tether is to be conducted. The tether site should be at least twice, and preferably three times, the size of a normal launch
area for that particular balloon. It may be surrounded by trees, buildings, and other obstacles. Under certain circumstances,
this may work to the pilot’s advantage, as these may block low-level, lower velocity winds. Higher winds may create
turbulence that significantly affects the balloon. [Figure 7-11]
Wind direction
Figure 7-11. Layout schematic for a balloon tether.
There are two primary methods of tethering, the three-line method and the six-line method. In the three-line method,
lateral lines are attached at the top of the basket, generally to the suspension of the balloon, to transfer stress loads from
the balloon directly to the lateral lines, and not through the basket’s superstructure. In the six-line method, three vertical
“bridle” lines are connected from the top of the balloon to the top of the basket’s superstructure and three additional lines
(laterals) are attached to the vertical bridles. [ Figure 7-12] The six-line system is preferable in windier conditions, as it
allows the balloon to move within the framework created by the bridles and laterals, but keeps the balloon upright and
confined to a relatively small area. The specific setup required is dependent on the intent of the tether and whether rides
are being offered.
Figure 7-12. A six-line tether.
In almost all cases, the manufacturer’s flight manual specifies procedures and techniques for tethering the balloon, and the
prudent pilot is aware of these instructions and possible limitations prior to conducting a tether.
Tether safety often depends more on flight team skills and preparation than anything else. The following tethering safety
tips are drawn from the book, Hot Air Balloon Crewing Essentials, by Gordon Schwontkowski, and is an excellent reference
text for balloon pilots as well as crew.
• Whether you use a commercially available tether system or your own quality ropes matters less than how well and
how thoroughly you prepare. Securely attach two or three tether lines minimum to load rings, envelope carabiners,
or other brand specific point on your equipment.
• Triangulated wind protection is the goal. Attach tether lines to secure objects such as parked vehicles so that two
lines always distribute wind loads. This protects you on all sides from turbulence and potential downdrafts from
buildings.
• Focus! Constantly watch weather conditions and line tensions for changes or needed adjustments. Listen to the crew
for feedback and instruction. Direct spectators and participants according to your needs and their safety rather than
chatting with them.
• Note and adjust for weather changes. Weather places great unnatural stresses on tethered balloons. Be prepared to
suspend or cancel a tether at any moment due to changing weather. Allow extra time for packing lines and other
tether equipment when considering whether to shut down.
• Plan for any one line to fail or come untied with no notice. Create a backup plan you can implement immediately
to maintain control and safety.
• Watch for spectators and children who want to hang onto tether lines and ride them off the ground. Keep all noncrew
away from lines; suddenly tight or rising lines pose risks for all concerned. At NO TIME should any crew member
ever leave the ground (riding or hanging on the basket, holding ropes, etc.).
• Devote one crew member exclusively to organizing passengers in a line far back from the balloon and tether lines.
Select groups by number, weight, age, or an appropriate combination of factors.
• Adding weight is necessary on landing and during passenger switches, giving many opportunities for someone’s
toes or a foot to slip beneath a fully loaded basket. Keep everyone similarly clear of lines running to the basket or
lower envelope.
• Inspect lines frequently to ensure they are attached securely at both ends, particularly under heavy loads or in
stronger wind conditions.
Inflight Crew Management
The balloon chase crew does much more during the flight than merely drive and wait for the balloon to land. As an integral
part of the flight team, the crew can often have a significant impact on flight safety. Rather than passively follow behind
the balloon’s perceived route, a knowledgeable chase crew can assist in the execution of the flight and play a large role in
flight safety and management.
