Passenger safety was a focus for the group. In Section 4 – Occurrence Types, the group found cabin injuries to be the second most common level two occurrence type for accidents. The ATSB have a current SafetyWatch for – Reducing passenger injuries in commercial ballooning operations because of the:
- higher rate of safety occurrences
- increasing number of passengers that can be carried in commercial balloon operations.
To support this SafetyWatch, the ATSB launched Safety Study AS-2023-002 to recognise systemic areas of concern.
The group also raised the emerging risk of passenger mental health and how the industry can better screen for passengers who may be of concern.
What operators can do?
The operators' manuals must detail:
- who can give briefings
- when they must give safety briefings and instructions (before take-off and landing)
- the specific details on what the briefing is to cover.
With injuries usually occurring during landing, one of the main components of the safety briefing is the landing position. Before flight this must include the ability for passengers to practise the correct landing and brace position. Then on final approach to landing the pilot should ensure all passengers are comfortable and have adopted the landing position.
The ATSB has found incomplete pre-flight safety briefings to be a probable cause for passengers adopting an incorrect position on landing, contributing to injuries (ATSB Investigation – AT-2022-003).
Operators raised the importance of having flight and ground crew screen passengers during boarding and the safety briefing. This enables them to recognise if the passenger is displaying any that may suggest they may put themselves at risk. This may include those who:
- are travelling solo
- ask for solo flights
- may want to ride on the outside of the basket.
Operators who have concerns about a passenger will often ensure they stay in a position close to the pilot during the flights.
The group identified post incident management for staff and crisis (media) management as an area that operators need to ensure they have procedures. They also need to master how to respond for both their passengers and staff involved.
The group raised support from the sector more broadly when an incident occurred as being highly desirable. This was noting that at the moment the Australian Balloon Federation (ABF) is primarily for recreational balloon activities. Among the group there was support for increasing the scope of the ABF to include the commercial ballooning industry as well.
Monitor the release of the ATSB Safety Study AS-2023-002 with an anticipated release date of Q2 2025.
What are we doing and already delivered?
Part 131 MOS includes the requirements for what briefing and instructions operators are to include in the safety briefings and instructions for passengers.
Beside this we have issued:
AC 131-02 Manned free balloons – Operations which provides guidance on Passenger Safety Briefings. This includes a recommendation to brief on the need to flex the knees on touch down to minimise the effect of any impact during landing. Guide for balloons and hot airships (Plain English guide) also provides a breakdown of what the regulations for passenger safety briefings and instructions require.
While not specific or required for balloon operations the AC 119-01 Safety management systems for air transport operations and SMS Resource Booklet 2 – Safety Policy and Objectives contain guidance for the coordination of emergency response planning (ERP). While we intended them for Part 119 air transport operators, operators can use these tools as best practise for:
- ERP procedures
- defined roles and actions of key personnel
- coordination with other organisations (including non-aviation ones).