Civil Aviation Order 20.11 - Emergency & life saving equipment & passenger control in emergencies (02/12/2004)

The Order organises emergency preparedness by linking three core concepts: mandatory equipment carriage by operation type and route, crew competency and training, and demonstrable evacuation capability for larger aircraft types.

Equipment carriage rules are prescriptive and conditional. For flotation devices the Order differentiates by aircraft category (single‑engine, multi‑engine, amphibious, seaplane, helicopter with flotation, land aircraft) and by the aircraft’s distance from land or permitted overwater distance (ss 5.1-5.3, 5.2.1.1). Life jackets must be carried for each occupant when the aircraft is over water beyond stated limits (s 5.1.1), and stowage location is mandated to be at or adjacent to seats (s 5.1.3). Life rafts must be carried where an aircraft is flown beyond a permitted distance; that permitted distance is defined by engine number and engine type and expressed in minutes at normal cruising speed or miles, whichever is less (s 5.2.1-5.2.1.1). CASA has express authority to require life rafts on other flights (s 5.2.2). Life rafts are additional to the life jackets (s 5.2.3) and must be stowed for rapid access with stowages conforming to Part 101 if fitted (s 5.2.4).

Signalling and localisation is treated separately. The Order ties the number and type of emergency locator transmitters to the number of life rafts carried and establishes registration and maintenance obligations. A flight may not commence if required ELTs/portable ELTs have not had the periodic inspections recommended by their manufacturer (s 6.5), and portable ELTs have specified carriage locations (ss 6.3-6.4). ELTs are to be registered with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority before being used for this subsection (s 6.6).

Human factors and crew capability are a central organising principle. Operators must specify emergency procedures in their operations manual covering specified emergency types (s 10.1). Emergency duties must be realistically assigned accounting for possible incapacitation (s 11.1). Crew members may not accept emergency duty assignments unless they have passed the type‑specific proficiency test in Appendix IV and those tests are generally annual, with a 90‑day carryover provision (ss 12.1-12.6). The tests include practical operation, theoretical knowledge and, where applicable, ditching and water competence (Appendix IV). CASA or approved persons may conduct the tests, but a Chief Pilot cannot test him/herself where the Chief Pilot is also a crew member (s 12.3.1).

Evacuation capability is demonstrated for larger types. Aircraft with seating capacity over 44 must meet the evacuation capability associated with FAR 25.803 or another CASA‑accepted standard, and CASA may require simulated evacuations under specified conditions; ditching demonstrations are required unless CASA grants an exemption (s 15.1-15.2 and Appendix II). Appendix II provides detailed criteria for such demonstrations including passenger mix, blackout procedures to prevent disclosure of exit availability, and limits on rehearsal and notice.

Supporting measures focus on crew/passenger communications and passenger control: cabin attendant distribution and training (s 13), oral briefings and printed safety cards for operations with more than six seats (s 14), and public address system requirements for operations with 10 or more seats (s 14.1.6). Portable megaphones are mandated for large aircraft and must meet performance standards (s 6A).

Collectively, the Order structures risk mitigation by combining equipment minimums aligned to operational risk (overwater distance and remote areas), mandated crew competence, and demonstrated evacuation capacity for larger aircraft types, with CASA positioned as the decision authority for equivalence, exemptions, approvals, and additional requirements.

Operators: The primary obligations fall on aircraft operators. Operators must supply, maintain and ensure availability of required emergency and life‑saving equipment (s 3). They must include specified emergency procedures in the operations manual (s 10.1), assign emergency duties (s 11.1), ensure crew proficiency and retain records and certificates of proficiency (ss 12.4-12.5), and ensure passenger briefings and printed matter where required (s 14.1.3, 14.1.5). For operators introducing a type/model with seating >44, there are additional demonstration obligations before passenger carriage (s 15.1).

