Part 21 Changes - Aircraft Certification
Changes to Part 21 Certification of Products and Parts came into force 03 Dec 2009.
What are the Changes?
Special Category has been expanded into six subcategories – Experimental (revised), Exhibition, Amateur-built, Primary, Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), and Limited – enabling an aircraft to be placed in the most suitable subcategory.
- A revised Experimental subcategory which limits aircraft to true experimental activities such as research and development, showing compliance with rules, or flight evaluation.
- An Exhibition subcategory which accommodates aircraft that will be primarily operated for exhibition at aviation events, aerobatic competitions, film industry, or private use.
- An Amateur-built subcategory which accommodates aircraft built by their owners for sport and recreation purposes. The aircraft will migrate to this category once it has completed flight evaluation under the Experimental subcategory.
- A Primary subcategory. This certification standard originates in the United States – the category allows for future imports. An aircraft certificated as Special Category – Primary may be operated for hire or reward or for flight training.
- The Light Sport Aircraft (LSA), when constructed and flight tested under factory conditions, may be operated for hire or reward or for flight training.
- A Limited subcategory which accommodates ex-military and vintage aircraft (including helicopters) that have been constructed in series, under factory conditions, in a controlled design environment.
- Introduction of a new Subpart I for Flight Permits. All special flight permit rules have been drawn from the previous Subpart H and consolidated under this new Subpart for ease of reference. Other than consolidation, there has been no change to rule content.
The amendments to Part 21 also impact on Parts 1, 43, 47, 66 and 91.
Transitional Arrangements
Transitional arrangements include a provision giving owners 12 months to transition to the respective subcategories developed in this rule amendment. This 12 month period finishes on 03 Dec 2010.
An application must be made to request the transition, and must be sent to reach the CAA by 30 Oct 2010 at the latest.
Those operators transitioning to "Exhibition" or “Limited” also need to provide an “Operator Statement” during this process.
The CAA will do a mail-out to all operators of Special Category Aircraft providing appropriate forms and guidance material, however the forms below may be used if necessary.
Further Information
Applicable forms:
| 24021/06T | Application for a Special Category Airworthiness
Certificate -Transition Application |
| 24021/14 | Light Sport Aircraft Statement of Compliance |
All CAA forms can be found on the Forms page