Immediately after the launch, the crew should promptly load equipment and prepare to leave the launch field. At a large
fun fly of local pilots, or perhaps a competitive event, there may be a temptation for the crew to remain on the field and
socialize; a crew on the field is of little or no use to a pilot who may be in difficulty. The crew chief, in conjunction with
the pilot, should have a planned route off the launch site and a methodology for conducting the chase. Some pilots prefer
for the chase crew to be ahead of the balloon, while other pilots have the chase crew follow the balloon throughout the
entire flight. This is a matter of personal preference and may have an impact on the comfort level of the pilot. Either way
is acceptable, as long as the pilot and crew remain in contact, and there is a plan in place for the eventual recovery of the
balloon.
Chasing the balloon is, at times, grossly oversimplified. The crew should always bear in mind that they may have to plan
on how to be in one of two places at any given moment: where the balloon currently is and where it appears to be heading
in the next few minutes. A good rule during the first half of the planned flight is to leapfrog ahead of the balloon, let
the balloon catch up, and then repeat the process. Even in familiar flying areas, the crew should frequently check maps
to determine the flightpath, likely landing areas, and the best routes to get there. The crew must constantly be aware of
changing conditions that may affect the flight; winds increasing, decreasing, or changing directions, or perhaps traffic
situations that affect how the crew gets to the balloon after landing.
Crew Behavior
During the chase, the crew should remember to drive legally and politely. Driving at high rates of speed with no justification
creates a sense of emergency where there is not one, and can draw unwanted attention to the chase crew. The chase crew
is useless to the pilot if they have been stopped by the authorities.
While chasing, the crew should observe all “No Trespassing” and “Keep Out” signs, and stay on public, paved roads.
Vehicular trespass is common and the laws are very restrictive regarding vehicles on private property. Pilots and their chase
crews should adhere to local trespass laws.
If possible, the chase crew should try to keep the chase vehicle in sight of the balloon. The pilot needs to know the crew is
nearby and not stuck in a ditch or off somewhere changing a flat tire. When the vehicle is stopped at the side of the road,
park it so the entire vehicle is visible to the balloon pilot.
Pilot/Crew Communications
Radio communications between the balloon and the chase vehicle are fairly common. If radios are used, obey all Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) regulations. Use call signs, proper language, and keep transmissions short. Many
balloonists prefer not to use radios to communicate with their chase vehicle because it can be distracting to both pilot and
chase vehicle driver. In any case, it is a good idea to agree on a common phone number before a flight in case the chase
crew loses the balloon. [Figure 7-13]
Figure 7-13. This crew chief has stopped safely off the road to talk to her pilot. Communications are important, but safety is
paramount.
Use of a Very High Frequency (VHF) Radio
There is confusion among pilots regarding frequencies that may be used from air-to-ground, balloon-to-chase crew, for
instance. Many balloonists use 123.3 and 123.5 for air-to-ground (pilot-to-chase crew), as these frequencies are for glider
schools and not many soaring planes are in the air at sunrise. Since all users of the airwaves must have an ID or call, ground
crews may identify themselves by adding “chase” to the aircraft call sign. For example, the chase call for “Balloon 3584
Golf” would be “3584 Golf Chase,” or perhaps simply “84 Golf Chase.”
The air-to-air frequency is 122.75. Remember that everyone in the air is using this frequency; transmissions should be kept
brief. A balloon pilot trying to contact a circling airplane would try 122.75 first.
Weather information is available on VHF radio. A balloon pilot could obtain nearby weather reports by tuning to the
Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS). The appropriate frequency is listed on the cover of the sectional chart and
in the airport information block printed on the chart near the appropriate airport.
Landowner Relations
Identification of Animal Populations
Balloonists must learn how to locate and identify animals on the ground. Even though it may be legal to fly at a certain
low altitude, animals do not know the laws—nor do most of their owners. If a pilot causes dogs to bark, turkeys to panic,
or horses to run, even while flying legally, it may provide legitimate cause for complaint.
Horses and ponies can be anywhere from the smallest paddock and roughest fields to the largest pasture. Boarding stables
and breeding farms are easily identified by their painted wooden fences, stacked bales of hay and straw, and horse trailers.
