Is it possible to fly RAA Registered aircraft into class D airspace?

[walrus]

I’ve seen RAA registered aircraft at airports in class D airspace. Is this routinely possible without a PPL and medical certificate?

[Roscoe]

I’ve seen RAA registered aircraft at airports in class D airspace. Is this routinely possible without a PPL and medical certificate?

Must have a PPL and CASA Medical cert

[Roscoe]

Must have a PPL and CASA Medical cert

There is an excemption i believe, for a RAA Cert holder to fly a RAA School aircraft away from a class D airport but must return to that same airport. Someone correct me if is wrong thanks

[Jase T]

Willl need to check the CAR's but I am sure a PPL or better can (by day in VMC with the appropriate radio), the question is does you CASA BFR need to be current? And can you enter class C......

[Thruster88]

RAAus Students can fly from a class D airport to any other uncontrolled airport. They cannot however fly from their "home" class D to a nearby class D.

 

 

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[TD]11/3/2020[/TD][TD]Camden Airport[/TD][TD]NSW[/TD][TD]Tecnam[/TD][TD]P2008 DL LSA[/TD][TD]Rotax[/TD][TD]912ULS2-01[/TD][TD]The pilot departed Bankstown heading for Wagga Wagga and stopped at Camden for fuel due to refuellin... [/TD]

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[TD]The pilot departed Bankstown heading for Wagga Wagga and stopped at Camden for fuel due to refuelling delays at Bankstown. The pilot forgot that the only controlled[/TD][TD][/TD]

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[440032]

And for flying schools, via CASA Exemption CASA EX86/19.

And the medical requirement remains (it says).

[APenNameAndThatA]

I am learning to fly at a Class D airport. My understanding it that a) the flying school needs to have the CASA stamp of approval, b) you need to have a CASA medical, and c) you need to be under the supervision of an instructor. That means that you can't turn up and fly if there is no one at the flying school to supervise you. and d) the airport is the one that your flying school is located at. After tower hours, you can fly with an RA-Aus licence, but then it's not really Class D anymore. You need a radio. I assume you need a transponder that encodes altitude. You do not need a certified engine (contrary to what someone told me, who should have known better.)

[APenNameAndThatA]

Fun fact. At Archerfield, the radar return comes from the Class A Brisbane airport via the internet. That means that the radar return can be delayed up to 30 s. Here I was thinking that they were stopping me running into someone else!

[440032]

After hours, not only is it "not really Class D", it's "not class D" so fill yer boots and fly, nobody can stop you.

Crazy that at 5:59pm with ATC you cannot freely fly (non instructional), but at 6:01pm with no ATC, you can. It's just plain stupid.

Class D, and "not class D" do not require a transponder. (see AIP).

[Bleve97]

As an RA-aus pilot, as noted, you can get exemptions, but you don't need a PPL, you can have a GA CTZ endorsement ("PPL lite"), hold some sort of CASA medical, and both must be current.

[Kiter]

Clause 7.3 of CAO 95.55 has a shopping list of things you need to fly an RAAus-registered aircraft into a class D airport. An owner-built aircraft is not one, but a factory-built can be. It also says you need a CASA licence.

[sseeker]

Under exemption or with a Part 61 licence (RPL, PPL, CPL etc) which is appropriately endorsed. I regularly fly VH/RA-Aus in both Class D and C. I might be wrong but I think there is also requirements for your transponder to be regularly certified by a LAME?

[walrus]

Kiter, so you can fly into class D airports out of tower hours in your home built?

 

Is this situation ever going to change?

Edited May 30, 2020 by walrus

[Kiter]

Kiter, so you can fly into class D airports out of tower hours in your home built?

 

Is this situation ever going to change?

Out of hours class D airports become class G, however, according to my reading of the CAO (see 7.1(i) and 1.2(e)), you can’t fly your homebuilt RAAus aircraft over a closely settled area.

[440032]

Don't confuse and link class D zones and closely settled areas - they are two completely different things.

Examples of D with no closely settled areas surrounding:

Avalon, Tamworth. Probably a zillion others. Well, a few.

[kgwilson]

RAA have been pushing for CTR access for some time. There has been some small access allowed by RA-Aus pilots who have been trained in class D to fly there but is ridiculously restrictive and as has been already noted at some aerodromes class D becomes Class G at the prescribed time.

 

As an ex GA pilot with a PPL I can fly my RA registered factory built aircraft with a certified transponder in Class D airspace. The only problem is that I have not maintained my class 2 medical, my PPL is not current, my aircraft is amateur built by me and I do not have a transponder but I can still do this. How, by calling the tower & requesting transit access. Of course they can refuse because legally I cannot do this but in practice they usually approve it when there is little or no other traffic around. Try it, you may be surprised but be prepared to get refused as well.

 

p.s. If you happen to personally know the Controller that makes a big difference proving the "It's not what you know but who you know" theory.

[facthunter]

Might be a good time to brush up on your radio work as how you come across on the radio is a give away on these occasions. Just a general comment. Know the area by preparing also with google map and the charts. Nev

[kgwilson]

Might be a good time to brush up on your radio work as how you come across on the radio is a give away on these occasions. Just a general comment. Know the area by preparing also with google map and the charts. Nev

Absolutely right. Good radio use with correct phraseology and clear transmissions is an essential element. If I was the controller & heard some of the crap I hear in CTAF I'd tell the requester to eff off.

[clouddancer]

Please don’t fly into controlled airspace without holding a current CASA license and medical in an RAAus aircraft!

The fact the controller knows you is not enough, you need to meet the controlled airspace requirements, meaning current CASA license, medical, current RAAus qualifications and an aircraft with calibrated instruments including altimeter, transponder (if the airspace requires it) and an approved engine (no automotive conversions)

[kgwilson]

You enter at 4:59pm and it is class D so it is illegal, one minute later it is class G and it is legal. Stupid rule. If the controller is happy to allow me to transit then so am I. Registration, medical certification, licence variation, instruments or powerplant doesn't make it any more or less safe from one minute to the next. I've flown out of hours at Coffs CTR many times with RPTs coming & going & we have never had issues. Even during CTR hours there is hardly ever any traffic. The most is likely to be one RPT, a possible private GA and at times the 2 RA schools operating at the same time.

[Kiter]

Clause 9 of the CAO provides that exemptions may be provided by CASA in writing.

 

ATC is unlikely to know your licence or aircraft status and it’s not their job to ensure pilots are complying, it’s the pilot’s.

[Flightrite]

Please don’t fly into controlled airspace without holding a current CASA license and medical in an RAAus aircraft!

The fact the controller knows you is not enough, you need to meet the controlled airspace requirements, meaning current CASA license, medical, current RAAus qualifications and an aircraft with calibrated instruments including altimeter, transponder (if the airspace requires it) and an approved engine (no automotive conversions)

 

Exactly! The rules might be dumb but pilots are meant to be a cut above the rest of Earths inhabitants, but sadly that's not the case so many times! The lack of knowledge in some pilots at all levels is staggering! I've said it for years it's way too easy to get a pilots license and retain it!

[facthunter]

There's a few who have been unjustly treated and hounded out of the game as well.. Nev

[Ironpot]

After hours, not only is it "not really Class D", it's "not class D" so fill yer boots and fly, nobody can stop you.

Crazy that at 5:59pm with ATC you cannot freely fly (non instructional), but at 6:01pm with no ATC, you can. It's just plain stupid.

Class D, and "not class D" do not require a transponder. (see AIP).

Outside tower hours some airports are Class E above 700 ft and controlled by CN.