Hal,

Thanks for separating the thread. When I responded to the initial question, all I was trying to do was help define an abr. I really didn't think it would lead to all the hair splitting and lawyer talk. As far as Aviators and Pilots are concerned, we should remember that people took to the air in balloons a good 100 years before the Wrights flew a powered heavier than air machine. I just finished reading a book by Richard Holmes called "Falling Upwards" which covers the history of lighter than air flight from the Montgolfiers of 1783 to the present. The French lead the military use of balloons as well with the "Corps d'Aerostiers" in 1794. Given the nature of free flight ballooning the term pilot or aviator maybe a stretch, but they sure as heck had passion and nerve! What's in a name?

Joe