bluewaterstream 0 #1 July 30, 2004 I'm making a balloon jump tomorrow morning and I can't help but wonder where I'll end up landing this time. On my last balloon jump I landing on a farm without any problems. So, have any of you ever landed somewhere after a balloon jump and had to deal with the police, a pissed off farmer, or any other assholes? If so, what happened? I'm sure BASE jumpers deal with this all the time, but I'm curious to hear how common of thing this is for balloon jumpers. Or on the other side of this, have you ever found yourself in a really cool situation after a balloon jump? ~ John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #2 July 30, 2004 QuoteOr on the other side of this, have you ever found yourself in a really cool situation after a balloon jump? My beer balloon jump at Rantoul '02. Landed in a playground next to a water tower. Bunch of little kids ran up for our autographs and some lady picking up her kids drove us back to the dz. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #3 July 30, 2004 Was demo'ing a canopy my first WFFC in 99. last out of the plane and stupid me didn't look (like I'd get another pass anyway)...anyhow, practicing my sit only to look out and see the airport on the horizon... did a barrel roll looking for anyone above me and then dumped at 5k. landed in a family's back yard. While I'm picking up my canopy, 'dad' comes walking out the back door with the meat tray and tongs. give me a look, looks up, looks at me and then asks, 'where did you come from?' I just pointed up. Got dinner, a few pictures with the family and then a ride back to the DZ...----- ~~~Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ryoder 1,590 #4 July 30, 2004 On my first balloon jump, the winds shifted 90 degrees on the way up, and instead of landing on the airport at the edge of town, we landed in a football field at a school in the CENTER of town. This happened very early on a Sunday morning, and the chase van was there to retrieve us as soon as we landed. I don't think anyone in the neighborhood ever knew we were there. It felt like a successful SpecOps insertion/extraction."There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chrisky 0 #5 July 30, 2004 On my balloon jump i hit the peas. The balloon started away from the DZ so that we would land there, was only like a 6km ride with the balloon crew. We then hopped on our cars and helped recover the balloon.The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open. From the edge you just see more. ... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skipro101 0 #6 July 31, 2004 I did a balloon jump at the cleveland boogie this year. It was by Russel Balloons. anyway, landed off by about...well it was a 20 min drive back to the dz.... oh yea, and russel balloons sucks a$$, dun ever jump with them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dninness 4 #7 July 31, 2004 I crew a balloon (that I've jumped out of), so I have a lot of experience with landing unexpectedly in people's backyards, fields, school yards and even in the middle of an un-opened highway bypass, albeit with a balloon and not a parachute. I'd say that 99% of the people whose backyards we land in are quite happy to have us there. Its a thrill and a surprise early in the morning to have this big ass balloon come in and land. Only once or twice have we had any problems (that time we landed on the grounds outside of the state mental hospital, well, the security guard we dealt with could have stood to be a *little* nicer..), and that's when you have people who generally don't "think before they bitch." I recall one guy who was a real asshole about our landing. He had a wide open field next to his house, and we were able to go up to his door and ask permission to land before the balloon landed, but we had absolutely no more outs past this guy's land.. He says "Can't you go someplace else?" Hello! Its a friggin' balloon! We go where the wind takes us. Cork-smoker took our bottle of champagne, though. Landed in a big field behind some houses on a balloon demo once (typical: this time the balloon didn't go where expected...), and the folks lounging by the pool were mighty surprised to see me.NIN D-19617, AFF-I '19 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gemini 0 #8 July 31, 2004 The first Rantoul we were second out of the balloon and were immediately picked up by the chase van and then had to rush to repack the balloon when a state wildlife officer told us the balloon was on a very, unfriendly guys land. His son drove up and was taking pics of all of us as we wrapped that big sucker and threw it on the trailer and hauled ass outa' there. Later that week we decided we would be the first out so we wouldn't have to pack the balloon. BAD CHOICE! We waited for over 2 hours and were finally picked up by a girl out hunting for her boyfriend. She was in only the third car we had seen in the 2 hours. Blue skies, Jim Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
akjmpplt 0 #9 July 31, 2004 I haven't made a balloon jump but.... In a former life I was a airport cop. I was trying to eat some lunch one evening when I'm sent to the end of the main runway because some "parachutes" just landed there. I found 5 jumpers who had in fact landed on the numbers for the runway...I rounded them up and gave 'em a ride back to the station, got some names, etc and watched 'em pack while waiting on their ride. I ended up marrying one of them.SmugMug Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #10 July 31, 2004 QuoteI ended up marrying one of them. Damn. You shouldn't really threaten people like that...they may take you up on it. I can see it now... "You all are going to jail for trespassing unless she marries me. So. What is it?" ----- ~~~Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adrenalinejunki 0 #11 July 31, 2004 I was planning on doing a balloon jump this year at WFFC. Does these jumps take all day or just a few hours ussually? __________________________________________________What's the worst that can happen? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bch7773 0 #12 July 31, 2004 I haven't done a balloon jump, but like on any jump that you think you might land out: 1. take a cell phone or some change 2. take a pull up cord in case you land waaaayy off because its easier to field pack then it is to walk a mile with a armful of nylon. 3. don't land off by yourself (this is my DZ's policy), so that if someone hurts themselve on an off landing, which is more likely, they will have at least one buddy right there to go for help, treat them, etc MB 3528, RB 1182 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dougiefresh 0 #13 July 31, 2004 Quotea girl out hunting for her boyfriend. What, was she out there with a club, dressed in loincloth? "Me find boyfriend, even if me have to knock him out to make him boyfriend!" Now that's my kind of woman! Actually, I know some women like that, and it's f'in scary. They'll maul anything vaguely masculine...Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. --Douglas Adams Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tfelber 0 #14 July 31, 2004 The most awesome jump so far!!! I was at Rantoul last year and it was the evening load and I was last one out. I was the most nervous I have been since probably my first static line. We were flying along gaining altitude and continually looking for a place to land. "That place looks good. Watch the fence." "We're still not high enough. Look a further out." "I hope we don't have to get out here." "That area looks good!" And then it's time to go. Climb up on the side of the gondola and the pilot says GO... You're immediatly into dead still air. You hear the noise of the air in your ears steadily increasing as you reach terminal and then you think damn I'm low. Throw out, look up, good canopy. Now "Where was I going to land?" I'm over a soybean field and I'm not going to make it out. As I reach the top of the plants I flair and pick up my feet. It was like landing on a stack of feather comforters, soft as could be. I gather up my gear and that's when the excitement begins... The chase crew pulls up and I run to the van. Next thing I know we're off on a 100mph baloon chase and none of us know how to get around this area. Not to mention the wind is starting to kick up. Down one road talking to the pilot...DEAD END! We turn around head through a town trying to keep an eye on the baloon. People hearing the balloon's burners start coming out of their houses and following in their cars. It's getting darker, the winds are still picking up, and the chase crew is starting to get a little worried. We find an area that looks good, but we need to get there before the balloon. As we race down the 2-lane road catching zero G's as we hit a bump we see the ballon passing the clearing. Now we're getting desperate. Driving along a fence line on our upwind side we finally got ahead of the balloon. The pilot says this is our last chance or we're going to have to regroup further out. The balloon is moving quite fast as it scrapes the top of the weeds before the fence. Everyone gets ready to grab the gondola and the pilot clears the fence and drops the balloon to the ground! We all grab on as we get dragged accross the road. The pilot continues to pull the rope attached to the vent in the top of the balloon and the balloon drift lightly to the ground over the top of a barbed-wire fence and just short of the train tracks... We all take a deep breath, acknowledge the pilot for his super-human feet, and wait for directions. About an hour later we have the ballon stored in the bag, loaded on the van, and we're headed to the closest store for some beer. Like I said. IT WAS AWESOME. I will definately do it again in Rantoul this year...maybe twice! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #15 July 31, 2004 QuoteI was planning on doing a balloon jump this year at WFFC. Does these jumps take all day or just a few hours ussually? Plan on a couple hours whether you're on the morning or evening loads. As other messages have said, take a pull up cord and your cell phone. The Rantoulites are good people and I've had not problems getting a ride back. Although, I had to be driven back to their house first so they could show of the guy that landed in the middle of the street... ----- ~~~Michael Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #16 July 31, 2004 My first ballon jump at Quincy (WFFC) was interesting. We were doing a two way. We picked the landing area before exiting. I landed first, it turned out to be up-hill. I had 50 jumps... Uneventfull, but interesting! My much more experience friend tries to swoop me, and does. What he didn't see was the single line of electrified fence I'd avoided. In the middle of a pretty cool swoop I hear a TWING!, then the sound of wire flying through the air.... THe fence broke cleanly. We gathered up the wire, and headed to the farm house. Knock on the door and a nice lady answers... We held up the wire and said "we broke your fence!". She was so nice, she offered us a raft she found in her backyard. Yay raft! Landing off after a balloon jump is ALWAYS interesting. Be prepared for the unnexpected... _Am__ You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gemini 0 #17 July 31, 2004 I knew someone was going to pick up on that! Blue skies, Jim Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dninness 4 #18 July 31, 2004 Quote 1. take a cell phone or some change As the woman who ran the student operation at the DZ where I started jumping said to me one day (as I'm throwing quarters in my jumpsuit pocket): "Darin, if you land out, where are you going to put those? In a corn stalk?" Good point. Cellphone is probably a better bet than change.NIN D-19617, AFF-I '19 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattjw916 2 #19 August 1, 2004 might as well take both... quarters won't break in a bad landing. I can't wait to do a balloon jump, sounds like fun!!! I need a "bit" more experience first though, the tetrahedron on the LZ is still my best friend. NSCR-2376, SCR-15080 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #20 August 1, 2004 Never done a balloon jump, but I definitely broke my record for farthest off landing yesterday. Did a cross country. Left the plane at 12,000 feet, 12 nautical miles (~15 mi) from the DZ. Couldn't even see the DZ till I was about half way back. At around 3000 feet I was still a couple miles out, with some woods between me and the DZ. Had a nice back yard underneath me, so I just held into the wind. Backed up a little, but mostly just came straight down. The yard I was landing in was surrounded by very tall trees. I was as far downwind from the treeline as I could get, but got some really nasty turbulence around 300 feet. Canopy suddenly turned almost 180 degrees on me. Recovered from that, turned around, and made a soft landing. The family came out and offered me a ride back to the DZ. I didn't bother calling the DZ since I thought I'd be back in just a couple minutes. Didn't realize it was gonna be like a 7 minute drive. As we pulled onto the airport, we saw a state police helicopter. The woman driving asked if that was for me. I said no, they'd never waste their time on me. Turns out I was wrong. They were doing a training flight and our jump pilot asked if they wanted to help search for me. They were called off when I came strolling back onto the DZ. Definitely a fun jump, but scary as hell! Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bluewaterstream 0 #21 August 2, 2004 Balloon jumps are bad-ass!!! I was the only skydiver in the balloon on Saturday, so it totally added a new vibe to the jump. Very cool. I jumped at about 5K, did a few backflips, a 360, deployed at just under 4 grand, and landed on a nice patch of open space. Unfortunately, my buddy in the balloon didn't have as good of a landing and did about $1,000 worth of damage to his ride. He landed a little too close to a barbed wire fence and the balloon tipped over and landed on the fence. Being the cool cat that he is, he didn't let it ruin his day in least. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
