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View File Download a PZ for HotAir.app This video tutorial shows how to delete old files and download new files for the HotAir.app here on HotAirballoonist.com. Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 07/22/2023 Category Video Tutorials  

View File Download a KML for an iPad This video tutorial is for downloading a KML PZ file for use on an iPad or iPad mini. Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 07/17/2023 Category Video Tutorials  

View File Downloading KML files for iPhone This is a video tutorial on how to download a KML PZ file to an iPhone. This video is for the iPhone and the HotAir.app Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 07/17/2023 Category Video Tutorials  

Inflation Fan Frame Drawing View File This drawing is for a 30 inch fan blade with a 9hp Honda motor installed. Fan frame design works great! I have made 5 of them and used them for several thousand inflation's with no troubles. I even had two frames build from aluminum and they are fantastic! Submitter hotairballoonist Submitted 04/07/2014 Category Inflation Fan Information  

I know this newsletter is a few days early but the clock is ticking... Your Ballooning Christmas Gift from the FAA It seems ironic to me that, the day after Montgolfier day (Nov, 21st) the FAA decides to introduce the new regulations on the sport I so dearly love. New regulations that will “I believe” harm our industry in ways we cannot even begin to imagine. The Second Class Medical requirement is now on the books and the 180 day clock is counting. In this newsletter we will try to examine the ins and outs of this new requirement and how it applies to YOU and I. SO HANG ON…. It seems our comments did not matter. According to the press release there were 192 respondents to the NPRM. The FAA broke them down as follows. 15 were considered out of scope. 17 were in favor. 112 were opposed. 142 suggested some sort of change. So what did the FAA do? Exactly what the NTSB recommended. Commercial LTA pilots now must have a second class medical just like other commercial flight certificates. They made no changes or alterations to the recommendation from the NTSB, it seems our comments made no difference at all. Here is a direct link to the press release where you can read the entire 21 page press release. Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 224 / Tuesday, November 22, 2022 / Rules and Regulations It is unfortunate that the FAA felt as they were forced to make this change and it did not matter as to how many respondents there were. They did note that two industry advocates did make strong statements against this proposed rule change. That would have been the BFA and HAB. I personally made 3 entries to the proposed rule from three different viewpoints. One as the Admin for the HotAirBalloonist.com site. One as a fellow balloonist and one as a Balloon Ride operator. In each of the postings I pointed out issues relative to those positions. First as an industry advocate and the potential harm it will do to the industry as a whole. Second as a balloonist and the hardships and additional cost if will create personally. Third as a Professional Ride Operator and how that would affect the operation and costs to the guests. I am unsure if more respondents would have made a difference but is would have been nice to have. I feel saddened that out of 4,869 (Page 9) we were only able to produce 192 postings. Even less than that if you account for the fact that some of us posted more than one! This means that only 4% stepped up to respond! Think about that, the next time you are at a safety seminar with 100 pilots or a balloon event with 100 pilots and realize that in that room full of people, only 4 of them bothered to stand up for YOU & ME. We don’t know how bad this will mess things up but were going to do it anyway. Here is a paragraph directly from the press release. (page 5) “The opportunity cost (including the time and fees) of seeking a second-class medical certification for some pilots may outweigh the monetary gains of operating commercially, resulting in some pilots opting not to seek medical certification. The FAA does not have sufficient information to predict how the supply of commercial balloon pilots would change as a result of this rule.” The FAA admits that there are pilots who COULD fly just fine but may not be able to meet the requirements or may not wish to go thru all the expense and time involved to comply and just, more or less drop out. (page 14) “However, the FAA expects some applicants who would have otherwise been able to operate as commercial balloon pilots may not meet the requirements of a second-class medical certification nor the requirements for a special issuance. Furthermore, the opportunity cost (including the time and fees) of seeking a second-class medical certification for some pilots may