Balloon launch needs help-Colorado

[Major Lord]

One of my clients, a gentlemen named Mark Caveziel ( yes, he is related to Jim, the "Passion of the Christ" Actor) is going to try a low fuel, long distance flight in his hot Air Balloon in Mid- February. (these guys apparently do this on purpose, unlike other pilots, who do it by accident) He will launch from Lake City, Colorado, and land somewhere in Eastern Colorado, after hopefully clearing the 14,000 foot mountain range. His E-Mail is: kmcaviezel@yahoo.com, if there is a Squadron out there that can support him in this. My guess is that he would need chase crews, Comm's people, and in the event of an unscheduled mid-air with a mountaintop, some liaison with SAR groups. This would be a great activty if anyone wants to play, and will probably generate some local P.R. Anyone willing to take the lead on this should send him an E-Mail. He's a great guy, and I would hate to lose him in the mountains....

Major Lord

[mikeylikey]

Wow.......freaking wow.  People with too much $$ and too much time. 

What a waste. 

[Major Lord]

That's a rather unusal attitude from someone in CAP. Most of us really like aviation challenges and record setters. To each his own.

Major Lord

[Trung Si Ma]

Wow.......freaking wow.  People with too much $$ and too much time. 

What a waste. 

Obviously not too much money - he is going for a low fuel record

[Cobra1597]

Wow.......freaking wow.  People with too much $$ and too much time. 

What a waste. 

Where the hell did that come from a member of an organization that promotes aerospace education and accomplishment?

I'm truly speechless.

[mikeylikey]

I look at all of this as an attempt to make a name for himself and his organization.  He is not expanding aerospace education.

[Cobra1597]

I look at all of this as an attempt to make a name for himself and his organization.  He is not expanding aerospace education.

You got all that from a one paragraph post by Major Lord? Do you have some information we don't?

[♠SARKID♠]

I look at all of this as an attempt to make a name for himself and his organization.  He is not expanding aerospace education.

Right, pushing boundaries and limits isn't expanding AE.  Well, if thats the way things are supposed to be then I'll just chalk up Charles Lindburgh, Amelia Earhart, Howard Hughes, Neil Armstrong, John Glenn, and Steve Fossett as a bunch of people out to make names for themselves and their organizations.

[a2capt]

If we never pushed the limits, we'd all be flying in the prone position with the birds going faster than us.

[SJFedor]

This one is a toughie.

It definitely wouldn't qualify as an AFAM at all. I don't know if CAP would take it on as a corporate, especially considering that if this guy has the $$ to do this, he's got the $$ to hire a chase plane or two to keep an eye on him. I can see the use of it as a training exercise of sorts, but CAP as an entity wouldn't be of much service. He can't use any of our comm assets or frequencies, since the usage of them is FOUO, and this wouldn't count, he's probably got his own chase crews, and using CAP corporate vehicles for such probably is not considered official CAP business.

Sounds neat though. If I knew we'd clear the mountain, I'd take a ride.

[sardak]

Do a Google search on "Mark Caviezel." Note the correct spelling of his last name.

He is an aerospace engineer who has used balloons for all sorts of research.  One of his papers is"High Altitude Ballooning Used to Simulate Mars Planetary Entry."  Also check this website: http://www.strato-x.com/

Mark is also involved with EOSS and other unmanned "amateur" balloons as discussed in this thread in Aerospace Education.
http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=2837.0

I haven't found any details about this upcoming flight, but based on his other work, I suspect he has plenty of support for this flight, both ground and corporate.  However, it would be an interesting project for a squadron to watch, even if not needed for support.

Mike

[mikeylikey]

  Good luck to him.  I hope his balloon is successful in making him millions more. 

[Major Lord]

This one is a toughie.

It definitely wouldn't qualify as an AFAM at all. I don't know if CAP would take it on as a corporate, especially considering that if this guy has the $$ to do this, he's got the $$ to hire a chase plane or two to keep an eye on him. I can see the use of it as a training exercise of sorts, but CAP as an entity wouldn't be of much service. He can't use any of our comm assets or frequencies, since the usage of them is FOUO, and this wouldn't count, he's probably got his own chase crews, and using CAP corporate vehicles for such probably is not considered official CAP business.

