Hot air balloon fuel tanks must be checked for cracks, or grounded
What happened
The US aviation regulator now requires owners of certain hot air balloons to regularly check their fuel cylinders for cracks. If cracks are found, the cylinder must be removed from service immediately.
Why it matters
This rule directly addresses a safety issue that could cause fuel leaks or fires in hot air balloons. It means operators must now perform specific, repetitive inspections, adding a new operational cost and safety check to their routines. The change makes a specific type of equipment unusable if it shows signs of wear, shifting the cost of replacement onto operators.
The signal
Watch for reports of how many fuel cylinders are removed from service in the next year, which would indicate the scale of the cracking problem.