Jump to content

CaptJeff

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    171

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    7

 Content Type 

Posts posted by CaptJeff

  2. Ground Teams FAVORITE Inflation FAN!!!

    in Inflation Fans and parts

    Posted

    This is a complete custom fan.  about 100 hours of use.  The fan is made with an entirely aluminum frame.  2" tubular construction.  Angled rear feet to stay exactly where you put it.  Angled front handle for easy transport in and out of trailer or vehicle.  9 HP HONDA motor.   6 Blade prop!   Oversized pneumatic tires for of use in launch fields.  This thing is a well built air moving monster!  ASKING $1,400

    Alum9hp30inch1.thumb.jpg.52154f149952db1b6583c2a3fba6ca36.jpgAlum9hp30inch2.jpg.9fd10f3544637779d964c3e9cd49c6d8.jpgAlum9hp30inch3.jpg.714491e8fcc96785a83445a95c9dc284.jpgAlum9hp30inch4.jpg.67f5619d52bf8db78940fb975d8278d0.jpgAlum9hp30inch5.jpg.3f440c2b9ce20fd04c00a2ad9b50491d.jpg

    Fan runs fantastic.  Starts on first pull.  This fan will fill a balloon up to 175K easy by itself.  Asking $1,400.  This fan is a favorite of the ground team because it is so light weight and easy to handle.

    Contact Jeff A Thompson.  Info@ThompsonAire.com or TEXT 407-421-9322  We are located near Disney World in Florida.  Will transport up to 200 miles.

     

  11. Suunto Compass

    in Odds and Endless

    Posted

    This is the less expensive version of the Suunto.  The rubber housing.  This compass was used only a few times by a student pilot.  Comes with belt pouch (never worn)  In like new condition.  Normally $85 - $90  For sale to first offer of $50.

    SuuntoCompass.png.758324681133582081716721f638a3c9.png

    Send me a note.  Info@ThompsonAire.com

    test hof

    in Lost and Found

    Posted

    This is a reply to the topic you and I started at your house in the TEST forum.  You will receive an email that tells you that I have made a reply to a topic you have started.  This is the email that ALL the committee members will get when they select the FOLLOW option for each topic started in the Committee Work AREA.  Once you are following a topic ANY replies made by committee members will be then sent to the rest of the committee.  BUT, it is up to each member of the committee to "FOLLOW" the topics.

    I am now going to go and clear out the work area for you.  Since all the committee members currently "FOLLOW" the Work area forum I think I would place the announcement email in there as a topic.  Then they will all get the email from the system and can go log in and view the instructions.  I can write up something for you.

    I have already changed the wording on the PRIVATE COMMITTEE pages.  I will be adding your text with the EMAIL link to the Notables Category shortly.

     

    Jeff

  17. What happens to a worn out balloon?

    in Ballooning Q & A

    Posted

    My reply to this.

     

    Here is the short answer

    NO

    It is not necessary to read beyond this point unless you are still thinking about doing this.  If you are then proceed.

     

    You are welcome to ask some Balloonist’s in your area if they are willing to give you an old envelope.  I promise you will not want it. 

    Remember these things are flown about 500 times before they are worn out.  Often stored in their bag damp from the dew on the grass and drug on the ground at least twice each flight (During the Inflation and the deflation at the end of the flight)  Often they are faded, stink, dirty and tear easily. This means that your whole place will have a Mildew/Manure smell by morning.   Also think about where we land.  Many times we are out in Cow Pastures where the balloon often will get cow manure on it.  Don’t tell anyone you are covering their clothing with fabric that has cow dung on it.   As I have said, they are not suitable for any use when they are worn out.  You do not want it.

     

    If you go to the website HotAirBalloonist.com you can use the Member Map to find a local balloon ride company in your area and contact them to see if they have anything they wish to give up.  You will have to find someone local since these balloons weigh between 150 and 300 pounds, so shipping one from anywhere would be very expensive. 

