Is a balloon an aircraft?

[Eboy]

Would you call, say, a hot air balloon or a high-altitude helium research balloon an aircraft? I'm asking for something I'm writing, and I trust this group more than the dictionary. Thank you.

[Dorf]

Absolutely.

[Stanwell]

Positively.

[Dont Hang Up]

Certificate of Airworthiness
Aircraft Registration
Pilot qualifications
Everything...

[Basil]

https://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP%20393%20Fourth%20edition%20Amendment%201%20April%202015. pdf
Air Navigation Order 2009

p280
Classification of aircraft
Lighter than air aircraft - Free Balloon, Captive Balloon, Airship.

We 'planks' know they shouldn't be, but they are :E

[Dont Hang Up]

Apparently they are permitted to fly fare paying passengers without a functioning airspeed indicator! :ooh:

[ExXB]

Don't Hang Up

... agree with that for a hot air balloon, but for a "high-altitude helium research balloon" I'm not so sure.

[PAXboy]

Speaking from a position of utter ignorance [but this is PPRuNe!] the classification (above) appears to hinge on whether there is a pilot/crew.

Equally, is a drone balloon an aircraft ...?

[philbky]

No, a balloon is not classed as an aircraft. A balloon is an aerostat: An aerostat (From Greek ἀήρ aer (air) + στατός statos (standing) through French) is a lighter than air craft (the average density of the craft is lower than the density of atmospheric air) that gains its lift through the use of a buoyant gas. Aerostats include unpowered balloons and powered airships.

In the early 1980s there was a fad for small balloons which were larger than the maximum size for flying objects that did not require UK CAA registration and a number of enthusiasts, perhaps with more money than sense including a friend of mine, bought these and, to get their names on the UK civil register, declared their ownership and received registrations, prior to 1982 in the regular sequence, thereafter in the sequence G-FYAA to G-FYNA.

The letters confirming the registration to the owner stated the balloon manufacturer, any type name and the classification was given as Aerostat (unmanned).

I understand manned balloons are classed as Balloon (Hot Air), though they are still technically aerostats rather than aircraft, the difference being that an aircraft can be steered and moved in three dimensions. Airships which can be steered are aerostats but have the classification of Dirigible as they can be steered in two dimensions and are under fully controlable power.

[El Bunto]

Interesting stuff!

The taxonomy that I understood was:

Every artificial object designed for sustained flight in or partially within the atmosphere: AIRCRAFT
|--> Heavier than air / dynamic lift: AERODYNE
\----> Powered: AEROPLANE, HELICOPTER, SPACEPLANE
\----> Unpowered: GLIDER
|--> Lighter than air / static lift: AEROSTAT
\----> Dirigible: AIRSHIP
\----> Drifting: BALLOON

1. 'aircraft' as a word traces its etymology to the 1850s, in reference to airships and balloons. So a balloon is quite certainly an aircraft.
2. The CAA doesn't use the terms aerodyne or aerostat but does use the sub-categories for registration and licensing. They have a clear distinction between aeroplane and aircraft, the latter being inclusive.
3. The CAA uses the term spaceplane but as far as I can tell does't actually define it anywhere
4. In the UK you can still apply for an airship instrument rating.
5. Jet-lift aircraft such as the Flying Bedstead or direct-ascent rockets don't correspond to any of the above categories.
6. Drones, airliners, missiles etc are specific implementations within the above categories and their licensing depends on orthogonal attributes.

[B Fraser]

I'll have you know that a few flights I did included a full breakfast with tea and coffee. A balloon is an aircraft which can be steered to a degree if you are quite canny with the propane, climb to turn right and descend to turn left. Accuracy competitions can be terrific fun although I once tried to hit Ireland with a balloon and missed.

[joy ride]

-> Every artificial object designed for sustained flight: AIRCRAFT
--> Heavier than air: AERODYNE
----> Powered: AEROPLANE, HELICOPTER
----> Unpowered: GLIDER
--> Lighter than air: AEROSTAT
----> Dirigible: AIRSHIP
----> Drifting: BALLOON

El Bunto

That is what I too consider to be about right, whether or not the aircraft is designed to carry people.

Things like the "Flying Bedstead", Autogyros and Jet Packs would have to fit into the "aeroplane or helicopter" categories.

[El Bunto]

EASA aircraft taxonomy:

AIRCRAFT CLASS
AIRSHIP (GAS-FILLED)
AIRSHIP (GAS-FILLED) (UNMANNED)
AIRSHIP (HOT AIR)
BALLOON (GAS-FILLED)
BALLOON (HOT AIR)
BALLOON (MINIMUM LIFT)(UNMANNED)
FIXED-WING AMPHIBIAN
FIXED-WING LANDPLANE
FIXED-WING LANDPLANE (UNMANNED)
FIXED-WING SEAPLANE
FIXED-WING SELF-LAUNCHING MOTOR GLIDER
GLIDER
GYROPLANE
HANG GLIDER
HELICOPTER
MICROLIGHT


FAA aircraft classes:

Airplane
- Single-engine land
- Multi-engine land
- Single-engine sea
- Multi-engine sea
Rotorcraft
- Helicopter
- Gyroplane
Glider
Lighter than air
- Airship
- Balloon
Powered lift *
Powered parachute
- Powered parachute land
- Powered parachute land
Weight-shift-control
- Weight-shift-control (land)
- Weight-shift-control (sea)
Orbital Vehicle

* Perhaps a suitable category for the Bedstead and the Lunar Lander Research Vehicle

[DaveReidUK]

Beware that "aeroplane" and "airplane" are subtly different.

Apart from the former being British English and the latter US English, "aeroplane" is often used for both the powered and unpowered variety, whereas in the US "airplane" and "sailplane" are mutually exclusive.

Although, like many Americanisms, the latter usage is starting to creep over here too.

[Heathrow Harry]

to be REALLY pedantic a lot of what we consider to be "Americanisms" are actually olde Englishe that we have moved on from but were "frozen" into 'Merican - eg "Sidewalk"

The French have the same issue with Quebecois...................

[Basil]

HH, Since my first trip to sea I've found other English accent and usage fascinating. For instance, is the Barbados accent a mixture of African and SW England?

[VX275]

Beware that "aeroplane" and "airplane" are subtly different.

Apart from the former being British English and the latter US English, "aeroplane" is often used for both the powered and unpowered variety, whereas in the US "airplane" and "sailplane" are mutually exclusive.

Although, like many Americanisms, the latter usage is starting to creep over here too.


Following meetings I used to attend at an Airbus factory in France I would be given the minutes (written by a Frenchman in English) to check. It annoyed my that the word Airplane rather than Aeroplane was used and I always tried to get it changed. However, it transpired that whilst English was one of Airbus's official languages it was American English rather than English English and so the American English originated word Airplane was mandated rather than the English English adopted from the French original, Aeroplane.
There's nowt so queer as multinational companies.

[joy ride]

With Sir George Cayley being widely regarded as one of the major pioneers of flight (1850s) and the Royal Aeronautical Society dating back to 1866 the British "Aeroplane" seems to me to pre-date the "Archaic" British use of "airplane", any thoughts?

Is there an accepted classification for Ornithopters, or are they aeroplanes/airplanes?

[fdcg27]

In this country, you need a PPL plus a lighter than air rating to fly a hot air balloon, so the FAA apparently considers them to be aircraft.
I don't know whether you'd need a commercial ticket to carry paying passengers, but I'm guessing that you would.
Are there any hot air balloon ATPs?:}

[MarkerInbound]

Are there any hot air balloon ATPs?

No. Just as there are no glider ATPs.