Balloon
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Object; Inflight Event / Encounter Object
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure
I was conducting OJTI on the R-Side of Sector 34. This is the Developmental's first R-Side. Sector 34 primarily provides final sequence of arrivals to SFO from the East coast. As the morning arrival push began we were abruptly interrupted by a coast target that had been PVD'ed to our scope. At the same time; the FLM came to us while we were training/working the sector and told us; 'That coast target is an unmanned balloon and the coast target was an approximated position and altitude gathered from [internet] maps.' When I asked the FLM for more information and why; the response was; 'There's nothing we can do; the balloon belongs to [a company] and they can do whatever they want.' The coast target indicated the balloon was right in the arrival path of aircraft descending over MOD for SFO. Approximately 30 plus aircraft were scheduled within the next hour. While we continued to work the sector; we also researched the phraseology to alert aircraft of the balloon. Once we were relieved from the position; I approached the OM on duty to ask more questions and gather more information. I was met with defensive posture by the OM that indicated I should take my complaints and safety concerns elsewhere. The is an extremely dangerous situation. The explanation I finally got was that [the company] was in compliance with FAR's. The balloon does not have a transponder therefore I don't think TCAS would alert the flight crew of a collision course; and we don't get a RADAR target on the balloon so we have no way of separating from the balloon. Furthermore; its position; in the middle of our busy arrival path leads to a high potential for a catastrophic event with loss of life. Recommendation; Amend FAR's; bring [the company] here to see what type of hazard they are creating. Stop the balloons; period. At a bare minimum; add a transponder to the balloon. Management needs to relay this type event information more timely with less distraction.
ZOA Controller voiced concern regarding a balloon operation in the vicinity of the MOD air carrier arrival flow into SFO; the reporter suggesting the balloon should be equipped with improved identification gear.