Hi Bob

I'm having discussions with various instructors and aircraft owners who are offering to hire me their IFR equipped aircraft about whether a GNSS navigation database has to be updated to the current AIRAC cycle before you can fly IFR legally. Some say it's ok to fly enroute IFR with a database that hasn't been updated to the current cycle. Others say you can't, you can only use it for VFR navigation. On reading CAO 20.91 there appears to be conflicting information.

Paragraph 13.3 states:
A navigation database for PBN operations must be valid. To be valid, a navigation database must be:
(c) current for the present AIRAC cycle.

while Paragraph 13.10 states:
...... a navigation database that is not current, or will not be current for the duration of a flight, may be used for navigation provided any data used for navigation is verified before use from a current navigation data source. ...........Note 1 A current navigation data source can be either current maps, charts or other sources of navigation information provided by supplier meeting the requirements of subparagraph 13.3 (a). An Electronic Flight Bag that is current is an acceptable reference source for navigation database verification.

Can you clarify whether the GNSS database has to be updated for the current AIRAC cycle to fly IFR legally?
Thanks

G'day Philip

That's a great question we have talked about it and all we can come up with is the common sense solution which is to fly with the database updated.
The whole business of para 13.10 sounds like it was written by someone with no knowledge of aviation, as I'm sure no one would be verifying the way-points via charts. I cant make heads or tales of para 13.11 and 13.12 .

13.3 is what makes sense to me

I welcome any further opinion on the subject for as usual it's as clear as mud.

Cheers

Thanks for the response Stuart. I agree that 13.3 makes the most sense. However, some people who hire out "IFR" aircraft are happy to fly IFR with an out of date database (more than 12 months old in some cases) and have told me that I'd need to pay for the subscription myself if I want to have it updated before I hire it. It's about $200 for a month or $800 for 12 months which is not a big deal but I'd like to think it's the owner's responsibility if he's advertising it as an IFR aircraft. Some have told me it's legal to fly enroute with an out of date database but not an RNAV approach. Others still have said that you can use an out of date database to fly VFR if you use OzRunways or maps to double check your navigation but not to fly IFR.
To clarify I think CASA should either delete 13.10 or add to it the words "when flying under the VFR" if that's what they mean.

I agree you can use it VFR as it's not your primary navigation system

What is also interesting if you look at the outdated CAO 20.18
Para 9A is that it is much clearer as it basically says no you can't fly with a outdated database

As usual it's the PIC who has to make the call