Summary of consultation now available – proposed amendments to Part 21

It follows consultation late last year on a proposal to expand the eligibility of foreign non‑civil aircraft to be type certified in the restricted category for special purpose operations (including aerial firefighting). We also sought feedback on 2 additional amendments relating to:

  • adopting European certification standards for light sport aeroplanes and very light rotorcraft
  • criteria and standards for equipment used to carry persons external to a rotorcraft.

Summary of feedback

The 4-week consultation received 18 responses. Feedback was provided across all proposed areas of change, with many respondents commenting on multiple topics:

  • Restricted category type certification: broad support for expanding eligibility and shifting the focus from sovereign source requirements to operational history and supporting technical data.
  • European standards: strong support for adopting European certification specifications for light sport aeroplanes and very light rotorcraft.
  • External load personnel carriage: broad support for updating criteria and standards for approving equipment used to carry persons external to a rotorcraft.

You can read the full consultation summary on our Consultation Hub.

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