Rules Update Programme - summary of projects

Project completed. 

• The rule changes requirements for senior persons for parachute-drop aircraft operations, special aircraft operations, and glider and glider tow aircraft operations. This will ensure that the requirements for people in Senior Person roles are appropriate and reflect the specialised nature of 115 operations. The need for exemptions has been removed.

Summary:

This project has changed the rule for gliding, parachute drop, and special aircraft operators so they don’t need to apply for exemptions. 

This has lightened the regulatory burden on anyone legally responsible for special aircraft operations, parachute drops and gliding. 

Project completed. 

• The rule change removes and replaces references to outdated standards and requirements (for example, for emergency equipment); and begins the modernisation of the structure of Part 91 by providing for making transport instruments that set out technical standards and requirements.

Summary:

This project has removed references to outdated requirements and standards from the general operating rule for aviation – the first step in making the general operating rule future-proof.  

For example, technical details about pressure altimeters have been moved into guidance, making it quicker and easier to update equipment requirements as technology evolves.

Project nearly complete. Public consultation on proposed rule changes has closed. 

• The proposals aim to resolve issues with RESA length requirements and allow for the use of arresting systems at New Zealand airports, consistent with ICAO standards and recommended practices.
• A Runway End Safety Area is an area at the end of a runway that reduces aircraft damage and improves safety if an aircraft underruns or overruns the runway. A RESA can incorporate an arresting system. An arresting system is a safety mechanism designed to decelerate an aeroplane overrunning the runway.

Summary:

The CAA proposes changes to the requirements for safety features at the ends of runways. By providing additional length at runway ends and allowing systems that can assist with slowing aircraft down in emergency situations, these features provide additional safety margins for aeroplanes using these runways. 

The changes will help us better align with international standards, give aerodromes more flexibility in their safety planning, and increase the types and size of passenger aircraft able to use regional airports. 

In progress: discovery phase.

This project aims to address audit findings to enhance safety in air operations through rules for locating an aircraft in distress, safety requirements for single-engine aircraft, and standards for safety equipment (for example, emergency beacons).

Summary:

This project aims to increase the degree to which CAA’s regulations align with globally accepted standards – for example, tracking and location of an aircraft in distress, and improved standards for aircraft safety equipment. 

In progress: discovery phase.

This project aims to align with multiple ICAO standards and recommended procedures for aviation security relating to air cargo – including catering and in-flight supplies – and related staff training, to further minimise the risk of dangerous items boarding aircraft.

Summary:

This project aims to ensure organisations that handle air cargo have processes and training in place to prevent unsafe cargo from being loaded on an aircraft.  

This will result in increased passenger safety and better alignment with international systems and standards. 

In progress: discovery phase.

• This project aims to enable recognition of foreign Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) organisations from countries with safety and oversight standards in line with New Zealand’s; and to allow aircraft, engine or propeller modifications from the European Union, as NZ already does for those approved by USA, Australia, and Canada.
• This will significantly reduce administrative burden, compliance costs and processing delays on the aviation sector.

Summary:

Some overseas aircraft modifications require additional review by CAA before being approved for use in New Zealand, and there are regulatory hurdles for New Zealand aircraft owners wanting to have their aircraft maintained overseas. 

This project aims to allow recognition of the work done by foreign regulators, reducing or eliminating duplication of effort by CAA and saving aircraft operators time and money. 

In progress: discovery phase.

This project will investigate the most effective ways to enable agricultural drone use that avoid unnecessary compliance costs and will recommend a regulatory approach, which may not require a rule change. The proposal will be considered for progression in the first 6-month programme review.

Summary:

Drones have proven to be very useful in the agriculture sector. Depending on the size of the drone and how it is used, different levels of approval are currently required by CAA. 

This project will explore policy options for simplifying the approval process for agricultural drone operations without affecting the safety of the wider aviation system.

Start scheduled Q3 2026.

This project will address audit findings about:

• Aircraft certification and airworthiness (Parts 21, 43, 145, 146, 26), for example definitions for modifications, reporting of technical problems, and requirements for maintenance organisations, manuals, and programmes.
• Air navigation services and aeronautical information (Parts 12, 71, 171, 172, 173, 175), including search and rescue services requirements, Quality Management Systems, and contingency plans for disruption to air traffic services and/or radio communications.
• Aerodromes (Part 139) to introduce criteria for aircraft weight and pavement strength.
• Dangerous goods training programmes and procedures (these items may be transferred to the Part 92 – Dangerous Goods review).

Summary:

An audit of CAA last year by the international aviation standards body identified areas of misalignment between our rules and their globally accepted requirements. 

