FlyingRhenquest 1 #1 March 23, 2014 http://www.gizmag.com/goodyear-blimp-unveil/31289/ I'd sell me own granny for a chance to do a skydive out of that thingI'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #2 March 23, 2014 I'll go with ya. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyingRhenquest 1 #3 March 23, 2014 JohnMitchell I'll go with ya. Great! Reckon my granny would notice being up on Ebay?I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,560 #4 March 23, 2014 I rode in the old one once (one of them was housed in Houston for years), but didn't bring my rig The pilot talked all about the "old days" when they pulled water skiers and the like Wendy P. There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
funjumper101 15 #5 March 23, 2014 Non rigid structure = blimp Rigid structure = dirigible Goodyear Dirigible does not roll off the tongue like Goodyear Blimp does. I would pay $500.00 for a jump ticket. Has anyone ever contacted Goodyear and tried to hire one for a boogie? On February 12, 1935, the dirigible USS Macon crashed off the coast of Big Sur. There is an interesting read about it at the link below. Not mentioned in the story is that the Macon and the Akron (sister ships) hosted Curtiss F9C Sparrowhawk aircraft on board. It was quite a challenge to return to base. Flying formation with something that big, fighting through the slipstream to hook up, was not for the cautious pilot. The underwater photos of the Macon wreckage shows the remains of the Sparrowhawks. Do a google search. IIRC, there are no surviving Sparrowhawks. There was a proposal to try to recover one from the Macon. That went nowhere due to the site being on the National Register of Historic Places. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/03/20/2981908/the-last-flight-of-the-uss-macon.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_F9C_Sparrowhawk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davjohns 1 #6 March 23, 2014 Thanks for the good read. Wiki says there is one left. QuoteOnly one Sparrowhawk survives today. XF9C-2 Bu.Aer A9264 was previously displayed at the National Museum of Naval Aviation and is currently displayed at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, wearing the markings of F9C-2 A9056 of USS Macon.[2] There's a picture of it in the museum. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_F9C_Sparrowhawk The 'x' indicates it was experimental. According to the wiki article, the -2 means it was the second prototype. So you are right that all production models were lost with their mother ships. Apparently three on Akron and four on Macon.I know it just wouldnt be right to kill all the stupid people that we meet.. But do you think it would be appropriate to just remove all of the warning labels and let nature take its course. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tink1717 2 #7 March 23, 2014 I've always wondered why blimps and derrigebles don't make good jumpships. Any ideas?Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off. -The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!) AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 226 #8 March 23, 2014 JohnMitchell I'll go with ya. You'd have to sell your granny too.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
david3 0 #9 March 23, 2014 turtlespeed ***I'll go with ya. You'd have to sell your granny too.I'll need a photo before I place my bid. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #10 March 24, 2014 Tink1717 I've always wondered why blimps and derrigebles don't make good jumpships. Any ideas? Limited vertical range without dumping lots of valuable Helium, I believe. I had a friend do a TV commercial jumping from a blimp. They wingsuited from like 2 grand, I think. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 186 #11 March 24, 2014 We had the Goodyear blimp at the Oceanside Airport last year as they used it to stage for the Torrey Pines golf tourney film crew. I spoke with the senior captain about hiring it for jumps. He said the get calls every month for skydiving requests, but the company will not accept any liability and always says no. Always. Damn. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
funjumper101 15 #12 March 24, 2014 davjohnsThanks for the good read. Wiki says there is one left. QuoteOnly one Sparrowhawk survives today. XF9C-2 Bu.Aer A9264 was previously displayed at the National Museum of Naval Aviation and is currently displayed at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, wearing the markings of F9C-2 A9056 of USS Macon.[2] There's a picture of it in the museum. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_F9C_Sparrowhawk The 'x' indicates it was experimental. According to the wiki article, the -2 means it was the second prototype. So you are right that all production models were lost with their mother ships. Apparently three on Akron and four on Macon. If you liked that bit of California Central Coast history about the Macon, you'll like this one about the USS Montebello. http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2012/12/22/2336338/times-past-the-sinking-of-the.html Updates from people who know a few more details - http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2013/02/27/2409021/a-real-exclusive.html and http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2013/03/06/2418429/additional-info.html The self-censorship of the media in those days was impressive. Another interesting tidbit of California Central Coast history is the shelling of the Ellwood oil field by a Japanese submarine. Good thing they were lousy shots. It could have been really bad. http://www.independent.com/news/2011/oct/02/submarine-shelling-ellwood-oil-field-1942/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thunderbow 1 #13 March 24, 2014 They were jumping the Fuji Film blimp at the WWFC in Quincy one time when I was there. It weren't cheap but still sold out fast.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Lord, let me be the person my dog thinks I am. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanG 1 #14 March 24, 2014 QuoteLimited vertical range without dumping lots of valuable Helium, I believe. Simple fix: use hydrogen. What could go wrong? - Dan G Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #15 March 25, 2014 DanG Simple fix: use hydrogen. What could go wrong? Cue the soundtrack by Led Zepplin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeJD 0 #16 March 26, 2014 Frank Drebin: It's the same old story. Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girl dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day. Jane Spencer: Goodyear? Frank Drebin: No, the worst. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites