A hot air balloon operator reports that another operator in his area, flying a T and C 140, may be o...

Attributes
ACN	360354
Time
Date	199702
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus
State Reference	TX
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Balloon
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	360354
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

A pilot is conducting a full commercial hot air balloon ride operation. He has been granted a private lta certificate only, issued under his foreign certificate, oct/xx/93. The aircraft being used is of foreign registry. No work permit or visa has been issued to allow work in the united states. This activity has been ongoing since 1995. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter is a commercial hot air balloon operator in the austin area. He is concerned about another operator in the austin area who is from foreign country. Foreign country does not issue a commercial hot air balloon certificate, so the FAA has issued him a private certificate. He has not yet gotten a united states commercial certificate. The reporter has written his united states senator who has followed up on this, the texas governor, and has talked to the local FSDO. The foreign pilot is flying a thunder and colt 140 balloon. The mechanical condition of this balloon is in doubt. The foreign pilot claims to be flying under a waiver that allows sight-seeing flts. He is undercutting the prices of the reporter. The reporter will call the FAA hotline.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOT AIR BALLOON OPERATOR RPTS THAT ANOTHER OPERATOR IN HIS AREA, FLYING A T AND C 140, MAY BE OPERATING ILLEGALLY.

Narrative: A PLT IS CONDUCTING A FULL COMMERCIAL HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE OP. HE HAS BEEN GRANTED A PVT LTA CERTIFICATE ONLY, ISSUED UNDER HIS FOREIGN CERTIFICATE, OCT/XX/93. THE ACFT BEING USED IS OF FOREIGN REGISTRY. NO WORK PERMIT OR VISA HAS BEEN ISSUED TO ALLOW WORK IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS ACTIVITY HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE 1995. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR IS A COMMERCIAL HOT AIR BALLOON OPERATOR IN THE AUSTIN AREA. HE IS CONCERNED ABOUT ANOTHER OPERATOR IN THE AUSTIN AREA WHO IS FROM FOREIGN COUNTRY. FOREIGN COUNTRY DOES NOT ISSUE A COMMERCIAL HOT AIR BALLOON CERTIFICATE, SO THE FAA HAS ISSUED HIM A PVT CERTIFICATE. HE HAS NOT YET GOTTEN A UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE. THE RPTR HAS WRITTEN HIS UNITED STATES SENATOR WHO HAS FOLLOWED UP ON THIS, THE TEXAS GOVERNOR, AND HAS TALKED TO THE LCL FSDO. THE FOREIGN PLT IS FLYING A THUNDER AND COLT 140 BALLOON. THE MECHANICAL CONDITION OF THIS BALLOON IS IN DOUBT. THE FOREIGN PLT CLAIMS TO BE FLYING UNDER A WAIVER THAT ALLOWS SIGHT-SEEING FLTS. HE IS UNDERCUTTING THE PRICES OF THE RPTR. THE RPTR WILL CALL THE FAA HOTLINE.

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.

A hot air balloon operator reports that another operator in his area, flying a T and C 140, may be operating illegally.