Ballon jump and digital altimeter... any issues?

[AlanS 1]

I'm thinking about doing a ballon jump soon and am wondering if digital altimeters have any issues on a ballon jump, or if it is even a factor.

What is the typical pull altitude from a ballon jump etc. What should I expect?

[Blis 1]

Not an issue...

Jump height depends most often on weather, can be as low as 800m up to 3-4km...

[377 20]

No altimeter issues but really keep an sharp eye out for power poles, and the nearly invisible lines that span between them, you almost certainly wont be landing at a DZ that you are familiar with.

When I did my balloon jump it was from a fleet of balloons at WFFC in Illinois. A young woman jumper from another balloon picked the same small landing area I did, which had a tricky approach due to winds and power lines that were high and stretched between two towers that were located far off the LZ patch.

After gathering up my chute I walked over to her and said that was kinda difficult setting up with those power lines over there. She said what power lines? She hadn't even seen them and crossed over them without a lot of room to spare. She looked sick when she saw what she had missed.

Balloon jumps are really fun, unlike any jump from a moving aircraft.

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[councilman24 36]

Also, if your doing a group exit, be aware that it is a zero airspeed exit. You won't be able to track or maneuver for 5-10 sec. This is not the same as an airplane exit where you have the forward airspeed to work with. Why is this important? If you exit with others and they decide to deploy quickly you won't have had time to get separation. The balloon pilot will dictate the exit. They may need to set up a rate of decent so that when you leave the balloon doesn't cork, it just stops descending. Coordination is needed by all.

I had a 200 jump wonder decide that rather than exit just after me and pulling above me he would let go without looking at me just before the signal got from my brain to my hands to let go. This put him below me with him not having a clue. Decided to deploy at about 5 sec. All I could do to miss him and his canopy with little airspeed to work with.

Plan the dive and dive the plan.

Heed wire advice above and realize that wires don't always follow roads. Assume they are along the roads but look hard for poles in the middle of the fields. Also up hill and downhill landing can be challenging if your not ready for them and aware that the ground it going to jump up and meet you or fall away as your trying to get your feet on the ground. All be aware of the wind direction. Direction the balloon is moving. You won't have wind socks or other normal aids. Look for flags, smoke or steam or just remember. And take your cell phone to call 911 when you break your leg. With GPS on.

Worries me a little that you thought there might be an issue with the altimeter. That is the least (non-existent) thing you should be concerned about.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[ShortStack 0]

377

Balloon jumps are really fun, unlike any jump from a moving aircraft.

Fixed it for you:
Balloon jumps are really fun, and unlike any jump from a moving aircraft.

[377 20]

Thanks! I sure botched the syntax.

377

2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

[billeisele 122]

I had a couple people tell me that their digital altimeters didn't work correctly, the ascent rate was slow enough that the altimeter kept resetting to zero, according to one of them his altimeter said 485' at exit

don't know the type they had

Give one city to the thugs so they can all live together. I vote for Chicago where they have strict gun laws.

[Remster 24]

billeisele

I had a couple people tell me that their digital altimeters didn't work correctly, the ascent rate was slow enough that the altimeter kept resetting to zero, according to one of them his altimeter said 485' at exit

don't know the type they had

Don't know about their balloons, but the ones I've been in for jumping climb just about as fast as a twin otter.

Remster

[gowlerk 1,901]

Remster

***I had a couple people tell me that their digital altimeters didn't work correctly, the ascent rate was slow enough that the altimeter kept resetting to zero, according to one of them his altimeter said 485' at exit

don't know the type they had

Don't know about their balloons, but the ones I've been in for jumping climb just about as fast as a twin otter.


Ever been in an aircraft that had to stop climbing and just hold altitude for a few or more minutes? Did your altimeter cope with that just fine? Thought so.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[JerryBaumchen 1,046]

Hi bill,

Quote

I had a couple people tell me . . .

I have only one balloon jump and the altimeter worked fine both up & down.

Jerry Baumchen

[gowlerk 1,901]

JerryBaumchen

Hi bill,

Quote

I had a couple people tell me . . .

I have only one balloon jump and the altimeter worked fine both up & down.

Jerry Baumchen

Oh Jerry, come on now. You didn't have an "electronic digital" altimeter did you? I can't believe you would own or use such a thing. It would clash with your frappe hat!


( I once went to the tunnel in Eloy with my frappe hat. They wouldn't let me fly with it.)

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[JerryBaumchen 1,046]

Hi Ken,

Quote

You didn't have an "electronic digital" altimeter did you?

You too will cross the threshold into old age. Best of luck when you get there,

Jerry Baumchen

[Hellis 0]

gowlerk

******I had a couple people tell me that their digital altimeters didn't work correctly, the ascent rate was slow enough that the altimeter kept resetting to zero, according to one of them his altimeter said 485' at exit

don't know the type they had

Don't know about their balloons, but the ones I've been in for jumping climb just about as fast as a twin otter.


Ever been in an aircraft that had to stop climbing and just hold altitude for a few or more minutes? Did your altimeter cope with that just fine? Thought so.

Yes I have.
No it didn't work fine with my altimeter. It zeroed at about 1000 ft.
The plane leveld for about one minute and that was enough I guess.


