NEW S76 Handbook and ATPL Helicopter Exam Information Book became effective 13th October 2025 On 23rd September CASA released the S76 Performance and Operations Handbook Version 3.0 - September 2025 and the CASA Australian Air Transport Pilot Licence (Helicopter) Examination Information Book, Version 3.0 - September 2025, to coincide with the introduction of new AFPH and APLH exam formats. You can download the new documents here ATPL Document Update First up the good news is the updated handbook and exams do not change in any significant way the methods and processes used to calculate the answers to any exam questions. Phew! The new S76 Handbook has a much more concise layout and format than the old version, with the total pages being reduced from 73 to 62. Some old un-used data has been removed and some terminology has been amended to reflect the current MOS Part 133 Chapter 6 fuel requirement terminology. The term 'Fixed Reserve' has been replaced with 'Final Reserve' and 'Variable Reserve' has been replaced with 'Contingency Fuel', however the method of application of these reserves has not been changed within the exam Company Policy, so fuel calculations are still done in the exact same manner as before. With the reduced number of pages comes new page numbering for the various graphs and charts. While the graphs are found in slightly different places, the graphs are exactly the same as the original handbook and the methods used on the graphs are exactly the same as used in the previous handbook. In conjunction with the new S76 Handbook there is a new version of the ATPL Helicopter Exam Information book which provides some additional information and some improved explanations of exam requirements and procedures. Overall the new S76 Handbook and ATPL Helicopter Exam Information Book are a very beneficial update. Most importantly as mentioned earlier, these new documents do not require any change in exam calculation methods, other than the change in some terminology and remembering new page numbers. NEW AFPH and APLH CASA Exam formats effective 13th October 2025 CASA AFPH and APLH exams have new formats introduced on 13th October 2025. From that date we are advised both AFPH and APLH should be 3 hour 50 mark exams, however the actual changeover date to the 3 hour APLH exam is not confirmed. APLH was previously a 2.5 hour exam and both exams previously contained a little less than 50 marks total. The AFT practice exams both now reflect the 3 hour time allowance and additional questions. The most significant change of all is the removal from APLH of all fuel required calculations within the questions. This means that AFPH exams now deal exclusively with fuel and APLH exams deal exclusively with weights and performance, which means the previous pre-requisite requirement that AFPH was studied before APLH has been removed. However we still recommend studying AFPH before APLH so you have a basic understanding of company fuel policy, as pre-calculated expected fuel burn off may be given in new APLH questions. AFT has new course notes and practice exams available to reflect the changes CASA implemented. The new course notes and practice exams will reflect the changes in terminology and exam format. If you are using course notes issued before 13th October, they will still provide all of the identical basic methods and information needed to pass both old and new format CASA exams. However, if you are sitting CASA AFPH or APLH exams after 13th October you can contact our office and have a copy of the new material sent to you. IMPORTANT: If you sit the AFPH or APLH exams after the changeover date please again be assured there is no change in the way any calculations are done and you will not need to learn any new processes. The terms 'Final Reserve' and 'Contingency Fuel', and page numbers are the only things that will appear different in AFPH exams. This does not cause any significant change the questions, but it does mean the answer sheets will have different terms used in the calculations. APLH questions are a little different with the removal of fuel required calculations, which will result in changes to both the questions and the answer sheets. Removing the fuel required overlap between AFPH and APLH is a good thing, because it actually simplifies the APLH calculations and allows the questions to focus on the graph and chart work. It doesn't make it easier.. just more focused. If you are sitting AFPH or APLH after 13th October 2025 you must obtain a copy of the new S76 Handbook for exam use. Fly Safe Wazza