I, WILLIAM BRUCE BYRON, Director of Aviation Safety, on behalf of CASA, make this instrument under regulation 235 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988.
[Signed Bruce Byron]
Bruce Byron
Director of Aviation Safety and
Chief Executive Officer
13 July 2007
Civil Aviation Order 100.96 Instrument 2007
1 Name of instrument
This instrument is the Civil Aviation Order 100.96 Instrument 2007.
2 Commencement
This instrument commences on the day after it is registered.
3 Civil Aviation Order 100.96
Schedule 1 makes Civil Aviation Order 100.96.
Schedule 1 Civil Aviation Order 100.96
Administration and procedure — weight control of hot air balloons
1 Definitions
In this Order:
airworthiness officer means a person employed by CASA as an airworthiness officer (however described).
CAR 1988 means the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988.
empty weight means the weight, as determined in accordance with this Order, of a balloon, including all items of fixed equipment and other equipment which is mandatory for all operations but excludes LPG fuel tanks, where the balloon’s flight manual identifies the empty and full weight of the fuel tanks and all other items of disposable load.
load data sheet/weighing sheet means a document prepared in respect of an individual balloon to provide weight information for use in the loading system and to calculate the empty weight of a balloon.
loading system means a system for ensuring that a balloon is loaded within approved weight limits at all times during flight.
operating weight, in relation to a particular type of operation of a balloon, means the empty weight of the balloon, plus those items of removable equipment and disposable load which remain constant for the type of operation being conducted.
Maintenance Authority holder with weight control endorsement means a person holding a maintenance authority issued under paragraph 33B (1) (a) of CAR 1988 with hot air balloon weight control privileges.
max. TOW means the maximum take-off weight of a balloon.
removable equipment means items of equipment which are carried on some or all operations of a balloon but which are not included in its empty weight.
weight control means the determination of the empty weight of a balloon, the development and approval of loading data, the keeping of a record of weight alterations and the overall supervision of these activities and, to the extent necessary, oversight of the control, maintenance and operation of the balloon, in such a way as to ensure that at all times the provisions of CAR 1988 in respect of loading and weight of the balloon can be complied with.
Weight Control Officer means a person holding an airworthiness authority issued under paragraph 33B (1) (e) of CAR 1988.
2 Initial weighing
2.1 Except as specified in paragraph 2.2 of this subsection, all balloons must be weighed before the initial issue of a certificate of airworthiness.
2.2 The weighing of a balloon, other than a prototype balloon, before the initial issue of a certificate of airworthiness is not required if the empty weight has been established to the satisfaction of a Hot Air Balloon Maintenance Authority holder (MA holder) with weight control endorsement or a Weight Control Officer (WCO) whose authority covers the activity.
2.3 CASA may require a balloon to be weighed or reweighed, as applicable, if reasonable doubt exists as to the accuracy of the weight data submitted in respect of that balloon.
3 Weighing procedure
3.1 Balloon weighings may be carried out under the control of a Hot Air Balloon MA holder with weight control endorsement or a WCO whose authority covers the activity.
3.2 Balloons must be weighed on scales that:
(a) have an accuracy over the temperature range for which the scales are designed of:
(i) ±0.2% of the applied load; or
(ii) ±2 kg;
whichever is the greater; and
(b) are of a type deemed suitable for the purpose by the appropriate Hot Air Balloon MA holder with weight control endorsement or a WCO whose authority covers the activity.
3.3 Each scale must have been calibrated either by the manufacturer or by a State Weights and Measures Authority within a period specified by the manufacturer before weighing any balloon.
3.4 Sufficient personnel and equipment, including scales, must be provided to satisfactorily carry out the weighing.
3.5 The empty weight must be determined from the results of 2 consecutive and independent weighings. The load must be completely removed from the scales between each weighing.
3.6 If the difference between the first 2 weighings exceeds 0.2% of the mean weight or 10 kg, whichever is the greater, further weighings must be performed until the results of 2 consecutive and independent weighings agree within that tolerance.
3.7 The empty weight must be certified as correct by a Hot Air Balloon MA holder with weight control endorsement or a WCO whose authority covers the activity. Weighing details and the determination of the empty weight must be entered in a balloon weighing summary.
3.8 A list of equipment included in the empty weight must be prepared for each balloon.
4 Loading data
4.1 In those cases where loading data prepared in accordance with this Order are approved by CASA, that data are taken to be directions under regulation 235 of CAR 1988 with respect to the method of loading of persons and goods (including fuel) on the balloon.
4.2 Preparation and approval of loading data
(1) A load data sheet must be prepared for each balloon specifying the empty weight. In addition, if an operating weight is used, the operating weight must also be specified on the load data sheet and a list of removable equipment and disposable load included in that operating weight must be prepared.
(2) A loading system must be prepared for a balloon unless it can be shown that the balloon cannot be loaded in such a manner that the weight falls outside the approved range while observing all basket limitations.
(3) Loading data prepared in accordance with the provisions of this Order may be approved by a Hot Air Balloon MA holder with weight control endorsement or a WCO whose authority covers the activity. Where a flight manual page is used as the load data sheet or to specify any required loading system, 2 copies of the same must be submitted to CASA.
(4) A balloon’s loading data must be stated in kilograms unless the balloon’s flight manual gives the relevant information in relation to the balloon in pounds and in such a case the loading data may be stated in pounds.
(5) The owner or operator must keep in a safe place on the ground duplicate copies of all current approved loading data applicable to his or her balloon.
5 Record of weight alterations
5.1 A complete, current and continuous record of changes in empty weight and, where appropriate, operating weight, must be maintained for each balloon and this record must contain details of all alterations affecting the weight of the balloon.
5.2 If changes to a balloon’s empty weight or operating weight occur due to changes in the balloon’s equipment, the balloon’s equipment list must be amended in accordance with the equipment changes.
5.3 A new record of weight alterations must be raised after each weighing.
5.4 Unless otherwise agreed to by CASA, the load data sheet for a balloon must be renewed before further flight whenever, as the result of a modification or as otherwise shown in the record of weight alterations, the empty weight has changed by more than 1.0% of the max. TOW or 10 kg, whichever is the greater.
5.5 Whenever, under the circumstances described in paragraph 5.4 of this subsection, a load data sheet is renewed, the need for the corresponding introduction of a loading system, or loading system revision, may be determined in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 4.2 (3).
5.6 Further to the provisions of paragraph 5.1 of this subsection, if CASA considers that adequate weight control has not been exercised over a balloon, CASA may require that the balloon be weighed or reweighed, as applicable, and a new empty weight determined.
5.7 Loading data renewed in accordance with this Order may be based on the new empty weight position and must be prepared and approved in accordance with paragraph 4.2 (3).
6 Current empty weight
For the purposes of a direction under subregulation 235 (1) of CAR 1988 setting out the method of estimating with respect to a balloon at any time the relevant weight, the applicable empty weight must be the empty weight most recently determined and specified in a load data sheet for the balloon, in accordance with this Order.