Narrative:

There seems to be an ongoing problem in the phoenix area with hot air balloon activity in the class B airspace without notifying ATC. On this particular occasion, a pilot inbound to phx reported 10-12 balloons in the class B airspace at an altitude of 8000-9000 ft MSL on the arrival route. Because the WX here is usually always clear skies and unlimited visibility, I'm sure we see more balloon activity than other areas of the united states. It seems to be getting worse and worse. Do hot air balloons have to stay clear of class B airspace or other restr airspace? Do they notify ATC? I know it's not addressed locally. On 1 occasion a few weeks ago, I had an IFR cpr jet take off from a satellite airport (sdl) and as he was climbing out in the class B airspace the pilot stated that he was 'unable' to comply with the published departure procedure due to the hot air balloons on the route of flight. (Coincidentally, both times the balloons were in the same area, inside class B airspace.) the pilot naved off the route and into another sector's airspace creating a potentially dangerous situation. This subject needs to be addressed now to avoid potentially dangerous sits in the future. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: a P50 specialist advised that manned balloon activity is conducted daily around the phx area. He stated that balloon pilots are aware and educated about the requirements for operating under and around phx class B airspace. Winds can change and balloons can penetrate the class B airspace, but they take action to mitigate the problem. The reporter advised that, as a general rule, only the significant balloon festivals require notaming -- due to the volume of airships. All other times, balloon activity is conducted within FARS in uncontrolled airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: P50 CTLR CONCERNED WITH POTENTIAL CONFLICT BTWN CTLED ACFT AND UNCTLED BALLOONS IN CLASS B AIRSPACE IN VICINITY OF PHX ARPT.

Narrative: THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROB IN THE PHOENIX AREA WITH HOT AIR BALLOON ACTIVITY IN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT NOTIFYING ATC. ON THIS PARTICULAR OCCASION, A PLT INBOUND TO PHX RPTED 10-12 BALLOONS IN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AT AN ALT OF 8000-9000 FT MSL ON THE ARR RTE. BECAUSE THE WX HERE IS USUALLY ALWAYS CLR SKIES AND UNLIMITED VISIBILITY, I'M SURE WE SEE MORE BALLOON ACTIVITY THAN OTHER AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES. IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE AND WORSE. DO HOT AIR BALLOONS HAVE TO STAY CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE OR OTHER RESTR AIRSPACE? DO THEY NOTIFY ATC? I KNOW IT'S NOT ADDRESSED LOCALLY. ON 1 OCCASION A FEW WKS AGO, I HAD AN IFR CPR JET TAKE OFF FROM A SATELLITE ARPT (SDL) AND AS HE WAS CLBING OUT IN THE CLASS B AIRSPACE THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS 'UNABLE' TO COMPLY WITH THE PUBLISHED DEP PROC DUE TO THE HOT AIR BALLOONS ON THE RTE OF FLT. (COINCIDENTALLY, BOTH TIMES THE BALLOONS WERE IN THE SAME AREA, INSIDE CLASS B AIRSPACE.) THE PLT NAVED OFF THE RTE AND INTO ANOTHER SECTOR'S AIRSPACE CREATING A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SIT. THIS SUBJECT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED NOW TO AVOID POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITS IN THE FUTURE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: A P50 SPECIALIST ADVISED THAT MANNED BALLOON ACTIVITY IS CONDUCTED DAILY AROUND THE PHX AREA. HE STATED THAT BALLOON PLTS ARE AWARE AND EDUCATED ABOUT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR OPERATING UNDER AND AROUND PHX CLASS B AIRSPACE. WINDS CAN CHANGE AND BALLOONS CAN PENETRATE THE CLASS B AIRSPACE, BUT THEY TAKE ACTION TO MITIGATE THE PROB. THE RPTR ADVISED THAT, AS A GENERAL RULE, ONLY THE SIGNIFICANT BALLOON FESTIVALS REQUIRE NOTAMING -- DUE TO THE VOLUME OF AIRSHIPS. ALL OTHER TIMES, BALLOON ACTIVITY IS CONDUCTED WITHIN FARS IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE.

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.