On A lighter note

[V10Silver]

Here's something my wife and I threw together and a peek into our other activity....Enjoy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fG4BDiponE

[Cebu_4_2]

Very cool! Put one together from the top looking down.

[Ponce]

Must be a hell of a big balloon to be able to lift all that weight up hahahahahahahha.

I done it a couple of times........is fun.

[ximmy]

looks like a blast! :D

[V10Silver]

Must be a hell of a big balloon to be able to lift all that weight up hahahahahahahha.

I done it a couple of times........is fun.



Naw I just leave my stash on the ground with the wife....8-)

[Grand Master Melon]

Cool.

I now reserve the right to make hot air jokes in reference to any future posts you make. ;D

[Dave Thomas]

Neat-O, have you ever threw a paper airplane or glider off the thing yet?

There is a certain risky uncertainty about the hot air balloon, since well, you really can't steer it. It's the ultimate in "Fvck it!" aviation.

[LuckyStrike]

That looks pretty sweet I don't know anything about hot air balloons on one hand it seems like it would be serene and relaxing, but for me I think I'd be to nervous to really enjoy it.

Cool hobby though for sure. ;)

[V10Silver]

Absolute vertical control, Absolutely no horizontal control. Yet I have piloted my balloon from a mile out to a pole to grab an envelope for a brand new Honda Ridgeline. Sometimes....You just have to go with it....Enjoy. Yes that's me before I grew my hair out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La_FhPhUvzI

[LuckyStrike]

Absolute vertical control, Absolutely no horizontal control. Yet I have piloted my balloon from a mile out to a pole to grab an envelope for a brand new Honda Ridgeline. Sometimes....You just have to go with it....Enjoy. Yes that's me before I grew my hair out.






Do the ballons ever bump into each other?

How fast can you ascend?

[V10Silver]

Yes balloons bump each other. Fabric to fabric OK Basket to fabric not cool. Crowded ascent 200 ft per min max. Normal uncrowded 500 ft per min. Max per manual 1300 ft per min. At that rate you can float the valve at the top and not reseal it. think escaping air / lift....Not good.

[ximmy]

can they make balloons in other shapes, or do they all look like figs?

[V10Silver]

Most are round balloons but for anywhere between 2 - 5 times more money they make "special shapes"
Albuquerque Balloon fiesta dedicates the last 3 days of fiesta to them. Do a google search for special shape balloons and you'll see a HUGE variety.

[ximmy]

Most are round balloons but for anywhere between 2 - 5 times more money they make "special shapes"
Albuquerque Balloon fiesta dedicates the last 3 days of fiesta to them. Do a google search for special shape balloons and you'll see a HUGE variety.


awesome, I saw a castle and darth vadars head... ;D

[LuckyStrike]

Most are round balloons but for anywhere between 2 - 5 times more money they make "special shapes"
Albuquerque Balloon fiesta dedicates the last 3 days of fiesta to them. Do a google search for special shape balloons and you'll see a HUGE variety.


How much do these balloons cost? I mean total going from nothing to being able to fly/float around?

[V10Silver]

Used systems can be had for less than 10 grand. Realistically soup to nuts to get in will cost closer to 20.

A brand new balloon is 25 - 30 K. Shapes start arond 50 and go to the 100's.

My wife's balloon is for sale for 10K

[LuckyStrike]

Used systems can be had for less than 10 grand. Realistically soup to nuts to get in will cost closer to 20.

A brand new balloon is 25 - 30 K. Shapes start arond 50 and go to the 100's.

My wife's balloon is for sale for 10K



Well not ludicrously expensive, but certainly not a poor mans hobby either.

Good luck on the sale.

[V10Silver]

It takes about 2 years to go from a never ever to flying at a commercial level. Once commercial you can go to festivals and take paying passengers for flights. I can carry up to 4 people in my basket. The fares break down like this 2 passengers = 500, 3 = 700 and 4=900. Times 2 flights per day weather permitting of course. Not a bad retirement job if you think about it.

[LuckyStrike]

It takes about 2 years to go from a never ever to flying at a commercial level. Once commercial you can go to festivals and take paying passengers for flights. I can carry up to 4 people in my basket. The fares break down like this 2 passengers = 500, 3 = 700 and 4=900. Times 2 flights per day weather permitting of course. Not a bad retirement job if you think about it.


Yeah that's a good point.

Where do you guys fly? Do people do it in Florida? I don't even think they have ever had wind here except for hurricanes.

[V10Silver]

We fly primarily in NH but all over New England. We have flown in Me, Ma, Ct, NH, Vt, NY, Va, Wy, MT CO and NM. Flying in FL is tough due to the heat and humidity. Yes they fly there in the Orlando area. Again a google search can put you in touch with pilots down there.

[zap]

Looks like alot of fun! But I will keep both my feet on the ground, thankyou ;)

[willie pete]

Looks like alot of fun! But I will keep both my feet on the ground, thankyou ;)


Me-2, that's something I've always thought looked cool, but I'd never do it, safety margin is too short.. :D Sorta like Bungee jumping, IF you have an equipment mal-function, you're Cooked ;D, I was thinking one time about a safety feature on a hot-air balloon, a giant inflatable air-bag on the bottom and sides of the basket that would absorb most of the impact in a fall


Wasn't Forbes into to HABing? among other things?

[Johnny Ringo]

Nice pun - "On a lighter (than air) note..."

Cool hobby - I've done static line jumps, but have never done a balloon. I've had jumps where I've caught updrafts and seemed to float forever, and it was very peaceful and serene. I imagine it's even more so in a balloon.

We had wind restrictions when jumping with round chutes - 13 knots max. Any such restrictions for balloons?

[V10Silver]

Ballooning is the safest form of flight. If I do nothing to keep us up ( run the burner) it becomes a big parachute. Terminal velocity descent is between 700 and 1000 ft per minute. The balloon mishaps you here about usually involve power lines.

Yes forbes was huge in ballooning. He had a couple special shapes the Chateau de aux (sp) and a Harley motorcycle.

I've dropped jumpers before cool but I don't like the stress both on the balloon and me. Our Wx restrictions are Ground wind < 6 wind at 3000 AGL < 20 no rain/ fog/low cloud cover.