Pilots in command: The pilot in command (PIC) has a pre‑flight stop‑go obligation tied to ELT functionality: the PIC must not begin a flight if an approved ELT or portable ELT required under the subsection has not successfully undergone the periodic inspection/testing recommended by the manufacturer (s 6.5). The operator shares responsibility to ensure the flight does not begin if this is not the case (s 6.5). The PIC also enforces life jacket wearing requirements during specified phases and altitudes (ss 5.1.7-5.1.9) and must ensure emergency lighting requirements are complied with when below 1000 feet or on ground with passengers (s 9.1).

Crew members: Cabin attendants and other crew have direct training and proficiency requirements. A crew member cannot be assigned emergency duties unless they have passed the Appendix IV proficiency test for the type (s 12.1) and cabin attendants have additional training obligations specific to passenger briefing, knowledge of aircraft, public address use and first aid (s 13.3). Crew must also physically perform demonstrations and maintain competency for ditching procedures and life raft deployment where applicable (Appendix IV).

Passengers: The Order imposes obligations on operators to brief passengers and, in specific circumstances, to ensure passengers wear life jackets during flights (s 14; ss 5.1.7-5.1.9). The Order also contemplates particular assistance and individual briefings for handicapped persons (s 14.1.2).

Regulators and other agencies: CASA is the approving and discretionary authority for equipment standards, alternative equivalence standards (e.g. FAR 25.803 equivalence, s 15.1.2), exemptions for ditching demonstrations (s 15.2.1.1), and for approval of persons to conduct proficiency tests (s 12.3). The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is the registry for ELTs and portable ELTs used under this subsection (s 6.6). Part 101 requirements are invoked for stowage installations of life rafts (s 5.2.4).

Maintenance and service providers: Manufacturers, maintenance organisations and suppliers of life‑saving equipment, ELTs, EPIRBs, life rafts and megaphones are implicated because the CAO requires equipment to "comply with a standard approved by CASA" (ss 5.1.6, 5.2.5) and portable megaphones to meet performance standards (s 6A.5). The CAO also requires periodic inspection/testing as recommended by manufacturers (s 6.5), which imports manufacturer maintenance schedules into operational compliance.

Who pays: Financial burden for compliance resides with operators and, where applicable, owners of Australian‑registered aircraft. Costs include purchase and certification of life rafts and life jackets, installation and stowage modifications (including to conform with Part 101 where required, s 5.2.4), ELT registration and maintenance, portable megaphone procurement and the training, testing and recordkeeping workload associated with annual proficiency tests (ss 12.2, 12.4-12.5, Appendix IV).

Who decides: CASA makes the key administrative and technical determinations, approves standards and persons to conduct tests, may require additional equipment, and grants or denies exemptions and acceptance of alternative standards (ss 5.2.2, 5.2.5, 12.3, 15.1.2, 15.2.1.1).

Duties on operators

• Equipment maintenance and condition: Operators must ensure emergency and life‑saving equipment carried or installed to meet the CAO requirements is maintained in such condition that it will satisfactorily perform its design function (s 3). This imports an ongoing maintenance duty linked to equipment standards and manufacturer recommendations.
• Provision and stowage of flotation devices: Operators must equip aircraft with a life jacket for each occupant when operating over water beyond certain distances (s 5.1.1), life jackets adjacent to each seat (s 5.1.3), and additional jackets for infants/children (s 5.1.3). For amphibious, seaplane and water‑operating helicopters different carriage and additional jackets near exits apply (s 5.1.4).
• Life raft carriage and stowage: Operators must provide sufficient life rafts to accommodate every person when flights exceed the permitted distance thresholds (s 5.2.1) and ensure life rafts are readily accessible and marked; compartments must comply with Part 101 where stowages are installed (s 5.2.4).
• Emergency signalling: Where life rafts are required, ELTs/portable ELTs and pyrotechnics must be carried in specified numbers depending on raft count (s 6.1). Operators must ensure ELTs have undergone manufacturer‑recommended inspections before flight and be registered with AMSA before use in aircraft for this subsection (ss 6.5-6.6).
• Emergency procedures and manuals: Operators engaged in charter or regular public transport must specify procedures for listed emergencies in the operations manual (s 10.1). Overwater briefing procedures for life‑saving equipment must be specified in the operations manual (s 14.2.2).
• Training and records: Operators must ensure crew members assigned emergency duties have passed the Appendix IV proficiency test and retain certificates and records of tests and results (ss 12.1, 12.4-12.5). Proficiency certificates are valid for 12 months (s 12.4).
• Demonstrations: For types/models with >44 seats, operators must establish their evacuation and ditching procedures via CASA‑accepted demonstrations or tests (s 15.1-15.2). CASA may require simulated evacuations including full seating capacity (s 15.1.4).

