If ABF with an AOC, can issue CTA endorsements why can't RAA with an AOC do the same?
Who issues Air Operator Certificates and are they able to "tick the right boxes"?
[RANT]
The ABF might have an AOC but RAAus certainly don't. If the ABF have an AOC and issue licences and CTA endorsements, its because they have an operation that complies with the relevant part of CAO 82 and they have instructors qualified in accordance with the CARs, and testing officers qualified in accordance with whatever rules CASA had for Balloon ATOs at the time.
You cannot operate RAAus-registered aircraft on an AOC even if you wanted to. Even assuming the regs allowed it, there is certainly no way the RAAus could exert the required level of supervision and control on all their operators to hold an AOC. That is not a criticism of Mick and his team - it is simply impossible.
CASA issues AOCs but even if it were a "box ticking" exercise, there are simply no suitable boxes to be ticked!
Balloons are VH-registered and the requirements for a Balloon Commercial Pilot
LICENCE or a Balloon Private Pilot
LICENCE are described in the Civil Aviation Regs. There are VH-registered Gyros and Gyro
LICENCES, and VH-registered airships and airship
LICENCES described in the CARs too.
Frank that's a
LICENCE... not a certificate. RAAus pilots are
exempted from the requirement to hold a licence.
The trade-off for that freedom is a limitation on your privileges. As Jaba says, if you want a CTA endorsement on a RAAus ticket then upgrade to a GA
LICENCE.
[/RANT]