The group raised challenges with effective flight planning as an issue of concern. Many factors can affect the effort and outcome of the flight planning process including:
- a reduced number of weather reports being published
- the local knowledge
- the experience of pilots.
What balloon operators can do?
Operators raised the importance of:
- Ensuring pilots have local knowledge and experience of the operating in the area. This includes winds, and landing site options.
- Ensuring the planning and briefing commences the night before. This then allows for enough time to talk through scenarios, hazards to watch for and alternate suitable landing options.
- How enough flight planning helps empower pilots to decide on whether it is safe to fly.
Briefings should be long enough to cover all the relevant content. The group raised the difference in briefing culture, since ballooning has historically come from a sport and recreational sector. However, the focus and importance of briefings needs to align with that of the broader air transport sectors.
The group proposed the option for a route guide may prove useful. This guide would capture:
- the most common flights
- options for landing sites
- alternates depending on the different conditions.
This would be particularly useful while pilots are still familiarising themselves with the area.
The main meteorological conditions for the PIC to consider before flight are:
- wind speed and direction
- storms, rain and showers
- fog, mist and visibility
- stability of the atmosphere.
It is essential to safe operations that pilots and operators conduct good weather assessments and apply sound risk-based decision-making to every phase of flight.
Some operators spoke about having radios onboard so they can communicate with the pilots as required and support decisions for alternate landing areas.
What are we doing and already delivered?
AC 131-02 Manned free balloons – Operations provides guidance on flight preparation (weather assessment) including:
- the effects varying weather conditions has on balloon operations
- recommended actions for pilots and operators.
The following resources are available on the CASA website and may complement training material or for discussions with your pilots. We have written these to be generic and not aircraft type specific.