Civil Aviation Order 20.16.1 – Air service operations – loading – general
as amended
made under regulation 5 and subregulation 235 (7) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988.
This compilation was prepared on 12 July 2018 taking into account amendments up to Civil Aviation Order 20.16.1 Amendment Instrument 2018 (No. 1). It is a compilation of Civil Aviation Order 20.16.1 – Air service operations – loading – general as amended and in force on 30 June 2018.
Prepared by the Advisory & Drafting Branch, Legal & Regulatory Affairs Division, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Canberra.
Note to Civil Aviation Order 20.16.1............................................
Section 20.16.1
Air service operations – loading – general
1 Application
This Order applies to all Australian aircraft except balloons.
2 Definitions
In this Order:
aerial application operation has the meaning given by regulation 61.010 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.
Approved Loading System means a system prepared by an operator in accordance with the requirements of Civil Aviation Order 100.7, and approved by CASA or the holder of an appropriate and valid Weight Control Authority for ensuring that an aircraft is loaded within approved limits at all times during flight.
empty weight, of an aircraft, has the meaning given by subsection 2 of Civil Aviation Order 100.7.
Load Sheet means a form for recording the weight and disposition of the disposable load together with other pertinent loading information.
Approved Load Controller means a person nominated by an operator and approved by CASA to carry out all or any of the duties involved in the control and supervision of aircraft loading in a particular aircraft. The pilot in command or the co-pilot of an aircraft may undertake the duties and assume the responsibilities of an approved load controller without special authorisation by CASA.
3 Loading system
Where an aircraft has an approved loading system, the operator and the pilot in command shall ensure that the aircraft is loaded at all times in accordance with that system.
Note 1 Civil Aviation Order 100.7 requires all aircraft, except balloons, to have a loading system unless it can be shown that the aircraft cannot possibly be loaded so that its centre of the gravity falls outside the approved range, observing all limitations on compartment loads.
Note 2 Some acceptable types of loading systems are given in the CASA publication titled ‘Weight Control of Aircraft’. Where the necessary limitations can be presented in placard form, such placards prominently displayed in the aircraft may be an acceptable type of loading system.
5 Load sheets
5.1 Subject to paragraph 5.1.1, the requirements of this paragraph are applicable to aircraft having a maximum take-off weight exceeding 5 700 kg and all aircraft engaged in regular public transport operations.
5.1.1 Paragraph 5.1 does not apply to an aircraft having a maximum take-off weight exceeding 5 700 kg while it is engaged in an aerial application operation.
5.2 Except as provided in paragraph 5.2.1 and 5.2.2, the operator and the pilot in command shall ensure that a load sheet is completed prior to departure of the aircraft on each stage of every flight.
5.2.1 Where the flight involves a number of stages, a supplementary load sheet based on the loading at the initial stage and accounting for all changes in the load may be used for each subsequent stage on the same day.
5.2.2 Where a standard load is carried on a number of consecutive flights on the same day from the same aerodrome, a load sheet completed for the first flight will meet the requirements of paragraph 5.1 for the subsequent flights if there is no change in any condition which could adversely affect the performance of the aircraft.
5.3 A load sheet shall contain the following and shall be signed by the pilot in command, the co-pilot or an approved load controller:
(a) name of pilot in command;
(b) date;
(c) aircraft type and registration marking;
(d) aerodromes of departure and destination;
(e) the aircraft’s empty weight;
(f) weights of:
(i) occupants;
(ii) cargo;
(iii) removable equipment;
(iv) fuel and consumables (e.g. water methanol);
(g) the loaded aircraft weight with evidence that the centre of gravity is within the approved limits;
(h) the maximum allowable weight for the flight having regard to the requirements of section 20.7.0.
5.4 The operator and pilot shall ensure that the load sheet is carried in the aircraft and, in the case of aircraft engaged in regular public transport services, that a copy is retained on the ground at the aerodrome of departure.
5.4.1 The operator shall retain a copy of each load sheet for a period of 3 months after the relevant flight.
7 Passenger lists
When passengers are carried on a charter or regular public transport flight, the operator or the operator’s representative shall compile a passenger list and leave it for retention at the aerodrome of departure. The list shall contain the aircraft registration, the names of passengers carried, the date and estimated time of departure, and the places of embarkation and destination.
Note to Civil Aviation Order 20.16.1
Note 1
Note: The Civil Aviation Order (in force under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988) as shown in this compilation comprises Civil Aviation Order 20.16.1 amended as indicated in the Tables below.
Note: > Note: Table of Orders
Year andnumber
Date of notificationin Gazette/registration on FRLI
Date ofcommencement
Application, saving ortransitional provisions
CAO 2004 No. R15
8 December 2004
8 December 2004 (see s. 2)
CAO 20.16.1 2007 No. 1
FRLI 20 December 2007 (see F2007L04938)
21 December 2007 (see s. 2)
CAO (Flight Crew Licensing) Repeal and Amendment Instrument 2014 (No. 1)
Table A Application, saving or transitional provisions
Sections 3 and 31 of Civil Aviation Order (Flight Crew Licensing) Repeal and Amendment Instrument 2014 (No. 1) read as follows:
3 Definitions
(1) In this instrument:
continued authorisation has the meaning given by regulation 202.261 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998).
new authorisation has the meaning given by regulation 202.261 of CASR 1998.
(2) A reference in this instrument to a Civil Aviation Order identified by a specified number is taken to include a reference to the section of the Civil Aviation Orders with that number.
Note Some existing legislative instruments are referred to as a Civil Aviation Order followed by a number. Other instruments are referred to as a section of the Civil Aviation Orders. For consistency, in this instrument, all such instruments are referred to as a Civil Aviation Order followed by a number. For example, a reference to Civil Aviation Order 40.2.2 is taken to include a reference to section 40.2.2 of the Civil Aviation Orders.
31 Transitional — application of Civil Aviation Orders
The Civil Aviation Orders apply to a continued authorisation as if it were the equivalent new authorisation.