     

    Do you have someone that can sew?  Keep in mind you will spend a lot of time cutting the fabric out of the balloon and then sewing it back together for your purpose.  The balloon has webbing sewn on it every few feet.  So you will have to cut the fabric out of the framework of the balloon this is a very labor intensive process. Keep in mind the fabric of the balloon is cut and sewn together to be round so it will not hang flat or straight.   I remember when I had a client who wanted me to remove the Velcro from the banners he was throwing away.  I asked him REALLY?  You want to pay me for four hours of work at a shop rate of $26.50 an hour to save $24 of Velcro?   I honestly believe you would be much better off going to a fabric store and purchasing a cheap taffeta or even linen and sew up what you want. 

     

    Remember this is advice from someone who has been doing this for four decades.  You are welcome to ignore my advice. 

     

    All the best

    Jeff

  18. What happens to a worn out balloon?

    in Ballooning Q & A

    Posted

    Here is a reply to the above email

     

    Good morning, Jeff.

     

    Thank you very much for your informative reply!  You're right.  I really had no idea.  I am going for my first balloon ride next month in CA and am looking forward to it.

     

    That, however, is not the reason for my inquiry.  I do believe there could be many uses for the lightweight fabric previously used as a balloon.  For example, I work at the Clothing Closet (aka Thrift Shop) in Tarrytown, NY where we are looking for a very lightweight fabric to hide our inventory in the multi purpose room where we hold our clothing sales and the youth hold their meetings.  As the name infers, the room is used for other purposes, as well.  We also hold two annual events where tables are covered and other items, such as chairs and table storage racks, need to be stored out of sight.  Again, the lightweight fabric would be ideal.

     

    Do you think after the service of a retired balloon (I'd hate to take away the opportunity for good story-telling and beer!) it might be possible to save it from a landfill and put it to uses as I've described above?

     

    Thanks again for any information you can provide!

    Balloon Photographic Rights

    in Odds and Endless

    Posted

    So what can and can not be done with a photo of your balloon?  There was a great thread on the Reflector about this so I have just copied it over here.  It seemed to cover most of the major pionts.

     

    So what happens when someone else takes a picture of your balloon and you want a copy of it?

    Could you use it for your own use without permission and do they have a right to copyright it?

     

    Glen O’Bryan

    Bird’s-Eye Balloon Rides

     

    One of my balloons appeared in a commercially produced jigsaw puzzle and it also showed up as a decal. I love it! In my opinion, any of my balloons can appear on anything (other than middle-man sellers), it’s good for ballooning and good for business.

    The following is an email I received from a friend who is a good, professional photographer. I thought I’d share this as I learned quite a few things:

     

     Hey Sean

    I found it interesting on Facebook that someone mentioned copyright on the commercial puzzle.

    Being a photographer and having my photos sold thru 8 stock photo agencies I have to watch for copyright all the time or they won't accept them.

    How it works for balloons is.....

    If anyone in the basket is recognizable you have to have a model release for each person that can be recognized.....without the releases they cannot be used for commercial use..... But, they can be sold and used for Editorial purposes only.....such as newspapers, magazine, web articles etc..... Kind of like pictures of celebrities where the photographers can only sell them for editorial use.

    The close up shots I got of Gilly Bean going over the waterfalls can only be used for Editorial because you can see Kevin and the other people in the balloon.....

     As for the balloons themselves......Any sponsored balloon with logos or advertising such as REMAX or Goodyear have to have a property release to be used for commercial purposes.  Most companies won't do that unless they want the photos for their own commercial use...... ( then I could sell the photos to them for big Bucks.....lol) ......

    But, once again the photos of the sponsored balloons can be sold for Editorial purposes.......

     

    Balloons without recognizable people or sponsor logos do not need a release and can be used commercially......

     

    Thought you might be interested in how that works......

     

    Sean Quigley 6773 Halvorsen Road

    Portageville, New York 14536

     

    585-493-3340

     

    So what happens when someone else takes a picture of your balloon and you want a copy of it?

