Has anyone been on a hot air balloon ride? I keep seeing one floating around the area, and I think I might enjoy a ride, although I do have some questions.
How can you steer a balloon? Do you just float around until you find a place safe enough to land? How easy would it be to fall out? What if the balloon pops? Anybody want to come with me, since I got a big fat NO from Mr Twy?
Rose
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no never been on one
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don’t know how but u can sort of steer the balloon
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you pick a place to land in advance
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if the balloon pops it will go boom ! won’t pop will lose air
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if balloon pops or loses air u won’t have to worry if you will fall out
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sure would love to go for a balloon ride
don’t pay attention to me, I havn’t slept much.
have you seen my disk?
You can make the balloon go up or down by starting the burner and heating the air. Other than that you just float in the air and go where it takes you.
About 3 years ago I was sailing my boat sinlehanded on the Chhesapeake bay and it was a beautiful quiet afternoon. I saw a big balloon in the air drifting across the bay. After a while it started to lose altitude and I thought “how cute, they are going to skim the water”
Oops, NO! they fell right in and the balloon right on top of them. I turned on the VHF and it seems they had been having trouble for a while and the coast Guard was already on its way to the rescue. I followed the whole thing on the VHF. There was a very elderly woman on the balloon and she was the main concern. I later read in the news what was the cause of the problem but I do not recall now. It got dark before any rescuers arrived on the scene and there was plenty of radio traffic.
The rescue effort communication was hampered by some idiot who had just bought a boat and gone out with his friends. Suddenly it was dark and they did not know how to navigate their way home and panicked. They wanted to get “home” and had no clue as to where they were.
The CG asked him if he had any instruments on board that could give him his position and I believe he had none or maybe he did not know how to use them. So the CG asks him to describe any landmarks or something and the guy couldn’t see any thing or give any clues. Pretty soon the CG is asking “are you north or south of the bay bridge?” and the guy doesn’t know!! You cannot imagine how aggravated I was getting listening to this idiot hampering the rescue efforts. Basically the CG made sure he was not in immediate danger and told him to shut up and stand by until they were done with more urgent business.
Were you too far away sailor? As I started reading your thread, I was thinking “Sailor to the resue!” Then everytime you mentioned another problem, I kept thinking “Ok, this is when sailor steps in and saves everyone”.
Much to my disappointment I have to save my hero worship for another day.
Anyway, why could you not get on the radio and tell the cost gaurd where the people were. Or at least tell them you could see them from your location. Am I making poor assumptions? … just curious
For the OP. I hot air balloon will not “pop” In fact it will not even loose much air depending on how big the hole you get is. There is actually a pretty big hole on the top of the balloon anyway. Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the HUGE hole on the bottom of the ballon. You know, the one where the burner is. Those baskets are pretty big too, so you will have to try really hard to jump out.
BN, I think you did not follow the story. There were two things going on. One was the balloon going down and I did see it touch down on the water but I was sailing and probably too far away to be of any use. Then there was some jerk on the radio and I have no clue of where he was and he didn’t know it either. He was just lost but in no danger (except of looking stupid).
Some other boaters were trying to help by saying I am at point X and I can hear him loud or I am at point Y and I can hear him faint but the effort was fruitless. The guy was in a boat and had no clue of where he was. I believe he had guests on board (probably trying to impress some chick).
I was sailing into the West river to spend the night at Galesville and the balloon touched down in the middle of the bay, across from the West river. I believe the old lady on the balloon was rescued safely along with all the other people on the balloon.
Yes, Bear, I was aware of the HUGE hole where the burner goes in a balloon. The question wasn’t completely serious. I know hot air balloons don’t just pop…sheesh
::: crosses Bear Nenno off the balloon ride list:::
Rose
Blue, well if you were serious, that would not have been the dumbest question I have seen on here. I figured I would just answer it, in case. Kind of reminds me of the time the power went out at school, this girl wanted to know if the water fountains would still work. Then an administrator walked by with a walky-talky. “How are the walky-talkies still working?” She asks.
I would still like to go in your balloon if you will forgive me for not seeing the sarcasm in your question.
Ok, since you asked nicely…
::: puts Bear back on the list:::
Rose
Thanks!
BTW, I just now realized this was MPSIMS and not GQ.
ooops
:::hits self in head::: Duh!
Balloons can be “steered” by gaining or losing altitude to find wind currents that are going in the direction you want to go. Crude, but balloons are navigable. You decide where you’re going to land in advance. That means you need to know what the wind is doing and choose a take-off point that will get you there. You’re followed by a ground crew in a pick-up truck. When the balloon lands, it is deflated and the crew packs it up in the truck.
Yeah, I’ve ridden in a hot-air balloon. Interesting story: when I was growing up in New Mexico, where balloons are very popular, we lived on the edge of Bureau of Land Management (government) land, which meant we were on the edge of nowhere. Once, a balloon was cruising around, tried to clear the mountains very near our house, failed, and crash-landed in our more-or-less backyard. Well, we ran out there and gave the people a hand (the car that followed along on the ground managed to find them shortly; they had to go down quite a few wrong roads before they found ours); no one was hurt, so we helped them pack up the balloon.
So, the next time they took the ol’ balloon out, they called us up and gave us rides. It’s kinda strange; unlike an airplane, there’s no noise when the burner’s not lit, and there’s almost no sensation of movement, since you’re essentially moving at the same speed as the wind. You just kinda hang there. You could fall out quite easily if you wanted to, but if you don’t, the odds are very good that you’ll remain in the basket. Johnny L.A. nailed the steering question; you can direct a balloon somewhat by rising or falling to catch different air currents, but beyond that, you’re at the mercy of the wind. That’s why New Mexico is popular for ballooning: generally good weather, not a lot of wind, thin air, and some mighty beautiful country to float over (plus wide open spaces to crash in).
By the way, the ceremony after your first ride, where they make you an honorary crew member, involves champagne and rubbing mud in your hair. Watch out for that. hehehe.
I think hot air balloons in flight are gorgeous to watch…but personally, I don’t do heights…but I’m sure DrMatrix would love to go with you.
Blue Twylight,
CajunMan would never go up in a balloon, but I’d love to.
As to what happens when a balloon pops, it sputters around. Don’t you watch cartoons?
DrMatrix: going to be in Mass anytime soon? (I’m not in NY anymore)
Rose
Cajun Man and I are thinking about going to Vermont for a civil union in the fall. I checked the map and it looks like Mass, Vermont, and New Hampshire are all in about a five block radius, so I’m sure we could stop over in Mass.
We will e-mail you when our plans are more definite.