Aviation experts say commercial hot air balloons like the one destroyed in a fireball in Texas over the weekend often carry more passengers than airplane and helicopter tours, but have long received less government scrutiny, according to AP. Mark Dombroff, a former Federal Aviation Administration attorney, said the FAA's oversight of commercial balloon operations amounts to "essentially none." Commercial balloon operators, unlike other commercial aircraft operators, aren't required to have FAA operating certificates and don't receive safety inspections. Commercial balloon pilots are required to have FAA pilot licenses, which are based primarily on hours spent flying. But balloon pilots don't have to submit to medical exams, unlike other pilots. A balloon operated by Heart of Texas Hot Air Balloon Rides hit power lines before crashing near Lockhart Saturday, killing all 16 aboard.
