by Glen Moyer
Each of us who now flies or hopes to someday fly a balloon has to begin somewhere in our quest to earn our wings, to become a pilot. Through the learning process we are taught a variety of basic skills, each of which we hone and refine to suit our own individual type of flying. Some of us go on to become quite advanced pilots, others of us may never advance much beyond the end of our initial training. Still, there is one principle all agree on when it comes to the learning process-a good foundation in the basics is a must for future learning. With that in mind, we take this opportunity to present what for some might be considered a first grade reader and what for others should be looked upon as recurrent training.
It should be pointed out that what follows is not one author’s opinion, nor that of just one pilot. The skills and methods discussed here have been gathered through a variety of articles written for this publication, through safety seminar sessions, interviews with various balloon pilots and instructors and from other appropriate aviation and educational sources.
Equipment:
No flight should ever be undertaken without some form of preflight routine and checking of your equipment. For me personally my, preflight checklist actually begins with my postflight routine. A place for everything and everything in its place is a good rule to follow in ballooning. In this way, you and your crew will find that you have actually prepared for the next flight as you are packing up after your current flight.
If you use a trailer, preflighting your equipment may mean only the simple step of hooking it to your chase vehicle. My balloon lives in my van and in this manner I am always ready to fly. I’m refueled, I know my paperwork is on board, my strikers are in place, the quick release already attached to the basket, etc. There’s no need for preflight fumbling around the house, apartment or balloonport wondering where a piece of equipment is. This can be true whether you use a van, trailer, truck or even store your system in the garage. It’s not so important how you pack up, but that you pack up the same way every time possible. In this manner you can roll out to the launch site confident you have everything you need for a safe flight. Once at the launch site you can continue to preflight your equipment there.
Personal:
Before departing for the launch site however you should consider another important preflight step, a personal checklist. Often assessing your own fitness to fly can be the most difficult decision to make. If the weather is good and the balloon is ready it may be easy to overlook a night out partying into the wee hours. Or you might want to disregard the drowsiness you feel from that cold capsule taken an hour earlier. I hope I don’t even have to mention the pain of a hangover!
The most widely approved method for assessing personal fitness for flight is the "I’m Safe" checklist.
Weather:
This is the one area of our preflight actions where the FARs tell us what to do. As pilots, we are instructed to make ourselves aware of all available information that might impact the flight. At a minimum this should include a preflight briefing from Flight Service, either from personal briefer or through one of the FAA’s automated briefing systems.
You should know how to obtain a proper briefing from the FAA and the different types of briefings available. For example, I may well start out the day before my intended flight by requesting an outlook briefing. This gives me information about the big picture and what the weather services expect to develop over the next 12-24 hours. Then immediately prior to my flight (the next morning for example) I might request a standard briefing. However, there are other sources from which you can gather weather information, including the local TV or radio, various computer weather services, DUATS and others. If you feel confident that you have an adequate understanding of the big weather picture, you might then ask the briefer for only an abbreviated briefing which usually consists only of current conditions, a local forecast and, if requested, winds aloft information. Any time you choose less than a complete or standard briefing be certain you have gathered and considered weather information from other sources and be prepared to document those sources. Should you elect to get only an abbreviated briefing, which by definition omits certain information, and then find yourself in an incident or accident, you may be placed in a position of answering whether you truly made yourself aware of all available information.
Regardless of the type briefing you select, be prepared to give the briefer the following information: Your type of aircraft (hot air balloon), registration number, type of flight (VFR), anticipated launch time, anticipated length of flight, area of departure and the anticipated area of operations since your specific destination is usually unknown.
Site Selection:
Deciding where to launch from is another necessary preflight step. Following are a few factors that you should consider in selecting a launch site:
Landowner permission. No matter how perfect a site may be for ballooning, no attempt should be made to use the property until permission from the landowner has been secured. Be certain to determine if this permission is for a single, one-time use, or for continued, long-term, repeated use.
