Help Yourself

Backstabbing
In a large open region of the Pacific Northwest with many launch and landing areas, some balloonists launched a campaign against a longtime local resident who decided to promote ballooning in his own area. A commercial ride operator in a highly-profitable tourist area wrote an anonymous letter to the manager of a local hotel that does business with another balloon company; the letter criticized many items of the rival balloon company's operation, with details that could only be known by a the operator of a similar venture. Ride operators in another popular balloon ride area make a habitual practice of turning each other in to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for maintenance and operations infractions.

What's going on? Has commercial ballooning degraded to the point of engaging in unethical business practices that would put a used car dealer to shame? If this is a trend, we had better stop it.

Although cowardly snitching is practiced occasionally among racers and sport flyers, it is more prevalent among commercial operators. I asked one commercial operator in a very popular ride area if there is enough business to go around. He said there is not, which is probably the genesis of these unprincipled and unprofessional practices. Often, when money is an issue, greed overrides common sense and professional courtesy.

The more we use FAA intervention as a weapon against competitors, the lower the FAA's opinion will be of balloonists and ballooning. If you report a competitor to the FAA for regulation infractions, chances are very good the FAA will also take a closer look at your operation. The FAA's job is not to mediate between commercial competitors, however, they are required to respond to complaints. Most FAA inspectors I spoke with agree that balloonists should police themselves, and believe that most do so.

So far, airspace isn't a problem; we have room for everybody flying balloons, and more. If there's not enough disposable income to support everyone who wants to be in the ride business, let market forces, not backstabbing and rumor- mongering, determine who makes it and who doesn't. Let's have professionals who are at least as professional as the amateurs.

Quiet Revisions
The FAA is revising the Practical Test Standards (PTS); they have completed the Private ASEL (airplane single engine land) standard and are working on the private balloon standards now. For some reason, the PTS, which are law, are not subject to the notification process of other Federal Aviation Regulations. In other words, the FAA can revise your PTS without consulting you. And you don't seem to care.

The FAA isn't trying to be sneaky, there is just no provision for the flying public to be consulted about contents of the Practical Test Standards. The FAA Inspector in charge of the private balloon PTS has been working with several balloon examiners, and gave her blessing to the article we placed in the May issue of Balloon Life asking for comments on the balloon PTS review. We got only one reply.

If you have any questions, requests, recommendations or complaints about the Practical Test Standards, call me at 510-261-4222 and I'll pass them on to the proper FAA department. If you don't comment, and don't like the resultant PTS, don't complain-you forfeited the right with your silence.

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)-PART 61
A great deal of work, by a great many people, went into revising this regulation which covers certification of pilots, flight instructors, ground instructors and pilot schools.

A new section, 61.1a, Clarification of Terms, has been added at the beginning of the regulation. This is a wonderful addition, which will eliminate much confusion and frustrating leafing through the regulation.

The ground instructor rating has been incorporated into Part 61 and changed to create ratings based on aircraft category; in other words, no longer will we have to pass a test on airplane maneuvers to become a ground instructor for balloons.

The proposed regulation includes an instructor rating for ballooning, which has been a subject for comment in ballooning for some time. I'm beginning to wonder if those balloonists who oppose the rating, which just brings us in line with the rest of aviation, have even read the NPRM. Criticism by balloonists seems to fall into 2 categories: One is the "Now I won't be able to train my daughter (son)" category; the other is an unfounded belief that the rating will reduce available instructors for flight training and biennial flight reviews and therefore the growth of ballooning will be negatively affected.

There is no evidence to support the emotional conclusions made by some that an instructor certificate will curtail growth of the sport Once the Final Rule is passed, a balloonist with a commercial certificate can get an instructor certificate by walking into a FSDO and presenting proof of minimal flight training and recommendation of only one student who passed a practical test (see Conversion, below). If a balloon pilot is not willing to undertake these simple steps required to achieve the instructor rating, he is probably not qualified to train in any case.

Let’s take a look at the proposed requirements for the balloon instructor certificate if the rule is passed.

To begin with, there is a 2-year "grandfather" clause, which means anyone with a commercial certificate may continue training for 2 years without any changes. Conversion. Before the end of 24 months after passage of the Final Rule, balloon pilots with a commercial certificate will be able to acquire the instructor rating by accomplishing/having accomplished the following:

• Received training and completed the appropriate practical test, or
• 1. Given at least 20 hours of flight training, and
  2. Recommended at least one student, who passed, for a practical test. The local FSDO will issue the certificate on presentation of documentation.

• A logbook endorsement certifying ground training of
  1. specified basics of instruction, and
  2. specified areas of operations for balloon flight training.
• Successful completion of knowledge (written) tests on the above 2 topics.
• A logbook endorsement certifying achievement of flight training on specified areas of operations.
• Successful completion of a practical test.

• Pass a practical test, or
• Present to the appropriate FSDO
  1. A record of training that shows during the preceding 24 months the applicant has endorsed at least 5 students for a practical test and at least 80% have passed on the first attempt; or
  2. A graduation certificate from an approved flight instructor refresher course. Most current flight instructors (fixed-wing and rotorcraft) renew their certificate by taking a refresher course. There are plenty of courses available and the cost is reasonable.

The main practical difference for all flight instructors of all categories- airplane, rotorcraft, powered-lift, glider and lighter-than-air-under the proposed rule will be required use of a written training syllabus, which has not previously been required for training under Part 61. There are several written syllabuses for balloon training available, and it very easy to create one using the Practical Test Standard as a base. A written syllabus is a form of checklist which assures we cover all required operations of training, and its use will produce better-prepared balloon pilots.

I believe an instructor rating will have a positive effect on ballooning. Those who don't want to instruct, but want a commercial certificate, will have a great relief and will be able to earn a commercial certificate without having to study and pass tests on fundamentals of instructing. Those who want to instruct will be able to achieve the certificate very easily and will be provided with tools that enable them to produce better-prepared pilots.