Safety in the vicinity of non-towered aerodromes - Australian ...

The non-towered aerodrome procedures (CAR 166) apply to aircraft in the vicinity of
all non-towered aerodromes, which is defined by CASA as within 10 NM of the
aerodrome reference point and at a height which could conflict with operations at a
non-towered aerodrome.
There are five parts to the new CAR 166.
• CAR 166A General requirements for aircraft on the manoeuvring area or in the
vicinity of a non-controlled aerodrome
• CAR 166B Carrying out a straight-in approach
• CAR 166C Responsibility for broadcasting on VHF radio
• CAR 166D Designation of non-controlled aerodromes
• CAR 166E Requirements for operating on or in the vicinity of certified, military,
registered or designated non-controlled aerodromes
Due to the CAR 166 refinements, pilots using non-towered aerodromes will notice
several major changes in how they must operate at these aerodromes:
• abolition of CTAF(R) designations for aerodromes:
– At all non-towered aerodromes that are registered, certified, are for military
use, or are specified by CASA, a radio must now be carried and used in order
for the aircraft to use that aerodrome (requirement of CAR 166A). These
aerodromes are identified with a plain white background in the ERSA.
– As a result, use of radio is mandatory at all other airfields that are within 10
NM vicinity of a registered/certified/military aerodrome (even if not apparent
from the ERSA).
– At other uncertified or unregistered aerodromes, aircraft landing areas (ALAs),
or helicopter landing sites (HLSs), a radio is not required in order to use that
aerodrome. However, if the aircraft is fitted with a radio, radio use is
mandatory (requirement of CAR 166.1). These are identified with a grey
background in the ERSA.
• changes to circuit height levels for low, medium, and high-performance aircraft
• additional circuit joining options.
As a result of the 3 June 2010 changes, there are now approximately 300 aerodromes
in Australia where a radio is required to be carried and used at all times. The
CTAF(R) designation has been removed from use in the AIP, ERSA, and issues of
charts since this date. In order to check whether radio carriage is required at a
particular non-towered aerodrome, pilots should consult the ERSA and CAAP 166-1
(see below).
There are two new Civil Aviation Advisory Publications (CAAPs), which summarise
the changes to the CAR 166 regulations. All pilots who use non-towered aerodromes
should read and familiarise themselves with the following CAAPs:
• CAAP 166-1(0) Operations in the vicinity of non-towered (non-controlled)
aerodromes
• CAAP 166-2(0) Pilots’ responsibility for collision avoidance in the vicinity of nontowered
(non-controlled) aerodromes using ‘see-and-avoid’.
These CAAPs are the authoritative benchmark of operating procedures at these nontowered
aerodromes. They also provide a code of conduct to reinforce good
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