CAP Balloon Pilots

[jimmydeanno]

I recently found 20 pairs of CAP Balloon Pilot Wings in our supply closet.  Made me wondering what the requirements for being a CAP balloon pilot were (in between wonder why we had 20 pairs...)

Found the following in 60-1:

3-1. General. This chapter prescribes aircrew qualifications and requirements to fly CAP aircraft.
3-2. Pilot Qualifications.
...
d. Balloons. See paragraph 1-3c.

c. Wings operating hot air balloons in CAP flight activities shall publish flight management and operating procedures in a supplement to this regulation IAW paragraph 1-3b above.

b. Proposed supplements, OIs, policy letters, or changes thereto, shall be first submitted in MS Word format to the region commander, State Director, and the CAP-USAF liaison region office for their collective approval. Only then will it be forwarded with a statement that those approvals have been obtained to NHQ CAP/DO for HQ CAP and HQ CAP-USAF/XO approval. If this regulation revision affects a currently approved supplement, OI, or policy letter the affected supplement, OI, or policy letter shall be updated and submitted for approval within 6 months after the effective date of this regulation. The affected supplement, OI, or policy letter will be void 6 months from the effective date of this publication.

So am I reading this right that the requirements to be a CAP balloon pilot are not standard?  Is it really left to each wing to determine what the criteria are for balloon pilots? (With exception to FAA rules).

CAPR 35-6 says that to be a "CAP Balloon Pilot" you must be a CAP Pilot per 60-1 and hold a FAA Balloon Certificate.  Who the heck would give you your CAPF 5?

Also, I can't say I've ever met a CAP Balloon pilot...you?

[Rob Sherlin]

 That's kind of what I was thinking with the glider wings. Balloon wings seem even more rare in the CAP. But, If you found 20 wings, then there must have been some sort of interest at one time.
I think it would be cool to get more things like that going. It is a form of aviation, and a there's lot of neat history behind balloon flying.
Just don't tie yourself to a bunch of party balloons in a lawn chair.

[Eclipse]

The Johnson Flight Academy in ILWG runs a balloon program every year.  http://jfe.ilwg.cap.gov/

[JC004]

Yeah, looky:

[Rob Sherlin]

  That's great! I'm glad to hear there's at least one program that's doing it. I understand that we're subject to geographical locations, and because of that, we deal with different weather (ex: there's probably more glider flying in the South Western and South Central U.S. than there is in the North East, because of the warmer weather and thermals). But, I think that it wouldn't be totaly out of the question in other areas.
  As I found out (with a lot of help from you guys here on CAPTALK), flying an engine powered aircraft can be quite costly in learning to fly them, getting your certifications, and even flying them when you want to, even after going through all the certifications.......A lot of people now adays can't afford that, but still have that dream of flying (I know, I'm one of them). I think it would would be a good thing to offer more alternatives, to experience that feeling of "being above the earth" and to be able to learn to do it yourself, without having to spend everything you've earned to do it.........This is probably why people tie themselves to party ballooons in lawnchairs!!!!

[davidsinn]

Yeah, looky:

Colgan you dog  You had to post that right after I finish my AE board of the Aircraft of Civil Air Patrol.

[Al Sayre]

Mississippi Wing recently acquired a CAP Balloon.  We were hoping to have a Balloon Orientation (tethered) Ride day a couple of weeks ago, but the weather didn't  cooperate.  20Kt winds etc 

[Rob Sherlin]

  We had a "tethered" balloon ride here in Niagara Falls called "Flight of Angels", that takes you up over the falls for a view. But, it wasn't a "piloted" balloon, it was just a huge weather type balloon, with a harness and a platform attached to the bottom.
  They weren't in business this season, and I have a lot to do with that (and a lot of other people I brought this up to). .....It's just a big "weather" balloon attached to a platform with a cage underneath. There's no pilot to fly it, to let heat in or out!....There isn't even any staff who ride the thing (trained or not) with the passengers!....What would happen if something goes wrong and that rusty ol' cable breaks!

[jimmydeanno]

Colgan you dog  You had to post that right after I finish my AE board of the Aircraft of Civil Air Patrol.

You missed this one too...I don't know the model or manufacturer though.  We got it from the USAFA

  What would happen if something goes wrong and that rusty ol' cable breaks!

Ever see The Wizard of Oz

[Rob Sherlin]

I don't think we're in Kansas anymore?

[NC Hokie]

You missed this one too...I don't know the model or manufacturer though.  We got it from the USAFA

According to Wikipedia, that's a Schweizer SGS 2-33, known to the USAFA as the TG-4A.