Balloon encounter: to airprox or not to airprox?
Joined: Oct 2011
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From: South-East, United Kingdom
Just be thankfull it didnt have a metoffice radio sonde attatched to it!
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: Daventry UK
Some of the Chinese lanterns have wires in them that you might not want wrapped around your spinner.
I believe that large model aircraft (over 15 lbs or something) are required to have a fail safe that closes the throttle on loss of contact. In practice many if not all the modern 2.4ghz radios have an inherant loss of signal mode linked to the throttle channel.
I believe that large model aircraft (over 15 lbs or something) are required to have a fail safe that closes the throttle on loss of contact. In practice many if not all the modern 2.4ghz radios have an inherant loss of signal mode linked to the throttle channel.
Joined: Dec 2011
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Weather baloons are launched at a number of locations in the UK, and around the world, at 0000Z and 1200Z, usually.
I do wonder how they avoid hitting aircraft with them. They are small but not that small, and the payload is probably ~1kg which would go through the windscreen nicely at 150kt.
I do wonder how they avoid hitting aircraft with them. They are small but not that small, and the payload is probably ~1kg which would go through the windscreen nicely at 150kt.
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,347
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From: Tring, UK
I've wondered that too, especially as I'm doing nearly 500kts most of the time. I think they are about a 250g package, which still packs a significant punch at that speed, probably twice that of a military rifle bullet...
Never heard of anyone hitting one, big sky and all that I suppose?
Never heard of anyone hitting one, big sky and all that I suppose?
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 59
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From: Aberdeen, NE Scotland
Seem to remember at air rallies. along with spot landings and flour bombing, there was also balloon bursting. You told the ground by radio when to release the balloon then went after it, aiming to burst it with your prop. 
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,546
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From: Oxford, UK
Going back to the previous posts referring to surprising encounters with models.....(lets not have any misunderstandings here what sort of models)....
they fly a lot of models off the Edgehill ridge at Sunrising hill (which ought to be called Sunsetting IMHO).
We do a lot of gliding by winch and aerotow at Shenington, weather permitting. I was pulling up a K13 glider, my friend Jane was P1 in the glider with a trial lesson in the front; I was flying a 150 Supercub with climb prop; rather good performance. Nevertheless it always pays when towing a glider to use what rising air is available to enhance the climb. So I turned right to fly along the hill, by now at about 400 feet.
Noticed a glider soaring the hill, standard class type (15 meter wingspan) a fair distance down the hill, coming my way. WAIT A MINUTE! THAT IS NOT A GLIDER, ITS A FLIPPIN MODEL! And it was quite near us, heading directly at us, so I took immediate evasive action, turning hard left. Jane wondered why on earth did the tug swerve so abruptly, but she hung on. Meanwhile, the pilot of the model, who was of course standing on the hill watching me heading for his pride and joy with a combination, suffered considerable anguish. As was made manifest because he didn't know WHAT to do, the model was all over the place. Fortunately the rest of our flight was uneventful, and back on the ground later, Jane said she never saw the model at all. Usually they stay down at a sensible height above the terraine, the pilots don't like to lose them. It's the hang gliders soaring the hill that you might encounter at any height on a good day.
they fly a lot of models off the Edgehill ridge at Sunrising hill (which ought to be called Sunsetting IMHO).
We do a lot of gliding by winch and aerotow at Shenington, weather permitting. I was pulling up a K13 glider, my friend Jane was P1 in the glider with a trial lesson in the front; I was flying a 150 Supercub with climb prop; rather good performance. Nevertheless it always pays when towing a glider to use what rising air is available to enhance the climb. So I turned right to fly along the hill, by now at about 400 feet.
Noticed a glider soaring the hill, standard class type (15 meter wingspan) a fair distance down the hill, coming my way. WAIT A MINUTE! THAT IS NOT A GLIDER, ITS A FLIPPIN MODEL! And it was quite near us, heading directly at us, so I took immediate evasive action, turning hard left. Jane wondered why on earth did the tug swerve so abruptly, but she hung on. Meanwhile, the pilot of the model, who was of course standing on the hill watching me heading for his pride and joy with a combination, suffered considerable anguish. As was made manifest because he didn't know WHAT to do, the model was all over the place. Fortunately the rest of our flight was uneventful, and back on the ground later, Jane said she never saw the model at all. Usually they stay down at a sensible height above the terraine, the pilots don't like to lose them. It's the hang gliders soaring the hill that you might encounter at any height on a good day.
Last edited by mary meagher; 1st August 2012 at 21:15.
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 45
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From: Isle of Wight
Pink Pig Problem
Not only was the pink pig not notam-ed, it even had a formal airmiss (before the name was changed to airprox) filed on it, and an AAIB report recorded! I remember seeing the report somewhere but I don't remember where or when, it was possibly mid 1970's.
