chuckakers 426 #1 August 6, 2005 Hey y'all, I posted a message here a couple weeks ago about this year's Ballunar Liftfoff, letting everyone know that I'm looking for players. I'm just wondering if any of you still jump out of planes. I only had a handful of responses and I still have slots to fill up. What the f***? As much fun as this event is I thought I'd be turning folks away. Hmm. If you want to a. jump directly onto the grounds of NASA's Johnson Space center all weekend b. bang out some low-key, 20-funways c. party like a rock star at our legendary Saturday night party d. enjoy some mexican food and flying tortillas at the after party then let me know. I have slots to fill. No need to be a skygod. I just need people who can turn clean 20-way and have the desire to have some fun. The event is August 27 - 29. E-mail me if you are intersted. Chuck Akers Houston, TX Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BRYANGOESBOOM 0 #2 August 6, 2005 would love 2 but a 20 way is a out of my experience range maby next year Not only will you look better, feel better, and fuck better; you'll have significantly increased your life expectancy. --Douva Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SwampThing 0 #3 August 6, 2005 What the f***? As much fun as this event is I thought I'd be turning folks away. Hmm. *** I haven't had the pleasure to jump there, but I know several other people that have. They told of a less than expected "experience". Were there problems last year? Are YOU in charge this time, instead of someone else I've heard mentioned? It sounds like a good time and all and I am qualified, but how much money, "ballpark" would it cost ME to to help with a demo that someone else gets paid for? Not trying to be negative, I really want to know more! The Pessimist says: "It can't possibly get any worse!" The Optimist says: "Sure it can!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #4 August 6, 2005 I would love to play with you. Too bad I am up to my ear lobes with rigging and students! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airgord 1 #5 August 6, 2005 I always thought that people would almost kill to get on this gig, what up people!?!?! Do it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jethers203 0 #6 August 7, 2005 Wow, doing a 20-way demo for $16 a jump isn't good enough? You want to get paid? That's lame. Chuck, I am really looking forward to this event. I will see about gathering some more skydivers. Thanks for organizing. Clint D-24352 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rookie120 0 #7 August 7, 2005 I need to know what, when, where, and why.If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
krkeenan 0 #8 August 7, 2005 Maybe the Nationals being moved up has put it too close for some of the regulars to do both. Kevin====================== Seasons don't fear the Reaper, nor do the Wind, the Sun, or the Rain... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SwampThing 0 #9 August 7, 2005 QuoteWow, doing a 20-way demo for $16 a jump isn't good enough? You want to get paid? That's lame. Chuck, I am really looking forward to this event. I will see about gathering some more skydivers. Thanks for organizing. Clint D-24352 *** lets see- If I were to go, (bet ya now I wouldn't be welcome) I would have traveling and motel expenses, as well as having to eat now and then. roughly 500.00 bucks for the 3 days, (and a day on each side for travel) plus the 16.00 per jump.I understand this IS a demo and not a boogie, I would be 'told' when and where and how often to jump? and then get to PAY?? Bet a bunch of DZO's would like in on THAT ONE I know several people that went and was told things didn't go as promised. I won't go into details, I wasn't there, and I don't know if it was misunderstandings, lack of communication, or actual deceit. But in the end they felt taken advantage of. I know this is a major event over there and a lot of work goes into it. I also know that a pretty good check is cut at the end of it that goes to someone. A little research came up with a number in the low 5 figures. All I'm wondering is who gets the profits from putting on this demo, where is the money going?? Since there seems to be some difficulty filling the coveted slots I guess may not be the only one with concerns. Now if for example I was told that 10 grand would be donated to something like "Jump for the Cause" at the end of the event, I would have no problem giving up a weeks pay and 5 days of my summer to go work a 'free' demo. But I can stay home, pay 16.00 a jump and skydive when and with who I want to and come out 500.00 ahead! I'm not a spoil sport, I just want to point out that some people think it's "lame" as you put it, to invite a bunch of friends over, put them to work, and pocket the profits from their effort. Come on! FREE JUMPS! Motel rooms and a sandwich ain't a lot to ask! Would you really pay your boss for the privilege of going to work for him? That's ludicrous. edited to add: You guys have SDH & Spaceland right? You have to beg people to fill a demo? does THAT say anything? and I'm Lame? The Pessimist says: "It can't possibly get any worse!" The Optimist says: "Sure it can!