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GAS DIVISIONH NEWSLETTER Official Publication of the BFA Gas Division Volume 1, Issue 2 Copyright Peter Cuneo & Barbara Fricke, 2000 Summer 2000 DANVILLE by Barbara Fricke The invitation went out for the National Gas Balloon Race to be held with the Oldsmobile Balloon Classic Illinois in Danville, Illinois. It would be a BFA sanctioned 3-part task race instead of a distance race. Ten balloons would compete. The pilots and co-pilots who registered, according to the rally's web site ( www.balloonclassic.org ), were: Troy Bradley and Bruce Hale Rusty Elwell and Don Weeks Barbara Fricke, Ray Bair and Danni Suskin Jim Hershend and Jack Holland David Levin and George Ibach Bert Padelt and Jack Edling Johnny Petrehn and Sam Parks The first briefing was on Thursday evening. Shane Robinson, Paul Morlock and Charles Page Not much said, since weather was the main concern Stan Wereschuk and Ron Martin and the weatherman was unavailable. The flags in Randy Woods and Ted Stanley front of the hotel were almost straight out. Friday morning resulted in the only pictures taken relating to gas ballooning. The organizers had arranged for many helpers with the big mound of sand. Friday's noon briefing was positive about an evening flight. The 7:00 pm briefing put the flight on hold. The later briefing called the Friday flight off – too windy. It would have been a "Denver" windy inflation and a flight towards, if not over, Lake Erie with sunrise while over the lake. Saturday's noon briefing tried to be positive, while the weather channel was forecasting evening thundershowers. By mid-afternoon the filling lines had been collected and the helium trucks were gone. It was over for this year. The BFA sanction was only for flights on Friday or Saturday. The prize money was split between the balloon teams and registration fees were held for next year's flight. The Oldsmobile Balloon Classic Illinois had put on a gallant effort to hold a gas balloon race. The amenities of the sponsor and the rally organizers were great, but Mother Nature ruled on this one. I hope to see everyone in Danville next year. Photos by Bill Parks ❐ Gas Division Newsletter 1 GIZMOS & GADGETS EDITORS’ COLUMN by Peter Cuneo & Barbara Fricke Flytek 4020 Pro Altimeter/Variometer and FAI Approved Barograph ( http://www.flytec.com/4000 ) As we send this second issue to bed, we This instrument has been available for several years but would like to reiterate our plea for more member a recent upgrade now makes it more useful to gas submissions. Photos, articles, maps, letters, balloonists. The FAI approved barograph is now able to anecdotes, web sites and insights are coveted. The record flights of up to 130 hours, rather than the previous editors most definitely do NOT wish to make this 50 hours. Purchase of an optional memory module is journal a diary of their personal gas ballooning required for this capacity. The 4020 still comes with exploits, however in hopes of boring our readership standard features including; dual altimeter displays in into action, we shall continue on our current tack feet or meters; variometer with variable averaging; a until the mailbag yields results. twin tone rate of descent alarm; an internal clock and That said, Mark Sullivan’s article on flying thermometer; FlyChart 4.0 Windows software for hydrogen in the last issue did elicit a comment from downloading flight profiles; variable recording times and one very respected source. Mr. Ed Yost has a protective case. The 4020 is reported to have excellent recounted his personal experiences using hydrogen HF shielding so perhaps its variometer won’t peg itself to launch both manned and unmanned balloons. every time a UHF air-to-ground radio is keyed as does Some of his thoughts follow. 1) Hydrogen burns my current instrument set. List Price: $950. with extra very quickly and with a totally invisible flame; 2) memory. Currently available from Best Aviation for Anyone in close proximity to a hydrogen fire has $750. (610) 845-7857 email:[email protected] virtually no time to escape; 3) Ed has personally ------------------------------ witnessed more than one hydrogen accident and has Handheld Aircraft Radio ( http://www.yaesu.com/ ) no desire to see another; 4) Even the European The Yaesu Pro II gets a great review in Aviator magazine. ballooning community with its vast experience Features include PC programming capability, 50 memory flying hydrogen balloons continues to have channels, 250 book memories, NOAA weather receive, (but no occasional accidents; 5) The immense publicity VOR capability) and automatic noise limiter (5W output, associated with the KAIBF would make any accident 1.5W carrier). Available: Aircraft Spruce 1 (877) 4-SPRUCE http://www.aircraft-spruce.com/spruce/ $299.00 into a major media circus. Without entering into an ------------------------------ ongoing