2nd October 2007
Well finally the bureaucratic nonsense we have all been waiting for has arrived and we are now officially transferring non-expiring UK CofAs to non-expiring EASA CofAs which makes everything so much safer and easier (or at least we will be very soon!).
Following meetings with the UK CAA, who have been extremely supportive, we have managed to get the changeover charge reduced from £40 a shot to £25, barely two pints (and a bag of crisps for the dog) in some Surrey pubs!! This will be payable to the BBAC who have been granted the authority to process all the paperwork.
We had hoped to have a meeting this Wednesday 3rd October but it has been put back to the 10th. As we all need to fully understand the filling out of the AD202 form, shorter then the official name on the top ‘Balloon survey report & recommendation for the replacement of a Certificate of Airworthiness with the initial EASA Certificate of Airworthiness and initial Airworthiness Review Certificate’, and all the processes involved that is proving difficult so...
Until further notice please carry out the inspection as normal and where appropriate issue the IR4 and send it to the CTO in the normal way. The IR4 will be processed and the UK CofA re-validated. As the new system does not need to be in place until September next year this shouldn’t be a problem but the owner must be advised, AND THE DETAILS ENTERED INTO THE LOGBOOK, that it will need re-inspecting before September 27th 2008. No fees will be payable to the BBAC. Hopefully this will only involve a few balloons. The alternative if the balloon is not going to be flown is to defer the inspection for a couple of weeks when we will be up and running properly.
In advance of the filling out of the AD202 you MUST ensure the owner/operator provides all the existing documentation they have and that it is all up to date and in order. It is the owner's responsibility. If it isn’t you will be unable to complete the AD202 and the form will be returned. A much higher standard of attention to detail will be required. We have estimated that the additional review of the paperwork and completion of the AD202, if everything is straightforward, will add about an hour to an inspection. Please be sure that if the AD202 is incompletely or incorrectly filled in then it cannot be processed. We will provide, what we hope will be, a pretty comprehensive guide to enable you to complete it.
So at present (about two weeks)
Despite reminders we still have the following omissions and errors creeping in to IR4s.
You cannot inspect ‘Envelope Only’ unless it is going with a new bottom end or the bottom end is inspected elsewhere. There must, in those cases, be two IR4s that can be linked through the envelope’s registration.
You must record the temperature details both on the IR4 and in the logbook. If a Grab Test is carried out, this also must be similarly recorded.
You must declare that you have checked the balloon against any SBs or ADs that have been issued. Where an active one applies to the balloon or its equipment then any action must be entered. The details of all ADs and SBs and where to find them is on the BBAC Website and was sent along with an earlier Info.
You must declare the Issue number of the Schedule used in the appropriate space.
If any of these elements are missing then the balloon cannot be signed off and the IR4 will not be processed.
For counselling, advice, moans and groans please contact Wyn or Chris on the usual numbers. We should however point out that until we have met with the CAA next week we cannot give procedural answers to the filling out of the AD202.
Chris Dunkley