Part 91 (General Operating and Flight Rules) Manual of Standards 2020 (Cth)

Part 91 (General Operating and Flight Rules) Manual of Standards 2020

made under regulations 91.040 and 201.025 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 and section 4 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901.

Compilation No. 6

Compilation date: 1 March 2025

Includes amendments up to: F2025L00082

Prepared by the Legal Services Branch, Legal, International and Regulatory Affairs Division, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Canberra. Contents Note This Table of Contents is for guidance only. It is not a formal part of the Part 91 Manual of Standards. See section 1.06.

Page CHAPTER 1 PRELIMINARY............................................1 1.01 Name of instrument..........................................1 1.03 References to instruments and documents.........................1 1.04 References to ICAO documents.................................1 1.05 References to AS/NZS standards, TSOs, ETSOs, (E)TSOs............2 1.06 Table of Contents............................................2 1.07 Definitions and abbreviations...................................2 CHAPTER 2 PRESCRIPTIONS FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS IN THE CASR DICTIONARY......................................18 Division 2.1 Definition of special VFR....................................18 2.01 Special VFR...............................................18 Division 2.2 Definition of specified aircraft performance category..............18 2.02 Specified aircraft performance category..........................18 Division 2.3 Definition of standard visual signal............................19 2.03 Purpose...................................................19 2.04 Light or projectile signals to aircraft on an aerodrome or in flight......19 2.05 Ground signals for aircraft at aerodromes.........................20 2.06 Hand signals for marshalling aircraft at aerodromes................21 Division 2.4 Definition of VMC criteria...................................21 2.07 VMC criteria...............................................21 Division 2.5 Definitions of specified cruising levels..........................24 2.08 Specified cruising levels......................................24 2.09 Specified cruising levels — at or north of 80° south................24 2.10 Specified cruising levels — south of 80° south....................26 CHAPTER 3 NVIS FLIGHTS...........................................28 Division 1 Purpose, application and definitions...........................28 3.01 Purpose...................................................28 3.01A Application................................................28 3.02 Definitions................................................28 Division 2 Requirements for an NVIS flight..............................30 3.03 General requirements for NVIS flights...........................30 3.04 HLS-NVIS standard.........................................31 3.05 HLS-NVIS basic............................................31 3.06 No formation flights for NVIS flight............................31 3.07 Alternate lighting requirements................................32 Division 3 Additional requirements for NVIS operations...................32 3.08 Aircraft lighting............................................32 3.09 Minimum height under the NVFR or the IFR for NVIS operations.....32 3.10 Weather requirements — cloud................................33 CHAPTER 4 ALL FLIGHTS — AIRSPEED LIMITS.......................35 4.01 Purpose...................................................35 4.02 Flight to be within indicated airspeed limits.......................35 CHAPTER 5 JOURNEY LOGS — FLIGHTS THAT BEGIN OR END OUTSIDE AUSTRALIAN TERRITORY......................36 5.01 Purpose...................................................36 5.02 Journey log information before an international flight begins.........36 5.03 Journey log information after an international flight ends............36 CHAPTER 6 FLYING IN FORMATION..................................37 6.01 Purpose...................................................37 6.02 RESERVED...............................................37 CHAPTER 7 FLIGHT PREPARATION (WEATHER ASSESSMENTS) REQUIREMENTS 38 7.01 Purpose...................................................38 7.02 Forecasts for flight planning...................................38 7.03 Flights unable to obtain an authorised weather forecast before departure..................................................39 CHAPTER 8 FLIGHT PREPARATION (ALTERNATE AERODROMES) REQUIREMENTS 40 Division 8.1 Purpose and definitions.....................................40 8.01 Purpose...................................................40 8.02 Definition of relevant weather conditions........................40 8.03 Definition of relevant IAP....................................40 Division 8.2 Destination alternate aerodromes.............................41 8.04 Destination alternate aerodromes — weather......................41 8.05 Destination alternate aerodromes — navigation....................42 8.06 Destination alternate aerodromes — aerodrome lighting.............42 8.07 Destination alternate aerodromes — restrictions...................43 8.08 Alternate minima — Australian aerodromes......................43 8.09 Alternate minima — at foreign aerodromes.......................45 CHAPTER 9 FLIGHT NOTIFICATIONS.................................46 9.01 Purpose...................................................46 9.02 Flight notification requirements................................46 9.03 Changes to flight plans and SARTIME nominations................46 9.04 Cancelling SARTIME........................................47 9.05 Responsible persons for receipt of a flight note....................47 CHAPTER 10 MATTERS TO BE CHECKED BEFORE TAKE-OFF...........48 10.01 Purpose...................................................48 10.02 Matters to be checked before take-off...........................48 10.03 Checking