Duties on crew and pilots

• Proficiency and training: Crew members cannot accept emergency duty assignments unless they have passed the specified proficiency test on that type of aircraft (s 12.1). Tests are generally annual (s 12.2). The Chief Pilot may conduct tests but one cannot self‑test (s 12.3.1).
• ELT pre‑flight prohibition: The pilot in command must not begin a flight, and the operator must ensure the flight does not begin, if an approved ELT or portable ELT required under the subsection has not successfully undergone the manufacturer‑recommended periodic inspection and testing (s 6.5).
• Wearing life jackets: Occupants may be required to wear life jackets during flight over water under certain conditions , for single‑engine flights beyond gliding distance or where life jackets are required by s 5.1.1, subject to altitude exceptions for aeroplanes above 2000 feet (ss 5.1.7-5.1.9).
• Emergency lighting: Where equipped with an emergency lighting system compliant with Part 39‑105 AD/General/4, the system must be switched on, or normal cabin lights switched on and the emergency lighting armed, when the aircraft is less than 1000 feet above terrain or on the ground with passengers (s 9.1).

Rights and decision points

• CASA discretion and approval: The Order explicitly gives CASA authority to approve standards, accept equivalent standards (s 15.1.2), approve persons to conduct proficiency tests (s 12.3), require life rafts on flights beyond the named thresholds (s 5.2.2), and exempt or require ditching demonstrations (s 15.2.1.1). These are decision points where operators may seek relief or clarification.
• Alternative means: For evacuation capability the operator may propose compliance by demonstrating equivalence to FAR 25.803 or other CASA‑accepted standards (s 15.1.2), which gives operators a route to rely on established certification regimes rather than bespoke demonstrations.
• Record access and certificate issuance: After satisfactory completion of proficiency tests the person who conducted the test issues a certificate to the operator (s 12.4) and the operator must retain these certificates (s 12.5). This creates an evidentiary right to hold and produce proof of crew competence.

Formal constraints and process obligations

• Equipment standards must be CASA‑approved where the CAO requires compliance with an approved standard (ss 5.1.6, 5.2.5).
• Portable ELTs of particular types (EPIRBs, PLBs) must be carried in specified locations (ss 6.3-6.4) and registered with AMSA (s 6.6).
• Demonstrations have constrained design and participant requirements in Appendix II (passenger demographics, blackout measures to prevent disclosure, limits on prior knowledge, etc.), constraining how operators may conduct or prepare demonstrations (Appendix II paras 9-13).

These duties and rights are concentrated operationally: operators shoulder most direct costs and recordkeeping duties; CASA holds approval and exemption discretion; crew bear competence and behaviour obligations during operations and emergencies.

The CAO text compiled here sets out equipment, procedural and training requirements but does not itself specify penalty amounts or detailed enforcement procedures within its provisions. Mechanically, the Order:

• imposes duties framed as obligations (e.g. "An operator must ensure..." s 3; "The pilot in command... must not begin a flight..." s 6.5; "A crew member shall not be assigned..." s 12.1). These duties create compliance expectations enforceable under the regulatory framework that authorised the CAO (see preamble noting the CAO is made under subregulations 207(2), 252(1) and 253(5) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988).
• embeds administrative and approval mechanisms where CASA makes discretionary decisions (e.g. CASA may require life rafts on other flights, s 5.2.2; CASA may require evacuation demonstrations, s 15.1.4; CASA may exempt ditching demonstrations, s 15.2.1.1). Those decision points indicate the regulator is the enforcing authority for operational compliance and exemptions.

