Hot Air Balloons

[vee1-rotate]

Enjoyed watching a few float across the Melbourne city skyline a few weeks ago, while stuck in traffic on the Tullamarine Freeway. They made their way all the way across and looked to be heading for a landing at Essendon Airport.

My questions is how are these things dealt with in the air? Obviously if Melbourne runway 34 was in use, it's highly likely that many of the mornings arrivals would be on a right base overhead Essendon.

Do the balloons have any radio contact with ATC, and how are they controlled (if at all) when things don't totally go to plan and they find themselves straying into flight paths?

Haven't managed to find any info on the way they run on the net.

Cheers

[VH-XXX]

CPL, Radio & T-Xpdr equipped.

[JulieFlyGal]

how are they controlled (if at all) when things don't totally go to plan and they find themselves straying into flight paths?They have the right of way, so I'd imagine aircraft will be diverting around them if there was any conflict.

[eocvictim]

Might want to think about that question you asked.

Why would they be using 34 at ML? Northerly perhaps? In which case the balloons would be drifting south.

As for radio etc the balloons are controlled by EN tower and stay below 1,500.

[Wally Mk2]

I often get to see these nutters ! (term of endearment of course) whilst airborne heading out of EN of an early morning.& we are vectored around them. Great sight would love to swish past real close though, show 'em what a KFC box really looks like!!!:E

'eocvictim' is correct it's highly unlikely that if ML where using R34 then these balloons wouldn't be there in conflict in the first place. Interesting to watch them at times land at EN........................ cleared to land...........any RWY, if you can!:E
One morning years ago I swear one ldg at EN was gunna come right into the bloody hanger!:} You can actually hear the screams & yells from within the basket just prior to touchdown if yr close enough!:-)


Wmk2:-)

[ARFOR]

If Balloons are airbourne, the surface wind would likely be light and variable, certainly less than 10kts, so the runway/s [modes] in use at YMML would more than likely be selected based on noise abatement etc not wind.

Balloons have quite good vertical speed control. In practice, vertical standards are used until pilot assigned visual separation can be utilised.

Lets face it, if another pilot in VMC cannot see an envelope that size, and avoid it, they have bigger problems to consider :E

[eocvictim]

Bit hard to spot when all you can see is a basket sticking out the bottom of the cloud. :}

Wal this is always a gooden from en in the morning:
"Visual with the balloon traffic, turn left 150 once clear, at your own discretion, climb to 2,500, cleared for take off".

[NOSIGN]

I often gave the punters a wiggle waggle when flying past on departure. The punters seem to enjoy it... love the enthusiastic smiley faces and waves :ok: Keep 'em up there guys!

[FRQ Charlie Bravo]

I am infatuated with the idea of flying in a balloon. I don't smoke but if I ever go on one I will definitely light up just to experience the smoke that doesn't blow away. Of course I'll probably be in contravention of some silly "safety" regulation handed down by "the man".

FRQ CB