      Well, as David indicated, you can ask for a copy...and for permission to use it. As a general rule (with a few exceptions), when a photograph is taken, the photographer who pushed the button owns the copyright. Copyright law does not require a photographer "copyright" their work. Copyright protection is automatic. Many photographers will mark their work with the copyright symbol "©", not because it is required in order to assert one's rights, but to discourage others from infringing upon those rights.

     

    > Could you use it for your own use without permission and do they have a right to copyright it?

    In a word, no. It would be strongly recommended that the photographer's

    (written) permission be obtained before using their work to avoid copyright infringement. And, going back to the previous paragraph, a photographer need not copyright their work. It is copyrighted upon creation. But they certainly have the right to mark their work as copyrighted, watermark it,  and/or to register their work with the U.S.

    Copyright Office.

     

    As it pertains to balloons, in general, if property is visible and can be photographed from a public place, you don’t need a property release to use an image that depicts the property and you may use the photo in any manner. However, where the lines become blurred, is when a balloon's design could be considered original artwork. As the creator of art, the copyright owner has the exclusive rights in the art such as for reproduction. Courts have disagreed as to whether taking photos of copyrighted works is a violation. Regardless, the law prevents you from having copyright ownership of anything that is an infringement.

    Obviously, this would not be a factor if your balloon is a stock pattern, such as many of the common Aerostar patterns. It also would likely be difficult to claim a "generic" spiral pattern to be original art. But some of the more complex artwork balloons, or other one of a kind works, such as Charlie Markert's airbrushed envelopes, or Jonathan Wolfe's Skydyes could certainly fall into this category.

     

    The bottom line is, if you are using photographs taken by someone other than yourself, without specific permission to do so, you are more than likely infringing upon their copyright.

     

    Soft landings all,

     

    Bruce Wood,

    20+ years in the photography and photofinishing industry

  20. What happens to a worn out balloon?

    in Ballooning Q & A

    Posted

    The fabric a balloon is made from is a very light weight Rip-Stop nylon or a polyester fabric. 

     

    This fabric only weighs about 1.9 ounces per yard.  The fabric is very high strength and is coated with a Urethane or silicon coating to make it air tight.  As a balloon ages the coating on the fabric begins to break down and starts to come off the fabric.  This allows some of the air in the balloon to leak out of the balloon and that begins to break down the strength of the fabric.  By the end of a balloons life the fabric has very little strength left and air passes thru the fabric with very little resistance.  At this point the fabric has almost no useful purpose.  If you were storing a boat or a car in a warehouse the fabric may be used as a dust cover and that is about all.  If you used it outdoors it would last a few weeks before it would literally fall to pieces.  Since the coating has worn off of the fabric it would not even make a good drop cloth for painting since the paint would leak thru.  There simply is not much use for a worn out balloon.

     

    BUT..

     

    The fabric part of the balloon is the actual aircraft!  It has registration numbers and an airworthiness certificate issued by the FAA and serial numbers and an FAA Registration.  SO…It still has value because of its identity so to speak.  It is still a certified aircraft.  In many cases the balloon can be rebuilt by removing the old fabric and sewing in new fabric.  This is also a huge savings in cost vs purchasing a new balloon.  There is also significantly less paperwork involved in this process than purchasing a new *envelope and pairing it with your *bottom end.  In many cases old balloons are stored for potential future rebuilding or sold to someone who will rebuild the Envelope. 

     

    When we do discard a balloon it is generally destroyed.  We will cut off all of the attachment parts at the bottom of the balloon and remove all of the control lines from the inside and cut or remove the valve system in the top of the balloon.  We will also remove all of the identification marks and the ID Tags so that the balloon is completely unusable so there will be no chance of someone trying to fly it.  Even inflating a balloon on a windy day can have potentially life threatening consequences so we  completely disable the balloon.  At this point they are generally given a small service (We drink a couple of beers and talk about some of the more exciting flights) and place the balloon in a safe place (Landfill) and put a photo of it on the wall in our office.

     

    *Envelope is the fabric part of the balloon. The Envelope is considered the aircraft and everything else is just parts.

    *Bottom End is the basket, burners, fuel tanks and instruments

    .

    I hope I have given you a better understanding about what sounds like a simple question but is a little more complex than you may have thought.