Obstacle Free Environment. Ideally you are looking for a wide, flat field, yard or parking lot with few obstacles. What constitutes an obstacle? Rocks, fences, trees, light poles, stumps, ditches, power lines, etc. Remember, you’re concerned not just with obstacles to inflation, but any obstacle, such as a downwind power line that might prohibit getting into the air safely.
Downwind Terrain. Since your balloon can only fly with the wind, where is the wind going to take you after launch? Once you feel you’ve found the ideal launch site, be certain you’re familiar with the downwind terrain and that it is suitable - not only for flying over but for landing on.
Fly Friendly. This is important whether you’re searching for a hometown launch site or when competing in an out-of-town CNT. Even if you secure landowner permission for launch, if it’s smack in the middle of a neighborhood your activities at 6 a.m. may not be well received. Consider the impact of your use not only on the primary site, but bordering properties as well.
Plan Your Flight:
With your launch site selected take some time to track one or more piballs from the site. Plot this information on your maps of the area and consider where the flight you are about to embark on will take you. Will you be forced to fly high over congested areas? If so, consider any differences in winds aloft speeds and direction to those of the surface winds. Will altitude allow you to steer toward favorable landing sites? Can you treetop or contour safely at low altitudes? What major obstacles are in your downwind direction of travel-major power lines, airports, large bodies of water or wooded areas? All of these are factor that should be considered prior to launch.
Crew/Passenger Briefings:
Each of these briefings is important in their own right. First the crew. Once you’ve plotted your anticipated course based on your pibal readings and weather briefing, take a few moments to share the plot with your crew. Advise them of the direction you will be traveling. If you plan any specific low-level flying alert them in advance to avoid any unnecessary "he’s going down!" panic. The better the pre-flight crew briefing the less need there will be for radio chit-chat during the flight. Of course, don’t forget to advise the crew of any specific radio protocol you want them to follow, remind them to practice good landowner relations, and it won’t hurt to spend a few minutes discussing what to do in the event of an emergency such as a powerline strike. (No matter how much pilot machismo you may have, it’s just possible that a hard landing, powerline strike or other emergency could leave you incapacitated and unable to direct the crew’s activity.
Passenger briefings have always been recommended for the safety of your passengers, but in today’s increasingly litigious society, they are becoming increasingly important. Consider your passenger briefing jut like the one you hear from the flight attendant every time you take a commercial flight. You might begin with the type and size of aircraft you are flying, its various safety features, your anticipated flying time, at what altitudes, what to do upon landing and of course what procedures to follow should there be an emergency on board.
If possible be certain that this briefing is done with crew or others as witnesses. Even if you only fly for sport, i.e. you are not a commercial ride operator, this type of briefing procedure is being recommended more and more as a precaution against potential legal entanglements. Don’t forget even your best friend might sue if they break a leg or an ankle on their "free" flight. As an added precaution you might want to consider the use of a written release or boarding pass that spells out the risks involved and procedures to be followed. Have your passengers sign these and keep them on file for t least two years. A final caution might include providing each passenger with a written briefing they can keep with them to refer to during flight, such as the ones sold by The Danger Zone.
Layout & Inflation:
With a launch site selected, crew and passenger briefings completed, it’s now time to get the balloon rigged for flight. While rigging the basket it is a good idea to have one or two of your crew survey the area where the envelope will be in touch with the ground. The crew should be looking for any wire, glass, cans, rocks or other debris that might snag and rip the material. Now is also the time to do a burner check to be sure the fuel system is functioning. Finally, as the basket is laid over on its side (facing downwind) be certain to connect your tie down/quick release. Over the years the use of tie downs-once scoffed at ("If it’s so windy I have to tie down I shouldn’t be flying.")-is now considered standard procedure by most all balloonists. Many instructors teach that the envelope should not even come out of the bag until the tie down is in place!
