The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has released its two-year plan for the regulatory oversight of flight simulators and other synthetic flight training devices.
Flight Simulation Operational Plan 2012-14 sets out CASA's goals and initiatives that they believe will enhance safety by improving their oversight of flight sim operators.
The six goals contained within the document are:
- Adopt the ICAO classification system
- Mandate sim training for certain high-risk procedures
- Amend CASR Part 60 to include all types of simulators
- Improve oversight of organisations
- Encourage the use of flight sims with appropriate fidelity
- Encourage investment to make sure existing sims stay up to standard
According to the plan, CASA is all for increased use of sims in training.
"CASA supports the use of simulators with appropriate fidelity at all levels of the aviation industry," it says in the introduction.
"Flight simulators can provide more in-depth training than can be accomplished in aircraft and provide a safe and suitable learning environment. Practice of emergency and abnormal operations can be conducted with a reduced risk exposure and in greater depth in a simulator that is often possible in an aircraft."
When CASR Part 142 is introduced in 2013-14, simulator training organisations will be included. This will be the first time CASA oversight will be applied at an organisational level. Until now, oversight has been through individuals and devices.
The full plan can be downloaded from the CASA website here.