15 replies to this topic

[WNYTractorTinkerer]

So my wife & I were sitting in the living room last night and I heard this weird sound..  It was a deep and loud rumble..  (kinda like when her Mother flies in on her broom! )..

 

Then I heard it a few more times..  The dog started barking and fussing so we looked out the window and a bunch of cars were parked in my and the neighbor's lawns..  What gives??  So we went outside to see this thing landing across the street:

 

 

 

 

 

 

That was pretty neat to watch that thing land!!  Don't see that very often!!

[bh115577]

They land around here once in a while too and it seems to be quite a project to get everything taken apart and into the chase trucks.

 

A little too close to those power lines for my comfort. Hope it wasn't windy there at the time.

[JDBrian]

Those always look so peaceful and colorful when they are floating around on a nice summer day. I'm tempted to go for a ride in one!

[daytime dave]

It sounds like you had a pretty good landing experience.  They are nice to watch float by out by my parents place.

 

I was at my parents place and a balloon landed there.  The chase trucks drove all over the lawn, the people in the balloon were pretty nice, but the helpers were rude and never apologized for making ruts in the lawn that you know who had to repair.  They acted like I was in their way as I watched the process.  As far as I was concerned, I had enough balloon landings.

 

I have heard that balloonists used to carry champagne and give a bottle to the disturbed land owner upon landing.  Must just be a rumor......

[jd.rasentrac]

Doris, my wife, and I made a ride w/ a hot air balloon six years ago. It was a gift from my brother to our silver wedding anniversary - and it was real great. It`s a silent drive, balloons don't fly, and at the end of the ride, we got "new" names. Here's my: Landgraf Wolfgang, begeisterder Aeronaut zu nächtlicher Fahrt von Holzhausen nach Langenthal

[Rock farmer]

I had the family up to my place one time. We were out in the back yard and kept hearing the sound of a dragon roaring. It was a hot air balloon coming in just over the tree tops . Could not see it until it was just over us. The woman running it asks if its ok to land in the field behind me. I say sure ( it's not my field). She offered champagne or non-alcohol wine. We took the champagne! I think she had that non-alcohol wine for a long time!

Joe

Edited by Rock farmer, August 19, 2013 - 10:58 AM.

[HDWildBill]

I bet that would be quite an experience to be sitting there then suddenly have a balloon drop in on you.  They wouldn't do very good around here, we have way to many trees for them to land.

[UncleWillie]

It sounds like you had a pretty good landing experience.  They are nice to watch float by out by my parents place.

 

I was at my parents place and a balloon landed there.  The chase trucks drove all over the lawn, the people in the balloon were pretty nice, but the helpers were rude and never apologized for making ruts in the lawn that you know who had to repair.  They acted like I was in their way as I watched the process.  As far as I was concerned, I had enough balloon landings.

 

I have heard that balloonists used to carry champagne and give a bottle to the disturbed land owner upon landing.  Must just be a rumor......

I would have told them thanks for my new balloon and get the hell off of my property. I don't take well to uninvited guests acting like they run the place.

[Utah Smitty]

Doris, my wife, and I made a ride w/ a hot air balloon six years ago. It was a gift from my brother to our silver wedding anniversary - and it was real great. It`s a silent drive, balloons don't fly, and at the end of the ride, we got "new" names. Here's my: Landgraf Wolfgang, begeisterder Aeronaut zu nächtlicher Fahrt von Holzhausen nach Langenthal

So, I forget, is a Landgraf a baron, or an earl???

 

Smitty

[marlboro180]

That's pretty neat!    Dave, I'd be much like Uncle Willie if they made ruts in my lawn, and this comes from several years spent as a co- crew chief on a ballon chase team.  

 

 

The pilot would make every effort to land near a road, driveway, or means of egress for any chase vehicle.   We would make every effort possible to be granted permission to bring a vehicle, on anyone's private  property, and would never, ever drive on a lawn.....  We tried to land near parks and the like.

 

We were refused access with the chase truck once,  the ballon landed out  in a farmfield. That made for a lot of work carrying that basket out by hand, but we respected the owners wishes.

 

 

Just as an aside, the huge burst of flame of the burner(s) always seem to set off all the dogs in a neighborhood while flying over. Must be something they all like to bark at LOL

[LilysDad]

Once I was over at Lake Shabbona fishing one evening when a large balloon slowly rose up from behind the trees across the lake. At the same time a guy in a hang glider was making circles around the gas bag.

[superaben]

At the same time a guy in a hang glider was making circles around the gas bag.

 

I didn't remember standing there, but maybe I was.

 

Ben W.

[marlboro180]

LOL Ben!

[daytime dave]

I would have told them thanks for my new balloon and get the hell off of my property. I don't take well to uninvited guests acting like they run the place.

 

At the time, I responded as I was raised and was polite in the face of rudeness.  Now, I'd have had a few salty phrases and waved with one finger, much like I did on the lake this weekend when a moron cut across my path taking his time, towing his family on a tube.

 

That's pretty neat!    Dave, I'd be much like Uncle Willie if they made ruts in my lawn, and this comes from several years spent as a co- crew chief on a ballon chase team.  

 

 

The pilot would make every effort to land near a road, driveway, or means of egress for any chase vehicle.   We would make every effort possible to be granted permission to bring a vehicle, on anyone's private  property, and would never, ever drive on a lawn.....  We tried to land near parks and the like.

 

We were refused access with the chase truck once,  the ballon landed out  in a farmfield. That made for a lot of work carrying that basket out by hand, but we respected the owners wishes.

 

 

Just as an aside, the huge burst of flame of the burner(s) always seem to set off all the dogs in a neighborhood while flying over. Must be something they all like to bark at LOL

 

 

 

You sir, would be welcome to land in my proximity anytime.

Edited by daytime dave, August 19, 2013 - 07:56 PM.

[HydroHarold]

Staying out at the Folk's place in S Utah, one morning I kept hearing that same "roaring" sound right outside the window.  Their house was on the top of a ridge overlooking the valley and this basket of tourists were just about looking in the window at me.  I got up and went to the window and this "chap" sez, "Well, look who's up early this morning!"  The basket was about 15' from and even with the window.  He gained altitude quickly after I said I was going to go out and get the garden hose.  The basketeers all laughed, but if I wasn't just in me undies I'd have run out there and wet on them all! 

 

At least the ultralite flying folks don't do that kind of rude thing, they just face plant out on the road and ask you to call the ambulance... (But, that's another story...)