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PILOT REQUIREMENTS
A
Student Pilot’s Certificate must be
obtained before beginning training.
Successful completion of training
leads to a Private Pilot’s
Certificate, lighter-than-air
category with a free balloon class
rating. After further training and
experience a Commercial rating may be
obtained, qualifying an individual to
fly for hire, or to instruct. The
following are the general
requirements for Student, Private and
Commercial Certificates.
The following is extracted and
simplified from Federal Aviation
Regulations Part 61 - Certification:
Pilots and Flight Instructors.
Subpart C - Student Pilots
A
student must be at least 14 years of
age.
Must be able to read, write, speak
and understand the English language.
No
medical certificate is required, but
the applicant must certify that
he/she has no known medical defect
that makes him unable to pilot a free
balloon.
Student Pilot certificates may be
issued by FAA Inspectors or
Designated Pilot Examiners.
Student Pilots may solo after
demonstrating to their instructor
that they are familiar with Part 91
of the Federal Aviation Regulations,
pass a pre-solo written examination,
and are proficient in the following
aspects of balloon operation:
pre-flight preparation, operation of
controls, lift-off and climb, descent
and landing, and emergency
situations.
A
Student Pilot may fly a balloon only
under the supervision of a qualified
instructor. He/she may not carry
passengers or fly a balloon for hire.
SubPart D - Private Pilots
To
be eligible for a free balloon
Private Pilot’s Certificate a person
must be at least 16 years of age.
Read, write, speak and understand the
English language.
No
medical certificate is required. Same
as paragraph 3 above.
The applicant must pass a written
test on such items as: (a) Federal
Aviation Regulations covering pilot
privileges, limitations, and flight
procedures, (b) use of navigational
charts, (c) recognition of weather
conditions and use of weather
reports, (d) operating procedures
with gas and hot air balloons.
The applicant must have received
instruction on the following pilot
operations: (a) ground handling and
inflation, (b) preflight checks, (c)
takeoff and ascents, (d) descents and
landings, (e) emergency conditions.
Flight experience must include at
least 10 hours of flight instruction
in free balloons, which must include
at least 6 flights under the
supervision of an instructor. These
flights must include at least the
following: two flights of a least one
hour in duration within 60 days of
the Practical Test with a Designated
Pilot Examiner; one ascent to 2,000
feet above takeoff point; and one
solo flight (these requirements are
for hot air balloons, requirements
for gas balloons vary slightly).
SubPart E - Commercial Pilots
The age requirement for a Commercial
Pilot certificate is 18 years.
Read, write, speak and understand the
English language.
No
medical certificate required. Same as
paragraph 3 above.
The applicant must pass a more
advanced written test on the subject
matter listed in paragraph 4 above,
additional operating procedures
relating to commercial operations and
those duties required of a flight
instructor.
Advanced training must received from
an authorized instructor to include
at least 10 hours of flight training
in at least 10 flights regarding
those items listed in paragraph 5
above plus emergency recovery from a
terminal velocity descent.
The applicant for a Commercial
Certificate must hold at least a
Private Pilot Certificate and have at
least 35 hours of flight time as a
pilot, of which 20 hours must be in a
balloon. Flight time must include 2
solo flights, 2 flights of at least
one hour duration within 60 days of
the Practical Test with a Designated
Pilot Examiner, and one flight to
3,000 feet above takeoff point. The
holder of a Commercial Pilot’s
certificate may operate a balloon for
hire and give flight instruction.
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