Commonwealth Consolidated Regulations

CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY REGULATIONS 1998 - REG 101.145

  (1)   There are 4 kinds of unmanned free balloon. These are defined (in order of ascending size) in the following 4 subregulations.

  (2)   A small balloon is an unmanned free balloon that:

  (a)   has a diameter of 2 metres or less at launch; and

  (b)   either:

  (i)   is not carrying a payload; or

  (ii)   is carrying a payload with a combined mass of 50 g or less.

  (3)   A light balloon is an unmanned free balloon that:

  (a)   carries a payload to which all of the following apply:

  (i)   the payload does not include a heavy package;

  (ii)   the payload has a combined mass of more than 50 g but less than 4 kg;

  (iii)   if a rope or other device has been used for the suspension of the payload--an impact force of less than 230 N is required to separate the suspended payload from the balloon; or

  (b)   has a diameter of greater than 2 metres at launch and either:

  (i)   is not carrying a payload; or

  (ii)   is carrying a payload with a combined mass of 50 g or less.

  (4)   A medium balloon is an unmanned free balloon that carries a payload to which all of the following apply:

  (a)   the payload includes at least 2 packages but no heavy packages;

  (b)   the payload has a combined mass of at least 4 kg but less than 6 kg;

  (c)   if a rope or other device has been used for the suspension of the payload--an impact force of less than 230 N is required to separate the suspended payload from the balloon.

  (5)   A heavy balloon is an unmanned free balloon that carries a payload to which any of the following apply:

  (a)   the payload includes a heavy package;

  (b)   the combined mass of the payload is at least 6 kg;

  (c)   if a rope or other device has been used for the suspension of the payload--an impact force of 230 N or more is required to separate the suspended payload from the balloon.

  (6)   A heavy package means a package that:

  (a)   weighs at least 3 kg; or

  (b)   weighs at least 2 kg and has an area density of more than 13 g per cm 2 .

  (7)   For paragraph   (6)(b), the area density of a package is worked out by dividing the total mass in grams of the package by the area in square centimetres of its smallest surface.