So...how much trouble can my friend get into?

[npgraphicdesign 3]

A friend of mine who is older and is a lawyer (of all things!) owns a hot air balloon ride business that he runs over the summer. He said that they are starting up again in a few months, and would take me up if I wanted.

(The shortened version of the conversation)
My friend: My wife and I run a hot air balloon ride. You want to go up in a few months?
Me: Can I bring my parachute and jump out?
My friend: Oh you're a parachutist? Sure why not? We've done that before...just need to find a nice clear area to land.

Now, all jokes aside, I don't want to set up my friend and get his business in trouble. From what he says, and the way I've understood it, they've taken up people before without being authorized to do so. As much as I doubt that statement, just because they (theoretically) have gotten away with in the past, doesn't meant they'll continue to do so.

So my question is this: how much trouble can he get into just for letting some skydiver jump out of his balloon and how much trouble could I get into?

And if it came down to him agreeing to let me do it and I knew it could get him in a lot of trouble, I wouldn't do it.

[davjohns 1]

Why do you think anyone would get into trouble?

I'm sure there are some on here with excellent knowledge of FARs who could think of something applicable. I can't. So long as it isn't restricted airspace, you should be fine. Possible issues with trespassing on the ground, but nothing a little courtesy and charm wouldn't handle.

Hang glider pilots and paraglider pilots fly all over the place. As long as you stay out of Class D airspace (around large airports) it isn't an issue. I don't know anything about licensing of hot air balloon pilots or what rules they fly under.

You canopy is just another paraglider with a really rotten L/D ratio.

ETA You probably need to ask your buddy this question. A quick google revealed that balloon pilots are licensed by the FAA. He might could put his license in jeopardy if there is a rule about this kind of thing.

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.

[jtval 0]

I would GUESS that if it is in the middle of nowhere you wouldn't have much issue. as long as you live.

But I BELIEVE you would have to file a notam at a minimum.

This is a great time for me to use the SIM app I downloaded. but I'm not that motivated right now.

My photos

My Videos

[quade 4]

If the guy owns his hot air balloon ride business and takes people up for hire, then he's 100% in the clear as far as qualifications go for taking you up and letting you jump out. He would have to be a commercial rated balloon pilot to do that to begin with so that part is legal. He could even charge you for it and it would be legal even though he's taking you up for free. (Bonus for you.)

THE issue is the landing area. Technically, he/you need permission from the owner to land there. It's the old "Farmer McNasty" issue that plagues a lot of adjacent drop zones. 99% of the time nobody cares anyway, but if you ruin anything, just know that your USPA membership should cover most of the owner's damages. On the other hand, if you crater and nobody got permission to land, the pilot will get a talking to from the FAA (probably nothing too serious though).

If the weather is dead calm, there's a good chance you can get out pretty close to where he takes off. Since he says he's done this before, he probably already has a blanket permission to drop jumpers there, that's actually fairly typical.

Lastly, if you go far afield of your intended landing zone and just happen to land somewhere due to some sort of emergency . . . well, very few people will complain about that.

Edited to add:

Just be aware that ANY landing you do away from your takeoff area should be considered an "off landing." Be EXTREMELY careful. The area might have quite a few hazards you can't see from altitude and be on constant lookout for dangers like power lines and whatnot. Since you're probably the only jumper, once you leave that balloon you're 100% on your own. That means if you break your ankle, you better have a working cell phone with you to call for help. Also, you need to think about how you're getting back to civilization. Take money for a cab ride or to thank the people you hop a ride from. Take a pull up cord so you can at least shit pack your rig for the ride back.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[npgraphicdesign 3]

Quote

If the guy owns his hot air balloon ride business and takes people up for hire, then he's 100% in the clear as far as qualifications go for taking you up and letting you jump out. He would have to be a commercial rated balloon pilot to do that to begin with so that part is legal. He could even charge you for it and it would be legal even though he's taking you up for free. (Bonus for you.)

THE issue is the landing area. Technically, he/you need permission from the owner to land there. It's the old "Farmer McNasty" issue that plagues a lot of adjacent drop zones. 99% of the time nobody cares anyway, but if you ruin anything, just know that your USPA membership should cover most of the owner's damages. On the other hand, if you crater and nobody got permission to land, the pilot will get a talking to from the FAA (probably nothing too serious though).

If the weather is dead calm, there's a good chance you can get out pretty close to where he takes off. Since he says he's done this before, he probably already has a blanket permission to drop jumpers there, that's actually fairly typical.

Lastly, if you go far afield of your intended landing zone and just happen to land somewhere due to some sort of emergency . . . well, very few people will complain about that.

Edited to add:

Just be aware that ANY landing you do away from your takeoff area should be considered an "off landing." Be EXTREMELY careful. The area might have quite a few hazards you can't see from altitude and be on constant lookout for dangers like power lines and whatnot. Since you're probably the only jumper, once you leave that balloon you're 100% on your own. That means if you break your ankle, you better have a working cell phone with you to call for help. Also, you need to think about how you're getting back to civilization. Take money for a cab ride or to thank the people you hop a ride from. Take a pull up cord so you can at least shit pack your rig for the ride back.

Thanks for the advice quade. So...would you do it?

[quade 4]

Quote

Thanks for the advice quade. So...would you do it?