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jethers203 0 #10 August 7, 2005 Well, I was under the impression that you were in the Houston area. Your profile doesn't say where you live. Anyway, I don't see events such as this the way you do. I have done many demos and my payment has always been the thrill / experience. I skydive for personal enjoyment, I don't expect to get paid. It's not my occupation or even a side job. I love jumping into a place I've never seen before and landing in front of a big screaming crowd. It's a huge rush. I am sure Ballunar will be a blast. Clint Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #11 August 7, 2005 I have done many demos and my payment has always been the thrill / experience. I skydive for personal enjoyment, I don't expect to get paid. It's not my occupation or even a side job. *** I kind of do demos for a 'living'...and do expect to get paid. But I would do this one free just for the reasons you said, that and I am local and family & friends might come watch... where as they might not at a regular day at the dropzone. In fact I had to turn down an invite from Al because the date falls on 'Moms' birthday...(a 'special' one!) and since I hate sleeping in the garage, I better go with HER plans for that weekend!! But count me in for NEXT year!! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuckakers 426 #12 August 7, 2005 Here's a copy of the invite and registration form. This should fill you in on the details. You Are Invited to Manifest for ... 20-Way Red, White & Blue RW, CRW, & Freeflying OVER NASA! An All American Skydiving Competition and Demonstration! Ballunar Liftoff 2005! An Invitational Demonstration Skydive Event! This year's event will feature... The Skydives - 20 Way Complex Competition Relative Work Skydives! You have joined a list of 80 of the BEST skydivers you know! You have been recuited directly by your Team Captain on the Red, White, Blue or Star-spangled skydiving team. This draft should make each of the teams very competitive and challenge the Captains to plan, organize and lead their team to victory in the NASA Skydiving Competition Demonstration! We'll be making three competitive RW jumps on Saturday, and two Speed Star jumps on Sunday! And, there will be prizes for the winners!* All loads will be staged out of Ellington Field. All jumps will be made over NASA's Johnson Space Center, with landings adjacent to Rocket Park. And there’s… Exciting CRW Jumps for you CRW Dogs & Freeflyers Special Loads! The Event - Bringing Skydiving to the General Public ! The Ballunar Liftoff Festival is a not-for-profit (Its Official - 501C3) event dedicated to the promotion of Space Exploration and Aviation. Over 100 Hot Air Balloons flying in BFA competition, The Red, White, & Blue Skydiving Competition and Demonstration, The 20-Way + Progressive CRW, Hang Gliders, Vintage Aircraft, ParaMotor's and much more will thrill the general public! This year we expect over 100,000 people to attend the event! GREAT NEWS… General Admission to the event is only $10 per car load and parking is included at NASA’s Johnson Space Center! August 26, 27, 28, 2005 * A Safety Meeting and Registration on Thursday August 25th, at the Sea Brook Beach Club, 3345 NASA Rd.1, (281)326-5819. (It is not necessary to attend this meeting to participate but you must manifest to participate in the event.) * Event Registration will be held Friday August 26th, at the Holiday Inn NASA (1300 NASA Road One) from 3:00pm - 5:00pm. A Friday Night Steak Dinner at Space Center Houston will be provided for each registered skydiver. The Dinner starts at 4:30 and is over at 6:00 some come early! Here's when you find who your team mates are and start your dirt diving! If you would like to bring a Guest to dinner, please fill out the form below and add $10.00 to your check. * Friday Night includes.... Meet your Team at Space Center Houston, have a great dinner and head over to NASA’s Johnson Space Center for Dirt Dive’s and A Hot Air Balloon Glow! * On Saturday and Sunday for the Jumps we will meet at the festival and travel by bus to South West Services Company at Ellington Field. Each Team will have a different jump schedule but there will be at least three hours between your jumps, giving plenty of time to enjoy the festival and work on your dive plan. The first jump for the Red Team is at 9:00am into the Space Center. We plan to make three 20-way jumps on Saturday and then two 10-way Speed Star jumps on Sunday. You can register for Saturday, Sunday or Both! (Note: The festival closes at noon on Sunday!) Video dudes will shoot each jump! They will be your team mates throughout the competition. The video dudes must get the jump for your team to score. There will be no re-jumps for any reason, YIKES! At least one USPA certified judge will