willso 0 #1 May 28, 2007 When I get a few more jumps under my belt, wouldn't mind trying a balloon jump. Like to ehar from anyone out there who has done them. How was it? Would you do it again and what should I expect? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 3 #2 May 28, 2007 Done quite a few of them. Probably the biggest challenge in the first jump is the absence of relative wind. If you try to apply what you know for a stable exit, you'll likely end up flailing for the first jump or two. They're great; dead silent until you pick up enough speed to hear the wind. Falling on your back looking up at the balloon is beautiful. You also don't want to push off the basket. It's not really a balloon "jump" but rather a balloon "fall." HTH Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixlpr 0 #3 May 28, 2007 QuoteWould you do it again and what should I expect? 99% of the time you are landing out to some unknown area without wind indication, ground crew etc. So you will be on your own. Most likely you will jump when the balloon pilot say so. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leesamsiel 0 #4 May 28, 2007 QuoteWhen I get a few more jumps under my belt, wouldn't mind trying a balloon jump. Like to ehar from anyone out there who has done them. How was it? Would you do it again and what should I expect? 1. Wear a baggy FreeFly jumpsuit if you have one to get the most air resistance. You'll gain stability at the earliest possible time (~8 - 10 sec. off balloon). Don't be tempted to wear shorts and a t-shirt....it will take you ~1,500' or more of freefall to get stable. You are going to feel uncomfortable right after exit because you can't "fly" the air like you do out of a plane. 2. If you have more than one rig, jump the most docile one you have on your first balloon jump --- hopefully it is not a crotch-rocket. 3. Jump high. Try to talk the balloon pilot into going to 4,000' - 5,000' AGL. They don't like to do this because it consumes propane. Convince him you need the altitude. 4. Look for all possible safe landing areas BEFORE you jump.....land there. Look for hazards BEFORE you jump --- trees, fencelines, wires, power lines, buildings, etc.....avoid them. If you're over a large suburban development, wait until the balloon moves to an area where there is lots of clear space below to land. Don't try to "thread the needle" into a small postage stamp-size landing area (such as an inner city black-topped playground) on your first balloon jump. 5. Decide which way the wind is blowing in relation to the sun before you jump....do you want to be landing into the sun? Away from the sun? With the sun to your right or left? etc. Land into the wind. Usually the winds on the ground are light or the balloon pilot would not have flown, so this is not usually an issue. 6. Pull high (3,000') and make some slow 360 deg. turns to pick your landing area early. Then set up and fly the pattern like you do at your home DZ. 7. This is no time to practice HPL's. 8. Make sure to clear your airspace before jumping....you don't have the luxury of a jump pilot with ATC contact on a balloon jump. The balloon pilot is not going to babysit you on this. You're on your own. 9. After landing, give a big arm wave to let them know you're OK. Most balloon pilots have two-way radios to communicate with their chase van, and they can tell them where to pick you up. I would recommend making your first balloon jump with people who are experienced at hauling skydivers, although you can do them safely with any ballon pilot willing to take you up. Have a good one! LS Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdog 0 #5 May 28, 2007 Balloon jumps are fun... You will not have wind when you leave the balloon, so you will fly your body like a diver jumping into a pool from a high dive - with gymnastic moves instead of aerodynamic moves. This makes it fun, and perhaps a training scenario for BASE. I disagree with the other poster about wearing something baggy. Wear something comfortable and you have jumped with before. If you have a baggy jumpsuit you fly, ok... But certainly not required. Here is my best tidbit... Every jumper should have a cell phone and know the phone number of every jumper and the balloon pilot and the ground crew for the skydivers and the ground crew for the balloon. Every time I have gone on jumps organized by others - we have lost the balloon behind a hill and could not find where they landed, or one skydiver landed someplace else and had to be found, etc... All skydivers should land in the same field negotiated before jumping... Also know the biggest risk is to the balloon pilot, not you. If the balloon pilot has not flown jumpers, you may want to talk to him about it. Specifically, when you leave, the balloon suddenly wants to go up real fast. The risk is that this happens so fast the relative wind pushes down on top of the balloon and pushes out the hot air. Suddenly the balloon pilot will be in freefall, and likely will not recover. The simple solution. Communication with the pilot. Make sure he has a very hefty decent rate right before you leave. The bigger the group, greater the rate. If the balloon pilot does not understand this, then put him in touch with a pilot that does for his own sake. Between groups, wait until the pilot says ok, and ask, "are we descending?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adventurechick 0 #6 May 29, 2007 :o) http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1693134787 PMS #449 TPM #80 Muff Brother #3860 SCR #14705 Dirty Sanchez #233 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrismgtis 0 #7 May 29, 2007 QuoteWhen I get a few more jumps under my belt, wouldn't mind trying a balloon jump. Like to ehar from anyone out there who has done them. How was it? Would you do it again and what should I expect? I don't think it's usually allowed till something like 100 jumps, but I'm not sure if that's up to the DZO or USPA or what.Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nickkk 0 #8 May 29, 2007 Chances are you are landing in whatever open field you happen to be over, so landing accuracy is absolutely necessary. They are extremely fun and the silence and dead air is a blast! Have fun! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XUUZZ206g0 What do you do when someone throws a big planet at you? Throw your pilot chute in defense! