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Commercial balloon pilots now required to have medical certificate

Commercial balloon pilots now required to have medical certificate
SHELLEY. THE BALLOONING COMMUNITY IS VERY TIGHT-KNIT, BUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT I DID TALK TO YOU DID NOT WANT TO DO AN ON-CAMERA INTERVIEW, BUT THEY DID SAY THAT TOXICOLOGY REPORT WAS A SURPRISE NOW WITH BALLOON FIESTA REALLY CLOSE BALLOON PILOTS HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE ARE EMPHASIZING THE SAFETY WHEN IT COMES TO BALLOONING. GETTGIN TO GIVE PEOPLE A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EXPERNCIEE IS A NORMAL. DAY AT THE OFFICE FOR SCOTT APPLEMAN THE PRIVILEGE OFS U BEING PART OF THOSE MEMORIES THAT WE’RE CREATING AND FILLING THOSE BUCKET LIST ANDS BEING PART OF THAT WHEERTH IT’S FIESTA OR YEAR-ROUND, IT’S JUST IT’S A GREAT HONOR FOR APPLEMAN EVEN BEFORE THE DEADLY HOT AIR BA LLOON CRASH IN JUNE SAFETY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PRIORITY RAINBOW RIDERS FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS SHA BEEN DOING SECOND CLASS MEDICALS DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING. WE DO ANNUAL FLIGHT REVIEWS BECAUSE OF THE CRASH. HIRED NTSB INVESTIGATOR SAYS THERE COULD BE. CHANGES, BUT THEY MAY WELL CONSIDER A RECOMMENDATION TO REQUIRE MEDICAL CERTIFICATES AND MEDICAL MONITORING FOR BALLOON PILOTS, WHICH OF COURSE INCREASES THE COMPLEXITY AND COST OF OPERATING THESE VEHICLES. APPLEMAN SAYS CHANGES WOULDN’T SURPRISE HIM. I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME CHANGES THAT ARE COMING FROM THE FA AND THE REGULATORY AUTHORITIES. SO I WOULD LEIK TO THINK THAT THE INDUSTRY WILL ACCOMMODATE AND SUPPORT THOSE CHANGES. IT’S A GOOD INVESTMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY OFOT H AIR BALLOONING. HE SAYS BEFORE TAKING A BALLOON FLIGHT PEOPLE SHOULD DO A LITTLE BIT OF HOMEWORK. I THINK WHAT THEY NEED TO DISO TO BE A SMART SHOPPER YOU NEED TO BETTER DOWN CCKHE THE REVIEWS CHECK CALL AND ASK HOW LONG PELEOP HAVE BEEN IN BUSINESS ASK THEM. STANDARDARS CURRENTLY HOT AIR BALLOON PILOTS. DO NOT NEEDO T PROVIDE A MEDICAL CERTIFICATEO
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Commercial balloon pilots now required to have medical certificate
The Federal Aviation Administration has adopted a new rule that requires balloon pilots who carry passengers to obtain a second-class medical certificate when flying. The certificate is the same standard that other commercial pilots are required to hold. Related video above: Balloon pilots emphasize safety (September 2021)Commercial balloon pilots were originally exempt from the medical requirement. Congress directed the FAA to change the medical certification for commercial balloon pilots in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. The National Transportation Safety Board also made a previous recommendation to the FAA to remove the exemption. “Passengers can now rest assured that commercial balloon pilots must meet the same strict medical requirements as other commercial pilots," said Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen in a news release.

The Federal Aviation Administration has adopted a new rule that requires balloon pilots who carry passengers to obtain a second-class medical certificate when flying. The certificate is the same standard that other commercial pilots are required to hold.

Related video above: Balloon pilots emphasize safety (September 2021)

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Commercial balloon pilots were originally exempt from the medical requirement.

Congress directed the FAA to change the medical certification for commercial balloon pilots in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018.

The National Transportation Safety Board also made a previous recommendation to the FAA to remove the exemption.

“Passengers can now rest assured that commercial balloon pilots must meet the same strict medical requirements as other commercial pilots," said Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen in a news release.