CASR are where we are (supposedly) going, a more ICAO compliant system of rules which may or may not fully supersede the old system this September! At the moment some of them co-exist with CAR.
It better F
DOES. I have had enough hassle/letdown by certain CAO stipulation and very protracted response from CASA about NOT acknowledgeing half of my FI training in US, which won't be needed once the new Part 61 starts. Well, it didn't, ta-daah. Already disliking stuff with only Class 1 medical in hand issued by CASA so far.
Flying itself is the simple bit. It's the bureaucracy, jumping hoops, getting ASIC, filling forms, that's PITA. Just like anywhere.
BTW, AFT is better in terms of helicopter specific studies, Bob Tait's stuff is aimed at fixed wing, but besides HLS/HLZ and fuel reserves, I presume the air law doesn't have that much more for CPL written test candidate (unlike all the AOC headache or maintenance that's helicopter specific).