Hot Air Balloons

[Johnavia]

Hey All,
Just wanted the opinion of professional pilots and PPLs alike on Hot Air Ballooning near airfields/airports. Or within busy controlled airspace.
Im a trainee Balloon pilot and would like to gauge your opinions on these 'control limited- aerostats'. Any bad experiences with Balloons getting too close or being where they shouldnt be, perhaps?
The same question could be applied to Gliders, or Parachutists?

Your thoughts, if any?!

John

[wing_nut1]

Hey John,

I should imagine that ballooning in busy controled airspace is probably not recommended as i should imagine you know balloons have priority over gilders and flying machienes. (would mean a lot of dodging around you) but i have never been in such a situation so not sure how valid my contribution is. You could try writing to an ATC department or a local busy airport to see their views and what they would reccomend.

Hope its some use


Wing Nut

[A Very Civil Pilot]

Was a pax in a HAB once, transitting a local ATZ. Tower gave us a clearance to enter, and to report turning base leg.

Some people have no idea!

[KitKatPacificuk]

Airport

I used to crew with a company. They have landed at Luton before. This was before it was as busy as it today. 5 years ago. The balloon looks like a flock of birds on the radar. Let them know which way you are going and should be ok if not busy.
Have been refused transit too. Had to land before the Airspace. Was military tho.

[Spitoon]

I've worked a tower in an area that was very busy with balloons. From the ATC perspective it was no great problem and the balloon pilots would climb or descent to fit in with aeroplane patterns etc. The thing about balloons is that they only tend to fly when the weather is nice and they're easily visible.

I do seem to recall reading about one problem a year or two back when a balloon was going under the final approach having descended below the glidepath but suffered problems from the wingtip vortex generated by a jet passing overhead on final.

Have you visited your local airport ATC for a chat?

And are you flying at the Fiesta?

[Johnavia]

I recall the incident a few years ago and thankfully all on board were ok.

The local regional Balloon club that I belong to have a good understanding with our local International Airport and have managed to agree a mutual code of conduct for balloon operations within the area including operations outside of their controlled airspace.

I will indeed be at the fiesta as a crew member. Hopefully though as a pilot in a few years time. Just hope the weather holds up!

Thanks Spitoon.

John.

[mad_jock]

If ATC need to identify a balloon and it dosn't have a transponder.

Do they give it a turn?

MJ

[Jerricho]

Hey,

There is a facility for Hot Air Balloons to use the London City Control Zone. The only stipulations are that the prevailing wind has to be such that the balloon will remain clear of the London Zone (Class A Airspace), and you have to had cleared the zone before London City Airport opens (0630).

I'm not 100% sure of who you have to contact to obtain authorisation.

[garymortimer]

i have flown around London and all the air traffic agencies there are great. They do expect a modicum of knowledge though if you are heading straight at a busy airfield and you mumble your position as over Folly farm just off the a4023 near Auntie Mauds house the normal response is land now don't come any closer!!!

The wake turbulence incident was caused by the pilot telling ATC he was a distance away and using kilometres instead of NM funnily enough he was not where ATC thought he was.

If you want to play with the big boys then buy a transponder and do your RT course its the only way!!

Cheers

G