BalloonFest Rush Hour Rules and Regulations

2007 U.S. Bank Derby Festival Great BalloonFest Rules and Regulations

The following rules have been established to preserve the quality and reputation of the race. Safety and insurance have also been taken into consideration. We believe everyone will agree with the necessity of recognizing these factors.

A. Any ballooning activity, including pleasure flying, between the dates of April 14 and May 5, 2007, which is not scheduled by the Derby Festival Office, MUST be cleared through Derby Festival.

B. All non-permanent signs are subject to the approval of the Derby Festival Office. All signage and banners, both permanent and non-permanent, will represent only one corporate entity/Entrant.

C. Any items given away except by overall event sponsor at the starting site (Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center or Waterfront Park for those participating in the Glimmer) must be approved in advance by Derby Festival. Items can be offered in all Pilot packs and the hospitality room with prior approval from the Derby Festival. No items will be sold.

D. The gondola should not have signs, streamers, items, etc., hanging below it.

E. There will be no incentives offered by any sponsor to "chase" balloons. Any giveaway by the balloonists upon conclusion of the race will not be pre-announced. Also, no items are to be thrown from the balloon while in flight.

F. We need all available space in balloons to maximize press coverage. All of us want the maximum amount of media attention and we must cooperate with the media to obtain this coverage. Pilot and occupant standards will be determined by the following criteria:

1. The balloon pilot must hold a commercial license and satisfy one of the following:

(A) Logged 150 hours in hot-air-balloons prior to 1 week before race date.

(B) Logged 100 hours in hot-air-balloons with a minimum of 25 hours of pilot in command being logged within the prior six months.

� Hours and rating must be logged prior to one week prior to race date.

2. If the licensed pilot does not have the required 150 hours of rating, he will be replaced by a pilot-in-command who has the necessary requirements.

3. All insurance requirements (both balloon and auto) specified in the Entrant's Agreement and Pilot?s Addendum must be met prior to March 15, 2007. This shall include but not be limited to Aircraft Liability Insurance, Automobile Liability Insurance (for all chase vehicles) and Workers' Compensation Insurance.

4. After the pilot and/or pilot-in-command is placed, the next position will go to a representative of the news media, which will be assigned by the Festival. If the entrant does NOT wish to have media assigned to your balloon, a written statement must be received in the Festival office by March 15, 2007.

5. After pilots and news media representatives are placed in each balloon, all additional passengers must be employees of the sponsors. Requests for an additional passenger must be made, in writing, to Kentucky Derby Festival prior to March 15, 2007 and are subject to Derby Festival's approval.

6. The U.S. Bank Derby Festival Great Balloon Race Officials reserve the right to assign an additional pilot to the Hare balloon should they deem necessary.

7. All live television or radio broadcasts are prohibited, unless assigned by Festival.

Pre-Launch Instructions

A. Please have all balloons loaded on the chase truck the night before the race. Before retiring for the night, Crew Chiefs will line up their chase vehicles in the balloonist parking lot behind the Executive West Hotel.

B. Final pre-race briefing, for pilots only, is scheduled for 5:00 a.m., Friday & Saturday.

C. After the final briefing (approximately 6:00 a.m.) you will depart the hotel parking lot for the launch site, in parade (vehicles should already be prepared to leave). We will leave the parking lot IMMEDIATELY after the meeting.

D. Please stay in this formation until arrival at the ?entry point? to the launch field. The balloonist will then be directed one at a time, to their launch position. ONLY ONE VEHICLE PER BALLOON ALLOWED ON FIELD - NO EXCEPTIONS. To make positioning of each balloon faster and easier, large numbered stakes will be in place at each launch position.

E. Upon arrival at your launch position, place your balloon basket at the stake. (Leave stake in the field for pick-up). As soon as your basket is in position, you may lay out the balloon envelope down wind. DO NOT PUT AIR in envelope prior to signal. DO NOT COLD INFLATE!

F. Due to the number of spectators in the launch field, all balloons MUST be adequately tied-off with the proper equipment REGARDLESS of the wind conditions.

