Chiltern Region

British Balloon and Airship Club

Training

Basic Requirements

The training requirements for obtaining a private balloon pilot's licence (PPL(B)) are specified by the BBAC. Briefly, to qualify as a PPL(B), it is necessary to complete a minimum of 16 hours of flying (on at least six separate balloon flights) as a pilot under training (PuT). At least four of these flights must be with a BBAC approved Instructor, although the remainder may be carried out under the supervision of any qualified pilot. (We currently have three members of Chiltern Region BBAC with an Instructor rating.)

In addition, the prospective pilot must complete five written examinations covering the subjects of Aviation Law, Airmanship & Balloon Systems, Navigation, Meteorology and Human Performance and Limitations. After successfully completing the written examinations and the training flights, the student must undertake (and pass) a flight test with a BBAC appointed Examiner, and then a solo flight under the supervision of the Examiner, or an Instructor delegated by him. All of the above needs to be completed within a 24 month period.

Approaches to training

The easiest and quickest way of undertaking the necessary training for obtaining a PPL(B) licence is to go on one of the training courses offered by the balloon manufacturers. These are generally run in Southern France or Italy, where the wind conditions are much more stable than in the UK. Balloon flights can be undertaken virtually every day, and over a greater proportion of the day i.e. flying is not restricted to the early morning and late evening. Under these circumstances, the entire training requirements can be completed, and a PPL(B) obtained, in as little as 2 weeks.

However, for many people wishing to learn to fly, an alternative (and cheaper) route is to join a local balloon club e.g. Chiltern Region BBAC, and start by getting involved in crewing and retrieving. (Most pilots are always looking for new crew members.) Subsequently, it may be possible to come to an arrangement with some of the pilots whereby retrievals may be traded in return for instruction. (Although one should expect to have to carry out a number of retrievals in exchange for one flying lesson.) This is obviously a much slower method of building up enough hours to meet the BBAC licence requirements, however, over the course of the two year training period permitted, it should be achievable.

Many people start by buying their own balloon (often second hand) and then arrange with pilots from a local balloon club to accompany them on flights, until their training hours have been completed. Again, it is usually necessary to trade retrievals for instruction.

Another popular approach for learning to fly is to join a balloon syndicate. A syndicate normally consists of between 2 and 6 people, who each put up a stake of e.g. a few thousand pounds (depending on the number of syndicate members), to buy a balloon and all of the ancillary equipment needed. They then share all of the running costs e.g. annual insurance, propane, retrieve vehicle maintenance and fuel. Normally, at least one person in the syndicate should be a qualified pilot, ideally having an Instructor rating, and be willing to train other members, who wish to obtain a licence.

The syndicate approach has a number of advantages in addition to the fairly modest costs (as compared to being a sole owner), not least of which is that other members of the syndicate can act as the retrieve crew, when not flying themselves.

The options for training suggested above are by no means exclusive, and often a combination of these approaches may prove to be an efficient and reasonably economic way of obtaining a PPL(B).

Owning and running a balloon can be an expensive business. However, ballooning is an exhilarating and addictive sport, and once hooked the balloon enthusiast normally finds a way to fly, whatever their budget.