Michele 1 #1 July 3, 2003 So, the front page article got me thinking about what it would be like to make a balloon jump. And while I know there are lots of you who've done one, I can't even begin to imagine it. What's the dead air like? How do you exit - climb over the side and fall? What is it like, being still and then moving out into the sky? How high do you go? What about separation? Does your canopy deploy slower/softer? How do you get stable if you have no resistence from the air? And all those kinds of things. I am trying to picture it in my head, me going out of a balloon; but it's like before I ever jumped from a plane - just can't get that mind's eye to conceive it. Please, tell me your story...share with me your experience - good, bad, indifferent...balloon jumps are intruiging to me. And thanks in advance. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yardhippie 0 #2 July 3, 2003 well its like a helicopter jump w/o all the wind and noise... or jumping out of a swing as a kid (sorry best similie I could come up w/) canopy opening has to do w/ your delay/altitude. you could percivably get so low that a skydiving rig's main wouldnt open in time for a safe landing, but not ever tested what that would be. 3500' is fine for me, canopy opened fine. rantoul will have plenty of em, give it a shot... its great.... similar to a base jump, w/o the obsticles!Goddam dirty hippies piss me off! ~GFD "What do I get for closing your rig?" ~ me "Anything you want." ~ female skydiver Mohoso Rodriguez #865 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skip 0 #3 July 3, 2003 I also am very interested in hearing about balloon jumps and what to expect. Perhaps one of the very first things that I ever saw which peaked my interest in parachuting was a balloon jump on I think it was the discovery channel. Skyfest in Dallas is coming up and I’ve seriously been thinking about going up with full intentions of jumping out of a balloon. Waka waka .:skip Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflyfrog 0 #4 July 3, 2003 Balloon jumps are AWESOME! The silence just before you go is amazing, and feeling your speed increase from zero to terminal in a matter of seconds is thrilling. Here's what to expect: 1. Most balloon jumps happen from 5000' or less. My first was from 2200'... that was the lowest I had ever gotten out... let alone taken a delay from. But it was great. Depending on the size of the balloon and the skill of its pilot, you may only be able to leave one at a time. Watch for the other jumpers as you will NOT have much horizontal separation between exits. 2. Unlike a jump from a plane, where you are already going 80mph or whatever as you leave the door, a balloon exit starts at ZERO. This can be quite a strange feeling your first time. Hearing the people in the balloon talking as you fall away is weird! Remember that the body position you leave in will be the position you are likely to remain in until you have built up enough speed to begin to use the relative wind to "fly" your body. On my first balloon jump, I made the mistake of just rolling off the edge of the basket (I was standing) which immediately caused me to go head low as there was no relative wind to stop my forward motion. But I held my arch and eventually ended up on my belly where I could deploy. I was just under 1900' at that point. A better exit is to concentrate on leaving head high so that you stay that way until deployment time. Ask a local BASE jumper about a good exit technique... they're used to it! Actually, the most nerve-wracking part for me was climbing up onto the edge of the basket... I must have been afraid to fall off or something! 3. Be prepared to land out. Balloon jumps start at the DZ, but are at the mercy of prevailing winds and it is highly unlikely that your balloon will go straight up over the DZ. You will drift downwind of the DZ... how far depends on how strong the winds are. Make it a point to look for places to land during the ascent. Remember what you learned in FJC about obstacle avoidance (fences, power lines, trees, etc.) There will be a chaser truck following the balloon, so you should have a guaranteed ride back to the DZ, but you MAY want to bring a cell phone or some change for a payphone in case no one saw where you landed. 4. Make note of the wind direction at the DZ BEFORE you take off. There will likely NOT be a wind flag wherever you land (unless there is already a designated landing area set up downwind of the launch site) and you don't want to wait until 50 feet to figure out which way the wind is blowing. Balloons generally launch in calm winds only, so landing direction may not be all that important, but better to land into the wind in a clear area if at all possible. 5. Remember your PLF! Your landing area may not be the flat expanse of grass that you are used to, so be ready for whatever you may encounter. 