What is not in the CAO text: This compilation does not contain express criminal, civil penalty, infringement notice amounts or the procedural enforcement steps that CASA may use when a breach occurs. The enabling instrument and the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 would typically set out the sanctions and enforcement processes. Consequently, to determine specific penalties, timeframes for remedial action, notice and review rights, a reader must consult the CAR 1988, the Civil Aviation Act 1988 and CASA enforcement policy documents, which are outside this CAO’s text.

Practical enforcement levers visible inside this Order

• Pre‑flight stop authority: The CAO creates a direct operational lever where a flight "must not begin" if specified ELTs have not undergone the manufacturer's recommended periodic inspection and testing (s 6.5). This gives pilots and operators a cause‑to‑ground obligation tied to equipment condition.
• Certificate and record evidence: The requirement that proficiency test certificates be issued to and retained by operators (ss 12.4-12.5) creates documentary evidence CRM for regulators and a mechanism for CASA to audit compliance with training obligations.
• CASA's approval, acceptance and exemption powers: CASA can require demonstrations, accept alternative certification standards, and require additional equipment beyond the baseline thresholds (ss 5.2.2, 15.1.2, 15.2.1.1). These powers allow CASA to tailor compliance obligations and to compel operators to meet additional requirements where it deems necessary.
• Pre‑authorisation of equipment and persons: The CAO requires CASA approval of standards and permits persons to be approved to conduct proficiency tests (s 12.3). By controlling who can certify competence and what standards apply, CASA controls the route to compliance.

Compliance monitoring and evidence: The CAO’s recordkeeping mandates for certificates (s 12.5) and equipment stowage markings (s 5.2.4) create discrete items that inspectors can check. The detailed criteria for demonstrations (Appendix II) are themselves testable and observable standards.

In short, the CAO sets clear operational obligations and leaves sanctioning means and procedural enforcement to the broader regulatory framework under the Civil Aviation Regulations and CASA’s regulatory powers. Determining specific penalties, appeal routes, and procedural safeguards requires consultation of the enabling regulations and CASA enforcement instruments outside this CAO.

The CAO is expressly made under subregulations of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 (CAR 1988). Multiple cross‑references and dependencies to other regulatory instruments and agencies are embedded in the Order, creating interaction points:

• CAR 1988 definitions and approvals: The CAO imports meanings and approval regimes from CAR 1988. For example, "approved ELT" and "approved portable ELT" are given the same meanings as in subregulation 252A(7) of CAR 1988 (s 6.7). The CAO therefore relies on the CAR 1988 to define what constitutes an approved ELT/portable ELT.
• Part 101 (certification of stowages and installations): Life raft stowages that need to be installed to meet the CAO’s requirements must comply with the requirements of Part 101 appropriate to the certification of the aircraft concerned (s 5.2.4). This means that an operator’s duty to stow life rafts for rapid access may necessitate aircraft structural or equipment modifications that must be certified to Part 101 standards; that Part 101 conformity is a precondition for compliant installation.
• Aircraft airworthiness directives: The emergency lighting requirement cross‑references an airworthiness directive Part 39‑105 AD/General/4 (s 9.1). Compliance with lighting obligations interacts with the airworthiness regulatory regime and associated maintenance and conformity obligations.
• International standards and equivalence: The Order accepts equivalence to United States FAR 25.803 or "any other requirements that CASA accepts as being of an equivalent standard" for evacuation capability of large types (s 15.1.2). That creates an interaction where international certification standards (FARs) may be imported by CASA into Australian regulatory compliance when CASA accepts them as equivalent, linking Australian operational compliance to internationally recognised certification standards.
• Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA): Portable ELTs used under this subsection must be registered with AMSA before use in the aircraft (s 6.6). That makes ELT use and registration an inter‑agency interaction point: CASA sets carriage and inspection obligations while AMSA registers devices for search and rescue interoperability.
• CASA approvals and discretionary powers: The Order gives CASA the power to require life rafts where not otherwise mandated (s 5.2.2), to approve persons for the conduct of proficiency tests (s 12.3), and to exempt from ditching demonstrations taking into account factors such as availability and realism of training equipment (s 15.2.1.1). These are regulatory interactions internal to the civil aviation framework, but they also create administrative law considerations,operators may be subject to decision‑making that can be the subject of administrative review under the broader Act and regulations (though those review pathways are not within the CAO text itself).
• Cross‑references within CAOs: The CAO references another Civil Aviation Order provision for required cabin attendant numbers (s 13.1 references s 20.16.3). Compliance requires operators to consult related CAOs to determine crew numbers.
• Search and rescue and maritime domain: The CAO’s recommendation that an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) be carried where a portable ELT is used (note to s 6.1) and the AMSA registration requirement (s 6.6) indicate interaction with maritime SAR procedures and equipment standards.

