal challenges. The instrument is an administrative approval instrument made by a CASA delegate and the document contains only the approvals, conditions, definitions and directions described.

What the instrument records and what it does not

• No cases or proceedings cited: The instrument includes no mention of judicial decisions, tribunal determinations, or litigation between the parties or involving CASA in relation to this instrument.
• No internal dispute or review process: The instrument sets conditions and directions but does not set out an internal mechanism for dispute resolution about the instrument’s terms, nor does it describe appeal rights or merits review specific to the instrument. Any such rights or processes would lie in the broader Civil Aviation Act 1988 or CASR framework, which the instrument references but does not reproduce.

Implication for practitioners

• Absence of recorded litigation does not indicate the absence of rights to seek judicial review or administrative review where lawful grounds exist. The instrument does not articulate the availability or the process for such remedies.
• Legal disputes regarding the interpretation of incorporated documents, such as the Classic Air Air Display Manual or the Classic Air Safety Management System, are not recorded in this instrument. Any disagreement over the meaning of those documents vis-à-vis the instrument’s conditions would be a matter external to the instrument text itself.

Research note

• Practitioners seeking litigation or administrative history should independently check administrative records, CASR registers, tribunal dockets and court listings, because this instrument does not supply that material and contains no litigation history.

In short, the instrument as provided contains no litigation history or references to legal proceedings. Any litigation or review related to the instrument would be a matter external to the instrument and is not recorded in the text supplied.

This instrument contains a number of specific traps or operational frictions that parties must manage. These are drawn from the instrument’s wording and structural design and are matters of legal and operational mechanics rather than policy judgement.

Dynamic incorporation of operator documents

• The Air Display Manual and the Classic Air Safety Management System are incorporated “as the document exists from time to time” (s 3, relevant document). That means compliance obligations change when the operator updates those documents. Precision Airmotive and the organiser must track versions continuously. The instrument notes the versions current at commencement (Air Display Manual v1.2; SMS v1.1) (s 3 notes), but those are snapshots only. Failure to follow a later revision of those documents that applies to the party could be treated as non-compliance with the instrument’s conditional approvals (s 6-8).

Management-of-change and CASA approval

• The SMS requires Precision Automotive to follow a management of change process and requires CASA approval for certain changes that are significant (s 6 note). If the operator implements a change that the SMS defines as significant without obtaining CASA approval, the operator would be out of step with the SMS requirements that the instrument makes a condition of approval. That could jeopardise the factual basis of the approval even if the operator believes the change is minor.

Different expiry dates and reporting window

• The approvals for conducting the air display and for participant aerobatic operations cease at the end of 17 October 2028 (s 5(7)), whereas the instrument is repealed at the end of 31 October 2028 (s 2(b)). The organiser’s reporting obligation in s 8(2) remains in force until the instrument’s repeal, to cover the reporting that can follow the last display (s 2 note; s 8(2) note). Practically, this creates a narrow post-approval window during which reporting obligations survive the substantive approvals. Organisers must ensure post-display reports are filed within 14 days to meet the instrument’s requirement if a display occurs close to the approvals’ expiry.

Program reliance and nomination mechanics

• Participant approvals are limited to persons named in the program of events (s 5(2)). That makes accurate and timely preparation of the program legally significant. If a pilot flies but is not named in the program, the instrument’s approval does not, on its face, extend to that pilot. Organisers thereby assume procedural risk in assembling and updating the program and in ensuring that changes are reflected prior to flight.

Passenger prohibition

• Participants are explicitly prohibited from carrying passengers during the Classic Air air display (s 7(1)). A pilot who inadvertently or deliberately carries a passenger would be acting outside the conditions of the participant approval. The instrument does not define “passenger” beyond noting it has the same meaning as in the Civil Aviation Act and the regulations (s 3 note), so parties must look to the statutory definition to interpret the scope of the prohibition.

Ambiguity over which document imposes which requirement

• The instrument requires Precision Airmotive and the organiser to “comply with any requirement, mentioned in a relevant document, that applies to [them] and relates to the Classic Air air display” (ss 6 and 8(1)). That broad phrasing could create uncertainty as to which particular clause in the Air Display Manual or SMS applies to which party. Practical risk arises if a requirement is not clearly assigned to a party or if a party reasonably interprets a requirement as applying to someone else.

Form of the program and program changes

• The program of events must include particular items (s 3). The instrument does not specify the timing for updates to the program, nor the process for replacing or amending the program. Given that participant approvals are tied to the program, any last-minute changes in participants or display types must be carefully managed so that the legal approval basis aligns with the operational plan.

Reporting form and availability

• The instrument requires a completed CASA Post Display Report form “as the form exists from time to time” and points to CASA’s website (s 8(2) note 1). If CASA updates the form, the organiser must use the current version. An organiser that uses a superseded form risks non-compliance with s 8(2).

Narrow scope of the instrument

• The instrument applies only to the Classic Air air display, defined by organiser, program and display area (s 3, s 4). Conducting a display with similar participants or aircraft outside that narrowly defined display area or outside the program would not be covered by the approvals here and would require separate approvals or compliance with other CASR provisions.

No express remedial or revocation language in the instrument

• The instrument does not set out revocation, amendment or penalty clauses. Parties cannot rely on this instrument for procedural guidance if CASA seeks to vary or withdraw approvals; they must consult the broader legislative framework for those processes. That creates an evidential and procedural risk if a party mistakenly believes the instrument itself contains all relevant operational rules.