Assume all horses are valuable: race horses, breeders, and those privately boarded. While horses generally behave the
same way when frightened, each one’s alarm level differs. Anything from the glow of the back-up burner to the balloon’s
shadow can spook them. In a pasture, they may buck, neigh, or even charge; in extreme cases, they might try to jump the
fence and may injure themselves. As horses are accustomed to hearing human voices, talking to them may help calm them
down. [Figure 7-14]
Figure 7-14. Flight in areas of horse activity requires caution and consideration.
Cattle need more space than horses, about one acre per cow. Dairy cows tend to stay near the barn; corn near the pasture and
a muddy yard usually means milk production. If they are out in more remote pastures, they are probably beef producers.
When startled, cattle usually bunch together to face a threat but can just as easily panic and run. A stampede can break
down a fence or locked gate. Once out, cattle can be herded by driving them from behind where they need to go by blocking
sideways means of escape (with people or vehicles). Brood cows can be unpredictable, especially during breeding, and are
capable of damaging a truck. As with horses, the sound of human voices may help calm cattle. [Figure 7-15]
Figure 7-15. While cattle in a field may appear undisturbed, they can spook and stampede at the least provocation.
Pigs are perhaps the most difficult livestock for farmers to raise. Easily disturbed, it is best to avoid them at all costs.
When frightened, they bunch together and bolt, and are virtually unstoppable, almost impossible to catch, and potentially
dangerous (especially boars). Pigs run until they are exhausted; rounding them up can take days. Pork prices fluctuate
dramatically, and monetary claims against a balloonist who upsets pigs can be quite high.
Poultry (chickens and turkeys) are more often raised in confinement buildings than free range. A long windowless building
with fans on the ends and atop the roof usually indicates a poultry production facility. With the lights and fans off, tens of
thousands of birds can be amazingly quiet. Any disruption of this tightly controlled environment, however, can severely
affect production. A sudden blast of a balloon’s burner can start an all-out panic; birds trying to flock in a confined space
trample and crush each other, leading to mass-scale suffocation. Ducks and geese raised outside average about 200 birds
per pen. When panicked, they also tend to flock which can lead to injury and death.
Livestock will appear along a balloon’s flightpath, as well as landing sites. Follow these livestock tips to minimize
disruptions during these encounters:
• Always watch for signs of livestock: barns, sheds, silos, fences, muck heaps, tractors, trailers, stacked bales of straw
and hay, and mudded areas all point to some form of livestock nearby.
• Stay away from barns and building clusters – livestock are most likely inside or nearby.
• Livestock are most active in the morning and early evening. When hot, they seek shade near buildings or under
trees. When cold, they gather together to conserve heat and seek shelter from wind anywhere.
• Livestock breaking out of their field or enclosures as the balloon flies by demands immediate attention. A cow in the
road can total a car; the driver will not do well either. The chase crew should either find the farmer or take steps to
contain or protect the livestock without endangering themselves.
• The sound of a human voice can often calm agitated or frightened livestock—talk to them. Use calm and easy tones.
• Horses with riders warrant particular caution. A highly visible wave from the basket to the rider acknowledges their
presence and says that all possible care is being taken.
Chapter Summary
As with the previous chapter, this chapter explains techniques and procedures that have come to be generally accepted
throughout most of the ballooning community. They are by no means an exhaustive explanation of “how to fly.” Some of
the procedures may seem unduly complex, but with practice and experience, these maneuvers come naturally.
A good pilot observes other pilots and incorporates techniques that are safe and acceptable. New pilots sometimes fly with
different instructors, in order to gain a perspective on “how the other guy does it”; other, more experienced pilots fly with
another commercial pilot during a flight review. Almost all flight methodology, as long as it is safely conducted, and with
a plan and purpose behind it, is acceptable for use as long as the performance requirements of the PTS or ACS can be met.