Getting hold of ATC tapes - for damage claim!

[tmmorris]

A free balloon landed on our school playing field on Monday evening - it was seen but not from close to. After they left it became clear that they had damaged beyond repair one set of rugby goalposts - not a cheap item. The Bursar is keen to track down the pilot to claim on his insurance... It's quite possible the pilot wasn't aware of the extent of the damage (though I think unlikely).

Anyway, unless the pilot was very silly, he will have been talking to Brize until shortly before the landing - the landing site is within 5nm of the edge of the Brize CTR. What does it take to get hold of ATC tapes to trace something like this? Is it simple or would it need a court order, or similar?

Tim

[joeboez]

hey tmmorris
call up the control tower and explain what happened. I'm sure they can help you, if it's within their airspace they have "some" responsibility for it.

[NudgingSteel]

If the balloon was outside controlled airspace there's no obligation for the pilot to speak to ATC so Brize might not automatically know of it.
ATC R/T and radar recordings are extremely tightly controlled, and rightly so...just like CVR tapes they are only used in incident investigations, so your best course of action would be to report this incident to the police / CAA and let them take it from there. If a UK registered craft caused damage I'm sure there would be a case to investigate.

[Chilli Monster]

You may not even need the tapes. Give Brize a ring and ask if they can go through the stats of who they spoke to, explaining the reason and giving them the times. You might be lucky.

[vintage ATCO]

I help organise the hot air balloons at RIAT. They are a pretty good bunch and well aware of the need for good PR. As you say, they might not be aware of the damaged caused.

If 5nm outside the Brize CTR then it is highly likely the balloon wasn't working Brize but ring them anyway and explain the circumstances and see if they can give you the registration. You won't need the tapes, they should still have the records of what they worked.

If they cannot help, try the British Ballooning and Airship Club http://www.bbac.org/, they should have contacts in the area. I am sure once the individual is aware of the circumstances they will make amends. They carry insurance for this sort of thing.

VA

[2 sheds]

...while bearing in mind, of course, that the balloon might not have caused the damage. It is very easy to jump to conclusions.

[NigelOnDraft]

If you are "about" 5NM from Brize, might explain why they landed there i.e. put down to avoid infringing the CTR... which presumably means they wouldn't have been talking to them...

NoD

[RomeoTangoFoxtrotMike]

tmm,

Check your PMs.