Community Service Flights – (Angel flights)
Published February 2019
1. On 18 March 2019 a CASA Instrument is scheduled to come into force touching on Angel Flights and their pilot requirements.
2. Only covers Private Operations.
3. A new definition comes into force – community service flight. This means a flight which transports one or more individuals (a patient) to a destination for receiving non-emergency medical treatment or services at that destination and return to the place the patient(s) departed from or to their residence. There can be more than one destination for treatment.
4. Other people can be on board if they are providing a patient with support and assistance.
5. There can be no charge for any persons on board.
6. No medical treatment other than providing medication or dealing with a medical emergency on board, is to be provided.
7. The flight is coordinated, arranged or facilitated by a charitable entity (as defined in the Commonwealth Charities Act 2013) or community service provider (what a community service provider is, is not immediately apparent to me).
8. The pilot has to hold at least a private pilot licence.
9. The flight is done in an aircraft.
10. The plane only carries the crew, the patient(s) and their supporting passenger. (I don’t see any objection to other passengers if they in fact provide support or assistance).
11. The pilot must have a Class 1 or 2 Medical – no “Basic” Medicals.
12. The aeroplane cannot be, amateur-built which is accepted under an ‘amateur built aircraft acceptance’, limited category aircraft, experimental certified and finally, not registered.
13. The pilot must have done a landing within the last 30 days in an aircraft of the same class or type.
14. If it’s a VFR flight the pilot must have 10 hours on type. If it’s IFR, 20 hours on type and if multi engine 25 hours on a multi engine aeroplane.
15. If the pilot is a private pilot there are additional requirements. Must have 400 hours flight time, but this can also be in a helicopter. And, 250 hours in command of an aeroplane or a helicopter.
16. No more than 5 passengers be they patients or their assistant(s).
17. If it’s VFR, no night flying.
18. Must file a plan with Airservices as full flight details or Sartime and the plan must identify the flight as a community service flight by using the acronym “CSF” (use the ‘remarks’ section).
19. Must record in the pilot’s log book that the flight was a “CSF”.
20. The aeroplane must have a current maintenance release (100 hourly and 12 months) or a C of A and been in service less than 100 hours since the C of A issued.
C. McKeown
19 February 2019