Attention all warbird owners, operators, and pilots

Much work has gone into AWAL’s self administration project since the approval by CASA of our first stage in April 2007. Right now we have been given by CASA full administration of Limited Category until November 2009, whereupon we expect to be granted continuation of the responsibilities.

We’ve been regularly updating all interested parties on progress via our magazine, website, and by direct letters to aircraft owners and operators. Despite this effort, there is still a small number of owner / operators who choose to ignore the fact that AWAL is the administrator of Limited Category on behalf of CASA, and that if a Limited Category aircraft is not registered with AWAL, it can only be flown legally if it has its own CASA-approved operations manual. Neither we nor CASA are aware of any that do.

That leaves the owner or operator of a Limited Category aircraft just three options. The first is to register the aircraft with AWAL and pay the annual fees, which allows the owner / operator to be covered by the AWAL approved operations manual (ESAM), thereby meeting their obligations to the regulations. The second is to stay with administration by CASA. This option means that you will immediately cease flying until you provide CASA with your own operations manual, and CASA reads and approves it. Keep in mind that it has cost AWAL over $100K and has taken over two years to reach that point.

The third option is to park your aeroplane. Don’t fly it.

It was always the intention of the legislation that brought Limited Category into being that this category would be administered by an industry body. It was only a special dispensation by CASA that allowed the continued operation of the subject aircraft without a CASA-approved operations manual. That dispensation ceased to apply when AWAL was granted the first stage of self administration, and will, any day, be formally withdrawn by announcement from CASA.

Please also be aware that some Certificates of Airworthiness for Limited Category aircraft have been issued incorrectly in the past. It is essential that these be checked and approved, or reissued correctly. If you have not already done so, please send us a copy of your aircraft’s CofA and its attached program letter. Operating with an incorrect CofA, or without an approved operations manual, could invalidate insurances, and expose the operator to action by CASA.

AWAL is committed to administering Limited Category properly. We have already approved engineers to issue new CofA’s. We are auditing adventure flight operations. We are developing new pilot training guidelines. Our aim is to keep our Warbirds flying safely.