The air safety regulator has made its first concrete move towards mandatory drug and alcohol testing with a series of workshops ahead of the release of draft rules later this year.

The workshops are part of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority's consultation process and will be held in all capital cities and seven major regional centres. They will start at the end of this month.

The federal Government announced earlier this year that it would introduce mandatory testing for all workers in safety-sensitive areas of the industry.

The reforms come more than two years after air safety investigators recommended industry-wide testing as a result of a fatal accident in Queensland in 2002.

They will bring Australian aviation into line with overseas practices as well as those in road transport, mining and forestry industries.

Pilots, cabin crew, ground refuellers, baggage handlers, security screeners, air traffic controllers and other personnel with air-side access at airports will all be subject to testing.

The process will include testing of job applicants as well as random on-the-job checks.

Unions have expressed concern about how the tests will be applied and the wide-ranging net they cast.

Pilots have also slammed the move as a knee-jerk reaction but it has been welcomed by employers such as Qantas.

The regulator aims to introduce the regulations next year after industry participants have been given a chance to comment on a notice of proposed rule making.

CASA alcohol and drug testing project director Mike Higgins said the workshops were an important step in getting the aviation industry ready for the new regime.

"CASA wants everyone in aviation to learn as much as possible about alcohol and drug testing before the draft rules are released for comment," he said.

"Aviation organisations will also start to learn about the steps they will need to take to develop alcohol and other drugs program for their employees."

Meanwhile, CASA chief executive Bruce Byron admitted at a ceremony to mark the production of the 100th Gippsland Aeronautics GA8 Airvan that CASA had not always provided regulatory services "in the best possible way".

"It is CASA's job to make sure international and Australian safety standards are achieved by industry, but it is not our job to put road blocks in the path of business development and innovation," he said. "CASA must make transparent and consistent decisions on issues of safety and empower the aviation industry to forge its own way ahead, here in Australia and on the international stage."