It would depend on how current I was. At the time I had my Pro Rating a couple years back, I wouldn't have hesitated. Right now, I'm not current. Somewhere between those two extremes is probably where you are. Think carefully and pick your spot well before letting go.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[sinjin 0]

i have done 20-30 balloon jumps. paul gave good advice about currency and brining your phone. have the numbers for the chase truck and balloon pilot in your phone. wouldnt hurt to look at the satellite image of the area the night before. you could also have a print out of the map of the area in your pocket to say " hey i am on road XXXX near road XXX. sucks to be like,, im on some farm near some hill :( . get to the balloon take off site early and check out the powerlines. figure how they run and what the look like. you want to land near a road but clear enough away from powerlines if that makes sense. does not hurt to look at the winds aloft that morning to get a sense of the winds.. you can check the winds aloft at usairnet.com figure out a hard deck and how low u are willing to get out of the balloon.

you can pm me with your # if u want to chat. i think i was going to get a ride from you in NY a couple of year ago to the ranch, happy to return the favor..

p

dont let life pass you by

[billvon 3,107]

>how much trouble can he get into just for letting some skydiver jump out of
>his balloon and how much trouble could I get into?

None, as long as he:

-calls ATC an hour before the jump
-makes the "X minute to jump" "jumper away" calls
-takes reasonable precautions to not damage anything on the ground

[piisfish 140]

also don't break your phone

go for it, and you might also have been a regular passenger sneaking a backpack and pirate jumping the balloon...

damn it's so complicated to do fun stuff in the land of the free....

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[skydiverbry 0]

VIDEO!!!


Bry

--------------------------------------------------
Growing old is mandatory.Growing up is optional!!

D.S.#13(Dudeist Skdiver)

[theonlyski 8]

Quote

He would have to be a commercial rated balloon pilot to do that to begin with so that part is legal.

I thought the pilot didn't need to have a commercial rating in order to fly jumpers for free. At most split the cost of fuel?

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[quade 4]

Quote

Quote

He would have to be a commercial rated balloon pilot to do that to begin with so that part is legal.

I thought the pilot didn't need to have a commercial rating in order to fly jumpers for free. At most split the cost of fuel?

What I'm saying is that if he is running a business flying regular customers, then his qualifications are beyond the minimum of simply a private balloon pilot which has the grey area of cost splitting you're talking about.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[skydiverbry 0]

Maybe the real question you should be asking is "How much trouble can I get into?"




Bry

--------------------------------------------------
Growing old is mandatory.Growing up is optional!!

D.S.#13(Dudeist Skdiver)

[virgin-burner 1]

Quote

also don't break your phone

go for it, and you might also have been a regular passenger sneaking a backpack and pirate jumping the balloon...

damn it's so complicated to do fun stuff in the land of the free....

unlike here.. just get up and jump out, nobody gives a shit..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[davjohns 1]

We had a balloon jump at skydivealabama once. Had the helicopter once as well.

As for the DZ, crosscountry hang glider and paraglider pilots land off all of the time. I prefer to view a Landing Zone before landing there, but that isn't always possible. If you pick one out, walk it first. If you land off, use your best judgement and you should be fine. I always take my cell with me when I jump or fly.

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.

[Gawain 0]

Quote

If the guy owns his hot air balloon ride business and takes people up for hire, then he's 100% in the clear as far as qualifications go for taking you up and letting you jump out. He would have to be a commercial rated balloon pilot to do that to begin with so that part is legal. He could even charge you for it and it would be legal even though he's taking you up for free. (Bonus for you.)

THE issue is the landing area. Technically, he/you need permission from the owner to land there. It's the old "Farmer McNasty" issue that plagues a lot of adjacent drop zones. 99% of the time nobody cares anyway, but if you ruin anything, just know that your USPA membership should cover most of the owner's damages. On the other hand, if you crater and nobody got permission to land, the pilot will get a talking to from the FAA (probably nothing too serious though).

If the weather is dead calm, there's a good chance you can get out pretty close to where he takes off. Since he says he's done this before, he probably already has a blanket permission to drop jumpers there, that's actually fairly typical.

Lastly, if you go far afield of your intended landing zone and just happen to land somewhere due to some sort of emergency . . . well, very few people will complain about that.

Edited to add:

Just be aware that ANY landing you do away from your takeoff area should be considered an "off landing." Be EXTREMELY careful. The area might have quite a few hazards you can't see from altitude and be on constant lookout for dangers like power lines and whatnot. Since you're probably the only jumper, once you leave that balloon you're 100% on your own. That means if you break your ankle, you better have a working cell phone with you to call for help. Also, you need to think about how you're getting back to civilization. Take money for a cab ride or to thank the people you hop a ride from. Take a pull up cord so you can at least shit pack your rig for the ride back.

There's something missing from that. Don't all hot air balloons also carry an "N" number? Therefore, he as the hot air balloon pilot is 100% responsible for you exiting said aircraft. Just as they are responsible for when they land in someone's yard (which happens all the time). You might also want to have him check his insurance because not all GLI policies cover everything for a business. Again, it goes back to the pilot if something goes wrong.

So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh
Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright
'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life
Make light!

[SansSuit 1]

Most legitimate balloon operators have insurance. Most insurance policies require an expensive rider to drop parachutists. The "trouble" he could get into could be with his balloon insurance.

Peace,
-Dawson.
http://www.SansSuit.com
The Society for the Advancement of Naked Skydiving

[Andy9o8 2]

Quote

Most insurance policies require an expensive rider to drop parachutists.

Ha ha - ever heard of the book "Eats, Shoots and Leaves"?

So I take it that if you're a cheap rider, you're not required to drop parachutists?


OK, I'm done amusing myself.