General Aviation Activity Survey Help Section

Background:

Each year the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE) surveys all aircraft operators to compile the General Aviation publication. The information you supply provides the only comprehensive data relating to the Australian general aviation industry, and is used by government and industry for planning purposes and for the provision of air safety services.

This survey covers activity for the period 1 January to 31 December 2011.

Your participation in the survey and prompt completion of aircraft activity will greatly assist BITRE in publishing timely and accurate data on the general aviation industry. Only aggregate non identifiable results are published. A copy of the latest edition can be viewed on the BITRE web site here.

If your aircraft was inactive for 2011 you should insert "0" in the Landings field and complete the 'Reason for zero hours' question, as this is required for producing accurate estimates of activity.

The correct method of completing your entry for other circumstances can be found in the FAQs in the Help section.

If you have any queries on the survey please do not hesitate to Contact Us.

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General instructions:

  • This survey does not need to be completed at one time. Simply use your login and password to enter this survey site anytime. This enables you to access your records as required. Select the Submit Survey button when all aircraft details are complete.
  • Registrations are based on information supplied by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). Please add any additional aircraft you operated in 2011 that are not listed. Only include Australian aircraft registered with CASA, i.e. having a VH-??? registration. Do not add aircraft registered with the sport aviation associations as details for these aircraft are collected directly from those associations.
  • Flying hours should be recorded on the basis of the types of flying in which the aircraft was engaged. Total time (including taxi time) is preferred, but airborne time or tacho time is acceptable if total time is not readily available.
  • Flying activity performed entirely outside Australia or its Territories should not be recorded.
  • If accurate records are not available please provide careful estimates.

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Definitions:

Private hours

Flying for private pleasure, sport or recreation, including parachute dropping, or personal transport not associated with a business or profession. Includes Angel Flight.

   Survey and photography hours

All aerial survey and photographic work.
Business hours

Flying associated with a business or profession, but not directly for hire or reward. Includes Adventure Flights.

   Pipeline and powerline patrol hours

Aerial inspection patrols along pipelines or powerlines.
Charter hours

Flying involving the carriage of passengers or cargo by the aircraft operator or his/her employees for hire or reward (but excluding scheduled regional airline operations).

   Search and rescue hours

Includes any search missions as well as evacuation or rescue work.
Regional airline (RPT) hours

Airlines conducting Regular Public Transport operations primarily servicing regional centres.

   Ambulance hours

Operations as an aerial ambulance for the transport of ill or injured persons.
Agriculture hours

Flying involving the carriage and/or spreading of chemicals, seeds, fertilisers or other substances for agricultural purposes, including the purposes of pest and disease control.

   Towing hours

Includes glider, target and banner towing.
Test and ferry hours

Flying associated with the testing of an aircraft or associated with its delivery or movement to a location for maintenance, hire or other planned use.

   Other aerial work hours

Includes aerial spotting (stock, fish, fire, etc.), advertising, cloud seeding, fire fighting, coastal surveillance, etc.
Training hours

Flying involving training for the issue or renewal of a licence or rating, aircraft type endorsement or conversion training. Includes solo navigation exercises conducted as part of a course of applied flying training.

   Total landings

Enter the total number of landings for each aircraft, including 'touch and go' landings and alightings on water. In the case of balloons; indicate the number of envelope inflations. If zero hours flown enter 0 and include the reason from the drop-down menu to enable accurate statistics to be compiled.
Mustering hours

Aerial stock mustering involving the direct use of aircraft for the movement of livestock.

   Postcode

Please record the postcode of the aerodrome or landing area at which the aircraft was most frequently based. For balloon operations, indicate the postcode of the general area from which most flying was conducted.

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FAQs:

What if I have lost my User Name?
  • The User Name and password were originally mailed to you. If you do not know the User Name supplied to you, you need to Contact Us

What if I have lost my password?

  • If you have previously supplied an e-mail address through the system this year, then you can enter your User Name and click the Login button. This will allow you to enter the same e-mail address you previously supplied. Click the Reset Password button and the system will e-mail you a new password. You can then use the new password to Login to the system. Once logged in you may change your password to one that is easier to remember.
  • If you have not previously supplied an e-mail address you need to Contact Us
    • to get a new password.