As for getting the envelope out of the bag, there are generally two accepted methods to accomplish this, the "spread it out" method and the "blow it out" method. A brief description of each follows:
Clearly the majority of pilots, once the envelope has been connected to the basket, have their crew pull the envelope out of the bag to it’s full extended length. Then by following the top two load tapes, the fabric is spread across the ground until it assumes its familiar light bulb shape. At this point the fan is started and the cold inflation is begun. This is the spread it out method.
By contrast, I am a proponent of the blow it out method. Only enough of the envelope is pulled from its bag to allow its attachment to the basket. The with crew holding the balloon’s throat open, the fan is started. The force of the air being blown into the envelope will quite literally empty the fabric from the bag. Often only one crew person is needed to gently pull the bag along as the fabric exits the bag. Simply put, this method allows the fan to do all of the hard work. It also gives you a quicker start toward a good cold inflation, and lessens the exposure of envelope fabric to the ground where it might be damaged by unseen debris. (If the fan seems to take too long to fill the envelope or can’t fill it, consider a larger or more powerful fan, or a second one.)
Cold Inflation:
Regardless of the method you choose, once the fan has started you are now into the cold inflation . And what is the purpose of a cold inflation? To fill the balloon s completely as possible, thereby reducing the risk of burn damage during hot inflation. By taking time to allow the inflator fan to pack the balloon (meaning there should be no loose fabric on the ground) you’re presented with a nice, large round opening in which to place the flame of your burner. As the air inside is heated the balloon rises cleanly, without collapsing in the center or throat and reducing the threat of burn damage.
Hot Inflation:
As important as it is to know when to apply heat to inflate the balloon it’s also important to know how to apply the heat. The majority of instructors I’ve quizzed recommend one long continuous burn bringing the balloon from its side to the upright position. Providing you’ve cold packed the envelope this method works well.
However, if you have failed to cold pack the envelope, a long continuous burn will likely result in a long burn through the fabric. If the balloon is insufficiently inflated when heat is applied, the mouth of the balloon will seem to suck in or collapse, closing that once nice round hole through which to aim the burner’s flame and causing the envelope to rise prematurely. If this happens, you must decide whether to rip out and start again or attempt to save the inflation by placing short, well-aimed blasts of heat into the envelope. By watching closely you will see the envelope begin to breath (the throat opening and closing repeatedly). By targeting quick, short blasts of heat as the throat opens you can slowly inflate and pressurize the envelope to full capacity, gradually lengthening your burns as you go.
In the event of a windy inflation it’s all the more important to cold pack the envelope as the force of the wind will attempt to collapse the envelope when it comes upright. Using short blasts to keep the balloon pressurized as a defense against the wind, be prepared to complete your preflight checks and load your passengers as quickly as safety permits. In a windy inflation the object of your efforts should be to get the balloon upright and into the air in one smooth motion, thus eliminating time spent on the ground being rocked about by the breeze.
Takeoff:
There are basically two types of takeoff situations: calm and windy. In many ways the procedures for each are identical, but there are some significant differences to be aware of. First, let’s examine a calm or nearly calm situation.
With the balloon standing after hot inflation, proceed with your preflight checks. What should these include? Instruments on and operating, control lines secure, vent tested and operable, passengers on board and briefed, a radio check and fuel system check might be just a few.
Proceed to heat the envelope until you can feel the balloon beginning to get light when a crew member momentarily releases their weight from the basket. You can also test this by lightly jumping up and down in the basket. At this point determine that only your crew is holding on to the basket, the release your tie down. Continue to add heat in short blasts until the basket just begins to leave the ground.
Important! At this point do a 360 degree scan around your balloon to determine the conditions outside the basket, such as people and obstructions downwind, other balloon traffic, a sudden change in wind direction or other considerations that might change your decision to launch. If other balloons are present, assign a crew member to observe the airspace above and around you and, when clear, to signal you it is safe to takeoff.