Operationally, these interactions mean an operator must navigate aircraft certification and installation rules (Part 101), ELT registration and maritime search and rescue processes (AMSA), CASA approvals and exemptions, and internationally accepted certification standards when planning compliance. The CAO delegates technical standard‑setting to CASA and imports some standards by reference to existing airworthiness/directive materials and CAR 1988 definitions, so compliance often requires consulting multiple instruments.

This compilation was prepared on 2 February 2009 and takes account of amendments up to Civil Aviation Order 20.11 Amendment Order (No. 1) 2008, as stated in the preface. The CAO itself includes a Table of Orders and a Table of Amendments. The Table of Orders records the following instruments and commencements:

• CAO 2004 No. R13, notified 8 December 2004 and commenced 8 December 2004 (see s 2);
• CAO 20.11 2007 No. 1, FRLI 23 July 2007, commenced 24 July 2007 (see s 2);
• CAO 20.11 2007 No. 2, FRLI 31 October 2007, commenced 1 November 2007 (see s 2);
• CAO 20.11 2008 No. 1, FRLI 20 January 2009, commenced 1 February 2009 (see s 2).

The Table of Amendments within the compilation shows specific amendment actions affecting the CAO sections as follows:

• Section 20.11 was repealed and substituted by 2004 No. R13 (entry "s. 20.11 rs. 2004 No. R13").
• Subsection 5 (the flotation equipment provisions) was amended by CAO 20.11 2007 No. 1 and CAO 20.11 2007 No. 2 (Table entry "subs. 5 am. CAO 20.11 2007 No. 1; CAO 20.11 2007 No. 2").
• Subsection 6 was repealed and substituted by CAO 20.11 2008 No. 1 (Table entry "subs. 6 rs. CAO 20.11 2008 No. 1").

The compilation contains these amendment summaries (Table of Amendments) and the dates of the amending instruments. The detailed change logs (the preceding and subsequent text of earlier versions) are not included in this compilation; the Table records how particular parts were affected (rs., am., subs.). To track the textual evolution or compare pre‑ and post‑amendment wording, an operator or adviser should retrieve the FRLI entries for the specific CAO instruments listed and review the earlier CAO 20.11 and the amending instruments as published on the Federal Register of Legislation.

No other amendment entries are recorded in the visible Table of Amendments inside this compilation. The compilation’s notes make clear that the CAO is the form as amended up to the 2008 No. 1 instrument (commencing 1 February 2009). For a current compliance assessment, the reader must consult the Federal Register of Legislation to determine any amendments made after the compilation’s cut‑off date.

This CAO compilation does not include, reference or summarise any litigation or court decisions relating to Civil Aviation Order 20.11. The text and the appended notes list only the CAO provisions, appendices and the Table of Amendments. No cases, judicial reviews or tribunal decisions are cited or reproduced in the compilation.

