UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM
(UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY
CODE
Department of Physics & Astronomy
834 Campus Place N.W.
University of Calgary
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, AB, Canada
T2N 1N4
Phone: +1 (403) 220-5385
[email protected]
http://phas.ucalgary.ca/
July 16, 2015
Revision: 1.1
Written and Edited by Dr. Laura Mazzino
Revised and approved by Dr. Chris Cully
This document is intended to provide enough practical documentation on weather balloon preparation and launching for the
University of Calgary's High Altitude Balloon Team. This document is complemented by the University of Calgary's High Altitude
Balloon Team Policy and Safety Code. Permission is granted, given that is for non-profitable use, to partially/fully copy, quote or use
the content of this documentation for educational purposes or personal use on your weather balloon missions at your own risk.
Certain aspects of this documentation must be adopted for use with your specific region, mission, and/or country.
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM (UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY CODE
Revision: 1.1 Last modification: July 16, 2015 Calgary, Alberta - Canada
 Introduction:
The UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS Program (UCHAB) is a program run by a
University of Calgary (UofC) Space Physics group. The UCHAB faculty supervisor is Dr. Chris Cully1, Assistant
Professor at the UofC Department of Physics & Astronomy and Principal Investigator of “Airborne Balloon
Observations of VLF Waves and Electrons over ABOVE” (ABOVE2), among other space projects. UCHAB is
currently organized and coordinated by Dr. Laura Mazzino2, Postdoctoral fellow at University of Calgary
Space Physics group working under the supervision of Dr. Cully, and project manager of ABOVE2. Several
graduate and undergraduate students from different faculties (including, but not limited to, science and
engineering) will be participating in the weather balloon missions, to run from summer 2015 to summer
2017.
All UCHAB weather balloon missions must be organized following the UCHAB Policy and Safety Code and
UCHAB Protocol, which comply with the Transport Canada unmanned vehicle launch policy (see annex 1)3
and the University of Calgary Environmental, Health and Safety Policy (see annex 3)4, as well as other
safety considerations (see annex 2).
The UCHAB Policy and Safety Code and UCHAB Protocol must be taught during orientations and training
sessions to all participants, prior any balloon mission. Personnel actively participating in the preparation,
deployment and recovery of any mission must hold a certificate of completion of training, which will be
given by the coordinator after the personnel have successfully past the training session and performed
well at the training launch. All participants, actively working on the mission or just witnessing the
deployment of the balloon, will have to sign a waiver in order to participate in any balloon missions.
Each UCHAB weather balloon mission will have a designated ‘Mission Flight Director (MFD), chosen by Dr.
Cully and/or Dr. Mazzino. Each mission’s Flight Director will be liable to follow the “UCHAB Policy Safety
& Code” and the “UCHAB protocol” (Annex 4). Mission Flight Director will make the executive decisions
and oversee the team on completing the UCHAB protocol prior and during launch, as well as on tracking
the payload in flight and recovering it. The MFD will be responsible to follow the “Mission Flight Director
Protocol” (annex 5) at all times and sign the “Mission Flight Director Checklist” (annex 6) prior authorizing
launch of mission. The MFD will also be responsible to complete the “Mission Flight Direction Log” (annex
7) upon completion of mission.
 UCHAB weather Balloon Policy and Safety Code:
1) BALLOON MISSION PROCEDURES. To ensure the public safety and the safety of all participants, the
UCHAB missions will follow the UCHAB protocol (“preparation-launch-recovery” protocol), as established
in Annex 4 of this document. The protocol will be enforced by each mission’s Flight Director. In particular,
the Mission Flight Director will decide a launch site that ensures both that the flight path is outside of the
Calgary International Airport’s C1 restricted area and that the landing site is away from major highways
1
[email protected]
[email protected]
3
http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/general-recavi-uavworkinggroup-2266.htm#22.1%20indent-left5
4
http://www.ucalgary.ca/safety/
2
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM (UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY CODE
Revision: 1.1 Last modification: July 16, 2015 Calgary, Alberta - Canada
and large populated areas, as well as obtain the NOTAM a week prior the launch. The Mission Flight
Director will contact Edmonton Flight Information Center to provide coordinates of launch site and results
from the flight predictions (ascent rate, flight path, possible landing, etc.) for them to log, following
national regulations and obtain the NOTAM. Also, following UCHAB protocol, Mission Flight Director will
sign out the UCHAB equipment with the signature of Dr. Cully and/or Dr. Mazzino approving the flight,
and will log upon return the result of the flight (i.e. Result of the mission, incidents, condition of
equipment, etc.). Additionally, participant of launches and flight missions will need to sign a waiver,
following UofC regulations.
