About the Civil Aviation Rules
Whether aviation is your business or pleasure, from the moment you enter the aviation world, you must follow the Civil Aviation Rules. The Minister of the Crown who is authorised by the Prime Minister to be responsible for the Civil Aviation Act 1990, has the power to make Civil Aviation Rules. The Civil Aviation Rules are just like other Regulations made by the Government.
The Rules are made in the public interest, mostly for safety and security.
Everyone in aviation, whether a student pilot, engineer, air traffic controller, aircraft owner, builder, importer, insurer, Regulated Air Cargo Agent, or member of one of dozens of support organisations, needs to know which Rules apply to them and what they require.
The Rules provide a shared standard so that everyone understands how to operate correctly. They state the minimum level of safety required. If you do not operate at or above this level, you are breaking the law.
The Rules are divided into about 50 groups of related Rules called Parts. Each Part is identified by both a number and a name. Once you are familiar with them, you will probably just refer to the Parts that relate to you by number. For example, some of the things a private pilot needs to know about are gaining and maintaining their licence, the flying and airspace Rules, and how to report accidents. Part 61 tells you the requirements for getting a licence, Part 91 tells you the operating, airspace, and maintenance Rules, and Part 12 covers accident and incident reporting. Everyone also needs to know Part 1, which gives definitions and abbreviations for terms used in the rest of the Parts.
For more information about the Civil Aviation Rules, see our free booklet How to Navigate the Rules. Copies can be obtained by emailing: info@caa.govt.nz.