A HOT AIR BALLOON OPERATOR RPTS THAT ANOTHER OPERATOR IN HIS AREA; FLYING A T AND C 140; MAY BE OPERATING ILLEGALLY.

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A PLT IS CONDUCTING A FULL COMMERCIAL HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE OP. HE HAS BEEN GRANTED A PVT LTA CERTIFICATE ONLY; ISSUED UNDER HIS FOREIGN CERTIFICATE; OCT/XX/93. THE ACFT BEING USED IS OF FOREIGN REGISTRY. NO WORK PERMIT OR VISA HAS BEEN ISSUED TO ALLOW WORK IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS ACTIVITY HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE 1995. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR IS A COMMERCIAL HOT AIR BALLOON OPERATOR IN THE AUSTIN AREA. HE IS CONCERNED ABOUT ANOTHER OPERATOR IN THE AUSTIN AREA WHO IS FROM FOREIGN COUNTRY. FOREIGN COUNTRY DOES NOT ISSUE A COMMERCIAL HOT AIR BALLOON CERTIFICATE; SO THE FAA HAS ISSUED HIM A PVT CERTIFICATE. HE HAS NOT YET GOTTEN A UNITED STATES COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE. THE RPTR HAS WRITTEN HIS UNITED STATES SENATOR WHO HAS FOLLOWED UP ON THIS; THE TEXAS GOVERNOR; AND HAS TALKED TO THE LCL FSDO. THE FOREIGN PLT IS FLYING A THUNDER AND COLT 140 BALLOON. THE MECHANICAL CONDITION OF THIS BALLOON IS IN DOUBT. THE FOREIGN PLT CLAIMS TO BE FLYING UNDER A WAIVER THAT ALLOWS SIGHT-SEEING FLTS. HE IS UNDERCUTTING THE PRICES OF THE RPTR. THE RPTR WILL CALL THE FAA HOTLINE.