outweigh their private gains from operating commercially, resulting in some pilots opting not to seek medical certification. The FAA does not have sufficient information to predict how the supply of commercial balloon pilots would change as a result of this rule.” There will be no Santa Clause Apparently one of the commenters made a suggestion that the current commercial LTA operators should be exempt from the new rule. You could call it the Old Farts Clause. The FAA stuck in the following paragraph to make it clear that there would be no Old Farts (Santa) Clause in it for us. (page 6) “The FAA does not consider the concept of excluding existing commercial pilot certificate holders from having to comply with a medical certificate requirement to be in the interest of flight safety. Existing commercial pilot certificate holders pose a similar medical risk to the NAS as new commercial pilot certificate holders. Such an exception for existing commercial pilots would remove this group from the safety benefit of medical certification without any additional medical risk mitigation.” The FAA has no evidence? There is one paragraph that just struck me as either a huge diversion or an out and out lie. They said the following. “The FAA notes that, as a group, older pilots are more likely to have medical conditions that need additional evaluation. The FAA does not have evidence to support the assertion that balloon pilots are as a population older than other pilots.” (PAGE ? Wait… They can make estimates of the time involved and the costs of getting your second class medical, the overall industry cost (in the millions of dollars) and they cannot look at the actual records they have on file of your birth date? Go ahead and pull out your pilot license, it has your D.O.B. right on the front! They know how old you are and they even stated how many commercially rated LTA pilots there were in the country! (see page 9) They can even tell you how many new commercial pilots are entering the market each year but they cannot figure out the average age of the pilot population? Seems odd to me how they can figure out the complex things that support their actions but gathering the facts that support opposition is somehow something “The FAA does not have evidence to support”. On page 9 they reported this. “2021 data from the Airmen Certification database to identify pilots certificated as commercial balloon pilots. There are currently 4,869 commercial pilots with balloon class ratings. During the public comment period, the FAA learned that most insurance providers have required commercial pilots flying balloons larger than 120,000 cubic feet to hold a second-class medical certificate. FAA sources indicate that of the 4,869 commercial pilots with balloon class ratings, 427 balloon pilots (approximately 8.8% of total commercial balloon pilots) fall into this category.20 Therefore, the updated estimated number of balloon pilots without medical certification in 2021 is 4,442”. The FAA did not divulge how many LTA pilots do indeed have a second class medical. I had hoped that they would have released that information since I am sure they have that data. The Clock is ticking! So when do I need to accomplish my medical? Well, according to the press release (Page ? “The FAA proposed in the NPRM that compliance with the medical certificate requirement become effective 180 days from publication of the final rule. This would provide sufficient time for the majority of affected persons to comply with this rule by obtaining a medical certificate prior to the effective date. For reasons explained below, the medical certificate requirement will go into effect on May 22, 2023, 180 days after publication of this rule.” So May 22nd 2023 is the date! So the next question is how do I get this done? Where do I go? Several months ago I went to this link online and it did not work. I recently returned to the site and this time it seemed to work just fine. Here is the link where you can find a local AME where you can make an appointment to get your exam. https://designee.faa.gov/#/designeeLocator Here is a link to the FAA pages that explain the requirements for a “Second Class Medical” It is a good idea to look over the list and identify any issues BEFORE you go in for your medical so you have an idea of what you will be asked. CFR 14 - FAA Second Class Medical FAR 67 “Subpart C” What is involved? The first thing you need to do is set up an account with the online MedXPress form. Using your email and a password you can set up an account. Then fill in the online form. Once complete you will need to set up an appointment with an AME. They will review the online application and then preform your exam. Sounds simple right?... (From page 10) “To obtain a second-class medical certificate, an applicant needs to complete the MedXPress form and a medical exam with an AME. Because the second-class medical certificate