Now you are ready to go. Tell the crew weight off and allow the balloon to begin a gentle ascent. Important! Do another 360 degree scan to assure that you are clear of obstacles and that no one is unexpectedly holding on to the basket or any control lines. If clear, maintain your ascent and round out at a safe altitude.
What is a good rate of climb? This is determined by the conditions of the flight and by your flying technique. At most balloon rallies, where you will be flying in traffic, organizers recommend a maximum rate of 200 feet per minute in ascent or descent. If you’re out in the country, away from all obstacles you may want to do some contour flying and thus will want to round out your initial ascent only a few feet above the ground. If launching in or near a city or other congested area, you may want to climb out faster in order to reach minimum legal altitude in less time.
Our second situation calls for a windy takeoff. The differences in this type of takeoff are, the tie-down rope will likely be stretched taught with no slack, your takeoff will require greater envelope temperature to allow for heat loss from distortion, your 360 degree scans become even more important and your ground crew should be even more alert and responsive to your commands. Because of your higher ground speed once airborne, you will need a higher rate of climb to clear downwind obstacles and to avoid false lift.
Although false lift can occur during any phase of the flight, it is perhaps most critical during takeoff. Remember that false lift occurs when the relative wind speed over the top of the balloon is ten miles per hour or more greater than the speed of the balloon. As the balloon enters this fast layer of wind, an area of low pressure develops allowing the balloon to rise without the necessity of added heat. However, as the envelope continues to climb into the faster wind layer, thereby gaining ground speed, the pressure is equalized and, unless you’ve recognized the situation and added heat, the result is a sudden loss of lift. Faced with this situation your options are a long burn to restore lift or a rapid deflation if necessary to avoid downwind obstacles.
Two final notes about takeoff. Remember that as soon as you are airborne you now have to yield the right-of-way to the balloons below. Most importantly, always remember to fly the balloon. Don’t let your excitement and enthusiasm to turn and wave to the crew, spectators or cameras ruin a flight that has only just begun.
Obstacle Avoidance:
Colliding with a powerline, tower, another balloon or other obstacle can ruin your flight, not to mention your day. The number one cause of inflight collisions reported by pilots is their failure to see the obstacle.
You say you are always looking outside the basket? Talking with people on the ground, watching the wildlife run, and looking for interesting landmarks doesn’t count. You are still not scanning for obstacles or potential flight hazards. Next time you launch, make an approach to land or just float across the sky check yourself to see how long you go without looking around for potential hazards.
Glancing out and giving it the once-around without stopping to focus on anything is practically useless. So is staring at one spot for long periods of time. What you need to develop is a good scanning pattern. How do you do that?
First, know where to concentrate your search. It would be preferable, naturally, to look everywhere constantly, but that is not practical. Instead, concentrate on the areas most critical to you at any given time. At launch or climb out the area directly ahead is important and so is the area behind and below where other balloons may be overtaking you. Avoid tunnel vision. Target fixation has caused many pilots to "roundout" many feet below the surface or even fly into hazardous obstacles.
In normal flight you can generally avoid the threat of obstacles by scanning an area 60 to the left and right of your flight path. But don’t forget the rest of the area that can be seen from the basket.
Depending on the proximity of other balloons, you are generally safe with a horizontal scan from 10 above to the surface below within the 60 left/right line. The amount of your vertical scan depends on your forward airspeed. The faster you are traveling, the less down angle required. As your speed decreases the area of your scan should increase.
The close proximity to passengers in the basket may sometimes block your line of sight. Use your passengers to help you look for hazards. The more eyes looking for danger, the better.
Fuel Management:
This begins prior to takeoff and includes consideration of the temperatures during our flight. No matter which method of pressurizing your fuel you use, think about what your pressure limits are. Review your aircraft manual for the minimum limits allowable for flight.
Even though fuel gauges have improved over the years it is still important to check the time you begin using each fuel tank and to know what your rate of fuel consumption is for different loading and temperature conditions. Remember, the rate of consumption you got when the balloon was new, or even last year when you put the system away may not be what you experience now.
