LivingLegend 0 #1 August 10, 2004 Anyone know where i can find a Hot air balloon company that would allow a couple of us to jump instead of landing ? ________________________________________ 1.618 ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
j3zz 0 #2 August 10, 2004 If you find one let me know sounds like something I would love to do. Jeremy "Now I know why the birds fly" Hinton Skydivers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
altichick 0 #3 August 10, 2004 As far as I know if it's not organised by BPA and at a DZ with a qualified balloon pilot it's not allowed (http://www.bpa.org.uk/forms.htm) If you could find a balloon pilot who was willing to break the rules, be aware that they and you wont have any knowledge of the possible landing area(s)and hazards etc and you'll be responsible for getting yourself from where ever you land back to your car etc... Sometims a UK DZ will organise balloons, failing that Slovakia DZ has cheap balloons and also a few other cool things to jump http://www.skydive.sk/engl/fcenyev.html Flights from UK with sky europe are cheap... Or several US DZ have balloons, I know Eloy has ballooons available most days. (PS I haven't jumped there so I don't know what the DZ is like at all, I just was thinking of jumping there due to the cool planes... if you go, I'd love to hear what you think of it!) Be safe! Don't sweat the petty things... and don't pet the sweaty things! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vt1977 0 #4 August 11, 2004 First off, the pilot has to be a BPA Approved balloon pilot. There are a few around (at least one at Headcorn that I know of). Also in order for the jump to go ahead legally you need to have a dropzone controller on the ground – I’m pretty sure this has to be a minimum of a CSI. In addition to that you need the normal balloon retrieval vehicle etc. It is a LOT of hassle! And since most balloon jumps either happen v early in the morning (try getting a CSI out of bed to stand on the ground watyching you have fun at 5am! ) or late in the evening (try keeping most CSIs out of the bar after they’ve finished a long day jumping !) it can be that much more difficult to find volunteers to cover the ground side of it. I’ve seen balloon jumps happen twice at UK DZs in 10 years of jumping. Both times I was helping out as ground crew as I had done balloon jumps before and was saving the limited slots for those who hadn’t done one before. I did my first balloon jump at the WFFC and my second at Eloy last year – they’re great! Even at WFFC (although this was when it was still at Quincy – it may have changed) I had to wait and queue to get a slot on a balloon. Eloy was way easier – at last year’s Holiday Boogie there was a sign up sheet outside manifest. hth! Vicki Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steph2 0 #5 August 11, 2004 Quotethe pilot has to be a BPA Approved balloon pilot. There are a few around (at least one at Headcorn that I know of). There's 2 now! QuoteI’ve seen balloon jumps happen twice at UK DZs in 10 years of jumping. Yup, I agree with Vicki... I've only ever seen one UK balloon jump. It was at Headcorn, but I was on it so I can't complain!!! Balloon jumps are fantastic!!! Steph -x- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gordy 0 #6 August 11, 2004 Controversial I know, but the dropzone controller etc are only essential if your doing it legally..... .....but if they catch you they will take your BPA ....things to consider.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deaffreeflyer 0 #7 August 12, 2004 I am sure there are more than 2. Last year, Sibson organised it a few times but only draw lucky winners. Dunno about this year. David Fish is a skydiver, tandem instructor, cameraflyer and BPA Approved balloon pilot. I think he owns balloon stuff. Get in touch with him - phone Sibson up and ask for him. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LivingLegend 0 #8 August 12, 2004 Thanks guys ________________________________________ 1.618 ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steph2 0 #9 August 12, 2004 Quote I am sure there are more than 2 Yes, so am I... I was talking about the 2 balloon pilots qualified to drop jumpers at *Headcorn*. There are always loads of balloon flights going on there, but they have more than enough full price paying customers to fill them... The time I got to jump was early in the year, the weather had been awful for ages and so the the balloon club didn't have any punters lined up. The forecast looked good for the morning, Tony wanted to go up and so offered it to us lot in the bar! Definitely a case of being in the right place at the right time! Vicki was a complete star and helped us set the balloon up - especially kind of her, since it was 6 o'clock in the morning!!! (although I suspect it was just to laugh at the sight of me up at such an ungodly hour!) Steph -x- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DZJ 0 #10 September 9, 2004 What altitude can a balloon get up to? I did a helicopter jump at Langar during the Boogie. It was only a 6,000' hop and pop but the feeling of clean air was amazing - would love to try a balloon jump. -Ian Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyPrincess2002 0 #11 September 10, 2004 We had a very successful balloon jump in Gervais Oregon this morning. Dark when we got there at 5:45am. Patchy fog. But the sun began to rise, and we climbed into the Balloon. 7 of us. 4 Wing guys and 3 RW. Two at a time - the first group at 4500 ft, 2nd group at 5500 - I got out at about 6500 and my date said he was close to 7K. What a wonderful feeling stepping off the side of the basket. Quiet and then a whoosh. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sven 0 #12 September 11, 2004 I heard that Empuriabrava in Spain organises balloon jumps on a regular basis. www.skyrats.com I think in particular that the Xmass boogie has them. The Vichy boogie in August usualy has them too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