judge the competition, and video playback will be shown to the general public at the festival site and on the air-conditioned buses for post diving. (There are no protests and the Judge is always right!) * To support our Skydiving Event at the Festival, the Red, White, Blue and Star-spangled Teams will be sold to Corporate Sponsors. WE STILL NEED SPONSORS to provide the Uniforms (shirts & caps) and Prizes!! If you think you might know an organization interested in gaining the publicity of sponsoring a team, please contact Al Saylor at (281)435-8586. (We still need Team Sponsors for everyone to get Uniforms and Prizes!) Great Party Plans are in the works at Rich Delgado’s Annual “b-cool” Pool Party! All participants will receive V.I.P. passes to Space Center Houston and all events that are a part of Ballunar Liftoff 2005! Be prepared to do the "demo stuff", hand shaking, autographs, talking and mingling with a LARGE CROWD, kissing babies, etc. We will be providing a covered packing area, Busses to take us back to Ellington, riggers and packers on site, free drinks all day during the jumping and much more! Visit Our Web Site at http://www.ballunarfestival.com What you need to do to play is... This is UNBELIEVABLE!!! $16.00 JUMPS ! 1. Sign up for Saturday, Sunday, or both days! Send a check for to reserve your slot. q Registration for both days for $25.00 and five (5) $16.00 jumps. $105.00 q Registration for Saturday only, $15.00 and three (3) $16.00 jumps. $ 63.00 q Register for Sunday only, $10.00 and two (2) $16.00 jumps. $42.00 2. Add $10.00 to your check if you want to bring a guest to dinner on Friday Night. 3. Indicate if you want a packer reserved to pack your rig. Packers will be packing for $6.00 per rig. 4. Mail your check made out to Ballunar Liftoff Festival Inc., to: Ballunar Liftoff Festival - Skydiver Registration 1201 NASA Road One Houston, Texas 77058 5. Your check must be received by August 1st to reserve your slot. Please note that this is an invitational event for C-licensed Skydivers. We are fortunate to have an excess of skydivers interested in participating in this event. You have been recruited directly by your Team Captain from a list of qualified skydivers and we need you to confirm your slot as soon as possible by sending in your check. If you can not attend, please e-mail SkySaylor@aol.com. 6 . Make sure your Square Reserve is in date and that it has a seal. These jumps have been approved by the FAA and are considered Demo Jumps. We will be ramp checked by the FAA. Do to the nature of this event hook turns will be strictly forbidden. A map to Ellington Field, the Space Center, hotel information and the final details of the location of the Safety Meeting and Registration will be mailed to you following our receipt of your check. This is going to be an outstanding invitational event with some great skydivers attending. We look forward to seeing you there!!! Blue Skies, Al Saylor & Your Team Captains, Larry Hinson Brad Lambert Rich Delgado Chuck Akers Bill Runyon Brian Moffett Manifest Now! Send your Check and your Registration Form to : Ballunar Liftoff Festival Inc. Skydiver Registration 1201 NASA Road One Houston, Texas 77058 Hey! I _________________________________, would like to play! Enclosed is my check made out to Ballunar Liftoff Inc. for $_____________. I would like to bring _______, additional guests to Dinner on Friday Night. I have enclosed an additional $10.00 per guest. (Circle One) Yes - I would like to have a packer. Packers will be charging $6.00 per pack job. ( No Guarantees) No - I don't need a packer. Name:_____________________________________ Address:____________________________________ City, State Zip:______________________________ Hm #______________________________________ Wk #______________________________________ Cell #_____________________________________ E-mail:____________________________________ USPA #_____________________________ D License #__________________________ Number of Jumps:_______________________ Largest Formation:_______________________ Circle One > RW CRW Freeflyer T-shirt Size:__________ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #13 August 7, 2005 Here's a copy of the invite and registration form. This should fill you in on the details. *** That's Torture! Now I REALLY want to go!!Maybe I can convince the spousal unit that a weekend at NASA would be a WONDERFUL birthday experience!! