On Wed, 30 Aug 2006 22:11:59 -0700, "Peter Duniho"
wrote in
:

[...]
For example: under your interpretation of the rules, a balloon overtaking a
helicopter in a hover would have the right-of-way and the helicopter would
be required to give way. That certainly makes no more sense than requiring
a balloon to alter course, and frankly I think it makes a lot less sense (at
least in the converging situation, the balloon pilot can see the other
traffic).

Given the fact that the balloon pilot is at the mercy of the vagaries
of the wind for his navigation control, and the helo is highly
maneuverable, why wouldn't the balloon be given the right-of-way? One
must give way to a balloon; to believe otherwise is foolish.

So, which is it? Are balloon pilots required to alter course to the right?
Or are helicopter pilots required to yield right-of-way to a balloon
approaching them from the rear? You can't have it both ways.


Beats me.

You know, I write from the perspective of a certificated glider pilot
who received his training in the early '70s. My recollection is, that
gliders _always_ have the right-of-way over powered aircraft. Perhaps
that is an erroneous notion today. It might be worth researching the
historical changes to § 91.113.