expires 12 months after the date of the medical exam, the FAA assumes that pilots incur these costs on an annual basis. The FAA estimates the opportunity cost of time for each applicant would include 1.5 hours to complete the MedXPress form, 1 hour for the medical examination, and 1 hour of travel time to and from the exam for a total of 3.5 hours.” Here is a link to the MedXPress form. The information required is quite comprehensive so get started right away. Bear in mind that you will need any and all medications you are taking and all the doctor visits you have made over the last 3 years! Here are some of the questions you will be asked. BE PREPARED TO EXPLAIN ANY "YES" response Depending on the medications you are on and the number of doctor visits you have made in the last three years it may take some time and effort to complete the MedXPress form. Start to make your list before you log into the MedXPress Form. Can someone pass me a SODA? So you think there is a problem? You may be able to get an exception. It is called a SODA (see page 7) “Statement of Demonstrated Ability”. Here is A LINK where you can go to read more about what a SODA is and how it applies to your Second Class Medical. How does this affect a balloon event? This is a question that may take an entire newsletter to answer! I have sent an email to the FAA asking for clarification on a few issues, primarily flying banners and or sponsors, but here is what I know so far. If you fly a special shape balloon and are paid to fly at a balloon event that IS a commercial operation, however, if you put the balloon up and stay on the ground it is NOT considered a commercial operation. (see footnote #10 page 4) A pilot (commercial or private) may also be compensated for attending a balloon event and not be required to have a second class medical (also footnote #10 page 4) (See also Comstock-77) That is why many events have what they call “Show Up Money”. At the time of this righting I am still waiting to hear back about flying sponsors at a balloon event and flying banners for event sponsors. My thoughts are this; if you fly a banner on your balloon but receive no extra compensation then it would hard to prove that to be a commercial flight operation. I believe the same could be said for flying sponsors at a balloon event. If you are not required to fly sponsors and/or do not receive any extra compensation beyond what all the other pilots are receiving then it would be difficult to consider that a commercial flight operation. If you do fly a banner and you are paid extra to fly that banner then you are a commercial flight operation and you need to have a second class medical. The Nail in my coffin While I have always hoped that I could return to some form of commercial flying this new requirement pretty much ends my passenger flying days. I hate to admit it but if I had paid closer attention to my medical conditions I may not have had the hemorrhagic stroke that ended my flying. I have made a few flights and did get a flight review this year in August so at least I have that in my log book! It is possible that I could do some flight instruction possibly next spring after my son Noah is done with his cancer treatments for Leukemia. For those of you out there who are still flying, please take care, fly safe, STAY HEALTHY and Thank you for all you do for the Balloon World.

I enjoyed very much watching what I could on the internet of the 50th Big One! I was also thrilled to “Not Hear’ about any tragic incidents from the event, other than some soaked balloons. (A big thank you must be made to all the locations that allowed balloons to dry off). A HUGE hats off to all the participants for making this year’s event a safe one! As far as the soaked balloons go, those who have been in that situation know how miserable it is, and how easy it is to damage a soaking wet balloon. I remember one time we had a 105 that was so soaking wet that the lift gate could not get it up into the back of the van. I also remember parking a van with the front wheels up on a curb stop to tilt the van enough so that the water would drain out the back of the van. Hats off to all the pilots, volunteers, zebras, officials, and the ground teams for another spectacular display of man’s oldest and most amazing form of flight. Chasing Pi-Bal’s So, how fast does a Pi-Bal climb? How far up can you see one? How do you know? As part of our continuing Drone Winds project we have done some experiments using a drone and chasing Pi-Bals. Again my amazing father, volunteered (or was drafted) to help. We went out about an hour and a half before sunrise. We took a helium tank, some yellow balloons and some small round LED lights. The experiment was to launch some pi-bals with lights in them and literally chase them. Our goal was to get real world answers to the questions above. How long can you see them? How fast do they climb and how far