A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT WAS QUESTIONED BY A FSDO SAFETY INSPECTOR REGARDING HIS PERCEIVED LOW FLT. FSDO SAFETY INSPECTOR PERCEPTION.

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I WAS EXECUTING TOUCH AND GOES IN A LTA-HAB WHEN CONFRONTED BY AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR UPON LNDG; REGARDING ALT MAINTAINED. TKOF WITH ANOTHER LTA-HAB; ONE CONDUCTING COMMERCIAL OPS AND DRIFT OVER RESIDENTIAL AREA ADJACENT TO GOLF COURSES. ATTEMPTING TO FIND SUITABLE LNDG AREAS; I MAINTAINED AN ALT OF APPROX 500 FT AGL. I LANDED TWICE; THE FIRST LNDG WAS NEXT TO A LAKE AND MY CLB WAS NOT STEEPLY SLOPED. THE WIND WAS CALM; FORECASTED TO BE 4 MPH. I MADE CONTACT WITH A TREE CLBING OUT; GENTLY BRUSHING ITS TOP. FLEW ON AFTER A TOUCH AND GO; AND LANDED SHORTLY AFTER THAT FOR MY FINAL RESTING PLACE; ON A NOT YET OPEN ROAD SIDE. THE ISSUES RAISED WHEN CONFRONTED BY FSDO EMPLOYEE WERE: WAS I CONDUCTING A COMMERCIAL OP? WHICH WAS CONFIRMED BY MY PAX AS NOT TO BE THE CASE. WAS I HAVING AN INFLT PROB DICTATING MY LOW ALT. I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND; WHICH I DID SO TWICE; ONCE SHOOTING A TOUCH AND GO. I NEVER ENTERED INTO THE CHARLOTTE CTLED AIRSPACE; THEREFORE RADIO CONTACT WITH THE TWR WAS NOT MADE. I WAS MAINTAINING AN ALT BELOW THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. AT NO TIME WAS FLT SAFETY IN JEOPARDY; THE FLT WAS VERY UNEVENTFUL; EXCEPT UPON LNDG HAVING A FSDO EMPLOYEE ASK FOR MY PLT'S LICENSE. NO PROBS AT ALL; THE MAJORITY OF THE FLT WAS OVER 2 GOLF COURSES AND ONE SCHOOL BALL FIELD.