Narrative:

1 hour prior to my commercial passenger flight on sun/oct/94 I called abq FSS for a WX briefing regarding conditions forecast and current for the time period of my flight. I questioned the briefer about airspace restrs and NOTAMS in regards to the abq international balloon festival. I had concerns that my flight drift may bring me into close vicinity of the event. I was advised by the briefer that there was a NOTAM issued for that time period for the festival location. This airspace restr was for a 2 mi radius from the center of the festival field and up to 8500 ft MSL. I advised the briefer that I was not a festival participant and was launching off of the festival grounds. I asked the briefer if this NOTAM affected my operation and if my entering the affected airspace was restr. I made it clear to the briefer again that I was not a participant in the festival and wanted to be sure I could fly through the affected airspace. The briefer's reply was that, since I was flying a balloon, this NOTAM did not apply to me. My flight path, or I should say drift, took me 1/2 mi upwind of the festival field. At no time did I drift directly over the field or downwind of the field. My flight drift in no way restr any balloon operations at the festival. I was advised over private ground to air radio that my location in relationship to the festival was in violation of the issued NOTAM. I am not aware who had told this to me, but I believe it was festival personnel. Abq international balloon festival is the largest balloon event in the world. In addition to the 600 plus balloons participating in the festival, there are many other pilots like myself who do not participate and are carrying passenger off the field for many, many commercial ride operators. I don't know if the NOTAM affected my operation or not. According to what the FSS briefer told me, it did not. I think that the FSS briefers should become aware that there are many others such as myself, and, perhaps the NOTAM which affects the festival should be clear as far as other balloons are concerned which are not participating in the event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT FLEW THROUGH A TEMPORARY SPECIAL USE AIRSPACE.

Narrative: 1 HR PRIOR TO MY COMMERCIAL PAX FLT ON SUN/OCT/94 I CALLED ABQ FSS FOR A WX BRIEFING REGARDING CONDITIONS FORECAST AND CURRENT FOR THE TIME PERIOD OF MY FLT. I QUESTIONED THE BRIEFER ABOUT AIRSPACE RESTRS AND NOTAMS IN REGARDS TO THE ABQ INTL BALLOON FESTIVAL. I HAD CONCERNS THAT MY FLT DRIFT MAY BRING ME INTO CLOSE VICINITY OF THE EVENT. I WAS ADVISED BY THE BRIEFER THAT THERE WAS A NOTAM ISSUED FOR THAT TIME PERIOD FOR THE FESTIVAL LOCATION. THIS AIRSPACE RESTR WAS FOR A 2 MI RADIUS FROM THE CTR OF THE FESTIVAL FIELD AND UP TO 8500 FT MSL. I ADVISED THE BRIEFER THAT I WAS NOT A FESTIVAL PARTICIPANT AND WAS LAUNCHING OFF OF THE FESTIVAL GNDS. I ASKED THE BRIEFER IF THIS NOTAM AFFECTED MY OP AND IF MY ENTERING THE AFFECTED AIRSPACE WAS RESTR. I MADE IT CLR TO THE BRIEFER AGAIN THAT I WAS NOT A PARTICIPANT IN THE FESTIVAL AND WANTED TO BE SURE I COULD FLY THROUGH THE AFFECTED AIRSPACE. THE BRIEFER'S REPLY WAS THAT, SINCE I WAS FLYING A BALLOON, THIS NOTAM DID NOT APPLY TO ME. MY FLT PATH, OR I SHOULD SAY DRIFT, TOOK ME 1/2 MI UPWIND OF THE FESTIVAL FIELD. AT NO TIME DID I DRIFT DIRECTLY OVER THE FIELD OR DOWNWIND OF THE FIELD. MY FLT DRIFT IN NO WAY RESTR ANY BALLOON OPS AT THE FESTIVAL. I WAS ADVISED OVER PVT GND TO AIR RADIO THAT MY LOCATION IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE FESTIVAL WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE ISSUED NOTAM. I AM NOT AWARE WHO HAD TOLD THIS TO ME, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS FESTIVAL PERSONNEL. ABQ INTL BALLOON FESTIVAL IS THE LARGEST BALLOON EVENT IN THE WORLD. IN ADDITION TO THE 600 PLUS BALLOONS PARTICIPATING IN THE FESTIVAL, THERE ARE MANY OTHER PLTS LIKE MYSELF WHO DO NOT PARTICIPATE AND ARE CARRYING PAX OFF THE FIELD FOR MANY, MANY COMMERCIAL RIDE OPERATORS. I DON'T KNOW IF THE NOTAM AFFECTED MY OP OR NOT. ACCORDING TO WHAT THE FSS BRIEFER TOLD ME, IT DID NOT. I THINK THAT THE FSS BRIEFERS SHOULD BECOME AWARE THAT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS SUCH AS MYSELF, AND, PERHAPS THE NOTAM WHICH AFFECTS THE FESTIVAL SHOULD BE CLR AS FAR AS OTHER BALLOONS ARE CONCERNED WHICH ARE NOT PARTICIPATING IN THE EVENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.