Flights & Tasks
Practice Flight 8 - 9 Sep 2023 AM
CANCELLED
Flight 7 - 8 Sep 2023 PM
COMPLETE
Flight 6 - 8 Sep 2023 AM
COMPLETE
Flight 5 - 7 Sep 2023 PM
COMPLETE
Flight 4 - 7 Sep 2023 AM
COMPLETE
Flight 3 - 6 Sep 2023 PM
COMPLETE
Flight 2 - 6 Sep 2023 AM
COMPLETE
Flight 1 - 5 Sep 2023 AM
COMPLETE
Flight 1 - 4 Sep 2023 AM
CANCELLED
Practice Flight 3 - 2 Sep 2023 AM
COMPLETE
Practice Flight 2 - 2 Sep 2023 AM
COMPLETE
Practice Flight 1 - 31 Aug 2023 AM
COMPLETE
Noticeboard - Latest Posts
5th Women's Worlds Hot Air Balloon Championship Survey
8 Sep 2023

Here is the link for the CIA Electronic Debriefing form for the 5th Women’s World HABC.

https://forms.gle/EF7VkGFFfcmZ5sqv8

The survey closes Saturday, September 16th.

Thanks & All the best,

Debbie Spaeth - Jury President


Final Results
8 Sep 2023

The final results of the 5th FAI Women's World Hot Air Balloon Championship are available here:

Competition Standings For 5th FAI Women's World Hot Air Ballooning Championship, Task 1 to 20 (watchmefly.net)

A copy signed by the Jury is attached below.

Gary Lacey - Event Director

Complaint from Competitor No 5 and Director's Reply
7 Sep 2023

Attached below are a complaint from Competitor No 5 regarding Task No 8 and my response.

Gary Lacey - Event Director.

Red PZ for Afternoon of 7 September 2023
7 Sep 2023

For the afternoon flight of 7 September, the additional Red PZ is in force.

Red PZ 12 - Northam Racecourse, upper altitude 1,500ft above mean sea level (AMSL).

A diagram and track file (.plt) are attached below.

Gary Lacey - Event Director

Tuesday Afternoon Flight and Briefing Cancelled
5 Sep 2023

Tuesday 5 September - Afternoon flight and briefing is cancelled.

Next Briefing, Northam Recreation Centre, 05:15 Wednesday 6 September.

Gary Lacey - Event Director

Monday Afternoon Flight and Briefing Cancelled
4 Sep 2023

Monday 4 September - Afternoon Flight and briefing is cancelled.

Next Briefing - Northam Recreation Centre 05:15 Tuesday 5 September.

Gary Lacey - Event Director

Official Competitor List
4 Sep 2023

This is the Official Competitor List for the 5th FAI Women's World Hot Air Ballooning Championship compiled from the roll call of entrants at the General Briefing.

Gary Lacey - Event Director

Contest Area
3 Sep 2023

Rule II.1 - Contest Area

The contest area is the entire competition map.

The coordinates of the corners of the competition map are:

9810/2500

9810/7002

5493/7002

5493/2500





Parking and Entry for Task Briefings
3 Sep 2023

Here is a map of entry to the Recreation centre for task briefings. Please enter from Chidlow Street then Henry Street. Park in the Competition Parking Area.


General Briefing Notes
3 Sep 2023

General Briefing notes are published below.

Sunday Practice Flight Cancelled
2 Sep 2023

The Practice Flight and Briefing planned for Sunday morning (3/9/23) is CANCELLED.

Next briefing is the General Briefing on Sunday 3 September at 14:30 at the Avon Auditorium, Bridgeley Community Centre, 91 Wellington Street, Northam.

Common Launch Areas and Common Launch Points
2 Sep 2023

Here is the List of CLAs that may be used during the event together with the CLP for each CLA.

A file containing the waypoints of each CLP is attached. The waypoint for the gate into each CLA is also provided.


Practice Flights and General Briefing
31 Aug 2023

Practice flights will be held on the morning of Saturday 2 September and Sunday 3 September.

If you wish to fly in these practice flights, you MUST attend a flight briefing to be held at 05:15 at the Northam Recreation Centre, 44 Peel Terrace, Northam.

The General Briefing will be held at 14:30 on Sunday 3 September at the Avon Auditorium, Bridgeley Community Centre, 91 Wellington Street, Northam.

Attendance at the General briefing is compulsory for all Competitors and Officials.

Air Display Approval - Civil Aviation Safety Authority
25 Aug 2023

Attached is the Approval to conduct the 5th FAI Women's World Hot Air Balloon Championship - issued by Australia's Civil Aviation Authority (CASA).

At check-in all participating pilots will be required to sign to acknowledge that you have read the Approval and that you will operate your aircraft in accordance with the terms of the Approval.

You will note that you cannot carry passengers unless you have been approved to do so. I approve you to carry passengers, but only if you consider that they are necessary for the safe operation of the flight. Ground Crew will need to keep a list of the details of each person in the aircraft for each flight.

If a solo flight is required, then this will be indicated on the Task Data Sheet and in this case no passengers can be carried.

Gary Lacey - Event Director

Safety Guidelines and Operations Handbook
22 Aug 2023

Attached to this post are two documents:

  • The Pilot Operations Handbook and Incident Management Plan
  • General Safety Guidelines

These documents contain important phone numbers that you must use in an emergency situation.

You must comply with these requirements during the event, so please make sure you have read and understand them.

Gary Lacey - Event Director

PZs and Sensitive Areas
18 Aug 2023

Here is a list of all Prohibited Zones (Blue, Red and Yellow).

Included is a PDF file showing the position and colour of each PZ. Please ensure that your maps are updated before you fly in Northam.

