The 2013 U.S. National Championsip Application (Click HERE!) is now available for download from the BFA site.  The Great Texas Balloon Race will be serving as host for the 2013 event and we look forward to an exciting event and Texas hospitality.  The event will run from July 22-28th in Longview, TX and all HACD members are encouraged to complete the invitation package and return it to the BFA office for processing.  The field will be limited to 50 entrants selected from the published eligibility list which was compiled according to Appendix E of the 2012 BFA Competition Rules, Regulations, Policies and Procedures.  Once the field has been filled, the HACD will generate a waiting list and fill vacant spots according to the eligibility list.  Please remember that no application will be considered complete unless all required pieces of the application are submitted in full.  Applications are due back to the BFA office by May 31, 2013.
 
We hope to see you in Longview, TX in July!
 
Thanks,
 
Chase Donner
HACD Chairman

The HACD board has finalized the 2013 U.S. Nationls Eligibilty List (Click Here!) in advance of this year's National Championship.  All 153 pilots with a National Ranking are listed and encouraged to complete an application to the event when they come out this Spring.  Applications will be considered based on the order listed in the eligibility list so long as the pilot completes the application in full by the deadline.  In the likely case the event reaches capacity at 50 competitors a waiting list will be formed and published in order of the eligibility list.  For more information on the construction of the Eligibility List feel free to visit Appendix E (Page 45) of the 2012 Rules.  Check back for more details regarding the 2013 National Championship as we'll be updating the site as information becomes available.

Thanks,

Chase Donner

HACD Chairman

The 2012 BFA National Rankings have gone final.  As of 1/31/13 all queries had been received and answered, and The winners of the $5,000 purse are listed below.  Congratulations to Johnny Petrehn of Kansas on his superb year in taking the top overall spot among the 154 pilots that achieved an average.  Other winners feature Joe Heartsill as the top senior, Christine Bertsch as the top female, DJ Stukas as the top rookie, and finally Michael Johnson took the honors as the most improved pilot by moving up 118 places from his ranking in 2011.  The remaining winners included all those pilots that finished among the top 21 in the Nation.  Be sure to note there are several changes going into effect regarding the 2013 National Ranking which can be found in this year's rulebook.  Congrats again to all the winners for 2012 and good luck in 2013!

The HACD will be accepting BFA task results from the following events for the 2013 flying season.  This is an incomplete list based on the 2012 submitted results.  Dates will be added upon confirmation.  Please notify the Sanction Manager and National Ranking Manager of any errors and/or omissions.

As per APPENDIX D Section I e:  In order for task scores to qualify for submission for inclusion in the NRS, both of the following conditions must be met:

   1) A minimum of six (6) HACD cardholders must be registered, present and participating in the event

   2) The greater of 50% of the total pilots registered or six (6) pilots must launch

01/20/13     Top Gun (Albuquerque, NM) #1, #2, #3

02/17/13     Top Gun (Albuquerque, NM) #1, #2, #3

03/24/13      Top Gub (Albuquerque, NM) #1, #2, #3

04/21/13      Top Gun (Albuquerque, NM) #1, #2, #3

Freedom Weekend Aloft (Simpsonville, SC)

Carson City Hot Air Balloon Shootout (Carson City, MI)

Thurston Classic (Meadville, PA)

Coshocton Hot Air Balloon Festival (Coshocton, OH)

Michigan Challenge Balloonfest (Howell, MI) 

Ottumwa Pro Balloon Race (Ottumwa, IA)

Field of Flight (Battle Creek, MI) 

Ashland Balloonfest (Ashland, OH)

Angola Balloons Aloft (Angola, IN) 

MidUSA Ohio Challenge (Middletown, OH)

Lake Red Rock Balloonfest (Lake Red Rock, IA)

Pro Football Hall of Fame Balloon Festival (Canton, OH)

Great Texas Balloon Race (Longview, TX)

National Balloon Classic (Indianola, IA)  

Flag City Balloonfest (Findlay, OH)

Great Midwest Balloon Festival (Olathe, KS)

36th Great Pershing Balloon Derby (Brookfield, MO)

Balloons Tunes & BBQ (Bowling Green, KY)

Great Reno Balloon Race (Reno, NV)

Council Bluffs Fields of Flight (Council Bluffs, IA)

RE/MAX of Midland Balloon Festival (Midland, MI)

Southwest Iowa Hot Air Balloon Races (Creston, Iowa)

Ruby Mountain Balloon Festival (Elko)

RE/MAX Ballunar Liftoff Festival (Houston, TX)

Carolina BalloonFest (Statesville, North Carolina)

Great Mississippi River Balloon Race (Natchez, MS)

The 2013 Rules, Regulations and Policies are now available for download here.  There are a number of changes that will go into effect this year so please take time to review those changes as you familiarize yourself with the new rules.

