CASA EX79/24 –Transitional Training and Checking Requirements for Crew Members in Part 138 Operations – Exemption Instrument 2024

This is a temporary exemption issued by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) that gives aerial work operators and their crew members extra time to meet new training and safety checking requirements.

What it does: Normally, crew members working in "Part 138 operations" (specialised aerial work like surveying, firefighting, or mustering) must complete specific training and competency checks under new rules that took effect in December 2021. This instrument says: if you already did similar training or checks under the old rules, you don't have to immediately redo them under the new rules. Instead, you get a grace period (mostly until February 2026, but some dates vary).

Who it affects:

• Flight crew members (pilots) of aerial work aircraft
• Air crew members (other crew like loadmasters or observers)
• Task specialists (people doing the actual aerial work, like dropping water or taking photos)
• Operators (the companies running these flights)

How it works: The instrument contains a detailed table matching old training events to new requirements. For example:

• If a pilot passed an emergency procedures test under the old rules (CAO 20.11), they don't need to immediately do the new general emergency training.
• If a crew member did a flight review under Part 61 (the pilot licensing rules) before a certain cutoff date, that counts as their conversion training for a period.