pburger
Pre-takeoff checklist
This press release from the FAA states, "the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) took proactive steps to increase the safety of hot-air balloon tourism." It looks like the only thing the FAA did was to ask the industry to do something. It looks like the BFA took "proactive steps". And those steps are not regulatory. There is still no requirement for a medical certificate for commercial balloon operations.
The NTSB made two recommendations to the FAA as a result of this accident. 1) Remove the medical certificate exemption for commercial balloon pilots taking passengers for money, and 2) figure out how to provide better oversight of commercial balloon operations.
The FAA's response was to ask an industry organization to create some guidelines. Really?
I knew one of the people who perished in that crash. He and his wife, and all of the other victims did not need to die that day. That POS pilot was on drugs and made some very poor decisions that led to the deaths of those people.
I'm a small government, less regulations kind of guy, but if we require all other commercial pilots to hold a medical certificate, why not commercial balloon pilots? This accident certainly illustrates the risks and danger involved. Why are these guys exempt from the medical certification requirement? The FAA says Safety is their top priority. Apparently not when it comes to balloons.
Would requiring a medical certificate for commercial balloon operations have prevented this accident? Probably. In fact it would have probably put this guy out of business, which would be a good thing. Yes, he could have continued to operate without a medical, which brings up the NTSB's second point: providing better oversight. According to the NTSB report, 98% of the FAA's oversight of balloon operators is conducted at balloon gatherings, such that operators that don't attend those gatherings are unlikely to be subject to any oversight.
We all know the FAA's mission statement, "We're not happy until you're not happy." Well, my friend is dead, and I'm not happy.
The NTSB made two recommendations to the FAA as a result of this accident. 1) Remove the medical certificate exemption for commercial balloon pilots taking passengers for money, and 2) figure out how to provide better oversight of commercial balloon operations.
The FAA's response was to ask an industry organization to create some guidelines. Really?
I knew one of the people who perished in that crash. He and his wife, and all of the other victims did not need to die that day. That POS pilot was on drugs and made some very poor decisions that led to the deaths of those people.
I'm a small government, less regulations kind of guy, but if we require all other commercial pilots to hold a medical certificate, why not commercial balloon pilots? This accident certainly illustrates the risks and danger involved. Why are these guys exempt from the medical certification requirement? The FAA says Safety is their top priority. Apparently not when it comes to balloons.
Would requiring a medical certificate for commercial balloon operations have prevented this accident? Probably. In fact it would have probably put this guy out of business, which would be a good thing. Yes, he could have continued to operate without a medical, which brings up the NTSB's second point: providing better oversight. According to the NTSB report, 98% of the FAA's oversight of balloon operators is conducted at balloon gatherings, such that operators that don't attend those gatherings are unlikely to be subject to any oversight.
We all know the FAA's mission statement, "We're not happy until you're not happy." Well, my friend is dead, and I'm not happy.
