Chapter 6: Duration and Renewal of Air Traffic Controller Licence, Ratings, Endorsements and Qualifications

Section 6.1: General

6.1.1 Introduction

6.1.1.1 This chapter contains standards for the duration and renewal of Air Traffic Control Licences and annotations.

6.1.2 Licence

6.1.2.1 An Air Traffic Controller Licence shall remain valid for the lifetime of the holder, provided the conditions specified in CASR Part 65 continue to be met, unless the licence is suspended or cancelled by CASA.

6.1.3 Ratings

6.1.3.1 Subject to CASRs and these Standards, a rating annotated on an Air Traffic Controller Licence remains in force for the period for which the licence remains in force, or a period of 12 months, whichever is less.

6.1.4 Rating Examinations

6.1.4.1 For renewal of a rating annotated in an Air Traffic Controller Licence, the licence holder must pass a written examination in the subjects appropriate to the particular rating. These examinations must be administered by CASA or a Certified ATS Training Organisation or an ATS Certificate holder.

6.1.4.2 The overall pass standard must be 100 percent.

6.1.4.3 The minimum acceptable initial response for each group of questions must be 80 percent.

6.1.4.4 An average of 80 percent over the whole examination, including any questions failed, must not in itself be an acceptable initial response.

6.1.4.5 Failure to obtain at least 80 percent for each group of questions shall necessitate supplementary written examination.

6.1.4.6 Where 80 percent or greater, but less than 100 percent is attained for any group of questions, the examinee must provide additional correct responses to an oral examination to attain the required 100 percent.

6.1.4.7 An examination for the renewal of a rating which has not lapsed, may be conducted without supervision and with reference to any documents, maps, charts, or other reference material — that is, it may be an ‘open book’ examination.

6.1.4.8 There must be no time limit on this examination. However, the examination must be completed within 12 months of the previous rating examination if the rating is not to lapse.

6.1.4.9 The minimum number of questions pertaining to each rating must be 20. A rating examination may be conducted concurrently with an endorsement examination provided the examination includes both the minimum number of questions (20) for each rating component and the minimum number of questions specific to each endorsement, as required by this chapter, Chapter 6 (Endorsements). Examination questions must be chosen randomly for each candidate from a pool of possible questions. The pool of questions must be maintained by the ATS Certificate holder, and must be reviewed, with the intention of updating, at least every two years. The questions should also be reviewed for the same purpose whenever procedural or technological changes judged by the ATS Certificate holder to be significant are introduced.

6.1.4.10 The holder of an Air Traffic Controller Licence shall not perform the duties that they are authorised to perform by a rating annotated on that licence unless they meet the rating currency requirements at paragraph 6.1.4.8 above, and the currency and recency requirements of relevant endorsements held under that rating.

6.1.5 Endorsements

6.1.5.1 Subject to CASRs and these Standards, an endorsement annotated on an Air Traffic Controller Licence remains in force for the period for which the licence and the rating to which the endorsement is linked remains in force, or the period specified by the ATS Certificate holder, (no longer than six months), whichever is the less.

6.1.6 Endorsement Examinations

6.1.6.1 For renewal of an endorsement to be annotated under a rating in an Air Traffic Controller Licence, the licence holder shall pass a written examination in the subject matter specific to the particular endorsement. These examinations must be administered by the ATS Certificate holder.

6.1.6.2 The overall pass standard must be 100 percent.

6.1.6.3 The minimum acceptable initial response for each group of questions must be 80 percent.

6.1.6.4 An average of 80 percent over the whole examination, including any questions failed, shall not in itself be an acceptable initial response.

6.1.6.5 Failure to obtain at least 80 percent for each group of questions shall necessitate supplementary written examination.

6.1.6.6 Where 80 percent or greater, but less than 100 percent is attained for any group of questions, the examinee must provide additional correct responses to oral examination to attain the required 100 percent.

