BajaNomad - Be On The Lookout For A Balloon

Be On The Lookout For A Balloon

Ateo - 1-29-2015 at 07:04 PM

New software ate my link and the story. Oh well.

The pilots of a helium-filled balloon on a daring flight across the Pacific Ocean drew closer to North America Thursday as they attempt to break two world records.

But weather patterns have abruptly changed the expected course from Canada or the nothern U.S. to a potential landing in Baja California, according to Mission Control.

[Edited on 1-30-2015 by Ateo]

[Edited on 1-30-2015 by Ateo]

Ateo - 1-29-2015 at 07:05 PM

http://www.abqjournal.com/533343/news/balloon-crew-draws-clo...

David K - 1-29-2015 at 07:10 PM

Is there a live or updated map showing their location?

Ateo - 1-29-2015 at 07:12 PM

Here's the live tracking link:

http://pacificballoon.com/tracking/index.php

Ateo - 1-29-2015 at 07:14 PM

They're at 20,000 feet going 30MPH. At that rate they won't be eating tacos in Ensenada for a week.

micah202 - 1-29-2015 at 07:18 PM

''The team says the very last task will be a safe landing.''

.....no surprise about that! :cool:

Pompano - 1-29-2015 at 07:26 PM

A great adventure many have aspired to...and shared. Baja's own Killer Caine would have made a eager crewmate.

quote from capt. mike..."Killer was quite the character for sure. Remember when he strapped himself to a propane bottle under a balloon and rode it solo? What a nut!"

micah202 - 1-29-2015 at 07:44 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Pompano

A great adventure many have aspired to...and shared. Baja's own Killer Caine would have made a eager crewmate.

quote from capt. mike..."Killer was quite the character for sure. Remember when he strapped himself to a propane bottle under a balloon and rode it solo? What a nut!"

......I dunno. Riding a balloon 'sow- low' doesn't sound like a lot of fun!

Ateo - 1-29-2015 at 08:06 PM

"The Mexican Air Force is the world's greatest fighting force" - said one of Phil Hendrie's (Brass Villanueva) characters on KFI back in the day. I'll buy anyone a 12 pack of Tecate if they get that reference.

[Edited on 1-30-2015 by Ateo]

woody with a view - 1-29-2015 at 08:07 PM

The Mexican Air Force has them in their sights..... Not to worry!

th.jpg - 6kB

bajabuddha - 1-29-2015 at 10:34 PM

Believe it or nutz, was on our 10 pm news tonight... planning on landing on Baja turf tomorrow, and if they maintain air until (I think) 9 a.m., will not only beat distance, but duration records as well.

Glad to see that gettin' high is still in the news; shoulda shot for Oregon or Colorado..... :cool:

KurtG - 1-29-2015 at 10:34 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Pompano

I was at Santispac at Killer's birthday party where he had the balloon out with the horizontal propane tank rigged as the seat. Some propane was leaking and ignited around the valve and the gal riding the tank was trying to put it out by patting it with her hands. She figured out that the valve needed to be closed, did so and softly descended safely. Could have gone bad quickly but it all worked out.

walters886 - 1-30-2015 at 04:51 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Ateo

"The Mexican Air Force is the world's greatest fighting force" - said one of Phil Hendrie's (Brass Villanueva) characters on KFI back in the day. I'll buy anyone a 12 pack of Tecate if they get that reference.

[Edited on 1-30-2015 by Ateo]

A, Don't know Phil or Brass or the reference but I do know about Peter Rowan and the greatest pilotos of the FREE Mexican Airforce. Have a listen to the great storyteller himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dlFMKmE7pg

tx ws

Escuadron Aereo de Pelea 201

bajaguy - 1-30-2015 at 07:49 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/201st_Fighter_Squadron_%28Mexic...

Ateo - 1-30-2015 at 08:39 AM

Ya learn something every day..............I thought Mexico stayed out of WWII. Thanks Walters and Bajaguy.

Squadron 201

bajaguy - 1-30-2015 at 08:44 AM

http://www.oldgloryprints.com/strike%20of%20the%20aztec%20ea...

http://www.sansooreseda.com/squad.jpg

http://www.mcallen.net/veterans/wwii/wallsandstatues/images/...

Great reading and an interesting story!!!

micah202 - 1-30-2015 at 09:04 AM

....I heard they're expecting to land in BajaSud this morning.

....It's intriguing how they can maneuver direction of travel by changing elevations. I'm a sailor,,but hadn't contemplated 3 dimension sailing!
...I have a feeling that their altered course is to buy more airtime in order to achieve the duration record.....the balloon seems to be currently at the border latitude,travelling 47mph...it's looking like they'll have the duration record in the hole!

http://pacificballoon.com/tracking/index.php

durrelllrobert - 1-30-2015 at 09:33 AM

Quote: Originally posted by bajabuddha

Believe it or nutz, was on our 10 pm news tonight... planning on landing on Baja turf tomorrow, and if they maintain air until (I think) 9 a.m., will not only beat distance, but duration records as well.

Glad to see that gettin' high is still in the news; shoulda shot for Oregon or Colorado..... :cool:

Get high in Oregon or Colorado and come down in Baja? I don't think so.

Martyman - 1-30-2015 at 10:27 AM

Quote: Originally posted by walters886

Quote: Originally posted by Ateo

I was thinking of the Peter Rowan song when I saw those pelicans. Good find!

