Combined Airworthiness Organisation (CAO)
The following issues are fulfilled in our Continuous Airworthiness Management Organization, in order to ensure the continuous airworthiness of a hot air balloon and the availability of operational and emergency equipment:
a) Performing pre-flight checks,
b) Management of elimination of any malfunction or damage affecting safe operation in accordance with approved data,
c) Management of the performance all maintenance of the aircraft in accordance with the aircraft maintenance program approved by DGCA,
ç) Analyzing the effectiveness of the approved aircraft maintenance program,
d) Fulfillment of the ones applicable below;
Airworthiness directive,
Operational directive affecting continuous airworthiness,
Continuous airworthiness requirements published by EASA/DGCA,
Procedures and principles published by DGCA to be promptly used for a safety issue.
e) Management of modifications and repairs according to approved data,
f) Establishing an implementation policy regarding non-mandatory modifications and/or controls,
g) If necessary, making control flights for the aircraft
Maintenance Programs
The hot air balloon maintenance program and maintenance program revisions implemented in our Continuous Airworthiness Management Organization are approved by DGCA.
Our DGCA approved maintenance programs for hot air balloons, which currently receive continuous airworthiness management service from our organization, are given below.
Pasha Balloons
Cameron Balloons Ltd
BalónyKubíčekspol. s r.o.
Ultramagic, S.A.
Lindstrand Technologies Ltd.
Application of the Maintenance
All maintenance activities to be applied to hot air balloons served by our Continuous Airworthiness Management Organization, are carried out by the competent personnel of the F-Maintenance Organization operating within the body of Hot Air Balloon and Aircraft Application and Research Center, following appropriate methods, techniques, standards and instructions, using appropriate tools, equipment and materials, in approved facilities within all environmental constraints.
F-Maintenance Organization (AMO)
F-Maintenance Organization can provide maintenance service to the hot air balloons listed below within the scope of the approval received from DGCA.
Pasha Balloons
Cameron Balloons Ltd
BalónyKubíčekspol. s r.o.
Ultramagic, S.A.
Lindstrand Technologies Ltd.
Maintenance, Repair and Replacement Operations
The maintenance operations included in the maintenance programs created to ensure the flight safety/convenience of hot air balloon and hot air balloon components are given below.
Annual Maintenance: It includes the controls to be applied to dome, burner, basket and rollers. Annual maintenance is the maintenance activity that is performed when a 100-hour flight cannot be completed within a calendar year.
100-Hour Maintenance: It includes the controls to be applied to dome, burner and basket.100-hour maintenance is the maintenance activity that takes place if 100 hours of flight time takes place before a calendar year is completed.
10-Year Maintenance: It includes the controls to be applied to rollers.10-year maintenance is the maintenance activity that includes internal inspection and pressure tests before the completion of 10 calendar years.
Grab Test: It is the tensile/strength test to be applied to the dome. Grab test is the maintenance activity that is performed each calendar year or when a certain flight time is reached (whichever occurs earlier) after exceeding the dome flight time set by the hot air balloon manufacturer.
Repair: It is the repair process to be applied on the Hot Air Balloon and its components within the scope of the maintenance program.
Replacement: It is the process of replacing any parts that need to be replaced, which may endanger flight safety.
Aircraft Certificate of Release to Service (CRS)
After the maintenance procedures applied to hot air balloons served by our F-Maintenance organization, a Certificate of Release to Service is issued by the certifying staff (CS) and the hot air balloon is delivered to the service.
In case of detecting any inconvenience that would endanger flight safety, the Certificate of Release to Service cannot be issued.
Component Certificate of Release to Service (DGCA Form 1)
After any maintenance work carried out under approved maintenance programs on hot air balloon components (burner, basket, fuel cylinder) Component Certificate of Release to Service (DGCA Form 1) is issued.