Only two people are certified as balloon pilots in the Main Directorate “Civil Aviation Administration”, the director announced Ms. Anelia Marinova. She specified that licenses issued in other countries – members of the European Union are also recognized in our country.
BTA recalls that yesterday Marinova reported that of the 11 balloons registered in Bulgaria, only four are airworthy. She reported this information on the occasion of the incident with parachutists between the villages of Litakovo and Novachene in Botevgrad, in which one person died and another was in danger of life. According to Marinova, the balloon has no documents and is unregistered, has no airworthiness and the pilot is not licensed.
„We will try as quickly as possible to place information on our website, which balloons with Bulgarian registration are airworthy and safe. Aircraft from another European country can also operate on our territory, Marinova pointed out today.
She added that an attempt will be made for joint actions with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and with the tax administration in order to tighten the control of this activity with more massive checks.
„Companies that have a license to offer a commercial activity “balloon ride” we don't have it yet. This activity is carried out on the edge of the law. It is related to one article that concerns the sports activity, with a non-commercial activity. Sometimes we argue with the colleagues with whom we manage to establish contact, to what extent this is commercial activity, to what extent these are shared experiences,“, said Anelia Marinova. She specified that the registration procedure itself is not complicated or expensive.
„If it is comparable to the aircraft registration fee, it is BGN 500 for registration and BGN 1,000 for airworthiness. The documents that go with the balloon anyway are also necessary, because it is subject to technical service and maintenance, the director of the General Directorate of the Civil Aviation Administration also said.