Number ten is a very week answer, as it only partially answers a question about the gondola. Red Bull made it very clear that the envelope, the 'balloon' portion that holds the gas, had a mechanism to be ripped open when the gondola was released for its descent. Once enough gas escaped the envelope it would descend on its own - tracked and eventually recovered by a ground team.
The student pilot first saw the Cirrus at the 152's 10 o'clock position. Since a Cirrus in cruise doesn't turn on a dime we can be pretty confident the SR-22 was approaching the 152 from its 4 o'clock position - BEHIND the instructor. There is no way this can legitimately be pinned on the flight instructor, or do we have a duty to scan behind us? If so, what about aircraft such as Pipers with a solid rear cabin so you cannot scan behind yourself?
If we were talking about a Citation instead of a 152 then I could believe it was hidden under the SR-22 cowl, but we are talking about a 152 climbing at maybe 600 feet per minute. If the SR-22 was cruising at 160 knots, in the last mile before the collision the 152 would have only been able to climb about 225 feet (assuming 600 feet per minute).
I look forward to reading Goyer's column on this collision, but I don't see how he or the NTSB can legitimately place blame anywhere other than Goyer's failure to see and avoid. Otherwise, the three times I have had high performance, technologically advanced aircraft approach from behind and pass within 50 feet of me it must be my fault - and I refuse to accept responsibility for somebody failing to avoid while overtaking me, partially because the AIM says the overtaken aircraft has right of way.
