The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has published a new exemption that relaxes the flying experience required for helicopter pilots applying for night vision imaging system (NVIS) authorisations, following feedback from the aviation community.
Under the new exemption, EX77/16 Exemption — aeronautical experience for an NVIS rating or endorsement, published on May 27, helicopter pilots applying for a NVIS rating or endorsement now need to have 20 hours of aeronautical experience at night logged as either pilot-in-command (PIC), pilot-in-command under supervision, co-pilot or dual flight, with up to 11 of these hours able to be logged in an approved flight simulator.
Since September 2014, applicants for a NVIS rating or endorsement have needed at least 20 hours at night as PIC. CASA said this requirement introduced unexpected and unintended costs for operators and pilots who were having difficulty accruing the additional PIC experience.
CASA is currently conducting a broader review of how NVIS operations are regulated and says further changes to the NVIS pilot licensing requirements may be made in the future as a result of that review.
