BalloonLife,June1999

30

REPAIR STATION

by Alan Sanderson

Airworthiness
and Paperwork

PIC
PICstandsforPilotInCommand.Inadditiontobeingin
commandof the aircraft,thePIC isresponsible for everything
related to the operation of the aircraft. When the PIC prepares to
fly, the condition of the aircraft is no longerthe sole responsibility
ofthemanufacturerortherepairstation—thatresponsibility
belongs to the PIC.

TheRule
FAR 91.7Civil aircraft airworthiness.
(a)Nopersonmayoperateacivilaircraftunlessitisinan
airworthy condition.
(b)The pilotincommandof acivilaircraftisresponsiblefor
determiningwhether that aircraftisincondition for safe flight.
Thepilotincommandshalldiscontinuetheflightwhen
unairworthy mechanical, electrical, or structural conditions occur.

WhatitMeans
Whentheballoonleavesthemanufacturerwithlogbook
endorsementsforaproductionflighttestandissuanceofan
airworthiness certificate, it is known to be in airworthy condition.
When the balloon leaves FAA Approved Repair Station ABCD-
123Z witheithera maintenancereleaseoranendorsement,“I
certify that this aircraft has been inspected in accordance with (an
annual)or (100hour)inspectionandisdeterminedtobeinan
airworthy condition” it is also known to be in airworthy condition.
Once the balloon leaves the factory or the repair station, the
pilotin commandbecomes responsiblefor determiningitsair-
worthiness. Neither the factory nor the repair station has knowl-
edge ofthe balloon’sconditiononceitisreturnedtothepilot.
Many things can happen to a balloon to affect its airworthiness,
includingimproper storage, transportation, inflation, flight, and
packup. One other reason a ballooncanbecome unairworthy is
improper or missingpaperwork.

What’sRequiredinthe Balloon
First,the pilotmustcarryavalidpilot’scertificate inthe
aircraft. The aircraft must also carry the following paperwork on
board:
1.Avalidpermanentregistrationcertificateoracurrent
temporary (pink) registration certificate.
2. An airworthinesscertificate thatmatchesthe aircraft.
3. Aflightmanualcontaininga currentweightdatasheet
page andallapplicable supplements.
When we have inspected balloons, we have found that some
pilots have notmade anentryin the weight data sheet since the
balloon was new,even after they haveadded accessories,changed

fuel cylinder configurations, or fly the system with more than one
envelope.
We recommend that you review the weight calculation page
and compare it to the current balloon system configuration. If it
does notmatch, update anyitems thathave changed.If youfly
differentconfigurationsbyaddingor removingfuel cylinders,
create a page for each configuration. Once you have created each
page, youmay findit usefulif you refer tothe loadingchart for
yourenvelope and calculatesome useful load datapoints foryour
normalflyingconditions.
A sample weight data sheet is shownbelow:
An example ofa quick reference loading chart follows for an
AX-7configuration with four fuelcylinders:

WhatElse?
When a repair station performs repairs and inspections on a
balloon system, it is required to maintain certain records pertain-
ingtoanyrepairsand inspections ithasperformed. The repair
stationisrequiredtoretain the records for two years. After two
years,itmaydisposeoftherecords.Werecommendthatthe
balloon owner keep a copyof eachrecordthat the repair station
generatesfor his/her balloon. The repair stationshould provide
copies of the following items to the balloon owner upon request:
1. Thework orderrequesting the repair and inspection. This
work orderitemizes any problems found by the balloon operator,
any laborperformed on the balloon, and any parts installed on the
balloon. It may also have a maintenance release. This should be
kept to prove that life limited parts, such as fuel hoses, have been
replacedasrequired.
2.Theinspectionchecklist.Thischecklistprovidesthe
stepsinasystematic inspectionoftheballoonsystem.Italso
providesspacetolistanydiscrepanciesthatneedcorrection
beforetheballooncanbereturnedtoservice.Acompleted
checklist is a good indication that a complete inspection has been
performed.Followingatypicalchecklisttoperformaproper
inspectionwilltakea smallrepair stationapproximatelyafull
day. A large shop is able to inspect a system in less time by using
a large work force.
3.FAA Form 337– Major Repair and Alteration. If a major
repair or alterationisperformedon yourballoon system,FAA
Form 337 must becompleted, and acopy must be submitted to the
FAA. You shouldalso obtaina copyof this form.
4. The repair station willmake entries in the aircraft main-
tenance records. Normally, that is the aircraft logbook.

PreflightInspection
The pilotincommandmust alwayswatchfor anysignof

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BalloonLife,June 1999

damage or improper operation of any part of the balloon system
before decidingtofly.Manydifferentpreflightinspectioncheck-
listsexist–you mayeitheradoptonethatiscompleteandfitsyour
thinkingstyle, or writeyour own. The preflightinspectionshould
cover the following items:
1.Launchsite. Is it free of sharp objectsthatcould damage
the envelope? Is it clear of downwind power lines or other tall
obstructions?
2.Paperwork. Are the flight manual, airworthinesscertifi-
cate, and registrationinthe basket? Has thesystem had an annual
inspection within the last 12 months, or a 100 hour inspection
within the last 100 hours?
3.Fuel System andBurner. Are the tank straps tight? Are
all connectionstight? Sniff test jointsand valves for leaks. Does
the pilot light operate properly? Test fire the burner and any
backup fuel systems.
4.Carriage/Basket. Check the structure,suspension, all
attachments, skids, and instruments.If there areany bent or
broken structural parts, make sure they are withinlimits.
5.Envelope Attachments. Check to make sure cables are
not cut, burned, or stiff. Make sure they are securely attached at
both ends.
6.Envelope Integrity. Check the envelope fabric for rips,
tears, or burns. Check valve or vent lines to make sure they are
free. Make sure that the valve fits properly.
Ifyou find any problems,correct themorhavethem
corrected before flying. Remember that the pilotin command is
responsible for flying only an airworthy balloon.