Frequently asked questions

The launch of unmanned free balloons is subject to compliance with the conditions set out in requirement SERA.3140 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 923/2012 of 26 September. This requirement requires compliance with the requirements of Appendix 2 to the aforementioned regulation, which can be consulted at the following link: https://www.boe.es/doue/2012/281/L00001-00066.pdf

• In addition, they must comply with the provisions of Chapter III of Royal Decree 1180/2018, which you can consult through this link:
  You can consult the aforementioned Regulation through this link
• Likewise, the launch is subject to coordination with the air navigation service provider ENAIRE, for which they must be coordinated with the Department of Operational Coordination of ENAIRE through the email (cop@enaire.es).

Since the past of July 9, 2019, to operate a glider has to comply with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2018/1976 of the commission of 14 December 2018.

• Air operations are sailplanes are listed in Annex II (Part-SAO).
• To conduct commercial operations with sailplanes, it is necessary to submit a declaration of compliance that enables such operations to be carried out. This requires compliance with the provisions of Article 3 of the Regulation and with the ODS requirement.DEC.100 of Annex II (Part-SAO).
• Glider trawl activity has 2 slopes:

1. 1.  Whether the purpose is to carry out air advertising flights, i.e. towing of banners with powered sailplanes; it is considered as a specialised commercial operation, so the provisions of ODS.OP.155 must be complied with.
2. 2.  If the purpose is towing sailplanes only, this is a normal commercial activity.

For both activities, in addition, where the operations are carried out below the heights provided for in requirement SERA.5005(f) of Commission Regulation (EU) 923/2012, they shall be required to obtain an authorisation in accordance with:

• Article 3 of Royal Decree 1180/2018 for flights below the minimum heights on agglomerations of persons. In this case it must be established that the transaction is in the general interest.
• Article 33 of Royal Decree 1180/2018 for flights below minimum heights outside agglomerations of persons.

Additional information can be found at the following links:

https://www.seguridadaerea.gob.es/en/ambitos/operaciones-aereas/operaciones-de-trabajos-aereos/operaciones-comerciales-con-planeadores-reg-2018-1976

https://www.seguridadaerea.gob.es/sites/default/files/triptico_aesa_planeadores.pdf

The full-time equivalent is a concept that allows to measure the number of full-time employees working in an organisation and is calculated by suming all staff hours of work in one year, either part-time or full-time and by dividing the result by the number of hours of a full-time employee. 

More information at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Glossary:Full-time_equivalent_(FTE)

The rules applicable to hot air airships are regulated by the European Regulation (EU) 2018/395 laying down detailed rules for the operation of balloons under Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/357 of 4 March 2020 regulates the licence to pilot hot airships, while the private pilot licence for airships is regulated by Regulation 1178/2011.

Until the entry into force of Regulation (EU) 2018/395 last year 2019, in order to carry out tourist flights with balloons it was necessary for the operator (company) to have an authorisation as an airwork company issued on the basis of the provisions of Law 48/1960 of 21 July.

Since the entry into force of Regulation (EU) 2018/395 last April 2019, tourist flights are referred to as Commercial Passenger Balloon Flights or CPB, which are defined as a form of commercial air transport with balloons where passengers are transported for the purpose of tourism or flight experience in exchange for remuneration or other financial consideration.

Strictly speaking, this is not an activity of air work but a type of commercial air transport. The reality is that both airwork and commercial air transport operations are commercial operations, i.e. the conduct of an advertising flight with a balloon or the transport of passengers are commercial operations.

As regards the rating or authorisation regime, CPB requires the operator to submit a declaration of compliance (BOP.ADD.100) confirming that it is aware of and complies with the applicable standard and provides information on the operator and aircraft to be used.

Captive balloons are excluded from Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/395 of 13 March 2018 laying down detailed rules for the operation of balloons by Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Therefore, in the field of air operations, it does not require authorisation from the Air Works and General Aviation Service of AESA.

In the case of a manned captive balloon, the pilot of the manned captive balloon should hold a balloon pilot licence (BPL) issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 1178/2011 of 3 November 2011 with privileges to operate such balloons. The balloon must also have the corresponding certificate of airworthiness (EASA Form 25) and the Aircraft Review Certificate in force (EASA Form 15).

However, if the operation is likely to affect a controlled airspace or aeronautical servitude area, it should be coordinated respectively with ENAIRE (Air Space Operational Coordination Department — cop@enaire.es —) and AESA (Aeronautical Services) servidumbres.aesa@seguridadaerea.es

Regulation (EU) 2018/395 defined the activity of commercial passenger balloon flights (CPB) as a form of commercial air balloon transport operation in which passengers are transported for the purpose of tourism or flight experience for remuneration or other financial consideration.

Once the declaration required in BOP.ADD.100 has been submitted, the operator is authorised to conduct commercial operations with balloons in all the States of the European Union.

The Spanish Aviation Safety Agency shall publish and keep up-to-date the list of balloon operators who conduct commercial operations and who have submitted a declaration in Spain.

In duly justified cases and at the request of the operator, a certificate attesting that a declaration for commercial operations with balloons has been submitted to the State Aviation Safety Agency may be issued.

Oh, yeah, yeah. The requirement BOP.ADD.410 states that if more than 19 passengers are transported on the balloon, an additional crew member must be part of the crew.

The acceptable means of compliance AMC1 BOP.ADD.410 sets the initial and recurrent training requirements, as well as recent experience, to be met by the additional crew member.

Both requirements concern the conduct of specialised operations.

The requirement BOP.BAS.190 contains the general information applicable to specialised non-commercial operations and the BOP.ADD.510 contains the general information applicable to specialised commercial operations.