3 comments

• Col Beausabre

  May 25, 2023 at 5:33 am

  Bob, the FAA regulates everything above the ground in US airspace.,, including balloons. I hold a balloon pilots license. Balloos themselves need a Certificate of Airworthiness from the FAA

  Subpart D — Private Pilots

  To be eligible for a free balloon private pilot’s certificate a person must be at least 16 years of age.

  Read, speak and understand the English language.

  No medical certificate required. Same as paragraph 3 above.

  The applicant must pass a written test on such items as: (a) Federal Aviation Regulations covering pilot privileges, limitations and flight procedures, (b) use of navigation charts, (c) recognition of weather conditions and use for weather reports, (d) operating procedures with gas and hot air balloons.

  The applicant must have received instruction on the following pilot operations: (a) ground handling and inflation, (b) pre-flight checks, (c) takeoff and ascents, (d) descents and landings, (e) emergency conditions.

  Flight experience must include at least 10 hours in free balloons, which must include 6 flights under supervision of an instructor. These flights must include at least the following: tow flights of at least 30 minutes duration, one ascent to 3000 feet above takeoff point, and one solo flight (these requirements are for air balloons; requirements for gas balloons are slightly different).

  Subpart E — Commercial Pilots

  The age requirement for a commercial pilot certificate is 18 years.

  Read, speak and understand the English language.

  No medical certificate required. Same as paragraph 3 above.

  The applicant must pass a more advanced written test on the subject matter listed in paragraph 4 above, additional operating procedures relating to commercial operations, and those duties required of a flight instructor.

  Advanced training must be received from an authorized instructor including those items listed in paragraph 5 above plus emergency recovery from a terminal velocity descent.

  The applicant for a commercial certificate must have at least 35 hours of flight time as a pilot, of which 20 hours must be in balloons, 6 under the supervision of an instructor, 2 solo flights, 2 flights of at least one duration, and one flight to 5000 feet above the take-off point.

  The holder of a commercial pilot’s certificate may operate a balloon for hire and may give flight instruction.
  ——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
  A standard airworthiness certificate is the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA’s) official authorization allowing for the operation of type certificated aircraft in the following categories:
  Normal
  Utility
  Aerobatic
  Commuter
  Transport
  Manned Free Balloons
  Special Classes
  Airworthiness certificates are broken down into two categories, standard and special
  It is contingent on maintaining an aircraft in compliance with regulations including airworthiness directives (think of a recall for your car) and mandatory service bulletins
• Col Beausabre

  May 25, 2023 at 5:57 am

  PS – Any aircraft offering to fly passengers for hire must have an airworthiness certificate

  Avoidance of other traffic would fall under the FAA – typically they would issue a Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) closing certain airspace during a certain period to allow launching the balloon, which is what they do for rockets
• mkent

  May 27, 2023 at 3:00 am

  Robert, two points:

  1) John Shoffner is the pilot of AX-2. He did not fly on AX-1 or on any other spaceflight. This is his first flight.

  2) Sultan Al Neyadi, the UAE astronaut on Crew 6, obtained his seat from Axiom, not SpaceX or NASA, which makes his participation in a spacewalk very interesting.

  BTW, I enjoy your stints on the John Batchelor Show. I hope you keep doing them.