Letters to the Editor
Airports
Editor: It appears Mr. Tom Hamilton does not feel private and commercial hot air balloon pilot applicants should be familiar with "airport operations" (Balloon Life May, 1997). The comment that balloon takeoffs and landings are "rarely at airports" may hold true for him but there are many pilots who do take off from or land at airports. For those of us who fly in Sonoma County California, 90 percent of our flights begin and end in Class D Airspace and 80 percent of my flights end at a Class D Airport. Approximately one percent of our flights take off at the airport or just outside the airport property.
What happens when a pilot who is not familiar with airport operations or communicating with control towers fly's in controlled airspace or is flying near an uncontrolled airport? Will they know how to communicate their intentions to the tower or other aircraft which may be flying in the area?
I feel it is very important that all hot air balloon pilots become familiar with airport operations, proper use of an aircraft radio and radio communications with control towers.
Jeff Ross
Santa Rosa, California