Consequently, from this source alone:

• there is no recorded judicial interpretation, precedent or adjudicated enforcement outcome set out within the document;
• there is no in‑text description of contentious regulatory applications, contested CASA decisions, or examples where courts have ruled on the application or scope of these specific CAO provisions.

For litigation history or administrative law challenges to CASA decisions under this CAO,such as disputes over CASA exemptions, approval of alternative standards, enforcement actions, or the interpretation of obligations,researchers should search judicial and tribunal databases, the Federal Court and Administrative Appeals Tribunal decisions, and CASA enforcement records. The absence of litigation in this CAO compilation does not indicate absence of litigation in the wider corpus; it simply reflects that this compilation does not record any cases.

If judicial or tribunal guidance is material to an operator’s compliance or risk assessment (for example, on the scope of CASA’s discretionary powers under ss 5.2.2, 15.1.4 or 15.2.1.1), practitioners must obtain and review external decisions and administrative review outcomes, which are not contained in the CAO text provided here.

The CAO contains numerous technical thresholds, exceptions and documentation requirements that are easy to misread or overlook. Below are concrete “gotchas” drawn from the text.

Life jacket carriage vs wearing obligations: The CAO distinguishes between carriage requirements (s 5.1.1-5.1.6) and wearing requirements (ss 5.1.7-5.1.9). For example, where life jackets are required under s 5.1.1(a) (single‑engine aircraft over water beyond that which would allow the aircraft to reach land with the engine inoperative), "each occupant shall wear a life jacket during flight over water" (s 5.1.7), but aeroplanes need not wear life jackets during flight above 2000 feet above the water (s 5.1.7). By contrast, paragraph 5.1.8 imposes wearing requirements for single‑engine aircraft operating beyond autorotative gliding distance when life jackets are carried under s 5.1.4. Distinguishing which carriage paragraph applies (5.1.1 vs 5.1.4) affects whether passengers must wear jackets and when exceptions for altitude apply.

Permitted distance for life rafts is engine/type dependent: The "permitted distance" is not a single numeric threshold; it is defined by engine configuration and performance rules and uses "minutes at normal cruising speed, or miles, whichever is the less" (s 5.2.1.1). For modern multi‑engine turbine aircraft compliance can yield a longer permitted distance (120 minutes or 400 miles for certain engine configurations) versus 30 minutes or 100 miles for other aircraft. This means aircraft performance and engine configuration calculations are integral to whether life rafts are required.

CASA discretion: CASA may require life rafts on other flights it considers necessary (s 5.2.2) and may require evacuation demonstrations under conditions it considers necessary (s 15.1.4). Operators cannot assume the CAO’s baseline is exhaustive; CASA’s discretionary powers create exposure to additional requirements based on route, payload, or safety assessments.

Stowage certification and Part 101: When life raft stowages must be installed to meet requirements, the stowages must comply with Part 101 appropriate to the aircraft's certification (s 5.2.4). Modifying an aircraft to install compliant stowages can trigger aircraft certification and maintenance work of a scale larger than simply buying equipment.

ELT maintenance and AMSA registration: ELTs required by the CAO must have had periodic inspections and testing "recommended for it by its manufacturer" before flight (s 6.5) and must be registered with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority before being used in an aircraft for this subsection (s 6.6). Failure to track manufacturer recommendations or register ELTs with AMSA can result in flights not permitted to commence under the Order (s 6.5).

Portable ELTB location distinctions: If a portable ELT is an EPIRB it must be carried in or adjacent to a life raft or adjacent to an emergency exit used for evacuation (s 6.3). If it is a PLB it must be carried on the person of a crew member or similarly located (s 6.4). Misplacing these devices can breach the CAO’s location rules.

Proficiency testing timelines and 90‑day rule: Proficiency certificates are current for 12 months (s 12.4), generally renewed annually (s 12.2), but a proficiency test undertaken within 90 days before expiry is deemed to have been undertaken on the expiry date (s 12.6). Operators must manage scheduling to avoid inadvertent expiry or double testing.

