Surprise balloon jump

[BadNinja 0]

"More than 100,000 people have ascended skyward in Irvine's balloon ride to savor aerial views of Orange County, take panoramic photographs and even make the occasional marriage proposal.

But imagine the shock the pilot of the Great Park balloon must have felt just before 9 p.m. Sunday when, high above the ground, the gondola shook and a young man parachuted out."

"After landing on the tarmac about 100 feet from the tethered craft, the unidentified man picked up his parachute and ran off, jumping over a fence to a spot where a driver in a white Toyota Supra waited with the engine running. The two sped off."

I'm trying to think if I know any jumpers around here who drive a white Toyota Supra. lol.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-parachute16-2010feb16,0,436908.story

[jumpwally 0]

The balloon pilot did not see a rig on the guy ????

smile, be nice, enjoy life
FB # - 1083

[BadNinja 0]

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The balloon pilot did not see a rig on the guy ????

lol... I was thinking the same thing. Guess it was hidden reasonably well.

[Bolas 5]

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"After landing on the tarmac about 100 feet from the tethered craft,

If it was tethered it was a fixed object jump.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[FlyingJ 0]

Or he was in cahoots but is playing dumb so as not to get in trouble himself.

Killing threads since 2004.

[BillyVance 34]

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The balloon pilot did not see a rig on the guy ????

may have had a jacket on.

I remember the one time I went to the WFFC, in Quincy '97, some people set up a tethered hot air balloon and were going to do base jumps off it, but the burner ended up lighting the balloon on fire. Good thing it wasn't too high so it just slowly lost lift and came back down without hurting anybody. I think the winds were honking that day too, which caused the balloon to lean hard against the tether.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[xtravrtsoul 0]

First of if the pilot had no idea that this person was going to jump that jumper is an ass for this type of stunt. My friend is a balloon pilot and we had talked about him having divers jump out of his balloon before and he has to make sure that the altitude is right, adjust his balloon as to not let the thing get slung shot in the air after the diver had jumped and so on. It may be a balloon and someone thinks it is cool just to jump but he could have caused some serious damages.

You create life, life does not create you.

[skyrider 0]

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The balloon pilot did not see a rig on the guy ????

lol... I was thinking the same thing. Guess it was hidden reasonably well.

Put a rubber hose on a BASE rig, and it looks like a high end Camelback! easy to fool folks!

[guppie01 0]

I have a friend of mine who has been eyeing this - after I read the description of the man I was relieved to know it's not him. whew~

g

"Let's do something romantic this Saturday... how bout we bust out the restraints?"
Raddest Ho this side of Jersey #1 - MISS YOU
OMG, is she okay?

[diablopilot 2]

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First of if the pilot had no idea that this person was going to jump that jumper is an ass for this type of stunt. My friend is a balloon pilot and we had talked about him having divers jump out of his balloon before and he has to make sure that the altitude is right, adjust his balloon as to not let the thing get slung shot in the air after the diver had jumped and so on. It may be a balloon and someone thinks it is cool just to jump but he could have caused some serious damages.

The balloon in question is a "ride", helium is the lifting source and it is controlled through the operation of the winch and steel cable teathering it to the ground. Max height is about 400 feet.

It is highly likely the jumper has committed no crime. He was not trespassing if he had paid admittance to the ride, and the FAR that bans parachuting over congested areas does not apply since there was no aircraft involved, and the jumper probably can't be considered the pilot in command, probably not even holding a certificate. Any "reckless endangerment' charge would be trumped up at best.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[hookitt 1]

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It may be a balloon and someone...

Mad props to the guy jumping form the tethered helium balloon. It probably made peoples day after the minor shock wore off a second or 2 after the canopy opened.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[thedude325 0]

I was just looking at the tethered balloon here at Downtown Disney and wondering if it would be possible. Guess so.

[Andy_Copland 0]

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The balloon pilot did not see a rig on the guy

Just one example of the many low profile BASE rigs these days. Even the regular style rigs aren't that bulky.

Edit: Pic stolen from Asylum website http://www.asylumbase.com/

1338

People aint made of nothin' but water and shit.

Until morale improves, the beatings will continue.

[squirrel 0]

funny thing...i walk in the house and say to my wife..."boring day, I need to see something that impresses me" then i log on and see this.....niiiiiice!

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