Balloon Pilot Licence

Prerequisites

To be enrolled into the Balloon Pilot Licence is easy and straightforward. Age and medical requirements are applicable for the first solo flights.

• be at least 14 years old to fly solo flights
• latest before first solo you will need to obtain the Medical certificate
• Balloon Pilot Licence can only be issued once you turn 16 years

Theory

 The BPL theoretical knowledge instruction includes a certain element of formal classroom work. BPL theory training is devided into subjects. Except the aircraft category-specific subjects, the theoretical knowledge syllabi is common with other ab-initio pilot licence training such as PPL, LAPL or even SPL.

Duration

 The BPL flight training is a skill-based training lasting 16 hours. The syllabi is well structured to provide you with the flight instruction in the hot-air balloon to develop he skills, knowledge, attitudes and safety awareness. 

The 16 hours of BPL flight training is further structured into the flight instruction to cover at least:

• 12 hours of dual flight instruction in Group A hot-air balloon
• 10 inflations and 20 take-offs and landings; and
• 1 solo flight lasting at least 30 minutes.

Privileges

 As a holder of the Balloon Pilot Licence you will be authorized to fly the hot-air balloon class as pilot-in-command with limitation to the so-called Group A Hot-air balloons. That means the maximum hot-air balloon envelope you can fly is 3,400m³ (120,069 cuft³). At the begening, the BPL privileges can a only be exercises for the non-commercial flying.