6.1.6.7 An examination for the renewal of an endorsement which has not lapsed, may be conducted without supervision and with reference to any documents, maps, charts, or other reference material — i.e. it may be an ‘open book’ examination.

6.1.6.8 There must be no time limit on this examination. However, the examination must be completed within 12 months of the previous examination if the endorsement is not to lapse.

6.1.6.9 The minimum number of questions pertaining to each endorsement must be 20, except that where examinations for more than one endorsement are conducted concurrently, the minimum number of questions must be 10. Where the number of endorsements being examined exceeds 5, the minimum number of questions must be 50 apportioned equally over all endorsements. An endorsement examination may be conducted concurrently with a rating examination provided the examination includes both the minimum number of questions (20, 10 or 50) for each endorsement component and the minimum number of questions specific to each rating as required by this chapter, Chapter 6 (Ratings). Examination questions must be chosen randomly for each candidate from a pool of possible questions. The pool of questions shall to be maintained by the ATS Certificate holder, and must be reviewed, with the intention of updating, at least every two years. The questions should also be reviewed for the same purpose whenever procedural or technological changes judged by the ATS Certificate holder to be significant are introduced.

6.1.6.10 The holder of an Air Traffic Controller Licence shall not perform the duties that they are authorised to perform by an endorsement annotated on that licence unless they:

(a) meet the currency requirements for the relevant rating;

(b) meet the currency requirements for the relevant endorsement;

(c) meet the currency requirements of a practical assessment within the previous six months; and

(d) meet the relevant recency requirements for that endorsement.

6.1.6.11 For renewal of an endorsement annotated under a rating in an Air Traffic Controller Licence, the licence holder shall pass a performance assessment at not more than six-monthly intervals, which verifies attainment or maintenance of relevant competencies described in Chapter 5 (ATC Competencies) for each endorsement sought or held.

6.1.6.12 Where the ATS Certificate holder determines and records that two or more endorsements require similar knowledge and skill, then a demonstration of competence at one of those endorsements must be sufficient to also include the other(s).

6.1.7 Qualifications

6.1.7.1 An air traffic services-specific qualification annotated on an Air Traffic Controller Licence remains in force for:

(a) such period as may, from time to time and circumstance by circumstance, be determined by the ATS Certificate holder or certified ATS Training Organisation for training instructor or assessment qualifications, or by the ATS Certificate holder for other qualifications; or

(b) such period for which the licence remains in force; or

(c) such period for which any rating or endorsement to which the qualification may be linked remains in force;

whichever is shorter.

6.1.7.2 For the annotation of an air traffic services-specific qualification in an Air Traffic Controller Licence, the licence holder shall pass such examinations and have such experience as CASA or the ATS Certificate holder as appropriate may, from time to time, nominate in respect of a particular qualification.

6.1.7.3 The conditions and content of any examinations or assessments relevant to an air traffic services-specific qualification shall, from time to time, be determined by CASA or the ATS Certificate holder as appropriate.

6.1.7.4 An air traffic services-specific qualification:

(a) may or may not depend on the holder maintaining ratings and/or endorsements;

(b) may or may not have an expiry date except that the qualification must be considered to have been withdrawn whenever the licence in which it is annotated is suspended or cancelled or has expired, or whenever any ratings and/or endorsements on which the qualification is nominated by the ATS Certificate holder as being dependent is/are suspended or cancelled;

(c) may be annotated in an Air Traffic Controller Licence regardless of whether a licence has a valid rating and/or endorsement annotated therein provided such qualification has not been nominated as being dependent on any rating and/or endorsement(s), in which latter case such nominated rating(s) and/or endorsement(s) must first be annotated in the licence;

(d) may or may not require the holder to maintain and/or demonstrate competence;

(e) may or may not require the holder to have exercised the authority of the qualification for and within a specified time-frame as defined by the ATS Certificate holder; and

(f) may be withdrawn at any time by CASA or the ATS Certificate holder as appropriate, by giving to the holder written notice of such withdrawal.