PNG CASA IR Air Law cheat sheet

PNG civil aviation is governed by the Civil Aviation Act 2000 and the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR), administered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of PNG (CASA PNG).

Civil Aviation Rule (CAR) Parts mirror ICAO Annex structure: CAR Part 61 (licensing), Part 91 (general operations), Part 121/135 (air transport), Part 43/145 (maintenance), Part 67 (medical).

ICAO Chicago Convention Annexes are given force in PNG through the Act; where the Act and Rules are silent, ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices apply as the default reference.

The Minister responsible for civil aviation appoints the Director of Civil Aviation, who heads CASA PNG and exercises delegated regulatory powers.

CASA PNG issues certificates, licences, ratings and approvals; no person may operate an aircraft in PNG without a valid certificate of registration and certificate of airworthiness.

The Accident Investigation Commission (AIC) is separate from CASA PNG and investigates accidents and serious incidents under the Civil Aviation Act; CASA PNG does not investigate.

CAR Part 91 sets general operating and flight rules applying to all PNG aircraft; more restrictive Parts (121, 135) apply additionally to air transport operations.

Penalties for offences under the Act and Rules include fines, licence suspension or cancellation, and imprisonment for serious breaches such as operating without a certificate.

A pilot licence is valid only with the appropriate class or type rating and a current medical certificate; the medical certificate validity period depends on the class and the holder's age.

Privileges of a licence are limited by the ratings held; a pilot may not exercise privileges of a rating that has lapsed, been suspended, or for which the recency requirement is not met.

Documents to be carried on board: certificate of registration, certificate of airworthiness, licence and medical of each crew member, aircraft flight manual, and (for international flights) the journey log.

Aircraft must be registered in PNG or hold a valid foreign registration with CASA PNG authorisation for operations within PNG; registration markings must be displayed per CAR.

Maintenance must be performed by appropriately rated personnel under CAR Part 43 (or an approved Part 145 organisation), and released to service with a maintenance release.

The pilot in command is responsible for the safety of the flight, compliance with the Rules, and for ensuring pre-flight actions including weight and balance, performance, fuel and weather checks.

Flight and duty time limitations are prescribed; a pilot must not fly if fatigued or if the prescribed rest period has not been taken.

Alcohol and drugs: a person must not act as a crew member with a blood alcohol concentration above the prescribed limit (0.02%) or under the influence of an impairing substance.

PNG airspace is divided into controlled and uncontrolled airspace; classes and dimensions are published in the PNG Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP).

Right-of-way rules: converging aircraft at the same level give way to the one on the right; an aircraft landing or on final approach has right-of-way over one on the ground or in the pattern.

An aircraft must not be flown closer than the prescribed separation from other aircraft, and must not fly in a control zone or control area without an ATC clearance when required.

VFR meteorological minima in controlled airspace: 5 km flight visibility and 1,000 ft vertically / 1,500 m horizontally from cloud (Class C/D); lower minima apply in Class G per AIP.

A pilot must comply with ATC clearances and instructions; if unable to comply, the pilot must advise ATC immediately and obtain an amended clearance.

Position reports and radio communication are required in controlled airspace; NORDO (lost communication) procedures are prescribed in the AIP and must be followed.

Aircraft must carry and operate a serviceable transponder and radio as required by the airspace classification and the aircraft's operating rules.

Emergency: the PIC may deviate from the Rules to the extent necessary to meet an emergency, and must report the deviation to CASA PNG if requested.

Aerodrome operating minima (take-off, approach, landing) are established by the operator and approved by CASA PNG; they may not be lower than those published for the aerodrome.

A runway incursion, unauthorised penetration of airspace, or failure to comply with a clearance is a reportable occurrence under the mandatory occurrence reporting scheme.

Accidents and serious incidents must be reported to the AIC as soon as practicable; the PIC is responsible for making the report and preserving evidence.

The PIC must ensure that a reportable incident (e.g. near miss, engine failure, serious weather encounter) is notified to CASA PNG within the prescribed time.

CASA PNG may conduct audits, ramp inspections and enforcement action; findings may result in corrective action requests, suspension, or revocation of certificates.

A person whose licence or certificate is affected by a CASA PNG decision may seek review through the review/appeal process established under the Civil Aviation Act.

Carriage of dangerous goods is governed by the ICAO Technical Instructions as adopted in PNG; the operator must hold an approval and trained personnel.

Security: the operator must comply with the National Civil Aviation Security Programme; unlawful interference must be reported to the appropriate authority.