Students will no longer require a Student Pilot Licence (SPL) to be trained to fly an aeroplane under the new CASR Part 61 regulations.
The new rules, which come into effect on 4 December, supercede the old CAR 5 regulations with respect to SPLs, and will also lower the minimum training age to 15.
"The requirement for a student pilot to hold a licence has been deleted; however, minimum age, medical and English language standards have been retained," CASA stated in its briefing document.
"Instructors and Part 141/142 operators will also be required to ensure student pilots satisfy the specified requirements prior to authorising them to conduct solo flights."
Students will now not need a licence until they pass the test for their Recreational Pilot Licence (RPL), which will replace the General Flying Progress Test (GFPT). Unlike the GFPT, the RPL is a licence and therefore won't need instructor authority to make the flight.
The main differences between the old CAR 5 and the new CASR 61 are:
- CAR 5
- Student pilots can’t fly solo unless they have a licence
- To get a licence they have to meet security and language checks and be 16
- Student pilots can fly PIC with a passenger if they pass the GFPT
- Student pilots always need to be authorised by an instructor, including when flying under GFPT.
- CASR 61
- Student pilots can fly solo without a licence
- Student pilots can be 15
- Student pilots cannot carry passengers
- Student pilots always need to be authorised by an instructor
- RPL pilots don’t need to be authorised to fly – they are independent licence holders.
Industry analysts believe that CASA made this move once they realised that no SPL was required under ICAO regulations.