systems for measuring and displaying pressure altitude — general 49 10.04 Checking pressure altitude systems — IFR flight..................49 10.05 Checking pressure altitude systems — VFR flight..................49 10.06 Accurate QNH and site elevation...............................50 CHAPTER 11 AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES — PRESCRIBED REQUIREMENTS.51 Division 11.1 Use of a class of airspace....................................51 11.01 Purpose and definition.......................................51 11.02 Transition altitude, transition layer and transition level..............51 11.03 Oceanic airspace............................................52 11.04 Loss of GNSS integrity.......................................52 11.05 Use and supply of distance information..........................53 11.06 ACAS resolution advisory....................................53 11.07 RVSM airspace.............................................54 11.08 Requirements for flight in the NAT-HLA........................54 11.09 Performance-based communication and surveillance requirements.....55 11.10 Australian domestic airspace — inoperative radio requirements.......58 11.10A Mandatory broadcast area requirements..........................58 Division 11.2 Use of controlled aerodromes, control areas and control zones.....59 11.11 Purpose...................................................59 11.12 Readback of ATC clearances and instructions.....................59 11.13 Controlled aerodromes.......................................60 11.14 Controlled aerodromes — other requirements.....................60 11.15 Control zones and control areas — entry into Class A, B, C, D or E airspace 60 11.16 Control zones and control areas — operating within................60 11.17 Control areas – IFR flights – VFR climb/descent and VFR-on-top.....61 11.18 Certain oceanic control areas — inoperative radio requirements.......61 Division 11.3 Prohibited, restricted and danger areas........................62 11.19 Purpose...................................................62 11.20 Prohibited areas.............................................62 11.21 Restricted areas.............................................62 11.22 Danger areas...............................................62 11.23 Military operating areas......................................62 CHAPTER 12 MINIMUM HEIGHT RULES................................64 12.01 Minimum height rules — populous areas and public gatherings.......64 12.02 Minimum height rules — other areas............................64 12.03 Minimum heights — VFR flight at night.........................64 CHAPTER 13 VFR FLIGHTS............................................65 13.01 Purpose...................................................65 13.02 VFR flight navigation requirements.............................65 CHAPTER 14 IFR FLIGHTS.............................................66 14.01 Purpose and definition.......................................66 14.02 IFR flight navigation requirements..............................66 14.03 Instrument approaches — QNH sources..........................67 14.04 GNSS arrivals, and DME or GNSS arrivals.......................68 14.05 Use of GNSS as substitute or alternative to ground-based navigation aids......................................................68 14.06 Availability of GNSS integrity for instrument approaches............69 14.07 Navigation database requirements..............................69 14.08 PRM instrument approach operations............................70 14.09 Instrument approach operational requirements.....................70 CHAPTER 15 IFR TAKE-OFF AND LANDING MINIMA....................72 15.01 Purpose...................................................72 15.02 Definitions for this Chapter...................................72 15.03 Take-off minima requirements.................................73 15.04 Take-off minima for low-visibility operations.....................73 15.05 Take-off minima for qualifying multi-engine aeroplanes.............73 15.06 Take-off minima for other aeroplanes...........................73 15.07 Take-off minima for qualifying multi-engine rotorcraft..............74 15.08 Take-off minima for other rotorcraft............................74 15.09 Landing minima requirements.................................74 15.10 Landing minima............................................75 15.11 Missed approach............................................77 CHAPTER 16 APPROACH BAN FOR IFR FLIGHTS.......................80 16.01 Purpose...................................................80 16.02 Approach ban — other than low-visibility operations...............80 16.03 Approach ban — low-visibility operations........................80 CHAPTER 17 DESIGNATED NON-CONTROLLED AERODROMES.........81 17.01 Purpose...................................................81 CHAPTER 18 SAFETY WHEN AEROPLANE OPERATING ON THE GROUND.................................................82 18.01 Prescribed persons..........................................82 CHAPTER 19 FUEL REQUIREMENTS...................................83 19.01 Purpose...................................................83 19.02 Definitions of final reserve fuel and contingency fuel...............83 19.03 General requirements........................................83 19.04 Amount of fuel that must be carried for a flight....................84 19.05 Procedures for determining fuel before flight and fuel monitoring during a flight..............................................85 19.06 Procedures if fuel reaches specified amounts......................85 19.07 Operational variations — procedures and requirements..............86 CHAPTER 20 SAFETY OF PERSONS AND CARGO ON AIRCRAFT.........88 Division 20.1 Seating for persons on aircraft...............................88 20.01 Medical transport operations, rescue operations and certain police operations — prescribed circumstances 88 Division 20.2 Restraint of infants and children..............................89 20.02 