Sounds neat though. If I knew we'd clear the mountain, I'd take a ride.

Definitely not an AFAM! ( I hope it does not end that way!) He does not need our help, but it would be a great educational opportunity for cadets and seniors. (Maybe even arrange a few hot air O-rides.....) If anyone in Colorado wants to get a group together to help him out, it would be precisely the kind of opportunity to our cadets would remember forever. As I understand the goal, they launch with a fixed amount of fuel and try to set a distance record. Not being a balloon guy, I don't know the rules. He is taking every precaution ( Including flying with one of the tracking transmitters I manufacture) survival  kit, etc. I am sorry if he has the money to fly and it offends people  (not really) instead of spending it on saving whales, global warming, or transgender education or something...I would love to go help out!

Major Lord

[Trung Si Ma]

If it was closer to home, I'd offer to fly my 172 for some of the tracking tasks.  Probably take one of my cadets along to help with the tracking while I fly.  Civilian winter flight clothing not CAP uniforms of course (for those of you wondering how long it would take to degenerate into just another uniform thread ). 

I think it would be fun.

Don

[RogueLeader]

If it was closer to home, I'd offer to fly my 172 for some of the tracking tasks.  Probably take one of my cadets along to help with the tracking while I fly.  Civilian winter flight clothing not CAP uniforms of course (for those of you wondering how long it would take to degenerate into just another uniform thread ). 

I think it would be fun.

Don

You'd take a cadet, but not a 1st LT that has been wanting to continue scanner training

[mikeylikey]

This one is a toughie.

It definitely wouldn't qualify as an AFAM at all. I don't know if CAP would take it on as a corporate, especially considering that if this guy has the $$ to do this, he's got the $$ to hire a chase plane or two to keep an eye on him. I can see the use of it as a training exercise of sorts, but CAP as an entity wouldn't be of much service. He can't use any of our comm assets or frequencies, since the usage of them is FOUO, and this wouldn't count, he's probably got his own chase crews, and using CAP corporate vehicles for such probably is not considered official CAP business.

Sounds neat though. If I knew we'd clear the mountain, I'd take a ride.

Definitely not an AFAM! ( I hope it does not end that way!) He does not need our help, but it would be a great educational opportunity for cadets and seniors. (Maybe even arrange a few hot air O-rides.....) If anyone in Colorado wants to get a group together to help him out, it would be precisely the kind of opportunity to our cadets would remember forever. As I understand the goal, they launch with a fixed amount of fuel and try to set a distance record. Not being a balloon guy, I don't know the rules. He is taking every precaution ( Including flying with one of the tracking transmitters I manufacture) survival  kit, etc. I am sorry if he has the money to fly and it offends people  (not really) instead of spending it on saving whales, global warming, or transgender education or something...I would love to go help out!

Major Lord

Why should CAP spend money on this?  Why would the Wing even consider using $$ to track this guy?  Other than the publicity, there is no value for the fuel. 

[Trung Si Ma]

Probably take one of my cadets along to help with the tracking while I fly. 

You'd take a cadet, but not a 1st LT that has been wanting to continue scanner training

And I thought that you only wanted to look at the ground! 

[RogueLeader]

Probably take one of my cadets along to help with the tracking while I fly. 

You'd take a cadet, but not a 1st LT that has been wanting to continue scanner training

And I thought that you only wanted to look at the ground! 

If I'm about to loose the last meal, hell yes, but other than that. . . I like to look around as well.

[/ my drift]

[SJFedor]

If it was closer to home, I'd offer to fly my 172 for some of the tracking tasks.  Probably take one of my cadets along to help with the tracking while I fly.  Civilian winter flight clothing not CAP uniforms of course (for those of you wondering how long it would take to degenerate into just another uniform thread ). 

I think it would be fun.

Don

Egh, I don't know about taking a 172 and hoping to clear a 14,000ft mountain range. I'd want a T206 or better, personally.

[Trung Si Ma]

Egh, I don't know about taking a 172 and hoping to clear a 14,000ft mountain range. I'd want a T206 or better, personally.

My nose bleeds if I get more than 3500' off of the deck and I start suffering from hypoxia  , but he is trying to land in Eastern Colorado, which is not only flat, but I have traversed that part of the state several times in a 172.