There are many ways of identifying the current tank you are using, such as placing a marker on the current tank, but the important thing is to have a method and be consistent every time you fly. Establish your tank switching routine and how much fuel remains in the tank prior to switching to the next full tank. Many veteran pilots recommend changing when you are down to 25 percent fuel remaining-this way you can switch back to that tank and have fuel and pressure left for an emergency landing should your other tank(s) develop a problem. Always use the tank with the most fuel and pressure for your landing.
Controlling Your Environment:
This can involve controlling the balloon, your crew and/or your passengers. Remember when preparing for your checkride? Can you still establish a rate of climb or descent or fly level and stay within the established performance levels, e.g. +/- 100 ft. for private and +/- 50 ft. for commercial?
Controlling your crew means involving them in your flight and keeping them informed as to your intentions. Having your crew chief review landowner relations with you or other crew members is a good way to establish that individual’s leadership role on your flight team.
Passenger control begins with that all important preflight briefing and continues while inflight. Passengers like to participate in the flight so give them assignments, such as helping to watch for obstacles. You may find the assignments make the passengers better prepared to accept your commands when you need to give them such as when preparing to land.
Year after year the reports are the same. More than 70 percent of all ballooning accidents/incidents occur in the approach to landing or landing phase of the flight.
Landing Techniques:
There are basically three types of landing approaches which can be made by a balloon and it is the pilot’s choice which to use depending on prevailing conditions. These three approaches are: The Step Down Approach, the Rapid Descent and Round Out Approach (sometimes call the Dive Bomber or Steep Approach) and the Constant Rate of Descent Approach.
About approach number three. This is the one all the fixed wing pilots who fly balloons want to try. It’s the approach based on a "glide slope" and hopefully we all know that balloons do not glide! They climb, fly at a constant altitude, and descend. They can no more glide than a truck. While a constant rate of descent approach is not impossible for balloons, it requires an almost perfect set of climactic conditions and extreme piloting skill. With that said, we’ll move on to the more common approaches, the Step Down (Stairstep) and the Steep Approach.
The step down approach is the one taught as the most appropriate for ballooning. During such an approach the pilot is going through a series of descent and leveling off maneuvers while drifting toward the landing site. The key here is to use this method to find the lower level winds to help steer you to the targeted landing field. Many times there will be a series of step up climbs associated with this approach to take advantage of wind directions. Thus the typical step down approach may include a series of descents, climbs and periods of relatively level flight during the approach.
The second type of approach, the Steep Approach, takes practice and skill. It requires the application of knowledge and your ability to judge timing, the response of the balloon you are flying, wind conditions below and on the surface, as well as being able to see obstacles and judge other balloon’s flight paths below you. A steep approach is essentially a straight drop from altitude to the target landing field at a rate of 500 fpm or more. Keep in mind many rally organizers forbid descent rates over about 300 fpm. The pilot’s skill comes into play in estimating the time to fall to the target site and when to round out for the touchdown. This type of approach often leads to reports of balloons "crashing" when the round out occurs a few feet or seconds too late.
One key to a safe landing is to always be prepared; have an idea of the options available to you before taking off, then plan your flight path or track across the ground. Are there crops, trees, water, congested areas, hillside, or powerlines downwind? Are there small or large landing fields available? The more you now about what to expect the better prepared you will be to anticipate your landing options.
Epilog:
Clearly there are a great many more topics that could be included in
this summary of basic piloting skills. Flying in wind shears, emergency
situations, use of the dropline, to name just a few. Our purpose here is not
to provide an encyclopedic reference, but a primer, a place from which to
begin. As Spring approaches and many of us are getting back into the air
for perhaps the first time in a while, take some time to review the
material presented here, practice a few controlled ascents to altitude,
level flight, approaches to landing. Skills, no matter how well learned, can
get rusty when not used. Above all, fly safe.
Copyright © 1995 Balloon Life. All rights reserved.