Taken together, these “gotchas” centre on version control, program accuracy, timing of approvals versus instrument repeal, and the division of responsibilities between the operator’s documents and CASA approval. Addressing these practical friction points requires careful document management, timely CASA engagement for significant SMS changes, and precise program administration.

This section sets out a practical, concrete compliance checklist derived strictly from the instrument’s text. It identifies the actions Precision Airmotive, the organiser and participants must take to stay within the approvals and directions recorded in the instrument.

For Precision Airmotive (operator)

1. Maintain and track the Classic Air Air Display Manual and the Classic Air Safety Management System: The instrument conditions Precision Airmotive’s approval on compliance with any requirements in a relevant document that apply to Precision Airmotive and relate to the Classic Air air display (s 6). Ensure that the current versions of these documents are accessible and that changes are logged, because the instrument incorporates those documents “as the document exists from time to time” (s 3, relevant document).
2. Follow the SMS management-of-change process: The instrument’s note records that the SMS requires Precision Airmotive to follow its management of change process and that significant changes must be approved by CASA before implementation (s 6 note). Before implementing any system, process or procedural change that the SMS defines as significant, obtain CASA approval in accordance with the SMS procedure.
3. Nominate and document the organiser: Designate the organiser (person nominated and named in the program of events) and ensure the program correctly records that nomination (s 3, organiser; s 3, program of events). The organiser is the party directed to provide the post-display report (s 8(2)).
4. Prepare an accurate program of events and keep it current: The program must include participant names, crew names, aircraft types, display types and the organiser name (s 3, program of events). Since participant approvals are limited to persons named in the program (s 5(2)), ensure all intended pilots are properly listed ahead of the display.
5. Ensure briefings occur: The Air Display Manual requires the organiser to ensure participants are briefed prior to the air display, including on the program and any changes (s 7 note). Precision Airmotive should document briefings to demonstrate compliance if required.

For the organiser

1. Comply with any relevant document obligations that apply to the organiser: The organiser must comply with any relevant document requirements that apply to them and relate to the Classic Air air display (s 8(1)). Make sure the organiser understands their obligations in the Air Display Manual and SMS and documents compliance measures.
2. Prepare and maintain the program of events: Produce the program containing the enumerated elements (s 3, program of events). Confirm that participant lists are accurate and that any changes are processed in accordance with the SMS and any CASA approval requirements.
3. Conduct participant briefings and document them: The Air Display Manual requires participant briefings and the instrument makes compliance with the manual a participant duty (s 7 note; s 7(2)). Keep records of the briefings, attendance and content.
4. File the CASA Post Display Report within 14 days: After the Classic Air air display completes, provide CASA with a completed CASA Post Display Report form within 14 days, using the current form from CASA’s website (s 8(2); s 8 note 1). Retain a copy of the submitted form and proof of submission.

For participants (pilots)

1. Ensure inclusion in the program of events: Confirm your name is accurately listed in the program of events before conducting any display flights, because the participant approval in s 5(2) applies only to persons named in the program.
2. Do not carry passengers during the display: Participants must not carry a passenger in any aircraft they pilot during the Classic Air air display (s 7(1)). Confirm the statutory meaning of “passenger” as referenced by the instrument’s note, and ensure compliance.
3. Comply with the program and the Air Display Manual: Participants must comply with the requirements of the program and the Classic Air Air Display Manual as the manual exists from time to time (s 7(2)). Attend and acknowledge the organiser’s briefing.

Operational and administrative best practice (cross-cutting)

1. Version control and document governance: Because the instrument incorporates the Air Display Manual and SMS in their current and future forms (s 3), implement a formal document control process that tracks version changes, records approvals for changes, and documents which parties were advised and when.
2. CASA engagement for significant changes: If a proposed change to systems, processes or procedures might be “significant” under the SMS, initiate CASA approval processes early. The SMS requires CASA approval before implementing significant changes (s 6 note).
3. Timing and expiry management: Be aware of the expiry dates in the instrument. The approvals for the display cease at the end of 17 October 2028 (s 5(7)). The instrument remains in force until 31 October 2028 to accommodate reporting (s 2(b)). Plan displays and any necessary CASA interactions with those dates in mind.
4. Recordkeeping: Retain copies of programs of events, Air Display Manual and SMS versions, briefing attendance lists, change-management records, communications with CASA, and the submitted CASA Post Display Report form. These records demonstrate compliance with the conditions and directions in the instrument.
5. Clarify responsibilities: Document which party is responsible for each requirement set out in the incorporated documents, particularly where the documents do not clearly assign responsibility. The instrument places duties on Precision Airmotive, the organiser and participants (ss 6-8), but the specific allocation in practice should be recorded to avoid disputes.
6. Use the current CASA Post Display Report form: The instrument requires the organiser to supply the CASA Post Display Report “as the form exists from time to time” (s 8(2); s 8 note 1). Download and complete the current form from CASA’s website and retain proof of submission.

In short, compliance requires active document management, timely pre-display administrative steps (program, briefings), avoidance of carrying passengers by participants, adherence to the SMS management-of-change process including CASA approvals for significant changes, and punctual post-display reporting. These steps are the direct obligations the instrument imposes and the practical measures that make compliance demonstrable.