  22. Teathering By Bob Scobee

    in General Topics

    Posted

    I believe I'm in that too many tether hours to count category. It is certainly well over a thousand hours and may be closer to a couple thousand than I care to think. I didn't used to differentiate them in my pilot log.  I know some people hate tethers, but I can tell you for certain that corporate sponsors love them, and doing what your client wants is rule number two in corporate ballooning. In the early ballooning days for me, about 30 some years ago, I did mostly static tethers, and was first taught to use a couple top tethers tied off from the upwind direction, fighting against the wind. It was a battle, but being the only thing I had seen done, it seemed to make sense - more like flying a kite than tethering a balloon though, and yes I sure hated doing them like that.  Then I started contracting for another commercial pilot, Jim Birk, and we went to do a tether and when he had me position our only extra tie off vehicle (first vehicle is always for the basket) in the downwind position I admit I was confused.  When the balloon was inflated and we tied it off so that the balloon went ahead and leaned over with the wind and was tied off to just stay there, it was a light bulb, mind blowing experience!  If I forgot to thank ya back then, thanks Jim, but I know he doesn't spend much time on the internet...

    The next learning experience came with the currently discussed triple top tether system.  With a total of six ropes -  three going from the crown ring down to the bottom envelope attachments- carabiner, A block or whatever your system uses.  The other three going from a floating cababiner riding up and down on the first three ropes, to three tie down points.  The best tie down points are large vehicles that can be used to maneuver if conditions deteriorate and a rapid deflation becomes necessary.  When properly set up I don't believe there is any better system for doing tethers, especially lifting tethers giving rides.

    Another really important key, that comes from doing a bunch of them, is to keep the envelope as tight as possible.  Putting as much weight as possible in the basket, without exceeding any manufacturers limitations, allows for as much heat as possible to be kept in the envelope.  This keeps the envelope tight and helps prevent the envelope from partially collapsing and "sailing".  Again remember about manufacturers limitations and it should be obvious that these are going to be hard, life limiting hours for the envelope. If I am using my own system this is exactly why I charge about triple for doing tethers than for doing flights.  For corporate programs this is just a given part of the system being used as a tool for obtaining the desired visibility sometimes desired.

    So, what is rule number one?  In corporate ballooning, just like any other ballooning, it is obviously safety.  If your client doesn't agree, it is time to find another client.  PIC ALWAYS makes the final decisions.

     

     

    Best, Bob Scobee

    Fly Ohio Ballooning

    FAA CRS IF5R933M

    20724 Wolford Maskill Rd.

    Marysville, OH 43040-8878

    (937)642-9121

    fax (937)642-9262

    visit our website

    www.flyohioballooning.com

  23. Obbs Map

    in Weather Websites

    Posted

    Here is where you can go and use a map of your area to view all of the observation stations in your area.

     

    http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/zoa/mwmap2.php?map=zma

     

    Not only will you see the stations around the area you can hover your mouse over the station and a pop up will open to tell you the current conditions.  Click on a station and you will be taken to the stations webpage.  Here you can see current conditions as well as past condtions. 

    post-1-0-75339300-1450716187_thumb.jpg

    Allow the page a few moments to complete the upload nad you will also see navigation bar at the top appear.  Here you can see many other things as well as the forcast for that station written by the staff meterologist at that location.  So you can get several different forecasts for your area written by independant meterologists.  You can also get the local RUC sounding for that location.

     

    A very nice map to have and use.

    There is now a new web page for this information.  It will take some getting used to but it looks pretty good.

    https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/map/?&zoom=5&scroll_zoom=false&center=40,-97&boundaries=false,false,false,false,false,false,false,false,false&tab=observation&hazard=true&hazard_type=all&hazard_opacity=70&obs=true&obs_type=weather&elements=temp,wind,gust&temp_filter=-80,130&gust_filter=0,150&rh_filter=0,100&elev_filter=-300,14000&precip_filter=0.01,18&obs_popup=true&obs_density=60&obs_provider=ALL

     

     

×
×
  • Create New...