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Would you like to ride in a hot air balloon?

Kirby

By Kirby
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Kirby Flahute

Kirby

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They look very pretty when you see them flying overhead, but I think they would be loud, too small and I'd get bored quickly.  I might enjoy riding in one for a brief period of time, but I think I wouldn't enjoy it for very long.  They're always presented as such a romantic, fun thing, but I think the reality wouldn't be as good as the image.

How about you? Would you enjoy?  If you have ridden in one, would you like to do it again?

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Kirby Flahute

Kirby

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1 minute ago, AirwickWithCheese said:

Well there goes my plan for our Catskills picnic.    :(

Actually I have,  it was wonderful.  Think tiny dirigible floating in the clouds. Probably as close as I'll ever come to my dream of floating away with bubble gum 

Was it loud?

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Wilbur Flahute

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14 minutes ago, Kirby said:

They look very pretty when you see them flying overhead, but I think they would be loud, too small and I'd get bored quickly.  I might enjoy riding in one for a brief period of time, but I think I wouldn't enjoy it for very long.  They're always presented as such a romantic, fun thing, but I think the reality wouldn't be as good as the image.

How about you? Would you enjoy?  If you have ridden in one, would you like to do it again?

What part of open flame in a flammable bag sounds smart? :)  Not to mention not being able to pick a landing spot.  Hello cactus! 

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Bikeguy Domestique

Bikeguy

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27 minutes ago, Kirby said:

They look very pretty when you see them flying overhead, but I think they would be loud, too small and I'd get bored quickly. 

WoBG and I rode in a hot air balloon over Sedona, AZ back in 2004.

It was not loud.  If the pilot is not using the burner, to add more heat to the balloon air, there is no noise at all.

We were never bored...   It was wonderful.    I found 2 pictures...  Our captain took us up HIGH compared to the other balloons.

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021_18.thumb.JPG.2a43e2842b1ed381f18586be0b948bd9.JPG

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MickinMD KOM / QOM

MickinMD ★

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22 minutes ago, Kirby said:

They look very pretty when you see them flying overhead, but I think they would be loud, too small and I'd get bored quickly.  I might enjoy riding in one for a brief period of time, but I think I wouldn't enjoy it for very long.  They're always presented as such a romantic, fun thing, but I think the reality wouldn't be as good as the image.

How about you? Would you enjoy?  If you have ridden in one, would you like to do it again?

I think I would enjoy it,  I took my nephew Ryan, now the flight attendant, to the Smithsonian about a decade ago and they had a 3D Imax video of a ride in a hot air balloon.  The balloon rotated as it moved forward and up and we were hanging on to the arms of the chairs trying not to get dizzy. That was fun!

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Bikeguy Domestique

Bikeguy

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7 minutes ago, Thaddeus Kosciuszko said:

Let's not forget the part involving floating about hundreds of feet in the air in an oversized wicker laundry basket, piloted by a somewhat sketchy balloon-driver:

We were closer to 1000 (more like 1500) feet up.  We were WAY high compared to the other balloons.

I was VERY concerned about being in the gondola...   when I got up on a 28 foot tall ladder to paint my paint my old home...  That scares me to death. 

I've been in small planes and helicopters, and that does not scare me.  I was concerned about being in an open wicker basket.  But... I was going to do it... if it killed me (or not). 

Like I said... it was wonderful..  go figure... 

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Wilbur Flahute

Wilbur ★

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7 hours ago, Bikeguy said:

Hot air balloons are one of the safest ways to travel in the air.  In fact, hot air balloons are safer than airplanes and helicopters.

https://www.thecoldwire.com/how-safe-are-hot-air-balloons/

I would love to see their data collection on that and how they measure it in the article.  What kind of airplane? How is it operated and by whom?  A total number of 21 is meaningless without weighing it against total carried, total number of flights etc. 

I had a woman dumped out of a basket on to my roof top when a balloon collided with my house once. 

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MoseySusan KOM / QOM

MoseySusan

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16 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

but I would be thinking of the landing the whole time.  

I have seen many balloons land, sometimes in cactus, most times in grassy fields. I saw a huge special shape of calaveras get dragged away by a strong wind.  
Even when they get the landing right, the basket tilts a little. The chase crews, driving around in big trucks, meet them on the ground and then grab that basket. 
When they are off, it’s scary. Dragging, tipping over… So far at this year’s Fiesta, we’ve had three balloons catch on power lines. 
Recently, a balloon wreck into power lines took the lives of everyone aboard, including the pilot. It was very sad. There was a couple on board, and the wife had just retired from a school. Her coworkers gave her the balloon ride for a retirement gift. The school district sent grief counselors into the schools where she was well-known. 
Still, the great majority of the balloons here fly without incident. Yesterday was the “splash and dash” event where the pilot brings the balloon down mid-river and then takes it up again. 
The photos are lovely. 

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Bikeguy Domestique

Bikeguy

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2 hours ago, Wilbur said:

I would love to see their data collection on that and how they measure it in the article.  What kind of airplane? How is it operated and by whom?  A total number of 21 is meaningless without weighing it against total carried, total number of flights etc. 

Yeah... that was my first thought too.   (I just didn't want Kirby to be afraid.)  

No data to 'measure' (deaths per thousand miles, etc..) which form of transportation is really safe.  Considering how many miles long balloon flights are 21 deaths on a per mile basis would be HUGE compared to commercial air traffic. 

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Bikeguy Domestique

Bikeguy

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1 hour ago, Wilbur said:

Don't get me wrong, I would like the flight but I would be thinking of the landing the whole time.  

That's why you DON"T want to go up on a day when there is a lot of wind.  If I recall, our flight was very early in the day, so there would be less wind.  

Whatever you do after you land... you never get out of the gondola until the captain tells you to exit.  He needs your weight to hold the balloon down, until he gets more hot air out of the balloon.

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