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.

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.

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

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.

The validity of the proficiency check is 24 months and should be carried out by a pilot holding an in-flight examiner certificate (FE) issued in accordance with Regulation (EU) 1178/2011.

Oh, yeah, yeah. In this case the person responsible for conducting the training and verification must be in possession of the in-flight instructor (FI) and flight examiner (FE) certificate.