Part 131 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR) sets out specific requirements for operating balloons and hot air airships (Part 131 aircraft).
Part 131 of CASR and the Part 131 Manual of Standards (MOS) and some rules in Part 91 and its MOS apply to the 4 types of Part 131 aircraft operations:
- balloon transport - commercial hot air balloon passenger carrying operations (previously known as charter operations)
- specialised balloon operations (previously known as aerial work) but may now be a commercial or non-commercial operation
- private activities for sport and recreation
- balloon flying training for the commercial pilot (balloon) licence.
Some rules in Part 91 of CASR apply to crewed free balloons and hot air airships, while others do not. The appendices of the Guide for balloons and hot air airships details the rules that are not applicable.
On 2 December 2023 CASA assumed the administration of private recreational balloon activities from the Australian Ballooning Federation. We now issue all pilot authorisations for private pilots as permits and endorsements under Civil Aviation Order 95.54.
Part 131 Manual of Standards
The Part 131 MOS supports the regulations in Part 131 and provides detailed and technical operational rules specifically for balloons and hot air airships.
Balloon transport and commercial balloon flying training
Operators need an Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) to conduct balloon transport operations and commercial balloon flying training.
You can find common requirements related to all AOCs in sections 27 and 28 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988.
Part 131 contains the detailed requirements for the issue and management of AOCs for balloon transport operations.
Requirements for commercial balloon flying training remain in a combination of Civil Aviation Orders 82.0 and 82.7.
Who it affects
Part 131 applies to all Part 131 aircraft pilots and operators.
A Part 131 aircraft means:
- a hot air balloon
- a hot air airship
- a gas balloon
- a mixed gas and hot air balloon.
An operator of a Part 131 aircraft means either:
- the holder of an AOC or other approval
- a person, organisation or enterprise (not necessarily the owner) engaged in aircraft operations involving the aircraft.
We set rules for operating a permanently tethered gas balloon that can carry passengers but can't fly freely in Subpart 131.Z. We do not require operators of tethered gas balloons to hold an AOC, but they must hold an approval from us issued under CASR 131.035.