The balloon request form
Route and schedule
Launch site — an airport, or Launch Site on Map to name and pick a field. No destination: the wind decides where you land.
Balloon Operation
- Planned flight duration (minutes) — used for the drift track and the landing-time wind.
- Max surface wind for launch and landing (kt) — your limit; most pilots use 6–8 kt.
- Cruise band (ft AGL) — the lowest and highest heights you expect to fly. The drift track uses the wind in this band.
- Envelope size (cu ft) — optional; Not sure is fine.
- Tethered flight — no drift track is computed.
- Chase crew — switch on, then add a chase crew note (name, phone, vehicle) and optionally pick a chase standby spot on the map.
- Planned landing area (up to 2) — pick on the map. Leave blank and the report estimates where the wind will carry you. Star one as your target to get landing odds.
Altitude and occupants
Highest planned altitude (MSL) and total souls onboard. Balloons carry no fuel to plan, so the fuel fields are replaced by a note.