The practical test standards (PTS), for both Private and  Commercial certificates, indicate a number of items that must  be considered, evaluated, and planned in the execution of a  safe flight. Some of these items are the use and interpretation  of weather data to plan a flight, the use and interpretation of  aeronautical charts and local area maps, and performance and  limitation of the balloon. Weather Theory and Reports will be covered in some detail  in Chapter 4 and The National Airspace System (NAS) will  be reviewed in Chapter 5. The following discussions assume  familiarity with both subjects, and will introduce a number  of other new subjects.  Preflight planning will vary according to the flight’s  purpose. For example, if a training flight is planned, more  detailed attention to map work and performance planning  may be appropriate. If a passenger-carrying flight is being  undertaken, a meeting point for the passengers and crew  will need to be designated, and refreshments will need to be  planned. If the flight is to participate in an organized rally,  particular attention must be paid to weather trends and wind  plotting, to ensure the pilot is able to reach the intended target  and score points. These type of considerations are part of the  initial balloon preflight planning process. A good balloon pilot studies the weather several days before  the day of the flight in order to understand the weather trends,  cycles, and the correlation of weather report information with  the actual weather in a particular flying area. Most, if not  all, weather reporting information is computed for a large  regional area, whereas balloon flying is generally conducted  in an area about 15 square miles. When a balloon pilot makes  the correlation between the weather outlooks and forecasts,  and how that will impact winds and environment in the local  flying area, he or she is well on the way to understanding  the effects of weather on preflight planning, as well as the  balloon flight. Particular attention should be paid to the location and  movement of pressure systems and the jet stream, frontal  activity, temperatures in front of and behind frontal zones,  and winds. As the proposed flight date draws closer, a  reasonable prediction of possible weather can be forecast, but  a pilot must remember that a weather forecast more than 72  hours prior to a flight is not an absolute. It is also worthwhile  to watch local and nationally televised weather broadcasts to  gain insights on the weather systems that may be affecting  the desired flying area at the time of the flight.  Weather Purpose of Flight Unofficial sources of weather information can also prove  helpful for obtaining weather information about a particular  area. It is beneficial to contact balloon pilots who fly in the  area of intended flight to learn of nuances in the weather  patterns, especially during initial training or when flying in  a new area. Another source of information for weather is  pilots who fly other types of aircraft in the proposed flight  area. They can be located through the local airport’s fixed  base operator (FBO). People who make their living outside,  particularly farmers, have a unique perspective on local  weather. They often offer weather information on local  weather that is unavailable through a commercial source.  When possible, it is valuable for a balloon pilot to  visit the local National Weather Service (NWS) office.  [Figure 3-1]  NWS provides information and sources for a  number of weather products, which must be considered in  the weather planning process. A visit to the NWS office also  gives a balloonist the opportunity to talk with the individuals  who provide the weather information used in the briefings.  NWS can provide the balloonist with a clear explanation  of what products and information are required to make an  intelligent flight decision. The night before a flight is anticipated (or in the morning, in  the event of an afternoon flight), a call should be made to the  Flight Service Station (FSS) for an outlook briefing. These  are generally available 6 hours or more before a specific  flight period. (There are three different types of briefings  available: standard, abbreviated, and outlook. They will be  discussed in more detail in Chapter 4, Weather Theory and  Reports). This briefing information is used to make tentative  decisions regarding the flight, such as go/no-go, and potential  directions of travel. Additionally, a pilot should pay particular  attention to local and regional forecasts in the media, as they  may provide information specific to the area of flight.  $_{Figure 3-1.}$  National Weather Service Office, Falcon Field,  Peachtree City, Georgia. 3-2