After much thought and investigations, we have filed an application with CASA for permission to a flight about 100km SW of Mareeba. The launch is to be done as a “Light” Balloon and is for a flight on 1st of November 2014.
Below is map showing one such predicted flight. Of course, the actual flight plan varies quite substantially from day to day.
Unfortunately the application is not going to be straight-forward because while the balloon does meet requirements of a Light Balloon with it’s payload weight, it does not meet the requirement of the balloon diameter (<2m through-out the whole flight).
As you will notice, we have lodged the application with CASA very early on, so as to allow a long processing time, or possibly the lodgement of a second application, should it be required. Hopefully it will not come to this; but do not want to leave anything to chance.
UPDATE: 6th July 2014
That application is in the process of being looked into. Still waiting for some concrete response in regards to what other conditions, exemptions, etc may be required.