Issue of an agricultural aircraft operator certificate

How to apply for the issue of an agricultural aircraft operator certificate.

1. Fill in the application form

Application for issue of agricultural aircraft operations certificate [DOCX 250 KB]

Email us your completed application for issue and documents to certification@caa.govt.nz.

You have to submit your application at least 90 days before the proposed start date of your operation, but our assessment can take longer.

No payment is required at the time you apply. We’ll invoice you during and at the end of the assessment for CAA’s hours taken at the CAA standard hourly rate.

2. Documents required for your type of operation

You must also email us the following documents (if required for your type of operation) with your application for issue.

If your operation is a registered company, incorporated society, or limited partnership

Companies Office certificate of incorporation

Types of operation

Documented procedures for:
- Wand spraying
- Agricultural pilot training
- Agricultural pilot competency checks

Senior persons (fit and proper person (FPP) requirements)

For each senior person, either FPP questionnaire or FPP declaration, and the information required:

FPP questionnaire [PDF 300 KB]

FPP declaration [PDF 162 KB]

For a proposed new chief pilot:

Nomination of agricultural chief pilot [DOCX 223 KB]

See the table below about which FPP form to use and the information required. Note: The government agency reports can take 8 weeks or more to get.

Also check your proposed senior persons meet the qualifications and experience requirements of Part 137 Appendix C.

FPP form to use	Information required
FPP questionnaire must be completed by a senior person: who is a new senior person, or if their last FPP questionnaire is dated more than 5 years ago, or if their last FPP questionnaire is dated less than 5 years ago, but their FPP questionnaire information and required information has changed	CV Proof of identify Proof of address for service Criminal conviction check (Ministry of Justice) Traffic safety offence history report (Waka Kotahi)
FPP declaration is completed by a senior person if their last FPP questionnaire is dated less than 5 years ago and their FPP questionnaire information and required information hasn’t changed	Updated CV

FPP form to use

Information required

FPP questionnaire must be completed by a senior person:

who is a new senior person, or
if their last FPP questionnaire is dated more than 5 years ago, or
if their last FPP questionnaire is dated less than 5 years ago, but their FPP questionnaire information and required information has changed

CV
Proof of identify
Proof of address for service
Criminal conviction check (Ministry of Justice)
Traffic safety offence history report (Waka Kotahi)

FPP declaration is completed by a senior person if their last FPP questionnaire is dated less than 5 years ago and their FPP questionnaire information and required information hasn’t changed

Updated CV

Operator safety management documentation

Proposed safety management documentation (which can be one document with sections or separate documents), setting out the information required by rule 137.160, including for your system of safety management under rule 100.3

Read advisory circular AC100-1 Safety management.

Rule checklists

Agricultural aircraft operations safety management system - compliance matrix [DOCX 205 KB]

Carriage of dangerous goods (DG) — rule checklist [DOCX 220 KB]

It's important to keep your rule checklists up-to-date to support your renewal and amendment applications.

3. Prepare for a site inspection

Make sure your documents are available and up-to-date and senior persons are available to be interviewed. Your senior persons must fully understand the functions and duties of their role and your organisation’s safety management documentation.