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Scoolover
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I have done pilot +5 in the 4.9. Like my father say's when people say, "we're going to fit in there", "it's a visual experience. You're not going ball room dancing".
A lot of the old school balloonists are pre mega FAA regulation. Many of their ideas and opinions would be looked at as odd by many of the younger crowd who grew up in the regulation age. You are correct though. It would be nice for them to chime in.
Hear hear, much more eloquently put than I did.
Ok, here is my take on it. Sure if you really want to analyze it to death, it does say "God" and yes, it could imply
"religion", but I have been involved with balloons now for 13 years, 10 as crew, 3 as pilot and I have yet to have the feeling that…
The word prayer to me is something to do with believing in god but thats just my thought.
Im sweet with everyone using it, i don't mind. personally i wouldn't use it just because its a little old school
for me and also i don't see anything come from…
Well said Eric !
I second that motion. Go Sheep !
Getting rid of the traditional pinning ceremony was one thing but this? We call it a chant or the Irish balloonists blessing. What the hell is wrong with you people. Here is my opinion. It is a beautiful way of expressing and describing a beautiful…
Profile Information
- About Me:
- I guess that my ballooning profile starts with my father. He started ballooning in the early 70's and I was born in 75'. I was born into it. He home built all of his equipment including burners. When I was a kid, we would get home from school and cut material that he would sew when he got home from work. That would be the one chore I had as a kid. My first memories of ballooning were at my grandparents house where I would watch them inflate from the living room window.
Fast forward to my sixteenth birthday. My brother and I went to take out written tests at Stewart Airport. He was older and took the commercial test. I took the private. I did about as well as I did on any test during that time of my life and squeeked by with a 72. Neither of us had the drive then to go any farther with the testing and the test scores lapsed two years later. We kept flying with our father who by then had a full time balloon business in Orange County, New York. Even though I knew that I would get my liscence one day, I loved to crew. In the 5 year period from about 90-95, I would say that I got 400 hours of crew experience. Overall to now, I would guess that I am in the 700 range.
Finally, in 2003 my brother and I got our private liscences from Chuck O'Neill in Hudson, NY. It was really an awesome experience. It was funny how there were no nerves. I guess that being around balloons for so long makes you comfortable. Oh and this time, the scores for the written tests were much better. We both passed the private and commercial written tests with flying colors! In August of 04, we both got our commercial liscences. That was tougher for me due to the teaching aspect of the oral section of the test. The flight test was fine. My brother didn't any problems as he is a teacher. He didn't have any problem comming up with a lesson plan.
At this point, I fly a few times a year. My brother has what I would call a full time business along with his teaching job. My father is semi retired but does some teather work along with some free flights with my brother during the summer months. We are currently constructing a tetrohedron cloud hopper. When I say, "we", I mean my brother and I do as much as we can being 1500 miles away from my father who is actually doing it all. The we part I guess just amounts to moral support at this point.
There - my balloon history in a nut shell
Scoolover's Photos
Comment Wall (10 comments)
- At 6:43am on June 29, 2009,
Kevin L. Stephenson said… - Thanks for posting the incredible pictures from Brian Bolands place. I've always heard that it is an fantastic place, now I have a little idea of what it is really like. Thanks for posting these pictures. Please post pictures of the Cloudhopper that you and your family are building, building your own balloon is a great way to get into ballooning. With the current prices of any balloon system, It is pricing most of us out of the sport. I hope it dosn't happen to me.SOFT LANDINGS!!!! Kevin L. Stephenson (Albuquerque,NM)
- At 12:13pm on December 30, 2008,
Bubbles Beard said…
- Hi - glad to chat with you. Thanks for the good addition. Have a Happy New Year.
- At 9:23am on December 23, 2008,
Ursula said… - Hi The red white and blue balloon looks extremely familiar -(notice my profile picture LOL)
- At 1:48am on December 18, 2008,
Nickita Negersmith said… - Thanks for the friend request! I got my private with Chuck in Hudson as well. I wasn't too fond of the helicopters landing under me at the airport however! LOL
- At 9:24am on October 25, 2008,
Anthony Seeger said…
- i like the pix of the fog as well, very awsome. it says you dont fly often, do you do any rallys, or just fun fly?
- At 6:09am on October 24, 2008,
Brian Holmes said… - Very cool pix with the balloon shadow showing thru the mist/fog!!
~Capt'n Brian
- At 7:55am on October 16, 2008,
Nate Wilson said… - Hey, this is nate wilson, i talked to you at the NYSFOB remember?...nice pics of prism and pink floyd! : ) hope there going well. ttul.
- At 1:55pm on October 15, 2008,
Mick Murphy said… - Welcome where in CT do you live. Not sure we have met.
Mick
Watertown, CT
- At 8:22am on October 15, 2008,
Timmy said… - welcome
- At 4:50am on October 15, 2008,
chris hayes said… - hi
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