Hyderabad: The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), B S Bhullar, has alerted pilots about hydrogen-filled balloons which are launched from Balloon Facility at Hyderabad. The DGCA, New Delhi said that purpose of the circular issued was to spread information regarding balloon operations in India.
“A pilot in command should use this information for the safety of aircraft,” he cautioned, as per a report by Times of India.
“Separations between an aircraft and a balloon, whether operating inside or outside controlled airspace is the responsibility of the pilot in command,” the DGCA added.
These unmanned balloons carry scientific equipment and collect data from the upper atmosphere, and are launched in various sizes from October to May.
Balloon operations are restricted to visual meteorological conditions. The DGCA said separation between an aircraft and the balloon was the pilot’s responsibility ‘whether operating inside or outside controlled airspace’.
Information about Balloon Facility in Hyderabad is provided to the chief secretary of the state in advance. Balloon launching for this season has not been finalized because of rains.