Electric field, conductivity, and ionization rate data were collected on two balloon payloads at 26 km in the southern hemisphere stratosphere during the solar flare of 16 February 1984. Both polarities of the conductivity were enhanced by a factor of two at a payload with an invariant latitude (&Lgr;) of -56.3¿ (Rigidity=1.4GV). At the same time no transient effects were seen in any of these parameters by a more equatorially located payload at &Lgr;=-48.8¿ (Rigidity=2.8 GV). The two payloads were separated by 5 hours of local time. The vertical current density (Jz) at the poleward most payload was enhanced by over a factor of two, while no Jz variations were seen by the equatorward payload. Interpretation of these observations suggests that a simple RC time constant analysis of the global circuit may be incorrect. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1987