G. Up to this point we will keep the largest part of the spectators out of the launch area. When all balloons are laid out, the spectators will be released to mingle throughout the entire area, weather permitting. The spectators will be able to observe the balloons on the ground for a short period of time before inflation begins.

H. At the proper time a signal will be given to indicate clearance to inflate balloons.

I. A second signal will be given when it is time to launch the hare Balloon. The first hound balloon will be launched 5 to 10 minutes after the hare depending on the wind and at the discretion of race officials.

J. Subsequent hound balloons will be launched as soon as possible thereafter, depending on the wind and at the discretion of race officials. There may be several balloons launched at one time, so be prepared.

K. Your crew will be directed to the launch site exit. From that point, you?re on your own.

EVERY PILOT WILL BE EXPECTED TO PROMPTLY OBEY THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE LAUNCH DIRECTOR (S). FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY OF THE ABOVE INSTRUCTIONS MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION AND EXCLUSION FROM FUTURE RACES.

PRE-LAUNCH RULES ARE PRIMARILY DIRECTED TOWARDS FRIDAY MORNING'S RACE. THE GOAL IS THAT FRIDAY MORNING IS A SINGLE-TASK HARE AND HOUND RACE. FIELD POSITIONS FOR FRIDAY MORNING WILL BE DETERMINED AT THAT TIME. FIELD POSITIONS FOR THE REMAINING EVENTS WILL BE DETERMINED AT THE POST POSITION LUNCHEON ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

SATURDAY MORNING'S RACE:

The goal for Saturday morning's race is a multiple-task race. The tasks will be determined on Saturday morning by the Balloon Meister. There is a chance we will have a fly-in as the first task. All details will be covered in the pilot's briefing the morning of the race. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Shanna Ward Holderfield (Event Manager) or George Troutman (Balloon Meister).

A number of events have been added to the U.S. Bank Great BalloonFest Schedule. All entrants are expected to participate in both races and the glow. There is also an option to participate in the Thursday Lift-off and Glimmer for an additional fee.

RIGHT-OF-WAY RULE

Whenever two balloons are in proximity to each other, the lower one shall have the right-of-way and the upper one must keep clear. A lower balloon with right-of-way must give the balloon above it adequate opportunity to keep clear. A balloon shall not at any time exceed 500-foot-per-minute rate of climb. Also, no balloon shall touch envelopes with another balloon while in flight, doing so is grounds for disqualification and exclusion from future races.

LAUNCH FIELD EVOLUTION

Launch field is 497 feet above sea level.
Standiford tower frequency 120.3/ ATIS 118.15

FLIGHT DURATION

Each balloon must, at the time of lift-off, have on-board fuel for a minimum of two hours flying under anticipated conditions.

PILOT-IN-COMMAND

The Pilot-in-Command is in charge of flying the balloon and is expected to adhere to all of the operational limitations of his/her aircraft and applicable F.A.R.'s

SPECIFIC RULES FOR DROPPING MARKERS:

(info. Specified for Hare & Hound Race)

a. Throw, drop or pitch the provided scoring marker any way other than by mechanical means.

b. Only markers within two hundred (200) feet of the target will be measured or scored.

c. Balloons may not touch the ground or anything in contact with the earth (water, trees, etc.) prior to dropping scoring marker.

d. Any hound landing or dropping marker before the hare lands or displays the target "X" will not be scored.

e. Both scoring markers MUST BE DROPPED WITHIN 60 MINUTES of the hare balloon's final landing.

f. Landing at the hare balloon site is permitted if it can be done safely, BUT NO CLOSER THAN 200 FEET DOWNWIND FROM THE TARGET "X".

** Remember there are other balloons and crowds of people at the site.**

SAFETY We need to work together, and in so doing, try to remember that professionalism and safety are more important than pleasing the crowd or maximizing press coverage. In the event that either the entrant or the balloonist violates any of these Rules and Regulations, he/she will be subject to being disqualified from the race.