away are they when you lose sight of them. Well, here are some of the specifics. The latex balloon is a standard 12” balloon. The lights are small ½ inch round LED lights that weight 1.88 grams. The balloons rate of climb was between 300-316 ft/min. See a short video of one of the “Chasing Pi-Bals” Flights. We chose a very special location to perform our experiment. We went to an 8sq mile area with several 250 ft radio towers nearby and directly west of Disney Worlds TFR. This TFR is 3,000 ft tall and 6 miles in diameter. There were several reasons for choosing this location. First, the tall radio tower would allow us to exceed the 400 ft altitude limit for the drone flight. See FAR 107.51 (B) (2) The TFR would add an extra safeguard for other aircraft in the area since they would likely be above the TFR if flying nearby. This means that we would have clear airspace from the ground up to 3,000 ft AGL. Another reason is that this entire area is under development, and at this moment only has roads that are mostly unfinished so there would be very few lights and almost no traffic in the area. This would allow us to chase the pi-bal, till we more or less lost sight of it. We launched a total of three balloons. We timed them and chased two of them till we lost sight of them. We found that with the 14-15 mph winds aloft, we would lose sight of the balloon in just over 3 minutes. When we lost sight of the balloon it was around 800 to 1,000 feet AGL. We also repeated this test during the day time. Using a Black 12” balloon on an afternoon with winds aloft of less than 6 mph we found that the rate of climb was nearly identical but we could see the balloon for just over 6 minutes before we lost it. That would be just around 2,000 feet. This was on a very light wind day with a light overcast sky. Had the winds been higher we doubt we would have been able to keep our eyes on it as long as we did. Our conclusion is that if you are using a helium balloon to test the winds before your flight you are most likely only viewing the first 1,000 feet of wind off the ground. Even in the daylight in the best of conditions you are most likely not seeing the Pi-Bal much past 1,500 ft. Getting a good report. One of the unexpected results of our “Chasing a Pibal” experiment was that we found that the Drone Winds report was skewed. Below are two Drone Winds reports from that same morning. One was done prior to the “Chasing a pibal” test so we would have a baseline of what the winds were and then the report from the actual event of chasing the pibal. Notice how the winds report was somewhat erratic when the drone was trying to chase the helium balloon. The vertical speed was ranging from 2mph to 5mph and sometimes even 6mph as we tried to keep up with the balloon. This translated into varied readings in our wind report. The conclusion from this was that for a Drone Winds report to be accurate you need to take a very steady and smooth ascent and descent. Drones can’t go that high! We mentioned this in one of our previous newsletters. According to 107.5 (B), (1) & (2) If you are within 400 ft of a structure you can go up to 400 ft above the uppermost limit of that structure. So find a radio tower in your area and use it as your structure. If you can find a local Cell Tower (most are 250 ft) you can take your drone up to 650ft if you are near that tower. Just remember a couple of points. Watch out for the guide wires. Make sure you know where they are so you can stay clear of them. Also try to be upwind of the tower. The tower will influence the wind down wind of the tower and can give you false readings. But if you are perpendicular or upwind of the tower you should get good readings. Also remember that 107.51 (C) requires a minimum of 3 statute mile visibility. For pre-dawn wind checks you should have your drone equipped with lights as well. For lighting guidelines see 107.29. If you can answer YES to (a)(b)(c)&(d) then you may be able to operate without a waiver. With the results from our “Chasing Pi-Bal’s” experiment you are getting results from your drone that may be better than your actual Pibal on those pre-dawn flights. Your altitude is slightly short of what your pibal is showing you but the results the Drone Winds flight is giving you is a much more detailed and precise set of data. All of this information is contained in the Drone Winds presentation on HotAirBalloonist.com. Remember Logged in Members can download ALL presentations for FREE! Things Change As we do our research reading winds with a drone we are learning a great deal of valuable information. Here are a few VERY USEFUL items to keep in mind when planning your next flight. Things Change! While the “drone wind” readings do a fantastic job of documenting and presenting the wind direction and speeds at altitudes for your flight planning it does not “Forecast” what the winds will do. Knowing the general weather synopsis