Safety Guidance for Balloon Events and Competitions

CAP 1739 is a new document that does not introduce new legal requirements and forms non statutory safety guidance but builds on the guidance formerly found in CAP403 Flying Displays and Special Events until Edition 14 when significant re-writing took place.

This CAP is for participating pilots and event organisers of Balloon Events and Competitions.

The consultation was run as it is vital that the document reflected relevant practices in the Ballooning community so that these events continue to flourish with proportionate, clear and unambiguous guidance.

We compiled a draft of CAP 1739 and consulted on it over four weeks from 12^th January 2026 and 13^th February 2026. 

We received a total of 28 unique detailed comments to the draft CAP 403 from 8 respondents.

The themes of the comments showed support for the intent of the document but suggested significant restructuring of the document was required to have a common chapter for all Balloon Events with an Appendix for Competition Balloon Events instead of the current structure to ensure general flight safety material is better featured and that competition elements are reserved for genuinely competition‑specific procedures

There were discussions to ensure proportionality across balloon events, avoid rigid hour‑based experience thresholds for event staff, clarify roles, authority, and responsibilities, incorporate more elements of best practice, especially around tethering, roll calls, launch procedures and propane storage.

There was a strong feeling that further discussion should take place with relevant SMEs to continue to develop the document following the consultation.

The CAA has carefully considered all consultation responses received and thanks all contributors. The feedback was constructive, technically detailed, and informed by significant operational experience. The majority of substantive comments have been accepted, and the document has been comprehensively revised to improve clarity, proportionality, technical accuracy, and alignment with real‑world ballooning operations. This includes having expanded the main chapter to cover all balloon events and moving competition procedures to a smaller appendix focusing purely on Balloon Competition matters.

Where comments existed suggesting mandatory requirements, the community is reminded that this document is non-statutory guidance and cannot form the basis of regulatory requirements. Such points will be considered for any further rulemaking tasks at a later date.

In addition to analysing the written consultation responses, the CAA undertook further structured engagement with subject‑matter experts between February-April 2026 through the existing dedicated working group. This additional engagement was used to validate proposed changes, resolve areas of inconsistency, and refine the document to ensure it is operationally practical, proportionate to risk, and clearly understood by its intended audience.

We have produced a final version of CAP1739 which was published on 30^th April 2026.