2) BALLOON MISSION MATERIALS. UCHAB missions will use only helium to inflate balloons for safety
reasons. Hydrogen, even though cheaper than helium, proposes hazardous environment to the university
members and the general public and shall never be used. Gas tanks will be handled by safety regulations
listed below (items 4 and 6). UCHAB GPS trackers will be only be bought from official, authorized retailers:
GPS trackers are required to work over 60,000 ft.; most GPS trackers are disable to work over 60,000 ft.
for governmental laws, and only authorized retailers are allowed to sell GPS units that are not disable over
60,000ft . UCHAB missions might fly detector(s) or component of these detectors for testing and
calibration purposes. These flights follow university regulation and poses no danger to the team or to the
community. UCHAB team will use radios to track payload flight; radios will be used only by officially trained
and licensed radio amateurs following the Radio Amateurs of Canada’s (RAC) policy and Canadian
national/provincial laws. Some other additional equipment (smart phones, computers, etc.) might be used
during missions following Canadian national laws and Alberta provincial laws (see item 12).
3) WEIGHT LIMITS. Weather balloons will not exceed 3 cubic meters as indicated by Canadian National
Law (Transport Canada ‘unmanned vehicle launch policy, see annex 1). Therefore, weather balloon
equipment might not exceed 1.20 kg overall, including weight of the parachute, gondola, tracking system
and payload.
4) GAS STORAGE. Gas storage will follow the UofC Department of Physics policy for purchase, storage and
handling of gas tanks. In particular, helium tanks will be stored at the cage outside the UofC Earth and
Atmospheric Science Building. Dr. Mazzino will be responsible to purchase the helium tanks through the
UofC preferred vendor, while authorized team members will store new tanks in the storage room and
return empty tanks to the cage. UCHAB members, supervised by the UCHAB Coordinator and/or Mission
Flight Director will be responsible to handle new and empty tanks for transportation of each mission,
following University of Calgary Environmental, Health and Safety Policy (see annex 3)5, and the UCHAB
protocol (annex 4).
5) BALLOON LAUNCH PREPARATION. Simulation of mission path will be run 7 days and 1 day prior a
launch. The UCHAB coordinator or Mission Flight Director will contact Flight Information Center, a week
before the launch, to provide relevant information, request permission, and obtain the NOTAM (Annex
2). The day prior to the launch, following UCHAB protocol, MFD or UCHAB Coordinator will sign out the
UCHAB equipment with the signature of supervisor approving the flight, and will log upon return the
result of the flight (i.e. Result of the mission, incidents, condition of equipment, etc.). The day of the
5
http://www.ucalgary.ca/safety/
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM (UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY CODE
Revision: 1.1 Last modification: July 16, 2015 Calgary, Alberta - Canada
launch, materials (including helium tanks, see item 6), will be transported to the launch site. UCHAB
members will never flight in their balloons harmful or unlawful materials. UCHAB members will follow the
protocol on launch preparations. In particular, members of the team will inflate the balloon using the gas
regulator, following the step-by-step instructions UCHAB Protocol, to ensure safety of both mission
participants and stand-by witnesses. MFD will give a courtesy call to the local airports half hour prior the
launch, prior inflation, to inform if the mission is a GO or a NO-GO. Additionally, Mission Flight Director or
UCHAB Coordinator will ensure each participant of launches and flight missions has signed a waiver, prior
mission.
6) GAS TRANSPORTATION. The helium tanks will be transported following the University of Calgary
Environmental, Health and Safety Policy (see annex 3)6. The helium tanks will be loaded by UCHAB
members into the vehicles and chained for transportation. The team will never transport unchained
helium tanks in their vehicles. Reminder full and/or empty tanks will be transported back to the university
following the same procedure.
7) TRACKING VEHICLES. Personal vehicles will be used by team members to track balloon missions.
University vehicles will be used by authorized drivers, if any. The Mission Flight Director will be in charge
to coordinate the tracking teams in their efforts to safely recover the payload and gear. Tracking teams
will follow the MFD directions. In particular, the drivers will obey all federal, provincial laws and will
comply with the University of Calgary VEHICLE OPERATOR'S SAFETY GUIDE7.
8) BALLOON LAUNCH. UCHAB balloon launch, flights, and recovery procedures are harmfulness and pose
no threats to human, animals, or property. Balloons and payloads are very light (less than 1 kg) since
gondolas will always be constructed with Styrofoam. Balloon launch sites will carefully be selected such
that balloons do not get entangled on buildings, construction cranes, communication towers, etc. Most
importantly, balloon launch sites will be confirmed the day prior the launch after the prediction of path is
run to ensure landing on a safe spot: Desirable launch site should be an isolated area in the province that
provides easy recovery access, away from populated areas (cities, towns), airports (both local and
international), major highways, etc. Wind conditions might vary and launch site needs to be confirmed
the night prior the morning launch to ensure a safety, easy recovery. The MFD will call determine the night
before if the mission is NO-GO due to wind conditions, poor weather conditions, problems with the
tracking gear, etc. The Mission Flight Director will check each item of the Mission Flight Director Checklist
to ensure safety on the preparation, launch and recovery of a mission, step by step. In particular, the
balloon inflation will follow the University of Calgary Environmental, Health and Safety Policy (see annex
3)8 and the UCHAB Protocol (annex 4).
