All 6,400 hot-air balloons in the U.S. must be inspected to ensure they are not equipped with potentially leaky fuel hoses made of “egeflex” material, the FAA said in an emergency airworthiness directive issued today. The AD is effective Aug. 29, and balloonists have 14 days after that to complete the inspection, which should take about a half hour. If the egeflex hoses are found, the balloon is grounded until the replacement is complete. Uncorrected, the faulty hoses could cause a fire, the FAA said.
Source: avwebFAA Orders Mandatory Balloon Checks