10 Jan Navigating the exclusion removals rabbit hole

Got questions about exclusion removals and can’t seem to get a straight answer? You aren’t alone.

Since starting HeliTSA, we have been inundated with questions about exclusion removals and how best to go about lifting CASA E1, E4 and E5 exclusions. Unfortunately, the answer differs depending on the individual engineers’ circumstances and can sometimes be convoluted. But don’t worry; after a few years of working with engineers to get the exclusions removed from their licences, we have found the most straightforward way to navigate the whole process.

Here are the most common questions we are asked about exclusion removals and the steps you need to take to remove your exclusions.

What is the first thing I need to do?

Before we dive in, here is a little background. With the changes to Part 66 licensing in recent years, all engineers (us included) were granted the grandfather clause on their original CASA licence. That meant most B1.3 engineers, if not all, had E1, E4 and E5 exclusions added to their licence to reflect the new system.

If you still have exclusions on your B1.3 licence, you are probably wondering, what is my first step? Answer: Sit a general exclusion removal course.

What is a general exclusion removal course?

The general exclusion removal course is designed to give you underpinning electrical theory and practical knowledge. After you have sat the course and completed a general exclusion journal, you can apply to CASA to have your exclusions removed.

Easy right? Well, yes and no.

Once you get your licence back, you will notice that the E1, E4 and E5 exclusions will have been removed from your B1.3 category and placed next to each aircraft type rating.

We know what you’re thinking … ‘Hang on, then why did I sit the exclusion removal course? Shouldn’t these have been removed?’ The short answer: Well yes, they are removed from your category but not removed from your type (bear with us as we explain further).

So how do I remove the exclusions from my type rating after completing a general exclusion removal course?

If you were lucky enough to have finished your last type course within three years, then your theory and practical on course (POC) credits are still valid and all you need to do is complete one of our exclusion removal OJT Journals. After your Journal is complete, you are able to apply to CASA to have the E1, E4 and E5 exclusions removed.

What happens if I sat my type rating course over three years ago and my credits are now expired?

If it has been more than three years since you have completed the type course, the POC section of the training will have expired, however the theory is still valid for a further two years. Pursuant to Part 66 AMC/GM.AMC4, CASA will accept and assess your old group 20 SOE Journal for exclusion removals until 3 July 2020 (but please make sure you review CASA regulations for any changes to this ruling).

If the theory and practical elements of your training have expired, CASA will not remove the E1, E4 and E5 exclusions from the type rating on your licence without you first sitting a full type course again.

You’re probably thinking, ‘What?! I need to sit a full type course again just to get my credit renewed?’ Answer: Not anymore – that’s why we developed our exclusion removal type courses.

What is HeliTSA’s exclusion removal type course?

Our exclusion removal type courses are designed to allow you to remove the E1, E4 and E5 exclusions applied to specific type ratings on your CASA B1.3 licence. These are abbreviated type courses that target only the subjects you need to have the E1, E4 and E5 restrictions lifted from your type rating. This condensed course reduces the training timeframe from five weeks to just eight days, as well as the cost of training.

After completing the course and an exclusion removal OJT Journal, you will be able to apply to CASA to have the E1, E4 and E5 exclusions removed from that type rating only. We currently run an HeliTSA-139 exclusion removal type course, with an S-92 exclusion removal course launching soon.

Okay, let’s make sure you understand the key points:

If you have exclusions on your licence … you need to know the difference between a general exclusion removal course and our type rating exclusion removal courses. Many engineers have come to us after being misinformed about general exclusion removal training. So to be clear – if you sit a general exclusion removal course, you will still have exclusions on your type ratings after completing it. Further type training is necessary to remove those exclusions.

After undertaking an exclusion removal type course … you are required to fill out an exclusion removal OJT Journal. This is separate from the general exclusion journal that you will receive on a general exclusion removal course. Both of these journals are required, as CASA sees this as your first of type in category.

Further resources:

1. General removals training: Please note that we do not run a general exclusion removals course and we are not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned here – however, we are big believers in connecting you with all options to see what best suits your circumstances. At the time of writing, there are two places offering these courses: Aviation Australia and Aerospace Training Services.

2. HeliTSA-139 exclusion removal type course: See our HeliTSA-139 training page for more information on the course and upcoming dates. We run one of these courses per year, so if there are no live dates, please email us and we will place you on the waitlist for the next course when it is announced.

3. Exclusion removal OJT Journals: We currently have a 139 E1, E4 and E5 exclusion removal (25% OJT Journal) available. These are free to download, and you only pay your processing fee once the Journal is complete and submitted to us.

Once you have removed the exclusions from your licence, no further exclusions will be applied for any aircraft type courses you sit moving forward. We hope this information helps and if you still have any enquires, just contact us for a chat. We were once in the same position as you are now and understand how complex exclusions can be to get your head around.