6. Have a BLAST!!! It will likely be one of your most memorable jumps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AntiPinkChrissy 0 #5 July 3, 2003 I did a balloon jump at Rantoul last year and it was one of the most freakin coolest jumps I have ever made. I wanted to prepare for bridge day to see what a jump in no air felt like. I just climbed over the basket to exit, turned so I was facing back into the basket to look at my friend and just let go. It was the most amazing feeling to feel yourself start to accelerate and hear the wind rushing past your ears. I was afraid I was going to have trouble staying stable in the still air, but that wasn't a problem, just leave in a relaxed boxman position, I think we went to like 4500. My canopy opened normal, there was only 2 of us jumping at once so there was no problem with separation, we left from opposite sides. I highly recommend doing one, it really put the 'fear' back in skydiving for me, it made me feel like it was my first jump all over again, it gave me that first jump high. I definitley reccomend it if you are ever considering doing any BASE jumping. Also, it will be the quietest ride to altitude that you will ever get. I did mine at sunrise, and it was absolutely beautiful. If you get the chance, do it! ~La La Gang Member #2~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Casie 0 #6 July 3, 2003 Wow! I want to do one!~Porn Kitty WARNING: Goldschlager causes extreme emotional outbursts! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sunnydee123 0 #7 July 3, 2003 I have pondered the thought of jumping from a balloon and a helicopter since I started skydiving a few months ago. But now that I understand more about skydiving and relative wind, and know that in both situations I would be starting with zero speed and might actually feel that "falling feeling" which people THINK skydivers feel when jumping, I am so up in the air about it..... Does anyone have a suggestion as to how many jumps you should have before you consider a jump from a ballooon or helicopter? Does it matter? Dreams become reality, one choice at a time... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeemax 0 #8 July 3, 2003 i could be wrong, but in the UK i think it's B license and 100 jumps few more to go for me... i REALLLY want to do a balloon jump...Phoenix Fly - High performance wingsuits for skydiving and BASE Performance Designs - Simply brilliant canopies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflyfrog 0 #9 July 3, 2003 QuoteDoes anyone have a suggestion as to how many jumps you should have before you consider a jump from a ballooon or helicopter? Does it matter? As long as you are comfortable in your ability to recover from any initial instability as your speed builds, you will be fine. Most balloon jumps at boogies take you to between 4 and 5000', so that leaves plenty of time to get to terminal so it feels like a "real" skydive. Go for it... you have plenty of jumps and you'll LOVE it! Ciao! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #10 July 3, 2003 Without going into how many jumps you need, I think the main skill you need to do a safe ballon jump is good canopy control for landing in a probably unknown area you would not have had the opportunity to scope ahead of time. It will probably be an open field, but expect the unexpected.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
174fps 1 #11 July 3, 2003 I did mine in Eloy with Burner He squeezed in 10 of us that wanted to go (8 usual) The heat from the burner was ..... hot exposed skin will feel it Take off is not like an aircraft, as soon as the basket clears the ground the wind takes the baloon wherever it wants. As you get higher the "burns" become less frequent and there is a beautful sense of peace, also the higher we got the more relaxed I got as the picture of the world at altitue became " normal" Climb out was a little stressed due to being packed in there, worried about snagging handles, exit is cool need to be head high if you dont want to tumble. I got 16 secs of freefall from 4900' If you can snag a camera guy to go with you some of the coolest pics are balloon exits. You definately feel the speed building as you reach terminal, pull time feels like any other skydive. Before I launched Burner had picked out a landing area, stay away from power and fence lines Van came out and picked me up. All in All a great experience. Andrew Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #12 July 3, 2003 A lot of jumpers will tell you a balloon is their favorite thing to jump from. Balloons are my favorite too! To start, it takes quite a bit longer to setup, so be patient. And it's even more crowded in the basket than on the jump plane, if you can believe that, so suck it in! However, once you do it, you will want to repeat. The jump off is a lot like being on the top hill of a roller-coaster. A moment of silence, followed by 8-10 seconds of stomach-churning acceleration, going from perfect silence to normal free-fall wind-rush. Then it's usually time to pull. The only caveat is that it's like a hop-n-pop, because they are usually from 5,000 or less, although I got 5,500 on one. You need to be able to get stable and pull relatively quickly. After the pull, it's like any other jump In Colorado, we like to have two people rappel from the sides and hang from underneath (and sometimes video the jumpers coming off). That also makes it less crowded in the basket on the climb up.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflyfrog 0 #13 July 3, 2003 I did my second in Eloy with Burner. We got to go to 10,000' because there was a tandem pair in there!! I wouldn't have wanted to be that TM, trying to climb out of the basket with his passenger. We also had a base jumper who got out at 300'... damn that looked low! I did RW with some guy I had just met. Great fun. The only drawback: We landed MILES from the DZ and it took 30 minutes or so before we found a ride back... Still... one of my most memorable jumps! