CAP Hot Air Balloon

CadetProgramGuy · June 21, 2009, 06:26:34 PM

Does anyone know if the CAP Balloon is still around? I have a large Ballooning festival here in Iowa in August, wanting to see if I could use it as a recruiting tool.

Eclipse · June 21, 2009, 08:11:55 PM

Which one? There's more than one (no idea how many, though).

My state has one, but the setup requirements for an airshow are fairly onerous - maximum winds at near zero, large area separated form the general public, and of course you can't put anyone but a CAP member in it.

Ours would have just been put to use at JFA's ballooning school.

Bluelakes 13 · June 21, 2009, 08:51:02 PM

And Elgin's Balloon Fest

http://kalemis.com/cap/balloon/index.htm

davidsinn · June 21, 2009, 09:29:03 PM

Quote from: Eclipse on June 21, 2009, 08:11:55 PM
Which one? There's more than one (no idea how many, though).

My state has one, but the setup requirements for an airshow are fairly onerous - maximum winds at near zero, large area separated form the general public, and of course you can't put anyone but a CAP member in it.

Ours would have just been put to use at JFA's ballooning school.

My wing used that one. We had it at the Indy Airshow and flew all the cadets and were about to start in on the seniors when it ran out of fuel.

wuzafuzz · June 21, 2009, 10:36:36 PM

Hang a tactical repeater on that thing!

NIN · June 21, 2009, 11:57:52 PM

A balloon festival is not the same as an airshow, BTW.

CadetProgramGuy · June 22, 2009, 12:32:22 AM

How do I go about requesting it? Flight Training, ect...

CadetProgramGuy · June 22, 2009, 05:30:17 AM

http://www.nationalballoonclassic.com/

es_g0d · June 22, 2009, 07:59:04 AM

Illinois used to use one or more as part of their solo encampment. Cadets could solo in the balloon. I don't believe they gave out pre-solo wings for that, and of course the term "solo encampment" is now politically incorrect.

This information is based on personal experience and is therefore dated to the early nineties. Its good to know there are still some around in CAP.

CadetProgramGuy · June 22, 2009, 11:23:57 AM

Same question still stands, how do I go about finding where they are at, and getting one into Iowa?

IceNine · June 22, 2009, 02:24:40 PM

The obvious answer reigns true here...

Talk to your DO, they should have all the answers or be able to get them for you.

flynd94 · June 22, 2009, 03:05:17 PM

Quote from: es_g0d on June 22, 2009, 07:59:04 AM
Illinois used to use one or more as part of their solo encampment. Cadets could solo in the balloon. I don't believe they gave out pre-solo wings for that, and of course the term "solo encampment" is now politically incorrect.

This information is based on personal experience and is therefore dated to the early nineties. Its good to know there are still some around in CAP.

Thread drift
Scott they did hand out solo wings for the balloon or, they did when I went in the mid 80's. I did all 3 portions of the IL Wing Flight encampment. Best time ever in CAP. Started me on my way to my career.

CadetProgramGuy · June 22, 2009, 05:13:05 PM

Quote from: IceNine on June 22, 2009, 02:24:40 PM
The obvious answer reigns true here...

Talk to your DO, they should have all the answers or be able to get them for you.

Well, that would be the obvious answer IF the DO wasn't in Mississippi with his wife, then getting transferred to Hawaii for initial posting with the AF. I am the DOS.

Soooooo....Now what?

Always Ready · June 22, 2009, 08:19:08 PM

^What about the NCR/DO? And if they don't know, they can pass the question up to NHQ.

es_g0d · June 23, 2009, 12:31:48 AM

I see no reason why you couldn't go VFR-direct to a Wing DO who you know has an aircraft; several wings have now been mentioned. Wing to Wing contact certainly isn't forbidden; it should be encouraged MORE instead of asking our overtasked HQ for all the answers. Start surfing wing web sites for names.

IL WAS handing out solo wings when I was there (for a short time). The balloon "solo badge" was half of the private pilot balloon wings. That is, it was one "wing" attached to the mini balloon. Similar to the stewardess badge. Its unfortunate some of that has been lost to antiquity. I was there late '91.

flynd94 · June 23, 2009, 12:52:31 AM

IL flight encampment 87-89. God that makes me old

BuckeyeDEJ · June 23, 2009, 05:50:10 PM

Quote from: wuzafuzz on June 21, 2009, 10:36:36 PM
Hang a tactical repeater on that thing!

Good luck with that. Balloons go whichever way the wind blows, unless you are OK with varying coverage areas as altitude changes to find a stationary position.

/been there, done that -- enjoyed the Goodyear blimp's capabilities more

Eclipse · June 23, 2009, 08:09:23 PM

Quote from: es_g0d on June 22, 2009, 07:59:04 AM
Illinois used to use one or more as part of their solo encampment. Cadets could solo in the balloon. I don't believe they gave out pre-solo wings for that, and of course the term "solo encampment" is now politically incorrect.

The term "solo encampment' isn't "politically" incorrect, it is simply factually incorrect. In CAP parlance, an "encampment" has a very specific meaning, and most of the flight academies no longer meet those requirements.

The balloon training still occurs every year at the Johnson Flight Academy, ~~there simply is no longer a balloonist badge recognized or awarded by CAP~~.

IceNine · June 24, 2009, 02:56:15 AM

^ Negative.

Balloon pilot wings are recognized, approved, and available.

CAPR 35-6

Balloon Solo wings are not approved per 60-1 which says solo is limited to Glider and Single engine land airplanes

Eclipse · June 24, 2009, 03:33:42 AM

I sit corrected.