debate on the merits of various lifting gases Global Star Satellite Phone Ed does strongly feel the potential dangers of For Discount prices for balloonists call: Down to Earth hydrogen should be considered. Satellites,(307) 322-2135 and ask for Maurice While remaining neutral in this discussion, Down to Earth Satellites the editors refer our readers first to the statistics 1154 South Street shown in Mark’s article in this issue and second, to Wheatland, Wyoming 82201 Anthony Smith’s 1970 book The Dangerous Sort ------------------------------ with its graphic description and photos of the demise Speedtech’s Thunderbolt Storm Detector of Smith’s hydrogen balloon, Jambo. Let us know (http://speedtech.com/sm20.htm) what you think. This handheld instrument claims to perform Also in this issue, we start what may be an storm detection and tracking. The detector estimates on going series on the physics of gas balloons. Is it storm speed, range, intensity and strike probability. too much or too little? More equations or more Advertised range is 60 miles. There is a 4x16 LCD pictures? Let us know. ❐ display for text messages and an audible alarm. It runs on AC or one 9 volt battery (50 hour lifetime). List Price: Model SM-20 $399.00 ------------------------------ Gas Balloon For Sale: DISCLAIMER N95GB (aka “95GasBag”) 220 hours TT - Experimental Aero Vail system with 1,000 cubic meter custom, Information contained in this newsletter is the most up-to-date and correct information possible. The editors, the BFA and its equator fill, Padelt envelope (white with stars and Gas Division officers are not responsible for the accuracy of the stripes) and 2 hi-tech baskets. $20,000 OBO. For more material printed. Opinions expressed in it are solely those of the individual authors and are not an expression of the official views information call Lesley Pritchard @ 970-376-4407. ❐ of the editors, the officers of the BFA or its Gas Division. Gas Division Newsletter 2 (I)] requirements as they apply to the operation of JD’s Hangar Flying by J.D, Huss a gas balloon. One of the major requirements of the training is “a person … must receive and log … training from an authorized instructor”. Let’s J. D. Huss is the Albuquerque, NM, FAA/FSDO talk about these definitions a little: Safety Program Manager • Authorized Instructor: A person who holds A hangar is a building where aircraft are a Commercial Rating in Lighter-Than-Air, maintained or stored, and pilots “hang around” Balloon, without the airborne heater (maybe this is where the term came from?). It is limitation. • definitely where the term “hangar flying” Receive: You must receive training in these originated. In the early days of airplane flying, areas, as required by the FAR’s, from an when the weather was bad, the gang sat around authorized instructor. • the coffeepot and talked about flying. The topics Log: Your instructors must make an entry in of these gatherings ranged from regulations, your Pilot’s Logbook that defines what techniques, instruction, to new ideas. training was accomplished on each flight and they must endorse that entry. If I were to say there has been a recent resurgence in gas ballooning in the United If you compare the requirements of FAR’s States, I would probably be accused of “typical 61.107(b)(8) and 61.127(b)(8) you will notice the British understatement”. When gas ballooning is addition of items for Fundamentals of mentioned, most people immediately conjure up Instructing, Technical Subjects, and Preflight pictures of the HINDENBURG. In reality, the Lesson on a Maneuver to be Performed in Flight. Europeans have flown approximately 23,000 If you are removing the “Airborne Heater” hydrogen (H) flights between 1973 and 1999 restriction from your Commercial Pilot with no fatalities, traceable to the use hydrogen Certificate, you must receive and log training in as a lifting gas. Although it is still quite these additional Areas of Operation, as they expensive, hydrogen is a little more than 1/3 the apply to operating a Gas Balloon. cost of helium (He), making it feasible to remove your airborne heater limitation and let Now we come to the fun part – FLYING! the world know that “you’ve got gas!” The • Whether you are at the Private or Commercial removal of this limitation is just that – the Pilot level, you are required to receive and removal of a limitation on your airman’s log two training flights, of two hours each. certificate. It is not the addition of a category, • Private pilots must complete a controlled class, or type rating and does not require a ascent to 3,000 feet AGL, and one flight practical test. However, as with all things in performing the duties of the Pilot-in- aviation, there are certain regulatory Command. requirements and those are what I want to • Commercial pilots must complete a discuss in this article.
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