Section H
Pilot’s Licence (Balloons)

1. Requirements for the issue of Licence— An applicant for a Pilot’s Licence shall satisfy the following requirements :—

(a) Age— He shall be not less than sixteen years of age on the date of application.

(b) Educational Qualification— He shall have passed Class Ten or equivalent Examination from a recognised Board.

(c) Medical Fitness— He shall produce on a prescribed proforma a certificate of physical fitness from an approved medical practitioner after undergoing a medical examination, during which he shall have established his medical fitness on the basis of compliance with the requirements as notified by the Director-General under rule 39B.

(d) Knowledge— He shall pass a written examination in Air Regulations, Air Navigation, Aviation Meteorology, Airmanship and Balloon systems/Aerostatics as per the syllabus prescribed by the Director-General :

Provided that an applicant in possession of a current Pilot’s Licence Gliders, Private Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes/Helicopters). pilot’s Licence Microlight aircraft or a higher category of Pilot’s Licence shall pass an examination only in airmanship and Balloon system/Aerostatics.

(e) Security Clearance— If not already obtained, security clearance for the Pilot will be obtained from the concerned State Police authorities by the Flying Club/Government Flying Training School before commencing flying training and forwarded to the Director-General.

(f) Experience— He shall produce evidence of having satisfactorily completed as Pilot of a Balloon not less than sixteen hours of flight time as a pilot of free balloons including at least eight launches and ascents of which—

(i) six ascents shall be under instruction;

(ii) one ascent in control, under the supervision of a properly rated Balloon Pilot, to an altitude of not less than one thousand five hundred meters above sea level;

(iii) one ascent under supervision as the sole occupant of a Balloon.

(g) Flying Training— He shall have completed flying training in accordance with the syllabus prescribed by the Director-General.

(h) Skill— He shall have demonstrated his competency to perform the procedures and manoeuvres prescribed in the syllabus to the satisfaction of an examiner, on the type of the balloon to which the application for the licence relates, within a period of six months immediately preceding the date of application.

2. Validity — The licence shall be valid for a period as specified in Rule 39C.

3. Renewal— The licence shall be renewed on receipt of satisfactory evidence of the applicant —

(a) having undergone a medical examination in accordance with para 1(c).

(b) having satisfactorily completed at least five ascents as Pilot-in-Command of which at least one ascent should be to an altitude of one thousand five hundred metres or above within a period of six months immediately preceding the date of application or in lieu thereof; having satisfactorily completed the flying test in accordance with para 1(h) within a period of six months immediately preceding the date of application.

4. Night Rating— (a) To exercise the privileges of the licence by night, the applicant shall have completed atleast two ascents by night each of not less than 2 hours duration under the supervision of a licensed Balloon Pilot whose licence is not limited to day flying only.

(b) Night Rating shall be valid subject to the licence holder having completed atleast two ascents by night of an average duration of one hour each during a period six months immediately preceding the date of intended flight.

5. Privileges— The privileges of the holder of a Pilot’s Licence (Balloons) shall be to act as Pilot-in-Command of any Balloon and to carry passengers, tow banners (fixed or otherwise) which do not adversely affect the safety of the Balloon, under the Visual Flight Rules only.