The restrictions, imposed by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), have been brought in following two Angel Flight crashes in 2011 and 2017, and will come into effect on March 19.

Angel Flight coordinates volunteer pilots around Australia offering free flights to rural people to medical appointments in the cities, in the Bogan Shire alone 40 Angel Flights have been provided for residents.

Bogan Shire Mayor Ray Donald said this is something that needs to be addressed to maintain such a vital service in our shire. 

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CASA have announced a suite of regulations, which include the introduction of minimum licensing, safety standards and maintenance related enhancements. 

Another restriction will see pilots required to take off and land in the type of aircraft they plan to fly within 30 days of piloting a community service flight.

Chief executive officer of Angel Flight Marjorie Pagani said CASA had “rushed this through” and said it is a gross discrimination against rural people. 

“We don’t really know what the agenda is,” she said.

“Why else would they place these restrictions on lawfully licensed pilots.

“The long and short of it is, why are we suddenly unsafe if we want to help a rural person?

“There is no nation in the world that restricts a pilot’s licence according to the needs of their passengers.”

CASA’s Chief Executive Officer and Director of Aviation Safety, Shane Carmody, said the new safety standards take into account the special nature of community service flights. 

“It is only fair to the patients and carers using community service flights to ensure there are appropriate safety standards that go beyond those required for everyday private flying," Mr Carmody said. 

“The new standards make sure more experienced pilots will be at the controls of community service flights, with minimum requirements in total hours of flight time, hours as pilot in command and hours on the type of aircraft being flown. Pilots will also be required to have flown within the last 30 days and be instrument rated to fly at night.

“We do not believe these standards will have an adverse impact on the majority of operations of community service flights as most of these pilots already tend to be more experienced.

“However, after two fatal accidents in recent years involving community service flights where six people died, it was time to set out minimum required safety standards."

For Angel Flight pilot Brad Warner, it's not the minimum hours which is of concern, but rather the spate of regulations that CASA could impose in the future.

"The concern I've got is around putting regulation in where you don't really need to regulate," Mr Warner said.

"Angel Flight has been operating for a long time now and they have very high standards with what they do."

"This is something that's going to be pretty unique around the world, to actually have community service flights regulated to the extent that CASA want to do. 

"My concern is that they'll put through some small changes now and then down the track they'll try and put in a lot more changes," he said. 

Currently pilots conducting flights organised by Angel Flight and other providers operate aircraft to Private Pilot Licence standards.

Part of the suggested changes would make standards equivalent to those in the charter flight business.

Mr Warner said increased maintenance requirements could see many volunteer pilots paying up to three times more to keep their private aircraft up to standard.

"I have a mate in Rockhampton in that same situation; he wont be able to fly if they bring in that regulation," Mr Warner said.

"If he wanted to take his sick aunt from central Queensland to Brisbane then he could do that no problems, but just because it's introduced for community service flights, suddenly the aircraft isn't suitable for that type of flight.

"CASA I think have taken that out, but my concern is they put this category in for this type of community service flight, and then its very easy for them down the track to say 'lets make this restriction'."

Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton said he is aware of the situation, however agrees that the changes are necessary for the safety of the public. 

"Unfortunately when you're offering these services to the general public there's a level of professionalism that's required, and those couple of incidents that have occurred have driven this review," Mr Coulton said.  

"I don't think we can accept a level of safety, particularly in aviation that may put some people at risk.

"I think it would be irresponsible to not take some kind of action, but having said that it's my understanding that most of the pilots that are involved in these two organisations are probably at that new standard that's required of them.

"Angel Flight's a great organisation and they put in a great amount of time and they generously donate their planes which are expensive to fly, and provide a great service, but ultimately we are responsible for the overall safety of the public and these incidents have led to these changes."

However Mr Warner said volunteer pilots may only take so much regulation before they would no longer want to be involved with the charity. 

"Pilots such as myself provide the aircraft, our services and time to do these flights, and we do that because it's such a privilege to do that and to be able to actually help people out," he said.   

"You get to meet some really interesting people, be able to help the community and we get to some interesting places like Nyngan it's great."

"But if it gets to the stage where there's too much regulation and too much red tape, and too many hoops you need to jump through, there will be a very big question mark over it all and what are we doing here." 

"I've done five Angel Flights and been as far as Bourke, Lightening Ridge, Nyngan out to Hay so I've been to quite a few places over some distances, but there's two flights I didn't do that are the ones that count because Angel Flight with all their communication say to me as a pilot for any reason you think the flights unsafe just don't do it," he said. 

"I felt bad, but had a lot of comfort with Angel Flight saying don't worry about it put safety first."