Balloon Flying Handbook

This full-color handbook, released by the Federal Aviation Administration in December 2024, supersedes FAA-H-8083-11A, Balloon Flying Handbook, dated 2008.

A valuable training aid for student pilots who are learning to fly balloons and for certificated pilots and flight instructors who wish to improve their knowledge.

This comprehensive guide, created by the Federal Aviation Administration, supplies balloon pilots with the essential information they need for certification. An all-in-one technical manual, the Balloon Flying Handbook focuses solely on the art and science of balloon flight. With hundreds of detailed color photos, illustrations, and diagrams, the handbook covers the following topics in authoritative detail:




Hot Air Balloon Design, Systems, and Theory
Preflight Planning
Weather Theory and Reports
The National Airspace System
Layout to Launch
In-flight Maneuvers
Landing and Recovery
Aeromedical Factors
The Instructional Process
The Gas Balloon


Complete with a glossary and various useful appendices, this ultimate resource is the essential tool all student balloon pilots need to get certified and what experienced flyers need to stay safe and informed.