Air Law is one of the 7 CASA CPL/PPL theory subjects under CASR Part 61 MOS Schedule 3.
Every topic below is drawn from the same syllabus registry that drives Aero Academic's Knowledge
Deficiency Report — including which regulatory citations are confirmed against the published MOS
text and which are still awaiting review.
Topics covered in depth
Supplemental Oxygen — Unpressurised Aircraft
When flight crew and passengers in an unpressurised aircraft must be provided with, and use, supplemental oxygen, by cabin pressure altitude and duration of exposure.
CASR Part 61 MOS Schedule 3 (FR) — no dedicated oxygen clause; see Part 91 MOS below and (HF) 2.12–2.13 for physiology — Air Law — supplemental oxygen requirementsNeeds review
CASR Part 91 MOS section 26.43 and Table 26.43 (2) — Operating rule: supplemental oxygen — requirement to provide and useVerified“Each flight crew member must use the supplemental oxygen that is made available to each of them … 1 Flight crew member or cabin crew member (a) For any period exceeding 30 minutes when the cabin pressure altitude is continuously at least FL 125 but less than FL 140, there must be supply for the entire period. (b) For any period when the cabin pressure altitude is at least FL 140, there must be supply for the entire period. … 2 Passenger (a) For any period when the cabin pressure altitude is at least FL 150, there must be supply for the entire period.”
Common exam mistakes
The rule is written in terms of cabin pressure altitude. In an unpressurised aircraft that equals your actual altitude, but cabin-altitude wording is what the exam tests.
Flight-crew oxygen requirements begin at a lower altitude than passenger requirements — never apply the passenger figure to the pilot.
There is a continuous-use requirement above the upper threshold and a time-limited allowance in the band below it. Confusing which band carries the time allowance is the classic error.
Being "provided with" oxygen and being required to "use" it are separate tests — available is not the same as mandatory.
Determining the fuel required for a flight: trip fuel, contingency, alternate, final reserve and taxi, and the operational minima that must be met before departure.
CASR Part 61 MOS Schedule 3 (FR) — no dedicated fuel-rule clause; planning is exercised in (FP) 2.1.1 / (OP) 2.9.6 — Air Law — fuel requirements and planning minimaNeeds review
CASR Part 91 MOS section 19.04 and Table 19.02 (2) — Operating rule: fuel requirements — final reserve, contingency, alternateVerified“The pilot in command of an aircraft must ensure that, when a flight of the aircraft commences, the aircraft is carrying on board at least the following amounts of usable fuel: (a) taxi fuel; (b) trip fuel; (c) destination alternate fuel (if required); (d) holding fuel (if required); (e) contingency fuel (if applicable); (f) final reserve fuel; (g) additional fuel (if applicable).”
Common exam mistakes
Final reserve is a set time, not a percentage: 30 minutes for a piston or turboprop aeroplane of MTOW 5 700 kg or less under day VFR, but 45 minutes for the same aeroplane under night VFR or IFR (Table 19.02 (2)).
Contingency fuel is not required for aeroplanes of MTOW 5 700 kg or less — the old "10% variable reserve" is not a Part 91 MOS requirement. It applies (5% of trip fuel) only to heavier aeroplanes and turbojets.
Alternate fuel is only carried when an alternate is required — but final reserve is required on every flight.
Fuel sufficiency is a pre-start legal test: you must be satisfied before departure, and dipping into final reserve in flight is a reportable event.
Overwater Equipment & Life Rafts
Life jacket and life raft carriage requirements for flights over water, based on distance from land suitable for a forced landing and the aircraft’s glide performance.
CASR Part 61 MOS Schedule 3 (FR) 2.4.1 (p.445) — Air Law — rules applying to flights over waterVerified“Apply the relevant rules that relate to the following: (a) a pilot’s responsibilities before flight; (b) aerodrome meteorological minima; (c) flights over water; (d) carriage of: (i) cargo; (ii) sick and handicapped persons; (iii) parachutists; (iv) dangerous goods; (v) animals; (vi) flotation and survival equipment.”
CASR Part 91 MOS sections 26.56 and 26.60 (Division 26.14) — Operating rule: life jackets, life rafts and survival equipment for flights over waterVerified“26.56 … (b) for a single-engine aircraft that is not a seaplane or an amphibian — if, during the flight, the aircraft is flown further over water than the distance from which, with the engine inoperative, the aircraft could reach an area of land that is suitable for a forced landing; or (c) for a multi-engine aircraft … more than 50 NM from an area of land that is suitable for a forced landing. … 26.60 (1) When an aircraft begins a flight to which this section applies, it must carry sufficient life rafts to provide a place on a life raft for each person on the aircraft.”
Common exam mistakes
The trigger is distance from land suitable for a safe forced landing — measured as gliding distance for a single-engine aircraft — not distance from the coastline.
Life-jacket and life-raft requirements have different distance thresholds; carrying jackets does not remove the raft requirement.
Gliding distance grows with height, so a higher cruise moves the "within gliding distance" boundary further offshore.
Large inland lakes can count as water for these rules — it is not only the ocean.
VMC Criteria by Airspace Class
Minimum visual meteorological conditions — flight visibility and distance from cloud — for VFR flight, by airspace class and altitude band.
CASR Part 61 MOS Schedule 3 (FR) 2.6.2 (p.454) — Air Law — airspace classification and designated airspace limits (companion to VMC)Verified“With respect to the following terms listed in (a) to (g), explain each term and, if applicable, identify airspace boundaries on appropriate charts, and extract vertical limits of designated airspace from charts or ERSA: (a) flight information service FIR, FIA, OCTA; (b) controlled/uncontrolled airspace.”
CASR Part 91 MOS section 2.07 and Table 2.07 (3) — Operating rule: VMC criteria — visibility and distance from cloudVerified“VMC criteria means meteorological conditions expressed in terms of the flight visibility and distance from cloud (horizontal and vertical) prescribed in this section. … 1 Aircraft A, B, C, E or G At or above 10 000 ft AMSL 8 000 m 1 500 m horizontal 1 000 ft vertical 2 Aircraft A, B, C, E or G Below 10 000 ft AMSL 5 000 m 1 500 m horizontal 1 000 ft vertical …”
Common exam mistakes
VMC minima change with both airspace class and altitude band — there is no single "VFR visibility" number.
The Class G low-level concession (clear of cloud) does not carry into Class E or above, where you must stay 1,500 m horizontally and 1,000 ft vertically from cloud.
Helicopters get a lower visibility concession than aeroplanes at low level in Class G — do not apply the aeroplane figure to a helicopter question.
VMC is only the test for staying legal as VFR; it is separate from whether the flight needs an alternate.
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