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jethers203 0 #14 August 7, 2005 Here is the word document. Print it and send it. Clint Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #15 August 8, 2005 Quoteplus the 16.00 per jump.I understand this IS a demo and not a boogie, I would be 'told' when and where and how often to jump? and then get to PAY?? Demo's are not always about having a free ride on everything. This event is about a good skydiving social gathering, getting friends together from all-over, having a good time at a casual pace jumping into an unusual location, and great parties. You also get to see a hundred or so hot air balloons, model rocketry, gyrocopters, powered parachutes, and so on. If it's just economics you care about, forget it. QuoteA little research came up with a number in the low 5 figures. All I'm wondering is who gets the profits from putting on this demo, where is the money going?? The profits from the entire Ballunar event, including the skydiving portion, go for science scholarships for students. It's a good cause. No one is lining their pockets that I know of. A whole bunch of people volunteer enormous amounts of time and energy to make this event happen, for no economic gain whatsoever, just because it's a worthwhile and fun event. It's not about "me". It's altruistic charity in action. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faulknerwn 38 #16 August 8, 2005 Exactly! the Nationals is what would kill the CRW part this year - with so many people going to that the week before its practically impossible to get anyone to be able to come in. W Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brains 2 #17 August 8, 2005 Heard this, heard that. Go see for yourself. I have been the last two years. I belly flew the first and feeflew the second. You need to experience it to understand and appreciate it. Are there thousands of cheering spectators??? NO. But it is really cool to be packing and a kid walks right past a couple astronauts to get YOUR autograph. Watching a sunrise over the bay while tracking towards nasa/johnson space center is a visual i will never forget. Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,550 #18 August 8, 2005 It's a fun time. They provide covered packing area (not huge, but enough for most people), a space where you can get away from the crowd if you want to, the opportunity to do a demo that's not a low get-out-get-obvious jump. Nothing wrong with those, but if you'd rather do RW or something, this is an opportunity to do both. I've been to the last couple, and had a good time. I'm going back this year. Yes, it's hot. It's Texas in August, but there's plenty of free water and sodas, and covered packing. I've paid good money for worse. Wendy W.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
Luminous 0 #19 August 9, 2005 Quotethe date falls on 'Moms' birthday...(a 'special' one!) "Well Mom, it took a LOT of doing. And I had to pull a LOT of strings. But I've arranged to have your BD party AT NASA !! Not only that but I've got a bunch of my friends jumping in especially for you.". And I'll personally tell her how you spent outrageous amounts of money to make it happen. Cheers. Larry --'In an insane society a sane person seems insane.' Mr. Spock Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #20 August 9, 2005 QuoteQuotethe date falls on 'Moms' birthday...(a 'special' one!) "Well Mom, it took a LOT of doing. And I had to pull a LOT of strings. But I've arranged to have your BD party AT NASA !! Not only that but I've got a bunch of my friends jumping in especially for you.". And I'll personally tell her how you spent outrageous amounts of money to make it happen. Cheers. Larry -- *** Won't work....I used that one at Perris LAST year! ...and STILL haven't heard the end of it! (Dinner at the Bombshelter ISN'T romantic???) Besides, I have demo gigs the week before and the two weeks in a row FOLLOWING the B~D... Needless to say, I'VE BEEN WARNED!!! "You even MENTION Skydiving....." But I LIKE your way of thinking!! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
voodew1 0 #21 August 9, 2005 Quote"You even MENTION Skydiving....." Thats funny -- when I spend a weekend with the wife -- a whole weekend I am told "All weekend long there will be no talking about skydiving or butt fuckin" Which is very hard being I am a blue collar worker and a skydiver!! The pimp hand is powdered up ... say something stupid Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brains 2 #22 August 10, 2005 QuoteThats funny -- when I spend a weekend with the wife -- a whole weekend I am told "All weekend long there will be no talking about skydiving or butt fuckin" Which is very hard being I am a blue collar worker and a skydiver!! So i guess having Ted or JuJu around is a definate no then?? Your wife is so cool. Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luminous 0 #23 August 12, 2005 *bump* Still slots left if you want to come play. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jethers203 0 #24 August 22, 2005 Bump. I'm getting excited!!! How did the teams shape up??? Clint D-24352 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luminous 0 #25 August 22, 2005 QuoteHow did the teams shape up??? Not sure of the exact numbers, never can be until Fri. night and even then it's subject to change. Looks like 3 teams of no less than 16 on Saturday. I'm not sure about Sunday's numbers. If anyone decides thay want to play, come on. Cheers. Larry'In an insane society a sane person seems insane.' Mr. Spock Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