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lekstrom10k 0 #9 May 29, 2007 My problem with my first jump was weather and winds as stated above the pilots best are your worst. I told them I would land at the closest paved roads i could . I also wanted two chase vehicles. His wife showed up in one .Oh yeah she invited another couple along, with my wife. I had to ride in the open trailer holding my open canopy(PC) bouncing down a gravel road at 60 She had to get to the ballon, Bob the pilot had to ride in the trailer with me back to the house. Needless to say he traded her in for a warm bag of dog shit and got the better deal.With cell phones today its easy to stay in touch, At that time it was a squeeze the ball horn like on 1920 cars. Two toots you were coming down etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mijnjiku 0 #10 May 30, 2007 So assuming you are of the proper experience level for doing a balloon jump, what stops you from making a jump wherever the balloon may take you? I assume nothing. Is there anything that would stop you (save the weather) from making a balloon jump into your own (very large) backyard? Are there FAA-related things that need to be tended to? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpdr 0 #11 May 30, 2007 Did my first balloon jump in Perris a couple of weeks ago. The balloon pilot they use is really experienced and won't let jumpers out below 4.5k. We managed 6.5 on ours and a group a week before got 9k! We also stayed above the DZ and I easily landed on the grass. Great fun. You have to be B licence.Skydiving is more than a sport and more than a job: skydiving is pure passion and desire which will fill a lifetime. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
velvetjo 0 #12 May 30, 2007 The winds don't always do what you expect, so I wouldn't plan on any specific landing area from a balloon. On our way to 6,000' feet last summer, we moved at least three distinct horizontal directions during the climb. You're just along for the ride, and the "pilot" reminds me more of an elevator operator / crash landing specialist. If you want to do a demo legally into your backyard, you need to comply with FAA demo requirements. If you don't care about keeping it legal, that's on you to figure out. If you just want to jump into your backyard, have a friend put out a large banner with the words "FREE BEER" facing up just before you get on the sunset load. You'll probably even get a really good spot for it. Expect lots of company. Lance Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
agent_lead 0 #13 May 30, 2007 ive done 5 balloon jumps...and that is my top 5.. nuff said..-------------------------------------------- www.facebook.com/agentlead Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daremrc 0 #14 May 31, 2007 QuoteDid my first balloon jump in Perris a couple of weeks ago. .... You have to be B licence. I dont remember seeing this in the SIM, is that an absolute requirement of the USPA or the baloor operator? Another person up the thread said you have to have 100 jumps, so whats the story? thanks, I'm curious to try one of these at some point.Good judgement comes from experience, and most of that comes from bad judgement. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nickkk 0 #15 May 31, 2007 If the balloon is operating from a dropzone / boogie they will probably have requirements. If it is just some random balloon pilot who is willing to fly jumpers he probably has no idea about out our sport and has no requirements. Excercise good judgement. It is Usually B License / 100 jumps, because you need to be accurate with landings. What do you do when someone throws a big planet at you? Throw your pilot chute in defense! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #16 May 31, 2007 QuoteQuoteDid my first balloon jump in Perris a couple of weeks ago. .... You have to be B licence. I dont remember seeing this in the SIM, is that an absolute requirement of the USPA or the baloor operator? Another person up the thread said you have to have 100 jumps, so whats the story? thanks, I'm curious to try one of these at some point. The SIM is silent on the matter. Private businesses are free to impose whatever limits they want. The WFFC had baloons and required 50 jumps to get in the door. The big deals are that you should be comfortable landing your canopy off the DZ and will have enough judgement and/or altitude awareness to pitch if you're low and not yet belly to earth. Accuracy importance will vary with the local terrain and how well you spot. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daremrc 0 #17 June 1, 2007 Quote The big deals are that you should be comfortable landing your canopy off the DZ and will have enough judgement and/or altitude awareness to pitch if you're low and not yet belly to earth. Accuracy importance will vary with the local terrain and how well you spot. hmmm... that said I guess it's a good idea to work on accuracy landings in low/no wind. Can you explain to me what spotting consists of in a balloon? I mean, from what I understand about balloon flight, you just kind of float where you float, right? So by spotting a balloon, are you just deciding weather or not to get out when the pilot says 'OK, we're here...'?Good judgement comes from experience, and most of that comes from bad judgement. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdog 0 #18 June 1, 2007 QuoteCan you explain to me what spotting consists of in a balloon? I mean, from what I understand about balloon flight, you just kind of float where you float, right? So by spotting a balloon, are you just deciding weather or not to get out when the pilot says 'OK, we're here...'? That is pretty much it... But, you will have to know where you can land as plan A, plan B and plan C from your exit point. Every balloon jump I have done we have NOT landed directly under the balloon... The balloon keeps flying and you have a few minutes between groups. If you want to land in the same spot, you have to plan ahead... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daremrc 0 #19 June 1, 2007 Thanks for clearing that up. no-wind landings seem to be my least accurate ones so I guess I'll be focusing on them before I get out of any balloons.Good judgement comes from experience, and most of that comes from bad judgement. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozzy13 0 #20 June 5, 2007 Quote:o) http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=1693134787 there is a error with your videoNever give the gates up and always trust your rears! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeepDiver 0 #21 June 6, 2007 Bring a stash bag for your canopy unless you want to pack it in the field where you land. I had to climb a number of barbed wire fences to get to the road. I'd do it again in a second. I loved it. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1988660600239112596&hl=en Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
docjohn 0 #22 June 13, 2007 Video http://www.manifestmaster.com/video/balloon.wmv . Doc http://www.manifestmaster.com/video Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