RULE CHANGES FOR 2013

Substantive Changes to the BFA Competition Rules, Regulations, and Policies & Procedures include the following:

II.10 RECALL PROCEDURE (10.15): changed language to require a recall system

II.3.2 ORANGE PZ: added description of Orange PZ and related rules in the event that local FSDO’s may request their use

II.3.3 RED ROAD (Motorway) PZ: added description of Red Road PZ

4.3.3 JURY DUTIES AND COMPOSITION: Scoring Officer is Jury Chairman unless he has a conflict of interest. In that case the Safety Officer will serve as Chairman. The jury is composed of the chairman and two pilots.

7.5 PZ INFRINGEMENT: added yellow PZ to list of penalties and included maximum penalties for each type of PZ.

9.16 PROCEDURES WHEN LAUNCH DIRECTORS ARE OPTIONAL: added for guidance when launch directors are not used.

12.3.4 DECLARATIONS BY COMPETITORS: If more goals or declarations are made than permitted, the competitor will be scored to the least advantageous valid goal. Previous rule provided for a no result.

12.9 GRAVITY MARKER DROP (GMD): revised penalty structure based on task points applied based on degree of severity of infraction (competitive advantage obtained).

12.10 FREE MARKER DROP (FMD): Penalty for other than a minor infringement (50 task points) changed from 50 meters to 250 task points for a competitive advantage.

12.11 MARK: expands definition of mark to include a physical mark and an electronic mark.

12.17.2 SCORING PERIOD: Added guidance for closing of scoring period in Rule 15.9 (CRAT).

13. 3 DISTANCE INFRINGEMENTS: penalty structure changed from a distance related penalty to task point penalty based on severity of infringement.

14.6 POINTS FORMULA POSITIONAL SCORING: Removed provisions for "adjusted field" and redefined "competitive field" in Appendix D.

15.13 MINIMUM DISTANCE: Changed starting point from CLP to a reference point to be identified in the TDS.

15.14 SHORTEST FLIGHT: Changed starting point from CLP to a reference point to be identified in the TDS.

15.16 MAXIMUM DISTANCE TIME: Changed starting point from CLP to a reference point to be identified in the TDS.

15.17 MAXIMUM DISTANCE: Changed starting point from CLP to a reference point to be identified in the TDS.

APPENDIX D SANCTIONED COMPETITION REGULATIONS

The "opt out" provision previously permitted has been eliminated. The only instance in which a cardholder’s flight will be excluded from the NRS is if he did not compete. The only exception is: "If a competitor attends an event and, due to commercial or other contractual responsibilities, is unable to compete (receives no markers) in one or more flights, those flights will not be included in the National Ranking System."

Section I
Competitive Field has been redefined as follows:
a) There must be six (6) or more HACD cardholders competing.
b) Scores are calculated using all pilots entered in the event (HACD cardholders and non-cardholders)

A minimum of six (6) HACD cardholders must be registered, present and participating in the event.

Provisions of an Adjusted Field have been deleted.

Section II
Sanction fees for Regional and State Championships are not refundable Version 2013 vi

Section VII
Added provisions for qualification to represent the United States for Women and Junior Balloonist World Championships.

APPENDIX E U.S. NATIONALS ELIGIBILITY RULES

Revised sequence of the eligibility list making the current World Champion, if American, an exclusion to the qualification rules and placing him at the end of the eligibility list unless having qualified under another provision.

National’s eligibility has been amended to ensure that Regional and State Championships, as well as top finishers in each region from the NRS will be awarded an automatic qualification for the US Nationals in the competitive year following their qualification. Note 2 to this Appendix has been modified to permit a filtered down eligibility process.

APPENDIX G COMPETITOR DECLARED GOALS IN GPS-LOGGER ONLY EVENTS (no observers)

Discussion includes the use of texting [Short Message Service (SMS)] for the purpose of pilot declared goals used in PDG or FON tasks.