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3 – aer i al sport i ng and recreat i onal act i v i t i es
ballooning
TYPESOFOPERATION
Balloons arepermitted to operate inprivate, aerial work and charter
operations. Aerial work and charter operations areflownunder anAir
Operator Certificate (AOC) - the pilot in commandholds a commercial pilot
(balloon) licence and is responsible to a chief pilot in accordancewithCAO
82.7. Private operations are conducted by pilotswho hold a pilot certificate
issuedby theAustralianBallooning Federation Inc.
Unless authorisedbyCASA, pilots of balloons engaged inprivate operations
must not operate:
• in controlled airspace; or
• below2000 ft above aerodrome level within 3nm of a licensed
aerodrome, or
• below1000 ft aboveground level over a populous area.
Permission to fly in these areas, either for a specifiedevent or for suitably
qualified pilots,may be sought fromCASAAreaOffices.When permissions
are issued, they usually containdirections to operate in the samemanner as
balloons in aerial work or charter operations.
Pilots of balloons engaged in aerial work or charter operationsmay:
• operatewithin controlled airspace subject to anATC clearance;
• operate from licensed aerodromes; and
• take-off from, and land at, adequate open spaceswithin populous areas.
When doing this, theymust ensure that theballoon reaches theminimum
overflight of 1000 ft AGLwithin a reasonable time following take-off, and
minimise the time spent flying at low level whilst approaching to land in or
within300m of a populous area.
Exceptwhere overflying a populous area, balloonpilots are not required to
observe aminimum height. However, this does not absolvepilots from any
responsibilitywith respect to landholders, stock or property. TheAustralian
Ballooning Federation Incmaintains a register of sensitive areaswhere
landholders have requested that pilots either donot land, or alternatively,
observe aminimum overflight height (AIPENR 5.5).