There is also attached a Zip file containing waypoints and track files for each PZ (in Oziexplorer format)

Gary Lacey - Event Director

Official Goal List
16 Aug 2023

You will have noticed that the Competition Map has many road intersections that are labelled with a three digit number.

These are "Official Goals" for the competition. In certain tasks it may be possible to select goals using the three digit goal number. The selection will be made in the Balloon Live App.

In tasks that allow goal selection using the three digit goal number, the result will be calculated as the distance between the "logger mark" and the 4/4 grid coordinate of the selected goal.

The 4/4 grid coordinate for each goal is listed in the attached "Official Goal List".

Gary Lacey - Event Director

Operational Instructions for the use of the Balloon Live App and Balloon Live Sensor
7 Aug 2023

Please see the attached PDF Document that provides instructions for the use of GPS Loggers for this Event.

You must be prepared for the use of the Balloon Live/Watchmefly system before the start of the competition.

Please complete the initial setup and payment as soon as possible. 

When this is done, I will upload some "Practice Flights" so that you can test your setup.

Gary Lacey - Event Director

Reference Documents
1 Aug 2023

The following reference documents will be used for the 5th FAI Women's World Hot Air Balloon Championship.

All competitors should acquaint themselves with the contents of these documents.

  • FAI Sporting Code General Section (2023 v1.0)
  • FAI Sporting Code Section 1 - Aerostats (April 2023)
  • CIA Competition Operations Handbook (2023)
Anti-doping and Alcohol Policy
28 Jul 2023

For the 5th FAI Women's World Hot Air Ballooning Championships, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules concerning anti-doping, including alcohol abuse, will be applied. In accordance with FAI Anti-Doping Rules, testing may be carried out during the Event.

WADA considers that the use of THC (cannabis) in-competition is violating the Spirit of Sport. As with all substances that are prohibited in-competition only, athletes in regions where cannabis use is legal are therefore advised to refrain from consuming cannabis for a number of days before the start of competition. Athletes most at risk of testing positive are those who have consumed significant quantities of THC close to in-competition Doping Control or are chronic users.

Intoxicated crew, including pilots, will be ordered to stop whatever ballooning activity they are currently participating in. 

The Safety Officer can take whatever action he feels appropriate and shall immediately inform the Event Director. 

If there is need for independent documentation, medical treatment or if otherwise deemed necessary, police or emergency services will be asked for assistance. 

If you are using a drug that is on the WADA list of “Prohibited Substances and Methods” but is prescribed by a medical doctor, you must have the relevant documentation demonstrating that you have an official therapeutic use exemption (TUE). In such a case, please report this to the Event Director (Gary Lacey). 

The latest WADA list of “Prohibited Substances and Methods” is available from the Electronic Notice Board (below). 

Gary Lacey - Event Director

Note: 

1.     The legal blood alcohol limit for driving in Western Australia is 0 - 0.05g/100ml. 

2.     The legal blood alcohol limit for flying in Australia is 0g/100ml. 

Mobile Phones
25 Jul 2023

It is important that all Pilots and Crew Chiefs have operating mobile phones for the duration of the competition.

Competition information including the Recall Procedure may be provided by SMS and/or WhatsApp. Also you will need mobile data for you Balloon Live device.

If you do not wish to use your home phones via global roaming, you will need to purchase a pre-paid SIM card when you arrive in Australia. The best coverage in Northam is by using either "Telstra" or "Optus".

You are advised to investigate your options before arriving in Australia. If you are arriving at Perth International Airport, there are several shops at the airport that will be able to help you and provide advice. This is probably the best option as there are no dedicated mobile phone shops in Northam.

Gary Lacey - Event Director

Official Competition Map
21 Jul 2023

The Official Competition Map and associated files are now available for download at the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/1l9bu8cab1i7fb7m30wev/h?rlkey=r41nf5e47a0hqudlw18jnt3mp&dl=0

This link includes the calibrated .ozf map and a basic JPG (for those who need it).

Also we are providing, for use in your navigation software, plot (track) files and KML files of known powerlines. This powerline material is provided as an additional safety measure and you are encouraged to use it as an aid to ensuring appropriate separation from powerlines; however:

  • Please note that these files were prepared in 2021 and changes to powerline layout may have occurred in the interim;
  • No responsibility is accepted by the Event Organisers for any omissions, inaccuracies or errors in the material, or any reliance placed on the material;
  • Any reliance placed on any material provided is at your own risk;
  • Do not allow the competition to distract your attention from safe flying;
  • It is the pilot’s responsibility at all times to avoid contact with powerlines. 

Gary Lacey - Event Director

Balloon Live App and Balloon Live Sensor
12 Jul 2023

The Logger used in this Event is the FAI “Balloon Live” App with a connected Balloon Live Sensor. 


Each competitor will need to supply their own mobile device (phone or tablet) connected to a mobile networks and their own Balloon Live Sensor.


The Balloon live App, which is available for iOS and Android, must be installed by each competitor beforehand on their own device.


Every competitor MUST  familiarise themselves with the set up and use of the App and Sensor prior to the competition and ensure that they have the latest versions of the App and sensor firmware installed.


The following resources are available:


BALLOON LIVE PILOT RESOURCES:

WatchMeFly Learning Center

www.balloonlive.org

FAI Balloon Live On Facebook
BLS User Manual

BLS Quick Reference Guide
BLS Latest Firmware

Email: support@balloonlive.org


GaryLacey

Event Director

Official Rules
30 May 2023

The CIA-approved Rules for the 5th FAI Womens World Hot Air Balloon Championship are available for download below.

Regards

Gary Lacey - Event Director