Stremglove 0 #1 April 9, 2002 Please help. I am interested in any safety problems or specialities about skydiving from baloons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RichM 0 #2 April 9, 2002 There is no wind and no noise - its scary and great fun. I love them.The no wind means you will have no air pressure to push against for the first 5 seconds or so. In this time you can't get stable or track away. So don't launch a 4 way from 3000ft!Also be ware that as the balloon drifts with the wind, it will have a much lower ground speed than an aircraft. In 5 knots of wind it is hardly moving. If there is more than 1 group there isa danger the second group will jump right on top of te first. It's worth waiting till group 1 are down before group 2 exit.Have fun, take careRich M Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LawnDart21 0 #3 April 9, 2002 I've only made two balloon jumps to date, both were a blast, but here's my safety input. The first jumper on one of my jumps got edgy and basically pitched his pilot chute right as he stepped off, like a hop n pop. That works great in a plane because you have the relative wind from th eplanes forward speed to take the pc out and open your main, but out of a balloon with no relative wind.....LOL....let's just say he had a hell of a snivel and a way funky opening. Just give yourself enough time to reach terminal before pitching. Second thing, try to go at the end of your group. As each person gets out, the balloon gets higher, ie, more altitude for you! My first jump I was out at 2600ft, the last person on that same load got 4600ft. I got hosed!! Ha ha ha. And last, but not least,for reasons that escape me, alot of jumpers get nervous/scared about jumping out of a balloon. Remember your wearing a parachute, you have nothing to be afraid of!!! HA HA HA HA HA Good luck!"I live to EFS"Tom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #4 April 9, 2002 Along with what the others said - if you jump a slow opening canopy you might consider using a different main or at least packing for a sub-terminal opening. I jump a very slow opening main; I wouldn't jump it on a balloon jump if I knew I was exiting at or below 3000'.pull & flare,lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E150 0 #5 April 9, 2002 Wicked picture Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites rendezvous 0 #6 April 9, 2002 what would be the minimum height you would jump from if your rig has a bungee cord collapsable pilot chute. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skybytch 273 #7 April 9, 2002 Quotewhat would be the minimum height you would jump from if your rig has a bungee cord collapsable pilot chute.I'd make sure I had enough altitude to get to terminal before dumping...pull & flare,lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites SkyMissy 0 #8 April 9, 2002 Shut up and jump! I'm not the man they think I am at home, no;I'm a rocket man.Sky World Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites kallend 2,027 #9 April 9, 2002 <<aircraft. In 5 knots of wind it is hardly moving. If there is more than 1 group there isa danger the secondgroup will jump right on top of te first. It's worth waiting till group 1 are down before group 2 exit.>>>Groundspeed is irrelevant to separation in a balloon jump even if the winds are strong (which they won't be 'cos balloons don't launch in strong winds). All jumpers and the balloon are in the same column of moving air regardless of how much delay you leave. If you exit in groups, do like the man said. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites quade 4 #10 April 9, 2002 QuoteAll jumpers and the balloon are in the same column of moving air regardless of how much delay you leave. If you exit in groups, do like the man said.Essentially correct , unless there's some sort of inversion layer / shear layer or you take into account surface friction.I doubt that if you were to drop two objects with several seconds of separation they would impact each other on the ground. However, yes, for all practical purposes, don't time your balloon exits that way.quadehttp://futurecam.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bbarnhouse 0 #11 April 9, 2002 Once was enough for me....but it was interesting.Be careful not to "step" in anything on landing!LOLIt only takes a little pixie dust...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites freeflytim 0 #12 April 9, 2002 Oops, I thought you meant something like this....http://www.cameronballoons.co.uk/news/pr/arch/08aug01.html..."Mike and Steve were each harnessed into 'swing-seats' under the stack of 'toy' balloons. 100lb of tap water was used as ballast, which was trickled through a tap to reduce weight allowing the balloons and the pilots to rise. They also had an air-pistol which, was used to shoot the balloons, to reduce the lift as required. " ...."FactsThe stunt was filmed for "Ripley's Believe It or Not" which will be shown on Sky TV in November 2001. They reached a height of 18,235 feet.They flew for about 2 hours and for approximately three miles. They used about 700 balloons for the challenge." