Air Pilots Award

Coverage is occupational and tightly targeted. The first task is to confirm that the employee is genuinely in a pilot or helicopter aircrew role and not already covered elsewhere.

• Use this award for pilot and helicopter aircrew roles, not for general aviation staff.
• Check first whether another industry award with pilot or helicopter aircrew classifications is more appropriate.
• Do not overlook the specific exclusions for medical practitioners, ground staff and ambulance and patient transport employees.
• If labour hire is involved, clause 4.6 only helps where the labour hire employer is not covered by another modern award with a more appropriate classification.

The award allows different engagement models, but part-time flying cannot be handled informally. The written pattern and minimum flying engagement are the practical controls.

• Employees must be identified as full-time, part-time or casual at engagement.
• Part-time work is allowed in any classification, but the pattern of work and the days worked must be agreed in writing.
• Part-time employees must be rostered for at least 2 consecutive flying hours.
• Part-time employees receive equivalent pay and conditions on a pro rata basis.

Casual payroll is technical under this award. It changes by role type and duty length, so a single generic aviation casual formula is not safe.

• Casual pilot pay is calculated by reference to the salary for the class of work performed, including additions to salary.
• Casual helicopter aircrew pay is calculated differently, by reference to the minimum weekly rate for the class of work performed, including applicable allowances.
• Casual employees receive a 25 percent loading for each hour.
• Minimum payments depend on duty length: up to 4 hours of duty attracts a 2 hour minimum payment, and more than 4 hours of duty attracts a 4 hour minimum payment.

Rostering is a fatigue and safety issue as much as a pay issue. The award hardwires aviation safety settings into hours management.

• Hours, days off and rest periods must align with CASA rules, exemptions or an approved FRMS.
• Where clause 15.2(a) applies, employees must not fly more than 100 hours in 30 consecutive days or 900 hours in 365 consecutive days as flight crew members.
• Reserve duty periods must be specified and cannot exceed 11 hours.
• Weekly duty will normally be 5 duty days with 2 consecutive days free from duty, subject to the award's deferral process.

Classification under this award is closely linked to the operation being flown. A move between streams can change the pay structure even if the employee remains a pilot.

• Minimum rates and additions to salary are split by operating stream, including airline/general aviation, regional airlines, aerial application operations and helicopter operations.
• A role change can affect both classification and additions to salary.
• Allowances are also stream-specific.
• Payroll should be reviewed whenever aircraft type, operation type or flying responsibilities change.

Some duty and fatigue settings are facilitative, but operational custom is not a substitute for a valid agreement under clause 15.3.

• Clauses 15.4 to 15.8 can be varied by agreement between the employer and a majority of the employees in the workplace or relevant part of it.
• That flexibility is real, but it still needs a genuine agreement process and proper documentation.

PR811739

The current consolidated award incorporates these recent variation determinations. Use the consolidated wording when checking any affected clause, schedule, rate or allowance.

Affected: 2 - Definitions, Schedule A - Classifications, Minimum Salaries and Additions to Salaries -, Airlines/General Aviation