Ask Hyde about hot air balloons - Page 4

KilgoreTrout · #31 09-26-2006, 02:49 PM

Hyde,

Are you responsible for this?

Hood blimp crashes in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. I can just see Hyde taking pot shots at the blimp from his balloon. "Oh the humanity...."

Slow Play Ray · #32 09-26-2006, 02:58 PM

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can you swing by and pick me up in framingham sometime?

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Hijack: Are people who live in Framingham called Framinghammers?

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Framinghamites.

kitaristi0 · #33 09-26-2006, 05:37 PM

Where do you go to learn how to fly a balloon? Do you need some type of balloon driver's license? Can you get speeding tickets, fines for flying too near the ground or reckless flying and things like that?

tufat23 · #34 09-26-2006, 05:49 PM

whats standard proceedure if I desparately need to pee, and I know i cant hold it?

same Q, but if i need to take a dump?

youtalkfunny · #35 09-26-2006, 06:22 PM

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Hood blimp crashes

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Can't wait to hear what Rem-Dawg has to say about that.

hyde · #36 09-26-2006, 07:07 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Hyde,

Are you responsible for this?

Hood blimp crashes in Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA. I can just see Hyde taking pot shots at the blimp from his balloon. "Oh the humanity...."

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That blimp spends much of the summer near me in Sanford Maine. I landed right beside it in July, the pilot had no sense of humor. So I can assure you he is not laughing right now. I saw his location on the news, I'm not sure how he will get it out of there.
Did you happen to notice the wind speed today? Not good for lighter-than-air craft.

hyde · #37 09-26-2006, 07:17 PM

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Where do you go to learn how to fly a balloon? Do you need some type of balloon driver's license? Can you get speeding tickets, fines for flying too near the ground or reckless flying and things like that?

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Any commercially licensed pilot is qualified to instruct. there are not alot of Examiners however with whom you must take a proficiency flight and Q&A test. There are three levels of ratings, student, private and commercial.
There are altitude requirements over built up residential areas and very strict areas to avoid around airports. I don't know if there are fines, but you can lose your license for a period of time for violations.

hyde · #38 09-26-2006, 07:25 PM

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whats standard proceedure if I desparately need to pee, and I know i cant hold it?

same Q, but if i need to take a dump?

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I've flown 10,000 passengers and you would be the first, that would make you special.
The basket is made of woven wicker so liquid would go right through. Don't even think about crapping anywhere but your pants in my balloon. guess who is first out when we land?
Story from the old days, another pilot. A woman had to dump, he let her hang out over the edge......finish theh visual yourself.

kitaristi0 · #39 09-28-2006, 11:59 AM

How many people die every year from balloon related events? Have you heard of any instances where someone committed suicide by jumping out of a balloon?

hyde · #40 09-28-2006, 07:51 PM

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How many people die every year from balloon related events? Have you heard of any instances where someone committed suicide by jumping out of a balloon?

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I'm not real current on the statistics, but it used to be one death per year. Almost always a powerline contact.
I've never heard of a suicide.
I do most of my flying in Quechee Vermont, which is famous for its' scenic gorge and the bridge that goes over it. I think the bridge is averaging more than one jumper a year.