Chief Pilot cannot self‑certify: A Chief Pilot who is a crew member cannot conduct the proficiency test that, as a crew member, he or she is required to undertake (s 12.3.1). Where a Chief Pilot is also a line crew member, the operator must ensure an approved independent person conducts the Chief Pilot’s test.

Evacuation demonstration constraints: Appendix II contains strict rules: not more than 50% of exits used, passenger demographic requirements (age distribution, number of children, pregnant mix), blackout or masking of exit availability, limits on prior notice, and a prohibition on rehearsals for participants (Appendix II paras 4, 8, 9, 10, 12). Non‑compliance could render a demonstration invalid for CASA’s purposes.

Portable megaphone performance: Megaphones must perform throughout the flight on which carried and be designed for single‑hand use, with volume control or acoustic suppression (s 6A.5). A battery‑exhausted megaphone that otherwise meets physical specifications may still fail the CAO requirement unless it is capable for the whole flight.

Public address system requirement ties to passenger count: Aircraft with passenger seating capacity of 10 seats or more on regular public transport must have an approved and serviceable electronic PA system as an integral part of the aircraft (s 14.1.6). This may require equipment installation rather than portable alternatives.

Remote area survival equipment: Operations within or through designated remote areas in Appendix III require survival equipment suitable to the area (s 7.1(b)). The CAO’s appendix maps designate particular corridors and exclusions, making route planning and survival inventory geographically sensitive.

Recordkeeping: Operators must retain all proficiency certificates and maintain records of names, dates and results (s 12.5). Poor recordkeeping can transform training and certification obligations into compliance breaches that surface during audits.

Taken together, these provisions create a compliance regime where technical details, procedural document content, installation certification, and schedule management all matter. Operators must map aircraft types, engine/flight performance, passenger seating capacities and routes against the CAO’s thresholds and CASA’s approval pathways to avoid unintended non‑compliance.

A practical compliance programme for operators and responsible persons should translate the CAO’s prescriptions into checklists, schedules, records and decision points. Below are concrete steps and controls mapped to the CAO text.

1. Map aircraft operations to CAO thresholds

• Identify for each aircraft type/model whether it is considered a land aircraft, amphibious aircraft, seaplane, flying boat, single‑engine or multi‑engine helicopter (s 2 definitions; ss 5.1-5.3).
• Determine permitted distances for life raft carriage per aircraft category and engine configuration using s 5.2.1.1 (calculate minutes at normal cruising speed and miles for each route).

2. Equipment inventory, procurement and stowage

• Life jackets and individual flotation devices: ensure one life jacket per occupant where required (s 5.1.1), stowed at or immediately adjacent to each seat (s 5.1.3), and additional jackets for infants/children (s 5.1.3). Ensure life jackets meet a CASA‑approved standard, are inflatable and have whistles (s 5.1.6).
• Life rafts: procure sufficient life rafts to accommodate all onboard where life rafts are required (s 5.2.1), ensure stowage is readily accessible and conspicuously marked (s 5.2.4), and confirm life rafts comply with CASA standards (s 5.2.5).
• Helicopter flotation systems: fit an approved flotation system where required for single and multi‑engine helicopters per ss 5.3.1-5.3.3.
• Emergency signalling: fit or carry the required number and type of approved ELTs/portable ELTs, ensure supply of pyrotechnic distress signals and align device types with required carriage locations (s 6.1; ss 6.3-6.4).
• Portable megaphones: for aircraft with >60 seats engaged in RPT or charter, carry the required number and ensure each unit meets s 6A.5 performance standards; ensure placement is readily accessible to crew (s 6A.2-6A.4).
• Accessories for water ops: for amphibious aircraft, seaplanes and flying boats, carry a sea anchor/drogue and provide fittings (s 8.1).
• Survival equipment: carry survival items appropriate to area overflown, particularly when life rafts required or when operating through remote areas in Appendix III (s 7.1).