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites billvon 2,991 #13 April 9, 2002 >Also be ware that as the balloon drifts with the wind, it will have a much lower> ground speed than an aircraft. In 5 knots of wind it is hardly moving. If there is> more than 1 group . . .Aaaahhh! Run! A groundspeed vs airspeed melee is brewing!-bill von Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jceman 1 #14 April 9, 2002 QuoteAaaahhh! Run! A groundspeed vs airspeed melee is brewing!Who's running the tractor? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites AndyMan 7 #15 April 9, 2002 Watch for invisible, single wire electrical fenses while swooping the friendly farmers front yard.They snap surprisingly fast when hit by a swooping jumper, and broken fenses tend to make famers angy.Yes, there's a story here..._AmICQ: 5578907MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfeYahoo IM: ametcalf_1999 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites AggieDave 6 #16 April 10, 2002 QuoteThey snap surprisingly fast when hit by a swooping jumperI was invisoning more of a wire catch like on an aircraft carrier...atleast it breaks I guess. "Are they short-shorts?" T.B. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
rendezvous 0 #6 April 9, 2002 what would be the minimum height you would jump from if your rig has a bungee cord collapsable pilot chute. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #7 April 9, 2002 Quotewhat would be the minimum height you would jump from if your rig has a bungee cord collapsable pilot chute.I'd make sure I had enough altitude to get to terminal before dumping...pull & flare,lisa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyMissy 0 #8 April 9, 2002 Shut up and jump! I'm not the man they think I am at home, no;I'm a rocket man.Sky World Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,027 #9 April 9, 2002 <<aircraft. In 5 knots of wind it is hardly moving. If there is more than 1 group there isa danger the secondgroup will jump right on top of te first. It's worth waiting till group 1 are down before group 2 exit.>>>Groundspeed is irrelevant to separation in a balloon jump even if the winds are strong (which they won't be 'cos balloons don't launch in strong winds). All jumpers and the balloon are in the same column of moving air regardless of how much delay you leave. If you exit in groups, do like the man said. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #10 April 9, 2002 QuoteAll jumpers and the balloon are in the same column of moving air regardless of how much delay you leave. If you exit in groups, do like the man said.Essentially correct , unless there's some sort of inversion layer / shear layer or you take into account surface friction.I doubt that if you were to drop two objects with several seconds of separation they would impact each other on the ground. However, yes, for all practical purposes, don't time your balloon exits that way.quadehttp://futurecam.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bbarnhouse 0 #11 April 9, 2002 Once was enough for me....but it was interesting.Be careful not to "step" in anything on landing!LOLIt only takes a little pixie dust...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflytim 0 #12 April 9, 2002 Oops, I thought you meant something like this....http://www.cameronballoons.co.uk/news/pr/arch/08aug01.html..."Mike and Steve were each harnessed into 'swing-seats' under the stack of 'toy' balloons. 100lb of tap water was used as ballast, which was trickled through a tap to reduce weight allowing the balloons and the pilots to rise. They also had an air-pistol which, was used to shoot the balloons, to reduce the lift as required. " ...."FactsThe stunt was filmed for "Ripley's Believe It or Not" which will be shown on Sky TV in November 2001. They reached a height of 18,235 feet.They flew for about 2 hours and for approximately three miles. They used about 700 balloons for the challenge." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,991 #13 April 9, 2002 >Also be ware that as the balloon drifts with the wind, it will have a much lower> ground speed than an aircraft. In 5 knots of wind it is hardly moving. If there is> more than 1 group . . .Aaaahhh! Run! A groundspeed vs airspeed melee is brewing!-bill von Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jceman 1 #14 April 9, 2002 QuoteAaaahhh! Run! A groundspeed vs airspeed melee is brewing!Who's running the tractor? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #15 April 9, 2002 Watch for invisible, single wire electrical fenses while swooping the friendly farmers front yard.They snap surprisingly fast when hit by a swooping jumper, and broken fenses tend to make famers angy.Yes, there's a story here..._AmICQ: 5578907MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfeYahoo IM: ametcalf_1999 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #16 April 10, 2002 QuoteThey snap surprisingly fast when hit by a swooping jumperI was invisoning more of a wire catch like on an aircraft carrier...atleast it breaks I guess. "Are they short-shorts?" T.B. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
