In September of 2021, the Albuquerque Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Control began enforcement of a FAA rule implemented on January 1, 2020. This rule makes ADS-B mandatory for all aircraft, including hot air balloons. This ADS-B transmits a signal that identifies where aircraft are in relation to each other, as well as transmitting a signal to air traffic control. Currently, there is no certified equipment which meets the federal requirements that can be equipped on hot air balloons. This makes meeting the requirement for hot air balloons impossible at this time.

With the recent enforcement, balloons are no longer allowed to fly over Albuquerque, as they have for the past 50 years. The current exclusion of the use of the class c airspace around Albuquerque presents a danger to hot air balloons by forcing possible dangerous scenarios in which pilots must avoid the airspace. These actions could lead to possible damage to property, equipment, injury and or death. All balloons, as they have in the past, will continue to fly in Visual Flight Rules, no matter the airspace they are operating in. These Visual Flight Rules have proven very effective and safe for the past 50 years.

It should be noted that the Albuquerque Air Traffic Control is the only Air Traffic Control in the United States that has chosen to enforce this rule on hot air balloons. An Air Traffic Control facility that controls the airspace can authorize deviations from this rule, and this deviation has been done in other communities such as Colorado Springs.

Please join us and tell the Albuquerque Federal Aviation Administration to provide Albuquerque a year-round exemption so balloons continue to paint our sky.