3. Maintenance, registration and inspection regimes

• Implement manufacturer‑recommended periodic inspection/testing schedules for ELTs/portable ELTs; do not schedule flights until these checks are complete; maintain inspection records (s 6.5).
• Register all approved ELTs/portable ELTs with AMSA before use for the subsection (s 6.6).
• Ensure life jackets, rafts and flotation systems are maintained in condition to perform design function (s 3).

4. Operations manual, procedures and briefings

• Document emergency procedures (decompression, fires, impact drill, evacuation, ditching where appropriate) in operations manuals (s 10.1).
• Specify in the operations manual the briefing procedures for overwater operations and life jacket/raft demonstrations (s 14.2.2).
• Ensure passenger briefings comply with s 14.1.1 and include printed matter for operations with seating capacity >6 that is type‑specific (s 14.1.3-14.1.5). For RPT operations ≥10 seats, certify PA system functionality (s 14.1.6).

5. Crew assignment, training and testing

• Assign emergency duties by category and consider incapacitation scenarios (s 11.1).
• Ensure crew members pass the Appendix IV proficiency test for the type before being assigned emergency duties; plan annual recertification and use the 90‑day rule to schedule renewals efficiently (ss 12.1-12.6).
• Arrange approved persons or CASA to conduct tests (s 12.3); ensure Chief Pilot testing is handled by a person other than the Chief Pilot if the Chief Pilot is also a crew member (s 12.3.1).
• Maintain certificates and records (ss 12.4-12.5). Keep pro forma record folders and electronic backups.

6. Demonstration and certification obligations for large types

• For types/models >44 seats being introduced or undergoing major cabin configuration changes, plan for CASA acceptance of evacuation procedures (s 15.1). If CASA requires it, conduct simulated evacuations, and for ditching demonstrations review Appendix II in full for passenger mix, blackout rules, equipment constraints and documentation (s 15.1-15.2; Appendix II).
• Where seeking exemption from ditching demonstrations, prepare submissions detailing availability/realism of training equipment and prior demonstrations on similar types per s 15.2.1.1.

7. Operational controls and checklists

• Pre‑flight ELT/portable ELT inspection checklist linked to manufacturer schedule; ensure AMSA registration record is onboard or readily retrievable (ss 6.5-6.6).
• Life jacket and life raft stowage inspection checklist; verify accessibility and markings (s 5.2.4).
• Passenger briefing and safety card checks before each take‑off (s 14.1.1-14.1.3); ensure cabin attendants trained to conduct briefings for handicapped passengers (s 14.1.2).
• Emergency lighting checklist: ensure system is armed or switched on below 1000 feet or on ground with passengers (s 9.1).
• Portable megaphone battery and function test for entire flight duration before dispatch (s 6A.5).

8. Audit and regulatory engagement

• Schedule internal audits of training records, equipment maintenance and operations manual content against CAO sections (s 3; ss 10-15).
• Engage CASA early where alternative standards are proposed (s 15.1.2) or where exemptions or approvals are sought (ss 5.2.2, 15.2.1.1, 12.3).
• Keep a compliance file linking each route/flight type to the specific CAO provision that governs required equipment and procedures.

9. Scheduling and resource planning

• Budget for life raft stowage modifications that may trigger Part 101 certification (s 5.2.4).
• Plan training cycles so that crew proficiency certificates do not lapse; use s 12.6 to cluster testing where practical.

10. Document and evidence management

• Keep certificates, test results and operations manual revisions with effective dates and version control (s 12.5).
• Retain evidence of AMSA registration for ELTs and supplier conformity statements that life rafts and life jackets comply with CASA standards (ss 5.1.6, 5.2.5, 6.6).

Following these steps maps CAO obligations into ongoing operational routines. Operators should also confirm any subsequent amendments or CASA guidance beyond the compilation date, because the CAO as compiled includes amendment entries up to the 2008 No. 1 instrument (commenced 1 Feb 2009), and later changes may affect obligations.