Purpose...................................................89 20.03 Infant and child seatbelts as restraints...........................90 20.04 Child restraint systems that are not seatbelts......................90 Division 20.3 Safety briefings and instructions..............................91 20.05 Purpose...................................................91 20.06 Passenger safety briefings and instructions.......................91 Division 20.4 Carriage of animals........................................92 20.07 Purpose...................................................92 CHAPTER 21 RADIO FREQUENCY, BROADCAST AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 93 Division 21.1 Use of certain frequencies — radio qualifications required........93 21.01 Purpose...................................................93 Division 21.2 Use of radio — broadcasts and reports.........................93 21.02 Purpose...................................................93 21.03 Prescribed broadcasts and reports — general......................93 21.04 Non-controlled aerodromes — prescribed broadcasts...............93 21.05 Controlled aerodromes and controlled airspace — prescribed reports...94 21.06 IFR aircraft in Class G airspace — prescribed reports...............95 21.07 VFR aircraft in Class E or G airspace — prescribed reports..........97 21.08 Flights in RVSM airspace — prescribed reports...................97 21.09 Flights in a mandatory broadcast area — prescribed broadcasts and reports....................................................97 CHAPTER 22 PERFORMANCE-BASED NAVIGATION (PBN)..............100 22.01 Purpose..................................................100 CHAPTER 23 INTERCEPTION OF AIRCRAFT...........................101 23.01 Purpose..................................................101 23.02 Interception of aircraft......................................101 CHAPTER 24 TAKE-OFF PERFORMANCE..............................102 24.01 Purpose..................................................102 24.02 Take-off performance for aeroplanes...........................102 24.03 Take-off performance for rotorcraft — general...................102 24.04 Take-off performance for rotorcraft — Category A rotorcraft within populous areas 103 24.05 Take-off performance for rotorcraft — Category B rotorcraft within populous areas 103 CHAPTER 25 LANDING PERFORMANCE...............................104 25.01 Purpose..................................................104 25.02 Landing performance for aeroplanes...........................104 25.03 Landing performance rotorcraft — general......................104 25.04 Landing performance for rotorcraft — Category A rotorcraft within a populous area 105 25.05 Landing performance for rotorcraft — Category B rotorcraft within a populous area 105 CHAPTER 26 EQUIPMENT............................................106 Division 26.1 General..................................................106 26.01 Purpose..................................................106 Division 26.2 Approvals, visibility and inoperative equipment................106 26.02 Approval of aircraft equipment................................106 26.03 Visibility and accessibility of pilot-operated equipment............107 26.04 Serviceability of equipment..................................107 Division 26.3 Flight instruments — aeroplanes............................107 26.05 Application...............................................107 26.06 Aeroplane VFR flight by day.................................108 26.07 Aeroplane VFR flight by night................................108 26.08 Aeroplane IFR flight........................................110 Division 26.4 Flight instruments — rotorcraft.............................113 26.09 Application...............................................113 26.10 Rotorcraft VFR flight by day.................................113 26.11 Rotorcraft VFR flight by night................................114 26.12 Rotorcraft IFR flight........................................116 Division 26.5 Flight instruments — experimental, light sport and certain other aircraft 119 26.13 Application — VFR flight requirements do not apply to certain light sport aircraft..............................................119 26.14 Application — VFR and IFR flight requirements do not apply to certain experimental aeroplanes...............................119 26.15 Application — VFR and IFR flight requirements do not apply to certain experimental rotorcraft................................120 26.16 Application — VFR and IFR flight requirements do not apply to certain registered aircraft....................................120 26.17 Electronic flight information systems...........................120 Division 26.6 Operational equipment.....................................120 26.18 Radiocommunication systems................................120 26.19 When aircraft may begin a flight with inoperative radiocommunications.......................................121 26.20 Equipment to measure and record cosmic radiation................122 Division 26.7 Lighting systems..........................................122 26.21 Cockpit and cabin lighting requirements........................122 26.22 Anti-collision lights........................................122 26.23 Landing lights.............................................123 26.24 Navigation lights...........................................123 Division 26.8 Alerting and warning system requirements....................124 26.25 Altitude alerting system and assigned altitude indicator — IFR flights...................................................124 26.26 Aircraft flown with inoperative altitude alerting equipment — IFR flights...................................................124 26.27 Aeroplane airborne collision avoidance system — ACAS II.........124 26.28 ACAS II requirements for use................................124 26.29 Flight with inoperative ACAS................................124 Division 26.9 Flight recording equipment.................................125 26.30 