ca-balloon-pilot case studies
ca-balloon-pilot · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Canadian Balloon Pilot Licence is a Transport Canada flight crew credential for pilots who fly free balloons. This page is an independent study resource for candidates preparing for the written knowledge examination that supports the licence. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by Transport Canada, and it does not issue licences or replace official publications. A significant limitation applies to this page. The ca-balloon-pilot case studies are 5 cases and about 2,104 words.
1Fuel Reserve Decision at a Remote Launch Site
You plan a 90-minute recreational flight from a private field 40 km from your home base. The balloon has two 40-litre propane tanks; pre-flight dip-tube check suggests tank A is about 70% full and tank B about 30% full.
440 words, about 2 min2Wind Shift During a Crossing
You are tracking a slow-moving weather system. At launch, surface wind is 180°/8 kt, and the 925 hPa wind is 200°/15 kt.
399 words, about 2 min3Navigation Without GPS in Featureless Terrain
Your GPS fails 20 minutes after launch over a large flat agricultural plain with few roads and no prominent hills. You carry a magnetic compass, a 1:250,000 chart, and a watch.
392 words, about 2 min4Burner Malfunction and Ballast Management
During a flight at 1500 ft, the main burner flame becomes weak and yellow, and the pilot notices a drop in cylinder pressure on the gauge. The balloon is carrying 8 sandbags of 15 kg each as ballast.
497 words, about 2 min5Launch Decision with Marginal Surface Wind
At 06:00 the surface wind at the launch site is 190°/10 kt, gusting to 16 kt. The site is a small field surrounded by a 4 m hedge on the south and west sides and a line of trees 80 m to the north.
376 words, about 2 min