Instrument Rating Classifications from the old days?
 

Does anyone recall the general descriptions/limitations of the old Class, I, Class II, Class II and Class IV Instrument Ratings? No need for great detail - just very broad description will suffice. I can remember that Class IV was the old Night VMC rating but that's about where the memory gives up!
Cheers,
ORH

I think I've got an old Manual of Standards on this back home. I'll have a look tonight and see what I can come up with.

I'll have a go. Someone will correct my memory gaps!

Class One ... what most GA pilots had.

Class Two ... a copilot Instrument Rating. If you flew as a copilot for a non airline operator. As an example, maybe a DC3 copilot for Bush Pilots, before they got an Airline License.

Class Three ... Generally the same as a Class One, except you weren't as good! By that, I mean the tolerances for the flight test were a little looser! You couldn't fly IFR into a capital city primary airport with a Class three.!

Class Four .... Night VMC Rating

Class Five ... Ag Rating for spraying at night! :ugh:

First Class ... Went with an ATPL, which you could only hold if you were a Captain with an Airline (then only TAA, Ansett,and East West)

Second Class ... For Airline copilots

E O & E

Not strictly correct.

Some GA pilots had a First Class rating as the "Class #" system did not exist before about 1968.

Predates even me (although I did hold a Class 4 :E), but I have a vague recollection that Class 1 renewals were every 6 months. If you ran over the 6 mths your Class 1 automatically reverted to Class 3 until you successfully completed Class 1 renewal.

Dr :8

There was also a Class 4 (DAY).

Forkie

I think you may be right about the 6 months - will ckeck my old SCPL when I get back to Base.

Class One was definitely renewed six monthly

Class 3: You could go into capital city primary CTA but only to the minimum extent necessary for the flight. You were expected to descend below the steps until penetrating the CTA was unavoidable.

The minima was different too. Wasn't it circling only or something? Or to 600'?

The six month requirement for a 1st class I.R. was onerous and costly for individuals or small operators (but it does mean that I have several more renewals than total years of flying). The 2nd class I.R. and ATPL were inventions aimed at making it difficult for pilots to head off to greener pastures overseas, because the check ride standard was set lower and everyone knew it. Thus QANTAS and TAA effectively dictated pilot licencing terms.
In Australia's diligent pursuit of non-ICAO standards, there was a time when the highest licence a non-airline pilot could hold was a Senior Commercial, though with a First Class I.R. Despite the fact that SCPLs were often flying single-pilot IFR under far more arduous conditions than their airline brethren, sometimes it was hard to get other licencing authorities to accept that this was as good as a First Class ATPL.
If a pilot wanted to fly IFR in the real outside world, most jurisdictions had an Instrument Rating - period. The idea being that you demonstrated once a year that you could keep it right side up in IMC, fly to some sensibly-close tolerances and not get lost in the process. Co-pilots had to fly to the same tolerances. Then the onus was on the individual to maintain recency.

Succinctly described Mach E Avelli, you hit the nail on the head . I was just about to make the same responce, but then again we are of the same vintage...:D

I still have my Senior Comm with Class 1 IR left over from the days of flying TAA's Twotter single pilot IFR. :ok:

Vintage indeed - like the dregs of that keg of fine wine, that's us.....

CAOs from the 1980s Class 3 Instrument Rating
 

After browsing through the posts here, can I ask if anyone actually has a copy I could have of the old Civil Aviation Order from the 1980s that detailed the requirements for the Class 3 rating? Long shot I know but thought it was worth asking...Thanks.

I seem to remember the class 3 also didn't have ILS capabilities.