Cross your fingers

tater · 09-30-10, 12:32 PM

Day two, and nothing. Looking pretty grim. Ugh.

09-30-10, 12:38 PM

My understanding was that the missing baloon was hydrogen filled. You know where that is going.

Quote:

try to see who can fly the farthest from a set point on a maximum of about 1,000 cubic meters (35,300 cubic feet) of gas.

tater · 09-30-10, 12:43 PM

Yeah, H2.

if it ruptured during the storm at alt... OTOH, the ELT never went off, which is odd. Rich is pretty calm, you'd think if it got really ugly he'd try to put it down (they have survival suits, a raft, etc). This makes me sick. Saw his truck in the driveway earlier, made me sad. (he likes doing this stuff, but I feel sad for his wife and 2 kids (one goes to school with my daughter in 1st grade)).

SteamWake · 09-30-10, 12:47 PM

Sad news sory to hear this I hope they are found.

You will never get me up in a flying thing that you cant steer.

tater · 09-30-10, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteamWake

Sad news sory to hear this I hope they are found.

You will never get me up in a flying thing that you cant steer.

I've been up, myself, but only over albuquerque (which is dangerous enough). I don't know how actually dangerous gas ballooning is in terms of deaths per seat mile, etc. It might well be safer than driving, but the lack of control is pretty scary.

09-30-10, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tater

Yeah, H2.

if it ruptured during the storm at alt... OTOH, the ELT never went off, which is odd. Rich is pretty calm, you'd think if it got really ugly he'd try to put it down (they have survival suits, a raft, etc). This makes me sick. Saw his truck in the driveway earlier, made me sad. (he likes doing this stuff, but I feel sad for his wife and 2 kids (one goes to school with my daughter in 1st grade)).

I don't place putting down outside the relm of possibility. I don't know how these challenges are conducted, but were there other balloons in the area? I can't see other balloons getting too far ahead or behind the missing craft. If they go solo, what did the gondola look like? If he put down in a controlled manor the ELT wouldn't engage, and he may not have had time to manually engage the ELT. Any electrical charge could have set off a conflagration, and sink the gondola before any reaction.

tater · 09-30-10, 01:08 PM

No other balloons nearby, they diverge rather remarkably (winds aloft at different speeds).

2 people aboard, and the gondola is pretty light. Rich's helium gondola is tiny, made of tubular Al and nylon. This one might have been more like a hot air balloon one (wicker).

tater · 09-30-10, 01:11 PM

Might be, hence my fingers crossed. That said, being totally incommunicado for so long when they have sat and cell phones... he'd have to know after the storm etc that everyone would worry.

Jimbuna · 09-30-10, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tater

Yeah, H2.

if it ruptured during the storm at alt... OTOH, the ELT never went off, which is odd. Rich is pretty calm, you'd think if it got really ugly he'd try to put it down (they have survival suits, a raft, etc). This makes me sick. Saw his truck in the driveway earlier, made me sad. (he likes doing this stuff, but I feel sad for his wife and 2 kids (one goes to school with my daughter in 1st grade)).

Crikey!!....that's so sickening

Hope there may yet be a positive outcome.

09-30-10, 01:03 PM

Garth Sonnenberg of Albuquerque, a friend of Abruzzo's, said Wednesday that he had heard that the balloonists had problems with their radio throughout the flight. "We're hoping that it's a good possibility that it's just a radio problem," he said.

FIREWALL · 09-30-10, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Third Man

My understanding was that the missing baloon was hydrogen filled. You know where that is going.

Mind showing me anywhere in article where Hydrogen is mentioned.

tater · 09-30-10, 01:51 PM

It is indeed an H2 race.

http://www.gordonbennett2010.com/sys...Approved_0.pdf

09-30-10, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREWALL

Mind showing me anywhere in article where Hydrogen is mentioned.

In respect for the missing I will give you a break, this time. But research beyond the posted arcticle can help you understand the situation in the future.

tater · 09-30-10, 07:37 PM

Some of the links might well not mention the gas used (since it is often Helium instead).

Many links have other specifically wrong information as well that I saw. One of the best stories I found was on the BBC.

Gerald · 09-30-10, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tater

Some of the links might well not mention the gas used (since it is often Helium instead).

Many links have other specifically wrong information as well that I saw. One of the best stories I found was on the BBC.

information on what happened?

09-30-10, 12:47 PM	#4
SteamWake Rear Admiral Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 13,224 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Sad news sory to hear this I hope they are found. You will never get me up in a flying thing that you cant steer. __________________ Follow the progress of Mr. Mulligan : http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=147648

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09-30-10, 12:32 PM	#1
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	Day two, and nothing. Looking pretty grim. Ugh.

09-30-10, 12:43 PM	#3
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	Yeah, H2. if it ruptured during the storm at alt... OTOH, the ELT never went off, which is odd. Rich is pretty calm, you'd think if it got really ugly he'd try to put it down (they have survival suits, a raft, etc). This makes me sick. Saw his truck in the driveway earlier, made me sad. (he likes doing this stuff, but I feel sad for his wife and 2 kids (one goes to school with my daughter in 1st grade)).

09-30-10, 01:08 PM	#7
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	No other balloons nearby, they diverge rather remarkably (winds aloft at different speeds). 2 people aboard, and the gondola is pretty light. Rich's helium gondola is tiny, made of tubular Al and nylon. This one might have been more like a hot air balloon one (wicker).

09-30-10, 01:11 PM	#8
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	Might be, hence my fingers crossed. That said, being totally incommunicado for so long when they have sat and cell phones... he'd have to know after the storm etc that everyone would worry.

09-30-10, 01:03 PM	#10
The Third Man Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Garth Sonnenberg of Albuquerque, a friend of Abruzzo's, said Wednesday that he had heard that the balloonists had problems with their radio throughout the flight. "We're hoping that it's a good possibility that it's just a radio problem," he said.

09-30-10, 01:51 PM	#12
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	It is indeed an H2 race. http://www.gordonbennett2010.com/sys...Approved_0.pdf

09-30-10, 07:37 PM	#14
tater Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: New Mexico, USA Posts: 9,023 Downloads: 8 Uploads: 2	Some of the links might well not mention the gas used (since it is often Helium instead). Many links have other specifically wrong information as well that I saw. One of the best stories I found was on the BBC.