What if my session expires?

  • The "Save survey" or "Check for errors" button must be clicked at least every 30 minutes. Otherwise the session will expire and all information entered since your last save will be lost. In this case you will be returned to the Login screen with a message of 'Your session has expired - please logout and try again." You will need to login again and re-enter any information which has been lost.

What if I need to put data into a box which is not available?

  • Analysis of the past decade's data shows no hours recorded for this type of aircraft doing this type of flying. If your aircraft does this type of flying please Contact Us so that we can discuss this and possibly amend the collection to accept this entry or advise which category these hours would be more accurately recorded against.

What if I get a warning or error message at the top of the screen?

  • These warnings are provided to advise when incorrect data may have been entered. In many cases the data will be correct. Simply check that the number entered is what you intended and either amend it or when submitting check the 'Warnings Acknowledged' box at the bottom of the screen to confirm the entry. An example would be where an aircraft has flown an average of over 10 hours per day every day of the year or if the aircraft averaged over 12 landings per hour. These figures will occasionally be correct but deserve to be bought to your attention. Other messages indicate impossible situations (errors). These must be corrected before submitting, eg) flying more hours than there is in a year.

What if the aircraft conducted no flying during the year?

  • If your aircraft was inactive for the entire year you should insert "0" in the Landings field and still complete the 'Reason for Zero hours' question, as this is required for producing accurate estimates of activity.

What if the aircraft only flew totally outside Australian airspace?

  • Data should not be provided and record 'Aircraft operating solely overseas' in the 'Reason for zero hours' section.

What if I cannot estimate the number of landings?

  • It is better that you provide an estimate of the number of landings. However if this is absolutely impossible then leave this field blank and we will estimate this based on other similar aircraft. When submitting select the 'Warnings Acknowledged' box at the bottom of the form. It is preferable for you to enter an estimate.

What if the registration listed and the aircraft type do not match?

  • These details are taken from the CASA registry at the end of the survey reference year. The details required are for when that registration applied to that aircraft. If that was only for part of the year then provide details only for that period with an explanation in the Additional Details/Comments section. If the aircraft type was not applicable to that registration for the entire year then leave the record blank and fill this in as 'Aircraft type does not match registration' in the 'Reason for zero hours' section. In this case you should visit the CASA website http://casa-query.funnelback.com/search/search.cgi?collection=casa_aircraft_register and check if the registration is currently correct; if not advise CASA on 131 757 or at www.casa.gov.au.

What if I only operated the aircraft for part of the year?

  • If you have details, or can estimate, for the entire year then please do so and record this in the 'Additional Details/Comments' section. If you can only provide information for part of the year then record this and note in the 'Additional Details/Comments' section, including the period covered.

What if there is an aircraft listed which I do not own or operate and know nothing about?

  • Record 'I am not aware of this aircraft' in the 'Reason for zero hours' section.

What if the aircraft was sold prior to 1 January 2011?

  • If you sold or otherwise disposed of your aircraft prior to 1 January 2011 please complete the survey providing that as a 'Reason for zero hours'. You should advise CASA on 131 757 or at www.casa.gov.au .CASA is responsible for maintaining the civil aircraft register on which this survey is based.

What if this aircraft is a home-built/amateur-built that is not yet completed or does not yet have a Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) or is still under construction?

  • Simply enter that in the 'Reason for zero hours'.

What if I need to change my registered address or any other details?

  • If you have not already done so you should contact CASA on 131 757 or at www.casa.gov.au .CASA is responsible for maintaining the civil aircraft register on which this survey is based.

What if I have already filled this survey in on line?

  • CASA conduct a similar survey of Air Operator Certificate (AOC) holders only. This is known as the AHSQ survey. While the two surveys are similar in some respects, they are different in scope and questions asked. The data you may have compiled for the AHSQ may help you to complete some sections of this survey. You are required to complete this survey. If you have completed this survey and get a reminder letter then please Contact Us.

What is Postcode of usual base?

  • Please provide the postcode of the aerodrome or landing area at which the aircraft was most frequently based. For balloon operations, indicate the postcode of the general area from which most flying was conducted.

What if my aircraft is registered with RA-AUS, GFA, HGFA or ASRA?

