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Commonwealth legislation
This is a temporary exemption issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) that allows aircraft operators and pilots to fly with certain broken or inoperative equipment under specific conditions.
What it does: Normally, aviation rules require all safety equipment to be working before a flight can take off. This instrument creates limited exceptions for specific types of equipment across four different sets of aviation rules (Parts 91, 121, 133, and 135 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations). It lets aircraft fly with broken equipment temporarily, provided strict conditions are met and repairs happen within set timeframes.
Who it affects:
What equipment is covered: The exemption covers specific items including:
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Direct links to the current provisions in CASA EX14/25 – Serviceability of Equipment under the Part 91, 121, 133 and 135 Manuals of Standards – Exemption Instrument 2025.
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View on official registerSourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
Key conditions:
Special rules for flight recorders (black boxes): New amendments added in October 2025 create specific exemptions for aircraft fitted with combination recorders (single units that contain both flight data and voice recording functions). If the combination unit breaks but one function still works, or if flying from an airport with no repair facilities, aircraft can fly under strict conditions for up to 21 days (3 days for smaller commercial aircraft under Part 135).
Why it matters: This instrument provides operational flexibility while maintaining safety. It recognises that sometimes aircraft are away from maintenance bases when equipment fails, and grounding them immediately could strand passengers or disrupt essential services. However, it ensures repairs happen promptly and only allows flights when safety risks are minimised through alternative procedures.
When it expires: This exemption automatically ends on 28 February 2027.