So You Want To Buy A Balloon

By: Garry Haruska

What Paperwork Will You Need

For the sale of a used aircraft you will need an Aircraft Bill of sale (2 copies). This form is located is located at www.faa.gov , Forms button, Bill of Sale (8050-2). You can print two blank copies or you can fill in your data online and then print the form, however you can not save data in this form if you fill it in print it, it will not be saved if you exit and come back. The sellers name MUST read exactly as it appears on the current registration. You will need an Aircraft Registration Application and this Must be AC Form 8050-1, no copies, no computer generated forms. You can get this form from your local FSDO or by mail from:

US Department of Transportation

Federal Aviation Administration

Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center

FAA Aircraft Registry

P.O. Box 25504

Oklahoma City, OK 73125

This form may also be available at your local airport FBO. When filling out this form print when it says print, sign when it says sign. They will kick this form back if it is not filled out correctly. Make sure the seller keeps the old Registration, fills out the back and returns it to the FAA. If they do not when the new Registration is processed the old owner will get nasty letters from the FAA. When the new owner fills out the Registration a real physical address MUST be used, PO Boxes will result in the form being kicked back and starting all over again. Sign all copies in ink as indicated. If the balloon is being shipped have the seller send the logbook and airworthiness sent under separate cover directly to the buyer.

The Buyer must have an Airworthiness Certificate and a logbook. The logbook MUST show all of the currently installed components and all of the maintenance information up to date. The Flight Manual MUST also be included, if the balloon ad reads “complete system ready to fly” make sure it is , does it have all required parts, instruments, hoses in date if required, helmets if required, all pins or carabineers, correct number of legal tank straps? Check maintenance history with the repair station you will be using, have they had any problems in the past with repairs from the location this balloon has been previously maintained? Will you need to have previous repairs corrected (will you need to pay again for a repair that has been done incorrectly to keep you legal)? Is the balloon being sold with a fresh annual from a repair station YOU trust? Has the balloon been annualed by an A & P or IA, if so has it just been signed off or has it had the correct maintenance preformed at annual (temp tabs, o-rings, valve servicing)? Are the fuel tanks in date? This is by no means a complete list of everything you should look at but it will get you started, the best thing you can do is find someone you can trust with balloon experience to go over a balloon purchase with you.

Don't let all the mumbo jumbo scare you out of this. It is pretty easy to get through and worth the effort. You will learn a thing or two in the process.