European Ballooning Federation wishes all European Balloonists very merry holidays and a happy new year. May the clouds that fly over Europe vanish soon, may we come back to a more peaceful and respectful relationship with Nature, and for us balloonists, may we fly often and safe in 2023.
Patricia Lamy, President
Read the Minutes from Annual General Meeting on May 10 – held electronically with ZOOM – click here.
On March 21st, EBF participate in EASA’s “GA Season Opener”, which is actually taking place online until March 25th.
Find here the programme of our presentation!
 | Patricia Lamy will tell you all you always wanted to know about EBF. |
 | Paul Spellward will explain in detail how the rules were made, how they can be improved, and what we do with the ongoing rules. |
 | Allie Dunnington will focus on safety matters to help you prepare for this season. |
 | Bastien Lefrançois will give useful advice on how to comply with the regulations in your balloonist’s everyday life. |
 | Karel Abbenes will be happy to share with you a questions & answers session. |
So don’t forget to join us on March 21st at 7:pm CET on https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81006151301?pwd=WDByTDRkQVhoT3MwdEJtK21tZDBpdz09
European Ballooning Federation is proud to participate in EASA’s European General Aviation Season Opener: Ballooning session will be on March 21st at 7:00 pm CET. JOIN US!
What is this all about? U space is reserved airspace for manned and unmanned airspace for aerial vehicles like drones and Urban Air Mobility Vehicles.
There are a lot of new developments and initiatives that will promote and develop aerial vehicles used for tasks that are now carried out by helicopters or other vehicles. As an example, air taxi and low-level activity with drones. These activities need airspace which will made available to them by the National Aviation Authorities. This airspace is reserved for this activity and called U-Space.
We as EBF are advocating that we need to be able to fly our balloons and have no or hardly any negative effect from the use of U space airspace. EASA have introduced new legal wording in SERA 6005(c) which reads as follows and is applicable as of January 2023 ( see: Easy Access Rules for Standardised European Rules of the Air (SERA) | EASA )
(c) U-space airspace
Manned aircraft operating in airspace designated by the competent authority as a U-space airspace, and not provided with an air traffic control service by the ANSP, shall continuously make themselves electronically conspicuous to the U-space service providers.
ANSP is Air Navigation Service Provider. This means that we have to make ourselves Electronically visible/detectable as of January 2023.
In order to make clear how this can be done we have attached several presentations which you can have a look at: Pre-Recordings for Webinar on iConspicuity – YouTube
We (EBF) have commented on the Notice of Proposed Amendment (NPA-2021-14) and have made clear that we would support a strict separation of drones and other airspace users as long as they are not limiting the use of airspace for balloons. We feel that drones should not hinder our balloon activities.
EASA has proposed several solutions varying from ADS B( Automatic Dependant Surveillance Broadcast) which can be expensive, ADSB LIGHT with several yet unproven technology including not installed equipment such as telephone technology in 4 and 5 G.
We have experimented with SAFESKY which is an APP on your telephone device making you visible for drones and other aircraft. We are looking at the maximum height/altitude on which this APP is reliable.
Since U space is in many countries limited to 500ft ( with exceptions) this would mean that the App needs to make us electronically visible/detectable up to 500ft. We have seen that this is under most circumstances the case.
This message is to inform you that this is a topic for EBF and that we are involved in finding suitable solutions for the balloon operators and pilots. More news when this is available!
More information: kaa@ballooning-federation.eu
Dear balloonist friends
Like all Europeans, EBF members express strongly their solidarity with Ukrainian people, and especially with our Ukrainian balloonists friends.
If there is a way we can help, for instance in welcoming Ukrainian balloonists families in one of EBF countries, or sending helpful stuff, please let us know.
We also have many Russian balloonists friends, and we know they are not responsible for what happens. We do hope the situation will be resolved soon, in respect of both Ukrainian and Russian people.
Patricia Lamy
President
Dear balloonists across Europe,
2021 has been a difficult year, as well as 2020, and we have no guarantee that 2022 will be better!
Or maybe it will! If we do not give up hope and trust in ourselves!
Last month, our dearest friend and UK representative to EBF, Phil Dunnington, has deceased, and he certainly was an example for all of us, always cheerful and never giving up, with an incredible knowledge of everything about aviation and ballooning.
In 2022, we will follow his example and continue working for the future of our discipline, so that young generations of pilots benefit from a pilot-friendly environment. We will keep you posted.
In the meantime, have the best Christmas and New Year celebration. Let us meet again in the skies in 2022.
EBF Executive Committee.
We have just learnt that our dear friend and EBF General Secretary Phil Dunnington has passed away this morning in Amman, due to a serious Covid. His wife Allie is still in the hospital, also with Covid. It is a terrible shock, as Phil was such a good friend and a precious contributor to ballooning rules. We address our most sincere condolences to Allie, and their children. We will always remember him as a great and very cheerful person.
Read the Minutes from Annual General Meeting on October 27 – held electronically with ZOOM – click here.
Read the Minutes from Extraordinary General Meeting on October 27 – held electronically with ZOOM – click here.
