The Air Navigation Order 2016

Flight crew licence requirement – exception for balloons

142.—(1) A person may act as pilot in command of a balloon within the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, without being the holder of an appropriate licence granted or rendered valid under this Order if the conditions in paragraph (2) are satisfied.

(2) The conditions referred to in paragraph (1) are that—

(a) the person is the holder of an appropriate licence granted or rendered valid under this Order in all respects save that the person has not within the immediately preceding 13 months carried out as pilot in command at least five flights each of not less than five minutes duration;

(b) the person acts in accordance with instructions given by a person authorised by the CAA—

(i) to supervise flying in the type of balloon being flown (“the instructor”); or

(ii) to conduct such examinations or tests in the type of balloon being flown (“the examiner”) as the CAA may require;

(c) no person is carried other than—

(i) the instructor unless the instructor is carried and is the holder of an appropriate licence granted or rendered valid under this Order entitling the instructor to act as pilot in command for the flight; or

(ii) the examiner; and

(d) the balloon is not flying for the purpose of commercial air transport, public transport or commercial operations other than commercial operations which consist of the giving of instruction in flying or the conducting of flying examinations.