Basejumper.com - archive

ok before you grab your torches i know aircrafts are not base jumps. however it is going to be low enough it wil be base rig only. Hot air balloon will be tethered at 500' ish. and going up and down and picking up jumpers as long as the wind allows.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1115941865140667/

I see you figured it out.

Actually a tethered balloon isn't considered an aircraft and since there's a chance of an object strike it should count as an object.

No.

Is this seriously going to happen? Sounds fun and I might be able to make it. I don't use the facebook though. Can you message me details on how I can join!

Thanks

https://www.facebook.com/...ts/1115941865140667/
Clicky

Ok, I'll bite. No to what?

Still a skydive.

How is it any different from a crane with a basket? There are tethered-only helium balloons being jumped, are those skydives too?

It’s a skydive. The balloon is in flight being restrained by a tension tether, that is trying to escape mother earth. The crane is inanimate, a compression member, trying to stay one with mother earth and thus is part of mother earth and is an object.

Just a lurking skydiver with a humble opinion.

If it walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck....it's a duck.

How anyone could think a 500' tethered balloon with (slider off) BASE gear is a "skydive"...I've got no idea.

F*cking purists man. Get over yourselves.

Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpDLqxL5_tM

When I'm cool enough to do something besides BASE jumps, skydives, and whatever the hell my unpacked jumps are, I'll be making "The Other Logbook" for balloon jumps, paraglider cutaways, and all of my other near life experiences. After hitting bottom of course.

Hitting bottom? You are already there. You... are an internet moderator.

Can I interest you in a van down by the river?

Here's what the FAA Flight Standards say:

VOLUME 3 GENERAL TECHNICAL ADMINISTRATION

CHAPTER 12 INTRODUCTION TO 14 CFR PART 91 RELATED TASKS

Section 2 Balloons

3-333 TETHERED BALLOONS.

A. Free and Tethered Flight Considerations. If a balloon is considered an aircraft under one circumstance (such as free flight), it must still be considered an aircraft under other operating circumstances, including tethered flight. Tethered balloons are considered aircraft, and must be operated in compliance with all construction, certification, airworthiness, registration, and operating regulations applicable to aircraft.

Reference

You decide. I call it a "parachute jump," and the FAA probably calls it a "skydive"

I will be logging mine as Balloon Jumps.

The first rule of moderating is you do not talk about moderating. And only if the van has candy.

One of my favorite things about this activity, is that I can log whatever jump however I want (or not at all). Laissez-Faire BASEnomics.

I sort of agree. I don't have my tethered balloon jumps logged in my skydive logbook or count them as part of my base jumps.

BASE #: 1816
150 tethered balloon jumps in 3 years

Same

I personally don't count them as base jumps. I just have an other category in my logbook starting from 1.

Honestly who really cares what you classify it as.
500ft is 500ft. Use it to work on whatever skills you wish, treat it like a lower risk object.

But don't forget you'll still die if you fuck up!! and wouldn't it be embarrassing to possibly be the first hot air balloon BFL member!

Nailed it. I've been tethering balloons to real BASE objects in order to get my number and bump up my object count.

Anyone with any good info on a crane I can tether my balloon to?

IMHO

Balloon = aircraft
Tethered balloon = fixed object

So an F-16 tethered to the ground with a 5000 ft cable pointing straight up in full afterburner and not moving:

aircraft or fixed object?

Uhmmmm, firecracker?

Fixed object.

I don't reckon it would be entirely motionless though

And when it runs out of fuel:

aircraft or fixed object?

You could get an off-heading and hit the cable so I reckon it's still a fixed object.

Like a waterfall but instead of water falling next to you it's a billion dollar aircraft towing a cable.

But if the cable breaks before you exit then it's a skydive.

what about boats and balloons tethered to boats?

This is happening nov 5 and 6 for a 2 day event. 1 day is $100 for as many as you can get in and 2nd day is $80. If you dont FB you can email me at Adrenalizedaerialarts@gmail.com you can also paypal your slot deposit at that email. Deposits are $20, balance due at event. Going to have an accuracy bracket style heads up single elim comp. Prizes to be determined. (Just because you lose in the bracket doesnt end your jumping just your competition.

The F-16 has aerial refuel capabilities. Just teather a KC-10 next to it.

What's wrong with u cuntz.
If it's fixed to the ground it a fixed object.
Fast Al pioneered many Oz balloon BASE events.
Seen many ppl nearly smack into the cable.

G.

GaryP: Seen many ppl nearly smack into the cable.

When you have a couple minutes to burn
could you please elaborate on the ways
you saw people fuck up in regards to
not respecting the cable? Thanks!

Simply - the cable is not that visible, especially in changing light thru the day. Ppl get complacent on these events and forget it's there, smashing out 8-10 jumps per day. Maybe some flags or bunting every 50' along the cable would be good.

I've had some fun with the cable tho - using it as a zip-line by slinging a piece of webbing over the cable (rope or whatever) and sailing down it for a few seconds before letting go and pitching.

One other hazard was for ppl on the ground under the ascending balloon which had a cane wicker basket. The LZ we used has sizeable rocks all over that got trapped between the cane on the basket's bottom each load - only for these rock to release and drop from about 100' upon ascent.

G.

Great, thanks for the zip-line idea sir!

Our LZ has no rocks, our "basket" should not pick up anything,
the tether will have fluorescent streamers every 50 feet or so,
and since we are using Hot Air versus Helium, our plan is to
run for a couple hours (long enough for each man to jump
every rig he owns) then shut down to eat, pack, etc.

So we imagine the cable holds up to 142,38 kN (F16 E) and the temperature of the afterburner? the F16 would be fixed ;-)
not for a long time, I suppose ...

But I guess it will swing around .... hard to jump from that flat and stable ;-)
Seems that the only way would be a bail-out.
Maybe you cannot log that as a BASE-Jump ...

Pointed straight up like a rocket so equilibrium is found between thrust and cable force. Therefore, for this problem, not moving.

GaryP has a good explanation.

Everyone quit your bitching. I can say, from being there last year, that this event is fun as FUCK, and is a great way to practice aerials if that's your thing. and if it's not, it's still a rocking good time.