This project aims to increase the degree to which CAA’s regulations align and international standards, supporting New Zealand airlines in overseas markets and giving overseas operators confidence flying to New Zealand. 

Start scheduled Q3 2026.

This project aims to improve cybersecurity practices and reduce our systems’ vulnerability to cyberattack and/or poor digital security practices.

This will consider:

• establishing minimum requirements and related standards
• setting up oversight mechanisms, including to maintain awareness of emerging threats. 

This project will require significant policy investigation and coordination across agencies and may affect multiple rule parts relevant to aviation safety and security. The project links to separate Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet work on enhancing the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure.

Summary:

This project aims to ensure New Zealand’s cybersecurity requirements are up to date, and to establish requirements for the identification and management of cybersecurity threats to New Zealand’s aviation system. This could include threats to systems used by air traffic control, or aircraft that are in operation. 

This work connects to broader cybersecurity work led by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 

Start scheduled Q3 2026.

This project will review Part 61 to improve training, licensing, and progression – particularly for commercial, private, and specialist operations – to align with ICAO and other countries. The review aims to increase flexibility, modernise requirements and address multiple issues and opportunities, for example:

• modernising training syllabi
• creating clearer and more flexible pathways for pilot qualifications
• reviewing rules about instructors and examiners
• clarifying rules for remote and uncrewed aircraft operators (including drones)
• considering licensing and training needs for emerging technologies—such as powered lift and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

Summary:

Pilot licensing rules need to be modern, flexible and clear to support our flight training schools, airlines, and the wider aviation community.  

This project will improve the licensing and training environment, give more flexibility to airlines for training and managing their pilot workforce, and ensure that licensing rules are future-proof for emerging aviation technologies, such as electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. 

Start scheduled Q3 2026.

This is a significant project to modernise how we regulate Air Traffic Services, including reviewing the minimum age for air traffic controllers which currently presents challenges for workforce management and development. It also aims to improve flexibility so New Zealand can allow for changing technologies, by replacing some prescriptive requirements with performance-based rules and aligning with ICAO standards and recommended practices.

Summary:

This project will update the rules to make sure Airways Corporation (New Zealand’s air navigation service provider) can take advantage of the latest technology to improve safety. 

The project will also address aviation workforce pressures due to the current age limitations on air traffic controllers, allowing the training of more people and reducing risks posed by staff shortages. 

Start scheduled August 2026.

This project will improve alignment with international best practice for aircraft security checks and searches. It will also enhance security for international flights by reviewing requirements for security management plans and procedures.

Summary:

Start scheduled Q3 2026.

This project will review the latest ICAO standards recommendations about drones – such as airworthiness standards, and communication between pilots and remotely piloted aircraft – and incorporate them into our rules where appropriate. This will enable further safe integration of drones into New Zealand’s aviation system.

Summary:

Drones continue to be used more often across our communities for a wide variety of purposes.  

By updating our rules to align with the latest international standards, we can safely integrate drones into our aviation system and enable opportunities offered by them. 

Start scheduled Q3 2026.

This project aims to clarify criteria and expectations for these licenses by prescribing examination details in rules or transport instruments, which are enforceable, rather than in guidance material.

Summary:

Licensed aircraft maintenance engineers play a critical role keeping aircraft safe and fit to fly. By aligning with international standards, it’ll be easier to bring aircraft engineers in from overseas to address shortages in New Zealand and help engineering schools in New Zealand attract more students. 

This project aims to modernise the rule to include more detail about the standards for aircraft engineers, increase our safety oversight, and remain flexible and responsive to changes in technology. 

Start scheduled Q1 2027.

This project will comprehensively review how we regulate Dangerous Goods in aviation to align with ICAO, fill regulatory gaps, resolve confusion, and reduce the need for exemptions.

Some of the areas already identified are:

• dangerous goods training
• allowing agencies other than the Police (such as Fire and Emergency New Zealand) to carry dangerous goods in emergency situations
• clarifying confusing requirements, including about exceptions
• Increasing oversight of the complete supply chain for dangerous goods, not just aviation operators.

Summary:

Our rules for the carriage of dangerous goods make it challenging for aviation operators to carry anything more than very small quantities when supporting emergency responses (with NEMA and Fire and Emergency New Zealand), and during tourism and conservation activities.  

The project aims to achieve international alignment, address areas of confusion in the current rules, and remove the need for regulatory workarounds.

Start scheduled Q1 2027.

This project aims to modernise rules about carrying portable electronic devices (PEDs), such as mobile phones, airtags and airpods. Many of these items are currently permitted to travel through the use of exemptions to the rules, but international developments show that they can travel safely in many cases.

