Notice Title

Summary of Exemptions Granted by the Director of Civil Aviation

Publication Date
8 Apr 2026

Tags

Civil Aviation Act Civil Aviation Rules Exemptions granted Civil Aviation Authority

Notice Number

2026-au1888
Title
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File Type and Size
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Pursuant to section 322(4) of the Civil Aviation Act 2023, notification is hereby given that the Director of Civil Aviation has granted the following exemptions from the Civil Aviation Rule requirements during the period 5 January 2025 to 31 March 2026 inclusive:

Reference

Rule Part

Rule Numbers

Requirement

Total

Effectivity Dates

26/EXE/13

Use of aerodromes

125.77(d)(3) with respect to Appendix C, Table C-1 of Part 139

An air operator certificate holder must ensure that its aeroplanes only take off or land where the runway strip width meets the minimum requirements of Table C-1 of Appendix C, Part 139.

1

Granted: 24 February 2026

Expiry: 28 November 2030

26/EXE/17

Dangerous goods

92.7, 92.55, 92.57, 92.59, 92.103, and 92.153

Carriage, packing, marking, labelling and acceptance of dangerous goods by operator.

1

Granted: 5 February 2026

Expiry: 30 April 2026

26/EXE/26

Personnel requirements

119.101(b)(2) with respect to Appendix B.1

Senior person responsible for air operations to hold 500 hours flight time on Part 135 operations applicable to an operation involving three aircraft and two bases.

1

Granted: 30 January 2026

Expiry: 15 January 2029

26/EXE/28

General carriage requirements

133.65(b)(1), 92.7 and 92.9(a)

Carriage of dangerous goods as underslung load beneath a helicopter.

1

Granted: 3 March 2026

Expiry: 30 November 2028

26/EXE/34

Pilot consolidation

121.569(a)(2)

Reduction of pilot consolidation requirements in lieu of completing 100 hours of flight time or 75 operating cycles within 120 days from the completion of the introduction or transition segment of the training.

3

Granted: 21 January 2026

Expiry: 20 January 2027

26/EXE/38

Granted: 2 February 2026

Expiry: 30 January 2027

26/EXE/50

Granted: 26 March 2026

Expiry: 25 March 2027

26/EXE/37

Danger areas

71.161(c)(3)

If the danger area is designated as being made active by NOTAM, notify the New Zealand NOTAM Office at least 24 hours before that danger area is to become active.

1

Granted: 23 January 2026

Expiry: 24 April 2026

26/EXE/39

Flight crew competency assessments

121.607(3)

Each pilot acting as a flight crew member of an aeroplane conducting an IFR air operation must successfully complete a competency assessment within the preceding 6 months.

1

Granted: 28 January 2026

Expiry: 26 July 2026

26/EXE/54

121.607(1)

Each pilot acting as pilot-in-command of an aeroplane conducting an air operation must successfully complete a route check within the preceding 12 months.

1

Granted: 27 March 2027

Expiry: 30 April 2026

26/EXE/41

Dangerous goods training programmes

92.203(a)

An air operator or its handling agent must ensure that personnel involved with dangerous goods have completed an initial and recurrent training, delivered by an authorised 119 air operator or 141 aviation training organisation.

1

Granted: 5 February 2026

Expiry: 30 April 2026

26/EXE/43

Privileges and limitations

65.405(b)(1)

An air traffic service instructor rating holder may exercise the privileges of the rating if they hold a current validation for the relevant service.

1

Granted: 24 March 2026

Expiry: 5 April 2026

26/EXE/52

Requirement for a certificate

119.5(a) and (b)

A person responsible for an air operation must hold and comply with an air operator certificate issued under Part 119, and a person must not perform an air operation unless authorised by an air operator certificate under the Act and Part 119.

1

Granted: 31 March 2026

Expiry: 24 April 2026

16/EXE/21 (Amendment #2)

Monitoring the area outside the flight crew compartment door

121.101

The pilot-in-command must ensure that the flight crew compartment door is only unlocked after using acceptable visual and audio checks to confirm the area outside is secure and the person requesting entry is not being coerced.

1

Granted: 19 February 2026

Expiry: 31 May 2026

21/EXE/77 (Amendment #2)

IFR communication equipment

91.501(1) only in respect to 91.519(a)(1), 125.353(1)(ii) and 135.353(1)(ii)

An aircraft operating under IFR must be fitted with communication equipment that meets level 1 standards in Appendix A.9.

1

Granted: 6 March 2026

Effective from: 11 May 2026

Expiry: 10 May 2031

25/EXE/48 (Amendment #1)

Written examinations – prerequisites

61.17(d)(1)

Written examination credit specified in 61.17(c) is in the case of a commercial pilot licence, is valid for 3 years.

1

Granted: 26 February 2026

Expiry: 30 April 2026

25/EXE/53 (Amendment #2)

Communication equipment – VFR over water

91.501(1), 91.515(1)(i)

An aircraft operating under VFR over water, more than 30 minutes from the nearest shore, must carry communication equipment that meets level 1 or 2 standards in Appendix A.9.

1

Granted: 13 February 2026

Expiry: 31 May 2026


Exemption files may be viewed on prior request to the Exemptions Specialist at postal address: PO Box 3555, Wellington 6140.