Definitions — flight recorders................................125 26.30A Non-application — agricultural category and restricted category aircraft...................................................125 26.31 Aeroplane flight data recorder................................125 26.32 Aeroplane cockpit voice recorder..............................125 26.33 Rotorcraft flight data recorder................................125 26.34 Rotorcraft cockpit voice recorder..............................125 26.35 Combination recorders — for aeroplane or rotorcraft..............126 26.36 FDR, CVR and combination recorder technical requirements........126 26.37 Use of FDR, CVR and combination recorders....................126 26.38 Flight with inoperative FDR, CVR or combination flight recording equipment 127 26.39 Data link recorder..........................................128 Division 26.10 Aircraft interior communication systems......................128 26.40 Flight crew intercommunications system — VFR flights...........128 26.41 Flight crew intercommunications system — IFR flights............128 26.42 Public-address system.......................................128 Division 26.11 Oxygen equipment and oxygen supplies.......................128 26.43 Supplemental oxygen.......................................128 26.44 Oxygen mask usage requirements — pressurised aircraft above FL 250...................................................129 26.45 Protective breathing equipment — flight crew members............130 26.46 Portable protective breathing equipment........................130 26.47 First aid oxygen equipment — pressurised aircraft................131 Division 26.12 Emergency locator transmitters.............................132 26.48 Carriage of ELTs..........................................132 26.49 ELT — basic technical requirements...........................133 26.50 Automatic ELT............................................134 26.51 Survival ELT..............................................134 26.52 Aircraft flown with inoperative ELT...........................134 Division 26.13 Portable emergency equipment..............................135 26.53 Hand-held fire extinguishers — aeroplanes......................135 26.54 Hand-held fire extinguishers — rotorcraft.......................136 Division 26.14 Equipment for flights over water............................137 26.55 Sea anchors etc. and sound signals — seaplanes, amphibians and certain rotorcraft...........................................137 26.56 Life jackets — carriage requirements...........................137 26.57 Stowage of life jackets......................................137 26.58 Wearing life jackets — aircraft generally........................138 26.59 Wearing life jackets – rotorcraft – special provision...............138 26.60 Life rafts —carriage requirements.............................138 26.61 Stowage of life rafts........................................139 26.62 Overwater survival equipment................................139 Division 26.15 Remote areas.............................................139 26.63 Definitions...............................................139 26.64 Remote area survival equipment...............................140 26.65 Meaning of remote area.....................................140 Division 26.16 Surveillance equipment....................................142 26.66 Exceptions to (E)TSO or NAA requirements.....................142 26.67 Definitions...............................................143 26.68 Required surveillance equipment..............................146 26.68A Requirements for other surveillance equipment for VFR aircraft.....147 26.69 Operation of surveillance equipment — general requirements........149 26.70 Mode S transponders, ADS-B OUT and electronic conspicuity equipment — specific requirements 150 26.71 Alternate GNSS position source for ADS-B OUT — requirements....151 26.72 Alternate ADS-B OUT equipment configuration — requirements....152 26.72A Approved Mode S transponder with Class B TABS position source device equipment configuration — requirements..................152 26.72B Approved integrated TABS device — requirements...............153 26.72C Approved EC device — requirements..........................153 26.73 Aircraft flown with inoperative surveillance equipment............154 Division 26.17 Equipment for NVIS flights.................................154 26.74 Purpose..................................................154 26.74A Application...............................................155 26.75 Definitions...............................................155 26.76 Aircraft general and lighting standards for NVIS flights............155 26.77 Performance and other specifications for NVG image intensifier tubes....................................................155 26.78 Maintenance of the NVIS and its components....................158 26.79 Minimum aircraft equipment for NVIS flight.....................159 CHAPTER 27 EXPERIMENTAL AND LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT PLACARDS..............................................161 27.01 Experimental aircraft — placards..............................161 27.02 Light sport aircraft — placards................................161 CHAPTER 28 REQUIREMENTS FOR MINIMUM EQUIPMENT LISTS......162 28.01 Contents of minimum equipment list...........................162 28.02 Definitions...............................................162 28.03 MEL — contents...........................................162 28.04 Compliance with the MMEL.................................163 28.05 Compliance with the civil aviation legislation....................163 28.06 Compliance with the AFM...................................164 28.07 If the MMEL does not specify rectification intervals...............164 28.08 Effects of repairs or modifications made to the aircraft.............164 28.09 Extension of rectification interval..............................164 Notes to Part 91 (General Operating and Flight Rules) Manual of Standards 2020...165