David K - 1-30-2015 at 10:30 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Ateo

Here's the live tracking link:

http://pacificballoon.com/tracking/index.php

Wow, last night they were west of San Francisco and this morning they are west of Rosarito!

elgatoloco - 1-30-2015 at 12:06 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Ateo

Miss Phil Hendrie! He was a hoot. :lol:

Ateo - 1-30-2015 at 12:09 PM

Quote: Originally posted by elgatoloco

Quote: Originally posted by Ateo

Miss Phil Hendrie! He was a hoot. :lol:

A genius. He has a show via podcast but it's not as good without callers.

Katiejay99 - 1-30-2015 at 08:35 PM

While eating my Prime Rib dinner at Shut up Franks, my always dinner partner, Darryl Gunther (Hot air balloon professional) got a call from the pick up party for the balloonists. They are trying for a touch down around - north/south or in - Todos Santos in the morning. I asked him to call me when he knows for sure and I will run out to get pics. I will post them if they are close to Todos Santos and I can get good pictures.

David K - 1-30-2015 at 09:26 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Katiejay99

While eating my Prime Rib dinner at Shut up Franks, my always dinner partner, Darryl Gunther (Hot air balloon professional) got a call from the pick up party for the balloonists. They are trying for a touch down around - north/south or in - Todos Santos in the morning. I asked him to call me when he knows for sure and I will run out to get pics. I will post them if they are close to Todos Santos and I can get good pictures.

gnukid - 1-30-2015 at 10:00 PM

Ateo - 1-30-2015 at 10:48 PM

Wow. Todos Santos? They must've been flying the last 24 hours.

elgatoloco - 1-30-2015 at 10:57 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Ateo

Wow. Todos Santos? They must've been flying the last 24 hours.

No pun intended? :biggrin:

Right now doing 36 MPH. I'm claustrophobic so I can't imagine spending 6 days in a little capsule. Quite a feat. Hope they have a soft landing.

Katiejay99 - 1-31-2015 at 04:55 AM

When I woke up at 4am to rolling thunder then lightening and heavy rain I knew that the balloon was not going to be anywhere close to here this morning. The tracking looks like they will come down on the coast above Mag Bay.

Anyone around the Insurgentes area? It looks like the balloon is coming down in about an hour on the beach in my estimation (which could be way off) around N25 48.21 and W112 7.16

[Edited on 1-31-2015 by Katiejay99]

Katiejay99 - 1-31-2015 at 07:08 AM

well, at 7am they are hovering on top of the water and going a mere 2mph. Are they waiting for a boat, they are about 5 miles from shore but heading more south and that's a problem for a landing for them. I'll bet they ditch it in the sea and are just waiting for their ride to get there. They were at 70 ft then they went up to 125 ft and then immediately back down. The altimeter actually says -7 ft altitude.

Maybe there is a shrimp boat out there that they can land it on??

[Edited on 1-31-2015 by Katiejay99]

Katiejay99 - 1-31-2015 at 07:51 AM

No updates on the tracking since 7:30 - it shows still 5 miles off the coast. I'd say she's down - one way or another.

Katiejay99 - 1-31-2015 at 07:57 AM

Ok - This is from their website:
The pilots made a controlled descent to a gentle water landing about four miles off the Baja coast. The balloon is stable and still inflated and the pilots are fine.

Winds at the lower levels turned parallel to the coast, which made it more prudent for the pilots to execute a landing in the water. Mexican authorities are cooperating fully and the Coast Guard is enroute to the balloon. We anticipate they will tow the capsule to shore.

We would note that a water landing is acceptable under the international rules governing the establishment of world records. Two around-the-world attempts using a different type of balloon landed in the water and were approved as records.

Landing occurred at six days, 16 hours and 37 minutes into the mission (approximately 7:01 AM MST or 1400 UTC) at a distance of 6,646 miles (10,696 km).

Ateo - 1-31-2015 at 08:46 AM

Thanks for the update katiejay99.

bajabuddha - 1-31-2015 at 08:49 AM

Here's the current poop from the web:

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/pilots-in-helium-filled-bal...

A touchdown, and a day before the Stupor-bowl!~ What an amazing feat, quite the flight. Good news for all.

What an adventure!

fixtrauma - 1-31-2015 at 09:05 AM

durrelllrobert - 1-31-2015 at 09:14 AM

landed in ocean 4 miles off La Poza Grande at 0700.

http://hsrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=A86.IpzxAs1UsbcAs8qbvZx4;_ylu=X3oDMTNuMnFyM3BkBGJwb3MDMQRjY29kZQNnYQRjcG9zAzEwBGN0AzEEZwNhYzRlNTU0NC1hYmM4LTNiMjItOWRhZS1mM TdlMzExZWI2NDMEaW50bAN1cwRwa2d0AzUEcG9zAzEEc2VjA3RkLXN0cm0Ec2xrA3RpdGxlBHRlc3QDNzA0/RV=1/RE=1423931377/RH=aHNyZC55YWhvby5jb20-/RO=2/RU=aHR0cDovL2dtYS5 5YWhvby5jb20vdHdvLWVhZ2xlcy1iYWxsb29uLWxhbmRzLW9mZi1tZXhpY2FuLWNvYXN0LTE0NTYwNzQ0My0tYWJjLW5ld3MtdG9wc3Rvcmllcy5odG1s/RS=%5EADA9D48bUH7B3bNc9ZWRrWSZUV JO.U-

[Edited on 1-31-2015 by durrelllrobert]

capt. mike - 1-31-2015 at 10:49 AM

Phil Hendrie was both genius and seriously a nut cake. Listened to him nightly 2001 - 2005 while working in Bonita.

BajaBlanca - 2-1-2015 at 09:26 AM

What an amazing journey! Glad the landing was safe. We sure had ugly weather here in our part of BCS yesterday.