9) BALLOON TRACKING. UCHAB balloon flights will be tracked using an on board gps tracking system,
identified by a valid Amateur Radio Call-sign of a member of the UCHAB team (call sign of the Mission
Flight Director or UCHAB Coordinator) and ground radios. Each vehicle will have a designated driver and
a designated ‘tracker’. Drivers will have the sole responsibility to drive and follow directions by designated
6
http://www.ucalgary.ca/safety/
https://www.ucalgary.ca/riskmgmt/system/files/vehicle_operations_safety_guide.pdf
8
http://www.ucalgary.ca/safety/
7
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM (UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY CODE
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tracker, obeying all driving national and provincial laws. Designated drivers will not have any other
responsibility during flight than to drive the vehicles. Designated trackers must have a valid amateur radio
license to operate the radios, will receive directions from the MFD to coordinate the rescue efforts and
provide valuable feedback, and will communicate by radio with other tracking vehicles on the mission.
Also important, designated trackers will have a detailed hard copy map of the provincial roads, to
complement virtual maps from phones and/or laptops, and will be responsible to look into the maps to
direct drivers. If the driver would need to take a look at the map, the driver will stop vehicle in a safe spot
to do so. The Mission Flight Director will take the responsibility (or officially delegate this responsibility to
another tracker) to coordinate ‘balloon chase’ vehicles such that they follow balloon in a safe manner.
Designated trackers will follow directions from Mission Flight Director.
10) MEMBERS PARTICIPATING IN BALLOON MISSIONS. There are three levels of participation in the
balloon missions: team members officially designated for the mission, participants wishing to train and
learn on balloon missions, and simple witnesses of launch (stand-byers, etc.). Both team members and
trainee-participants will fill in a waiver prior arrival to the launch site. Waivers will be stored at the
university no later than the night before of the launch. Witnesses of the launch (family members, friends,
community outreach participants, university personnel or students, stand-byers) might be present to see
the mission launches. Team members, in particular Mission Flight Director or UCHAB Coordinator, will
ensure to define safe areas for the witnesses to watch the team’s launch operations. For this purpose,
team members will deploy safety cones delimiting the safety perimeter of launch operations so witnesses
stay away from the area of operation.
11) RADIO OPERATION TO TRACK BALLOONS. A valid Amateur Radio Call-sign of a member of the UCHAB
team (most preferably the call sign of the Mission Flight Director or UCHAB Coordinator) will be designed
for the gps-aprs tracking of the balloons for which at least one valid Amateur radio licensed call sign should
be available for each mission. If multiple gps-aprs trackers are used, there must be as many amateur radio
call signs as gps trackers used in the mission. Also, designated ‘trackers’ must hold a valid Amateur Radio
call sign in order to use radios for tracking purposes. Following Canadian Amateur Radio, passengers of
the tracking vehicle might use the radios if there is a licensed radio amateur with a call sign in the same
vehicle to supervise the radio transmission.
12) TRACKING OF BALLOON USING LAPTOPS, SMARTPHONES AND OTHER DEVICES. Tracking of balloon
missions is possible with additionally use of laptops, smartphones and other devices. Therefore, these
devices might be used on the tracking efforts as long as designated drivers will not have any responsibility
on using them (item 9), obeying the “Province of Alberta Distractive Driving Law” regulations. Use and/or
operation of these devices shall never break national and provincial laws, and Mission Flight Director and
UCHAB Coordinator are both responsible to train members and participants, and to enforce this policy
thought the mission.
13) RECOVERY. UCHAB balloon missions will always use a recovery system to return payload and tracking
system safely to the ground so that the balloon tracking system may be flown again in the future and
scientific payload is not damaged. UCHAB balloon missions will be prepared and be tested with due care
to assure that the recovery system (parachute) will properly deploy. Also, following UCHAB protocol,
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM (UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY CODE
Revision: 1.1 Last modification: July 16, 2015 Calgary, Alberta - Canada
Mission Flight Director or UCHAB will log a report of the mission upon return (i.e. Result of the mission,
incidents, condition of equipment, etc.).
14) PERSONAL CONDUCT. UCHAB balloon missions’ team members and participants will conduct in a
responsible manner, always following the UofC Student Code of Conduct, conscious that the maintenance
of safety for themselves and other rests with their ability to design, construct, launch and recover safe
balloon missions, following UofC policy as well as national and provincial laws.