This change is intended to allow PEDs based on an airline’s specific circumstances (for example, how they operate or the type of aircraft) which will reduce the need for exemptions and associated administrative burden for CAA and the sector.

Summary:

We’re modernising the rules to make it easier for passengers and airlines to understand which portable electronic devices (PEDs) can be carried on an aeroplane and when.  

We already allow some PEDs to be carried on board aircraft, but approvals are complicated. This rule change will make the whole process simpler and easier. 

Start scheduled Q1 2027.

This project will make the rule more flexible and easier to update by moving technical detail into a series of transport instruments which can be updated by the Director of Civil Aviation, rather than the Minister of Transport.

Summary:

The general aviation rules are applicable to everyone operating an aircraft in New Zealand (equivalent to the New Zealand Road Code). Changes in technology, equipment and operating practices happen frequently and rapidly which makes it challenging to keep this rule part (Part 91) up to date. 

This project aims to make it easier to update the standards that operators must comply with as aviation technology evolves. 

Start scheduled Q2 2027.

Windshear is a sudden change in wind speed and/or direction which is a serious safety hazard to aviation. This project will consider New Zealand’s approach to windshear warnings, aiming to align with ICAO standards which emphasise proactive and automated warnings.

Summary:

This project aims to align CAA requirements with international standards for warnings about sudden changes in wind direction and strength and to update our alerting systems to be more automated. 

This will ensure pilots will have the best information available to them during critical stages of a flight.  

Start scheduled April 2027.

This project aims to reduce costs on the sector by considering new security tiers for different types of airport, which may allow different methods for managing security while still effectively mitigating risk.

Summary:

New Zealand has only one security designation for aerodromes. 

We’re looking at moving away from this one-size-fits-all approach to managing security, while still effectively mitigating risk. 

Different methods for managing security at different tiers of airport will increase efficiency and reduce costs for the sector. 

Start scheduled Q2 2027.

Different rules currently prescribe different runway strip widths which results in inconsistencies and burden for aerodromes and in some cases, unnecessary construction costs. This project will review the requirements to improve alignment with ICAO, enable airport development, and maintain safety standards.

Summary:

The landing capabilities of modern aircraft mean runways can be constructed to be narrower than they needed to be previously.  

This project will review runway requirements and their impact on regional aerodromes to ensure we are applying globally aligned, practical, and safe standards. 

Aligning with international standards incorporating these new width requirements will be an economic benefit to New Zealand aerodromes, relieving them of unneeded construction.

Start scheduled Q2 2027.

This project is a significant review of how we regulate aircraft and product certification. It aims to make use of new regulatory tools and performance-based regulation to make the rules more flexible, adaptable and responsive to technological and other changes within the aviation sector.

This project will address multiple specific issues with this rule part, including, among other things:

• Light Sport Aircraft certification²
• new types of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft
• uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) equipage
• ICAO environmental certification standards (noise, emissions, CO₂).

Summary:

This project will review the rules about safety approvals for aircraft, engines and propellers, aiming to be more flexible and responsive to technological changes. 

We will explore changes in relation to safety approvals for some general aviation aircraft, new types of vertical take-off and landing craft, and future types of uncrewed aircraft.

The project will also look to align New Zealand’s environmental certification standards (for noise and engine emissions) with internationally agreed requirements. 

Start scheduled Q2 2027.

The project will review how we regulate rockets to ensure the rules are modern, aligned with current rocket capabilities and related legislation, and able to support safe launch activities. This work aims to reduce unnecessary regulatory burden, address gaps in rocket classifications and oversight, and ensure New Zealand has an up‑to‑date, future‑proof framework for managing rocket launches.

Summary:

Rocketry is a rapidly evolving field and the rules when written did not envisage the capabilities that can now be found in modern ‘small’ rockets. 

This project aims to ensure that the regulation of small rockets is brought up to date, is proportionate, and can adapt to future changes without creating unnecessary regulatory burden.

Start scheduled Q3 2027.

Use of uncrewed aircraft is increasing but rules for operating them at aerodromes may be excessive for small scale operations. This project will review Part 102 to ensure suitable oversight. This project links to Ministry of Transport work on airspace integration.

Summary:

This project aims to ensure that the level of regulatory oversight for aerodromes used by uncrewed aircraft systems is appropriate for the scale and complexity of operation, including reducing undue burden on small-scale operations. 

We will look to find a better balance between oversight and flexibility. This project will tie in airspace integration work by the Ministry of Transport.