But I have never had any problems in ballons

[fcajump 153]

JerryBaumchen

Hi Ken,

Quote

You didn't have an "electronic digital" altimeter did you?

You too will cross the threshold into old age. Best of luck when you get there,

Jerry Baumchen

“Old age, in short…One day, perhaps, it will happen to you…if you are lucky….”


As to the original question - yes, a digital altimeter (audio/visual/AAD) could be susceptible to thinking it is still (or back) on the ground with a simple barometric change. Hold an any one altitude long enough and I suspect all of them would unless/until they determine that they are in flight mode (for those that do). Climb slow enough and it may not get to that mode either.

BUT, the behavior/thresholds are going to be different based on the programming of each brand/make/model/update-rev. (at which point anecdotal discussion will not give you your best answers)

If you are concerned about your specific equipment, ask the manufacturer about it and what climb/hold parameters would be a problem.

If you're going for a balloon jump and the pilots climbs out smartly and simply ascends til jump time, there should be no problem.

If you're going for a long balloon flight/excursion with a jump at the end, then you may have issues.

For your visual altimeter, I would read up on whether you can readjust it in flight. If so, check against the balloon pilot's alt.

You could also borrow an analog alt from the local DZ as backup...

My bigger concern would be to ensure my AAD behavior was compatible with the intended flight profile. (should be, but check)

They're a lot of fun, wish I was going.

JW

Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

[raveninca 0]

We tried to get one in two weekends ago but it didn't happen due to low cloud cover. We went through the clouds at 2k and then came back down to just under the clouds, we hung out at that alt for a few min to see if we could find a break but it didn't happen, in that time though my VisoII rezero'd itself so yes it can happen.

The other thing you need to think about is that by the time you jump from the balloon your most likely going to be over a different spot on the ground from when you took off and depending on the geography that could be a pretty big difference in what your alt thinks AGL is.

[wasatchrider 0]

suddenly my suunto doesn't seem so bad like everyone talks about

BASE 1519

[gowlerk 1,901]

JerryBaumchen

Hi Ken,

Quote

You didn't have an "electronic digital" altimeter did you?

You too will cross the threshold into old age. Best of luck when you get there,

Jerry Baumchen

I consider myself well on the way. It's a short trip from here.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[gowlerk 1,901]

Quote

Yes I have.
No it didn't work fine with my altimeter. It zeroed at about 1000 ft.
The plane leveld for about one minute and that was enough I guess.

Wow, thanks for that. Another reason I'll stick to analog. Me and Jerry may be the last ones.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[fcajump 153]

gowlerk

Quote

Yes I have.
No it didn't work fine with my altimeter. It zeroed at about 1000 ft.
The plane leveld for about one minute and that was enough I guess.

Wow, thanks for that. Another reason I'll stick to analog. Me and Jerry may be the last ones.

One of the reasons I still have a chest-mount analog... I just wish they read the same in freefall... (same in the plane, same under canopy and on the ground, but 1k' different in ff )

JW

Always remember that some clouds are harder than others...

[Remster 24]

gowlerk

******I had a couple people tell me that their digital altimeters didn't work correctly, the ascent rate was slow enough that the altimeter kept resetting to zero, according to one of them his altimeter said 485' at exit

don't know the type they had

Don't know about their balloons, but the ones I've been in for jumping climb just about as fast as a twin otter.


Ever been in an aircraft that had to stop climbing and just hold altitude for a few or more minutes? Did your altimeter cope with that just fine? Thought so.

Thought so what? You must have one finicky altimeter.....

Remster

[Alti2_Staff 0]

Speaking only about Alti-2 electronic/digital altimeters (Atlas, N3, N3 Audio, Neptune2, Ruggedized Neptune) . . .

The following Alti-2 Forums article was intended for users like you . . .

http://www.alti-2.com/showthread.php?1420-Using-quot-DZ-Offset-quot-amp-quot-I-m-On-A-Jump-quot-to-Compliment-the-Auto-Zero-Function

Please feel free to email me directly if you have any more questions [email protected]

Alti-2, Inc. Staff

[gowlerk 1,901]

Quote

Please feel free to email me directly if you have any more questions

I'm going to ignore those instructions in favor of seeking more knowledge passed on to more people in this forum.

I understand why you might incorporate an auto zero function. But why not have a simple mode, or a simple version. With an analog alti you just zero it before you board the aircraft. Wouldn't a simple device with a "zero" button on the face be more than adequate for well over 95% of the sport jumps done?

Simple easy to use interfaces are the gold standard. Just hold a seance and ask Steve Jobs.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[Alti2_Staff 0]

That's why I posted the link to the Alti-2 Forum post

Alti-2, Inc. Staff

[gowlerk 1,901]

Alti2_Staff

That's why I posted the link to the Alti-2 Forum post

I read that post. It's a fine example of the exact opposite of simplicity. The device should assume it's on a jump unless told otherwise. Not the other way around.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[councilman24 36]

I now admit ignorance of electronic altimeters. I don't own any and don't much want to. I have used audible for a long time.

I would have never dreamed that the thing would auto zero after take off if you didn't tell it not to. If I ever want a digital altimeter I guess I'll be looking for one that works like my analogs, set at the beginning of the day. Check each jump that pressure hasn't changed, and tell me the altitude when ever I look at it. Do any do this?

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE