Narrative:

On mar/fri/96 I discovered that a waiver had been issued for moored balloon operations at the brunswick, GA, VORTAC 318 degree radial at 8 mi, at and below 2000 ft AGL for several days, daily from XA00 am to XE00 pm. This is in dangerous proximity to several instrument approach procedures to 3 airports and 2 airways with MEA's of 2000 ft. The cause of this dangerous situation was that the office issuing the waiver did not take the time to research the impact for the controllers working this area and pilots flying this area! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated the waiver for the balloon operations was implemented without any procedural changes. He implied that after discussion within the facility pertaining to the apparent effect on flight safety, changes were made which altered the MEA's of the 2 affected airways from 2000-3000 ft and that instrument approachs to the airports affected by the balloon operations would not be allowed. He stated that the balloon operations are only approved for VFR WX. Reporter stated that the balloon operations are in a non radar area and indicated that pop-up traffic from these airports requesting IFR clrncs are required to maintain obstruction clearance to 3000 ft rather than the apparent altitude of 1700 ft normally used. Reporter indicated the above changes are in effect during the 6 hour per day period only when the balloon is in operation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIT RPTED INVOLVING A MOORED BALLOON OP EXTENDING FROM THE SURFACE TO 2000 FT AND LOCATED IN CLOSE PROX TO SEVERAL LOW ALT AIRWAYS WITH MEA'S OF 2000 FT AND TO INST APCH PATTERNS OF SEVERAL ARPTS IN THE AREA. THIS IS A TEMPORARY 6 HR PER DAY OP.

Narrative: ON MAR/FRI/96 I DISCOVERED THAT A WAIVER HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR MOORED BALLOON OPS AT THE BRUNSWICK, GA, VORTAC 318 DEG RADIAL AT 8 MI, AT AND BELOW 2000 FT AGL FOR SEVERAL DAYS, DAILY FROM XA00 AM TO XE00 PM. THIS IS IN DANGEROUS PROX TO SEVERAL INST APCH PROCS TO 3 ARPTS AND 2 AIRWAYS WITH MEA'S OF 2000 FT. THE CAUSE OF THIS DANGEROUS SIT WAS THAT THE OFFICE ISSUING THE WAIVER DID NOT TAKE THE TIME TO RESEARCH THE IMPACT FOR THE CTLRS WORKING THIS AREA AND PLTS FLYING THIS AREA! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THE WAIVER FOR THE BALLOON OPS WAS IMPLEMENTED WITHOUT ANY PROCEDURAL CHANGES. HE IMPLIED THAT AFTER DISCUSSION WITHIN THE FACILITY PERTAINING TO THE APPARENT EFFECT ON FLT SAFETY, CHANGES WERE MADE WHICH ALTERED THE MEA'S OF THE 2 AFFECTED AIRWAYS FROM 2000-3000 FT AND THAT INST APCHS TO THE ARPTS AFFECTED BY THE BALLOON OPS WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED. HE STATED THAT THE BALLOON OPS ARE ONLY APPROVED FOR VFR WX. RPTR STATED THAT THE BALLOON OPS ARE IN A NON RADAR AREA AND INDICATED THAT POP-UP TFC FROM THESE ARPTS REQUESTING IFR CLRNCS ARE REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN OBSTRUCTION CLRNC TO 3000 FT RATHER THAN THE APPARENT ALT OF 1700 FT NORMALLY USED. RPTR INDICATED THE ABOVE CHANGES ARE IN EFFECT DURING THE 6 HR PER DAY PERIOD ONLY WHEN THE BALLOON IS IN OP.

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.