  • Aircraft registered with Recreational Aviation Australia (RA-AUS), Gliding Federation of Australia (GFA), Hang Gliding Federation of Australia (HGFA) or Australian Sport Rotorcraft Association (ASRA) should not be included in this survey. Details of flying in these types of aircraft are controlled directly from the relevant association and BITRE collects summary data from those associations.

Do I include landings at non registered airfields?

  • This question is needed to determine the total number of landings. Therefore landings anywhere should be counted.

Can I print a blank copy of the survey?

  • You can open a blank copy of the survey in a PDF document here and print this to assist you in gathering the information prior to completing the online survey. If you prefer you can mail, fax or email this back to BITRE rather than completing the online form. In this case use the Contact Details to return the form to BITRE. Note that no postage stamp is required if posted within Australia.

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Due date:

The survey should be submitted by 24 February 2012.

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Contact us:

Aviation Statistics Section
Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (BITRE)
Department of Infrastructure and Transport
Reply Paid 501
Canberra ACT 2601

Email: AVSTATS@Infrastructure.gov.au
Phone:(02) 6274 6797
Fax:    (02) 6274 7727

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Authority for collection:

  • Australian Government Statistical Clearing House Approval Number 00560-08.
  • This information is collected under the authority of Air Navigation Regulation 12 which has been reproduced below:

Statistical returns

  1. The holder of the certificate of registration of an aircraft under the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988, or the operator of an aircraft, must give to the Secretary, or to an authorised officer, statistical returns or other information that the Secretary requests:
    1. relating to:
      1. the aircraft; or
      2. passengers or goods carried on the aircraft; or
      3. work performed using the aircraft; or
      4. flights made by the aircraft; and
    2. that the holder or the operator:
      1. has in his, her or its possession; or
      2. is reasonably able to obtain.
  2. An airline, or the owner of an aircraft engaged in a public transport service, which uses any airport maintained and operated by the Minister in pursuance of regulation 9 shall furnish to the Secretary, or to an authorized officer, such traffic reports, cost statistics and financial statements, showing, amongst other things, all receipts and the sources thereof as the Secretary from time to time requires.
  3. The Secretary or any other person shall not divulge or communicate any information furnished under subregulation (1) or (2) that discloses particulars of the business or financial dealings or position of any person or organization whose name or title is stated in or can be inferred from the information divulged or communicated, except:
    1. in the course of duty to another person performing duties under these Regulations;
    2. with the consent of the person who has given the Secretary the information; or
    3. under subregulation (4).
  4. In accordance with Article 67 of the Convention, the Secretary shall transmit to the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization such of the particulars supplied in accordance with subregulation (2) as relate to the international operations of Australian airlines engaged in such operations.
  5. The operator of an aircraft must give to the Secretary, or to an authorised officer, the statistical returns or other information that:
    1. the Secretary requests about items detected during screening; and
    2. the operator:
      1. has in his, her or its possession; or
      2. is reasonably able to obtain.
  6. An airport operator must give to the Secretary, or to an authorised officer, the statistical returns or other information that:
    1. the Secretary requests about aviation security at the airport; and
    2. the operator:
      1. has in his, her or its possession; or
      2. is reasonably able to obtain.
  7. A person who is required to give information under this regulation to the Secretary or an authorised officer must not give false or misleading information to the Secretary or authorised officer for the purposes of the provision.

    Penalty:   10 penalty units.
  8. A person who is required to give information under this regulation to the Secretary or an authorised officer must give the information:
    1. within the period set out in the request for the information; or
    2. if a period is not set out in the request - within a reasonable period after the person receives the request.

      Penalty for a contravention of this subregulation:   1 penalty unit.

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Notice to Air Operator Certificate (AOC) Holders:

CASA regularly conduct a survey of AOC holders. The AOC Holders Safety Questionnaire (AHSQ) seeks information on a range of issues including hours flown in various categories of activity for individual aircraft utilized by that AOC.

For that reason, it may be useful for AOC holders to print a copy of the data that you are providing to BITRE in the 2011 General Aviation Activity Survey since it may assist you in responding to the CASA survey by avoiding the need to repeat the work required to compile these figures. Use the 'Print preview' button.


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