St_Ides posted:

I think I'm one of the more experienced (or only?) balloon pilots here (If someone wants to amend my op from "Canada - PP, glider, hot-air" to "Canada/USA/Kenya - PP, glider, hot-air CPL" that would update the last 7ish years) So I can definitely give some answers.

There's your answer.

Balloons really hate strong winds. In North America. maximum speed balloons will launch at is 8-10kt of a constant wind. Less if it's gusty.

Maximum takeoff wind also really depends on the launch site and landing areas. If it's windy and you have a tight launch site, the balloon is going to be swinging around, potentially hitting other balloons/objects. Obviously, that's not ideal. When you have a wide open launch site, you can get away with a bit stronger winds. There's also other factors in the launch site, like if it's in a hollow between a bunch of trees, so the winds swirl and don't give a consistent direction. During inflation, strong winds will push on the balloon, and force air out. If you don't have strong enough inflation fans, or if there's gusts or direction changes, it's possible that you can't even get the balloon inflated. And it'll still be difficult to get it to stand up.

With an ideal launch site, you can get away with taking off in very strong winds (Here in Kenya, I've taken off in 25kt of wind. This wouldn't be possible -or advised- to do anywhere else) but that's also using a big balloon (400,000+ cu ft) of a design without in-flight vents (which makes it easier to stand up, but only suitable in areas where aggressive maneuvering isn't required)

Landing is the other issue. If you're flying in an urban area, you really don't want to be landing in more than 3-5mph of wind. That'll let you get in to tight spots (In Vegas, landing in a cul-de-sac wasn't uncommon.) With wide open landing areas, landing speed shouldn't be an issue. I've landed at 25+ knots, you just need the room to drag out. If you were there in the morning, the general rule of thumb is that the winds will increase, so you'll be landing faster than you took off.

The wet field is also an issue. Balloons don't necessarily know where they're going, so they need to be chased by a vehicle. If the landing areas are wet, you can't drive in to them, which means carrying out the balloon by hand.

Being a festival is probably a big factor too. Festivals will include many pilots of varying skill and experience. A festival usually puts all control in to one (experienced, usually local) organizer, called a balloonmeister. They make the call whether there will be a flight or not. A good balloonmeister knows that calling a flight on in iffy conditions is going to put some people in danger.


Fragile isn't the right word for balloons. I've landed harder, and hit things that would completely destroy any other aircraft. I intentionally hit trees daily (Brush through them with the basket).

Sensitive might be a better word? We're a lot more effected by any change in conditions, compared to other aircraft. For example, I was flying in Orlando not too long ago, and if the wind changed 5 degrees and/or 3kt, I was in major trouble. SW Orlando has very, very few places to land, and the rest is either Disney (which has a TFR over it and an army of lawyers) or swamp (gator-infested, huge, balloon destroying trees). So if my direction and/or speed changes, I might miss my only landing site because of it.

A balloon pilot's only control is vertically. We have no way of turning left or right, unless the wind at a different altitude is going that way. Some mornings I can go in any direction, even landing back at my launch site. Some evenings there is absolutely no change in wind direction for thousands of feet of altitude, so I'm just going straight ahead and trying to find somewhere safe. Navigating a balloon is very much an art, and while you can get a balloon licence in a short time, it takes years and a whole lot of experience to be able to get where you want to go.

Unrewarding isn't true at all. Imagine the feeling of taking off, flying 20 miles, and landing within 5 yards of where you wanted to be an hour ago, using only the feel of the wind to get you there. No steering wheel, no directional control, just the seat of your pants. You really feel in tune with the world (Or that you've bent nature to your will). I've flown everything except a blimp, and there's nothing else like a good balloon flight.

For a lot of balloon pilots, it's no hobby. I'm a professional, commercial balloon pilot. I've been offered and taken jobs on almost every continent. I'm well compensated for it too. I've never flown for just fun.

I highly recommend going for a balloon flight when you get a chance. If anyone has any questions about balloons, I can answer them.

Rolo posted:

ATC: I know you're in a CJ2, but I need 300 in the climb.

Me:

KodiakRS posted:

...an airplane with no less than 10 MELs...

Rudest Buddhist posted:

Who are you guys using for oil analysis? Blackstone?

CBJSprague24 posted:

Related, it's a slow-assed day in the office so I'm watching the Gemini DC-10 World Air Routes DVD on my MFD right monitor while doing actual work on the PFD left monitor. It's tangentially work-related, so .

The Ferret King posted:

Goon ATC is everywhere

CBJSprague24 posted:

This is one of the better videos JustPlanes did. The captain in the left seat was Steve Ricks. The one in the right seat (Italian guy; there was no F/O on the trip) was Chris something.

N606GC.

PT6A posted:

It's so weird to think that, at every level of aviation, there's always That Plane that has weird loving issues and you just don't like flying.

Kazak_Hstan posted:

i am kiss u now posted:

Dat Trump golf TFR. "Get hosed GA." -sincerely, The Donald.

Captain Apollo posted:

Of all the things the FAA keeps track of, I would have thought checkrides or certificates issued under 61 and 141 would have been one of them.

e.pilot posted:

Literally never

A Pilot posted:

Say again

The Ferret King posted:

NextGen will eliminate that

KodiakRS posted:

Sounds about right. Flying into the side of a fully developed thunderstorm generally ends with the same result as flying into the side of another airplane.

hjp766 posted:

Please heaven put HIWAS on CPDLC. Please, pretty please. Then we might actually bother with it.

Bob A Feet posted:

I flew in 30G45 at Yuma once. Just take it all on the nose and you'll be fine. Trying to loving taxi was the hard part.

sanchez posted:

I learned on 3000x75, I'm sure the guys at the school up the road with 2400x40 have better approach habits than me, centerline discipline gets really important...

Rolo posted:

My idiot state has income tax too, along with high property taxes for my car with fees for inspections and tag.

I’m employed and not looking to move tomorrow or anything, but I’d like to live there a bit before I get too old to enjoy it.

Animal posted:

You can get around paying taxes in NYC as a pilot if you do your due diligence. If you are NYC based, just rent a room as your crashpad. Keep wherever your real home is as your residence, keep that state's drivers license, and try to keep a paper trail. So if its your parents house, pay for their water bill or whatever. In order to be considered a resident of NYC you have to be there for 90 consecutive days, and as a pilot you will not do that. Get an aviation accountant and you are set. Perfectly legal, you just work in NYC but that's not "home". As long as you don't stay there for many years and do something stupid like starting a family there, you will be fine.

Butt Reactor posted:

Seriously though is the performance pretty limited on cirrus jets?