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GiaKrembs 0 #14 July 3, 2003 _________________________________________________ The jump off is a lot like being on the top hill of a roller-coaster. A moment of silence, followed by 8-10 seconds of stomach-churning acceleration, going from perfect silence to normal free-fall wind-rush. _______________________________________________ Perfectly said!!! This is exactly how I felt!!! One other thing is the extreme adrenaline rush for approach and landing. You really need to be confident with your canopy skills. The conditions for landing are not always pristine like landing at a DZ. I was always curious what the rush was for people doing bandit jumps - now I know!!! BTW, Burner RAWKS!!! Raddest ho this side of Jersey #1 - rest in peace brother Beth lost her cherry and I missed it .... you want access to it, but you don't want to break it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GARYC24 3 #15 July 3, 2003 Do not wear your goggles on top of your head on the way up, the heat will melt them. I did one at 5:00 am last July.. it was a little chilly on the ground but not in the balloon. Have fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mfrese 0 #16 July 3, 2003 Like a couple other folks here, did mine at Eloy with Burner, very cool time. Just a couple notes: 1) If you're tall, duck...when those burners light up, those of us who are hair challenged and/or taller than 5'8' are frying. 2) The worst part for me was taking off...the wind was up at dusk, and the freakin basket was practically on it's side at one point. 3) We were there during the Valentine Money Meet 2002, so the balloon's going up with Airspeed, the Knights, and the rest of the comp and freefly guys swooping around the balloon...VERY cool! 4) The exit is a piece of cake there (usually exiting at 5K), and the freefall pretty cool. DON'T wear a helmet, you can really hear the wind speed increase, very fun. 5) Only downer about a 5K balloon jump: by 4K, it's just another skydive. I pondered my situation (suck it down to enjoy the whole experience, or pull high and go drink beer), and decided to pull at 3...landed in the peas at the main landing had a beer in my hand 45 minutes before all my friends got back in the van. So, what can I say...GO DO IT! You will enjoy the hell out of it, and it's worth every extra penny. IcemanDoctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skip 0 #17 July 3, 2003 awesome, thanks for the words. definitely going to give it a go. .:skip Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFFC 1 #18 July 3, 2003 QuoteIn Colorado, we like to have two people rappel from the sides and hang from underneath (and sometimes video the jumpers coming off). That also makes it less crowded in the basket on the climb up. I'm never participated in such lunacy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #19 July 3, 2003 QuoteQuoteIn Colorado, we like to have two people rappel from the sides and hang from underneath (and sometimes video the jumpers coming off). That also makes it less crowded in the basket on the climb up. I'm never participated in such lunacy. Hey, that's me Edited to add: Yeah, yeah, it's WFFC too with me.May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #20 July 3, 2003 I'll buy you your very own case if you show me how to rappel off at WFFC.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #21 July 3, 2003 6) Don't get so excited that you forget to put your goggles on before you jump. But if you do it's no big deal - it's such a short ride down you don't need them.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TEB6363 0 #22 July 3, 2003 Angle... Friggin great photo.... I can't wait... Perris, July 25, Waaaaay early in the morning.... I have a baloon ride with Ann (my wife), and then I get to jump out... Yea Baby!! Then we are going to Marine World Saturday with my son and Ann's friend... Then maybe back to Perris for Sunday. Should be a great trip... I hope the balloon jump is like you guys (and girls) describe.. Waaaay Cool Once the plane takes off, you're gonna have to land - Might as well jump out!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #23 July 4, 2003 What the hell are you doing in town still? Should you be leaving for your trip soon? QuoteI'll buy you your very own case if you show me how to rappel off at WFFC. Not a problem. Do you have a harness? If not, we need to get you lined up with one. We'll also need to get another rope so that you can rappel off the same balloon as WFFC and myself. We have some new tricks we want to try.May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingnut 0 #24 July 4, 2003 michele, balloon jumps are great. did my first one this past january in eloy. exited besides holly with mitch launching backwards for video.... very wierd cuz you have no control for the first few seconds... as mitch's video shows when he backflipped...lol.... if you are in the same place as me just let me know, i'll fly video for ya anytime............. ______________________________________ "i have no reader's digest version" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #25 July 4, 2003 Thanks for the responses. (anyone else have any more???) I think I'm too chicken to do it right now, but I hope, maybe by the end of the summer, I won't be. I am still having a hard time imagining it, but I have at least a better idea of how it happens and what does go on. I also think I will have a very difficult time doing it....climbing over the side of a basket with shaking knees may not go well at all... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