______________________________________________________________________________
CAUTION/DISCLAIMER: Launching weather balloons into the stratosphere can be DANGEROUS
and HARMFUL TO AIRPLANES! The strike of a balloon to a plane could be similar to a bird strike
and could cause damage, especially to engines. Pilots might not have enough reaction time if
such balloon pops unexpectedly.
Make sure to check the federal and provincial laws and regulations in the country/area where
you live prior launching a sounding/weather balloon.
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM (UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY CODE
Revision: 1.1 Last modification: July 16, 2015 Calgary, Alberta - Canada
Annex 1
Transport Canada – Acts and Regulations
Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433)
Transport Canada
Note: UAV (Unmanned Air Vehicle) is a “power driven aircraft, other than a model aircraft, that is
designed to fly without a human operator on board.”
Large Unoccupied Free Balloons
602.42 No person shall release an unoccupied free balloon having a gas-carrying capacity of
more than 115 cubic feet (3.256 m3) except in accordance with an authorization issued by the
Minister pursuant to section 602.44.
Comment: 1200 gram balloons are the limit here -113 cu. Ft release volume. Check the release
volume of your balloon to see if requires a Minister's permit.
Authorization by the Minister
602.44 The Minister may issue an authorization referred to in section 602.42 or 602.43 where
the release of the balloon or the launch of the rocket is in the public interest and is not likely to
affect aviation safety.
3.0 Issuing the Special Flight Operations Certificate:
http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/general-recavi-instructions-balloon-section3-2418.htm
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM (UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY CODE
Revision: 1.1 Last modification: July 16, 2015 Calgary, Alberta - Canada
Annex 2
Other safety considerations
Our program has done extensively research on air traffic norms and regulations in North
America, and follow strict protocol prior each launch:



Balloon trajectory predictions are run prior each launch
Balloon launch site is chosen following predictions such that landing site is not a
city/populated area.
The regional authority (Edmonton CIA) airport is contacted a week prior the launch to
obtain the NOTAM. Date, time and site (coordinates) of launch, as well as ascent rate is
informed. The local (Calgary International Airport, Airdrie City Airport) airports and
Edmonton Area Control Center (ACC) Shift Manager are contacted the day of the launch
to confirm release of the balloon.
Please check the regulations in your country regarding air traffic and please contact the
local/national authorities before trying any launches (even if they are under 4 lbs.) to make
sure your vehicle won’t be entering restricted airspace.
PLEASE check the University of Wyoming’s Balloon Trajectory Predictor (or a similar website) to
make sure you balloon won’t be landing in the city/a populated area where it might cause a
safety hazard. Balloon payloads are small in general, but a traffic accident might be produced if
landing site is a populated area or major highway.
Also, be sure to test your balloon’s terminal velocity for descent before launching.
Resources on air traffic norms and regulations in North America:
1) CANADA. TERMS OF REFERENCE, Transport Canada Civil Aviation: Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV)
Systems.
2) CANADA. The review and processing of an application for a Special Flight Operations Certificate for
the Operation of an Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) System
3) International Civil Aviation Organization: INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS, RULES OF THE AIR
4) USA: Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR)
5) USA: Federal Aviation Regulations edited for Unmanned Rockets. Part 101: Moored balloons, kites,
unmanned rockets and unmanned free balloons
6) USA: MIT International Center for Air Transportation: SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS FOR OPERATION OF
UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES IN THE NATIONAL
Further reading about HABs and safety:
Lego man's flight raises air safety concerns
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM (UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY CODE
Revision: 1.1 Last modification: July 16, 2015 Calgary, Alberta - Canada
Annex 3 (a)
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
Environmental, Health and Safety
Movement of Hazardous Materials within Buildings
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM (UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY CODE
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Annex 3 (b)
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
Environmental, Health and Safety
Compressed Gas Cylinder Regulator Installation – Standard Operating Procedure
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM (UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY CODE
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Annex 4
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM
(UCHAB)
Protocol
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM (UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY CODE
Revision: 1.1 Last modification: July 16, 2015 Calgary, Alberta - Canada
Annex 5
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM
(UCHAB)
Mission Flight Director
Protocol
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM (UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY CODE
Revision: 1.1 Last modification: July 16, 2015 Calgary, Alberta - Canada
Annex 6
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM
(UCHAB)
Mission Flight Director
Check List
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM (UCHAB)
POLICY AND SAFETY CODE
Revision: 1.1 Last modification: July 16, 2015 Calgary, Alberta - Canada
Annex 7
UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY
HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS PROGRAM
(UCHAB)
Mission Flight Director
Log