of your area and having a good idea of what the future trends are expected to do is still a hugely helpful thing to know. Keep in mind when the winds are expected to increase. Are the winds going to be turning right or left as the flight progresses? Will the winds die down? These are all very important things to consider when planning a flight. Things WILL CHANGE. One of the benefits of using a drone to read the winds is the cost effectiveness of the drone. If you go out and use 5 pi-bals in one morning it will be considerably more costly than if you used one. However, if you make 5 drone flights it does not cost any more. As we discussed above there are ways you can legally get your drone to go a little higher without the need for a waiver and get great results. In this image you see two drone wind reports. Report A was taken at 6:01 am and Report B was taken at 6:21 am. They were taken exactly 2 miles apart. I have highlighted similar altitudes in each for comparison. You can see several things happening just in the 20 minute separation between flights. In Report B the winds appear to be shifting more to the left as time goes on. The upper wind speeds seem to be fairly consistent but the mid layer seems to be slowing some and shifting a little to the lower layers. In the area of Florida where we fly this is a very common trend. We often have brisk winds aloft pre-dawn that settle as the sun comes up. As we mentioned in a previous newsletter the timeframe for getting out your drone, launching it and getting a report is nearly the same as using a Pi-Bal. The primary difference is the overall cost. We now have 3 pilots in our area that use drones instead of helium balloons for preflight wind readings and all of them agree that with the cost and availability issues of helium, the drone is the way to go. If you have questions or want to learn more remember we have a very comprehensive presentation available in the Download Center on HAB about using drones to read the winds. How it is done, Costs, Aps and more. Remember to LOG IN, Members can download all files for FREE. I now have over 400 drone flights, months of comparisons to winds aloft comparisons and even side by side flight logs to compare. If you have questions I am more than happy to help in any way I can. Send me an email at Info@HotAirBalloonist.com and I will try to answer your questions and potentially post information for others. For those of you who have recently purchased Helium or found that you are having a hard time getting helium have a read of this article about shortages. Helium Shortage 4.0 HI WIND WARNING! As we continue our research each morning to take our Drone Winds report and compare it to the Winds Aloft forecast we had one morning were we were surprised. The drone we are using has the ability to receive ADS-B signals. It alerts us whenever a manned aircraft is in the area. This is a fantastic feature because it helps us keep our drone out of the way of other aircraft. So any time a warning goes off it startles us a little, especially at 6 in the morning in the dark! But this warning was one I had not seen before. This was a HIGH WIND warning. The Drone had entered a layer of wind at about 600’ that was moving at 29.26 MPH. This prompted us to bring the drone back down. The drones top speed is only 42MPH so it would not have taken much more wind and we would have been flying backwards! Fortunately as we brought the drone back down the winds also became less and losing the drone was not an issue. Had we been out for a flight that morning we would have (most likely) cancelled the flight. If the wind is moving that fast at only 600 feet of altitude then it is not the day to take paying passengers on a flight! We did not launch a Pi-Bal on this morning but it would have been interesting to see if we could have even been able to see the Pi-Bal get into that wind before we would have lost sight of it. More interesting would be if we could have even judged this sort of speed with a pi-bal? Become a Member As always we want to encourage you to support the HAB site. Paid memberships help us pay for the server fees and SSL requirements for the internet as well as hosting fees and domain fees and more. I donate ALL of my time to keep the site up to date, eliminate spam, and answer emails and more. If you do not have a paid membership on the site please consider at least a general membership for $20 a year. Log IN and participate. Ask questions and let me know the kinds of things you want to see on the site as well as in the newsletters. I no longer fly but I am incredibly thankful to the balloon community for all it has given me over the years. Thousands of flights, Tens of thousands of passengers, More friends than I deserve and EACH OF YOU, taking the time to read my rantings and allowing me to stay in touch with you, all I can say is, Thank you for all you do for the Balloon World.