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The practical test standards (PTS), for both Private and Commercial certificates, indicate a number of items that must be considered, evaluated, and planned in the execution of a safe flight. Some of these items are the use and interpretation of weather data to plan a flight, the use and interpretation of aeronautical charts and local area maps, and performance and limitation of the balloon. 

Weather Theory and Reports will be covered in some detail in Chapter 4 and The National Airspace System (NAS) will be reviewed in Chapter 5. The following discussions assume familiarity with both subjects, and will introduce a number of other new subjects. 

## Purpose of Flight 

Preflight planning will vary according to the flight’s purpose. For example, if a training flight is planned, more detailed attention to map work and performance planning may be appropriate. If a passenger-carrying flight is being undertaken, a meeting point for the passengers and crew will need to be designated, and refreshments will need to be planned. If the flight is to participate in an organized rally, particular attention must be paid to weather trends and wind plotting, to ensure the pilot is able to reach the intended target and score points. These type of considerations are part of the initial balloon preflight planning process. 

## Weather 

A good balloon pilot studies the weather several days before the day of the flight in order to understand the weather trends, cycles, and the correlation of weather report information with the actual weather in a particular flying area. Most, if not all, weather reporting information is computed for a large regional area, whereas balloon flying is generally conducted in an area about 15 square miles. When a balloon pilot makes the correlation between the weather outlooks and forecasts, and how that will impact winds and environment in the local flying area, he or she is well on the way to understanding the effects of weather on preflight planning, as well as the balloon flight. 

Particular attention should be paid to the location and movement of pressure systems and the jet stream, frontal activity, temperatures in front of and behind frontal zones, and winds. As the proposed flight date draws closer, a reasonable prediction of possible weather can be forecast, but a pilot must remember that a weather forecast more than 72 hours prior to a flight is not an absolute. It is also worthwhile to watch local and nationally televised weather broadcasts to gain insights on the weather systems that may be affecting the desired flying area at the time of the flight. 

Unofficial sources of weather information can also prove helpful for obtaining weather information about a particular area. It is beneficial to contact balloon pilots who fly in the area of intended flight to learn of nuances in the weather patterns, especially during initial training or when flying in a new area. Another source of information for weather is pilots who fly other types of aircraft in the proposed flight area. They can be located through the local airport’s fixed base operator (FBO). People who make their living outside, particularly farmers, have a unique perspective on local weather. They often offer weather information on local weather that is unavailable through a commercial source. 

When possible, it is valuable for a balloon pilot to visit the local National Weather Service (NWS) office. [Figure 3-1] NWS provides information and sources for a number of weather products, which must be considered in the weather planning process. A visit to the NWS office also gives a balloonist the opportunity to talk with the individuals who provide the weather information used in the briefings. NWS can provide the balloonist with a clear explanation of what products and information are required to make an intelligent flight decision. 

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The night before a flight is anticipated (or in the morning, in the event of an afternoon flight), a call should be made to the Flight Service Station (FSS) for an outlook briefing. These are generally available 6 hours or more before a specific flight period. (There are three different types of briefings available: standard, abbreviated, and outlook. They will be discussed in more detail in Chapter 4, Weather Theory and Reports). This briefing information is used to make tentative decisions regarding the flight, such as go/no-go, and potential directions of travel. Additionally, a pilot should pay particular attention to local and regional forecasts in the media, as they may provide information specific to the area of flight. 

