Balloon-assisted jumping

[JumpingMan]

Some friends of mine are obsessed with the idea of buying weather
balloons, filling them with helium, attaching them to a harness (with
probably about -3 to -5 lbs of net lift) and jumping up into the air.
If anyone has info on both the feasibility (with implicit danger) and
cost of such an excursion, you input would be most appreciated.

In addition, if this post better fits another group, please feel free
to redirect me (I have already posted to .balloon and .misc). Thank
you.

JumpingMan

[LCT Paintball]

They did that on the TV show Myth Busters. Didn't look very bright to me.

--
"Don't be misled, bad company corrupts good character."
www.LCTPaintball.com
www.LCTProducts.com


"JumpingMan" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Some friends of mine are obsessed with the idea of buying weather
> balloons, filling them with helium, attaching them to a harness (with
> probably about -3 to -5 lbs of net lift) and jumping up into the air.
> If anyone has info on both the feasibility (with implicit danger) and
> cost of such an excursion, you input would be most appreciated.
>
> In addition, if this post better fits another group, please feel free
> to redirect me (I have already posted to .balloon and .misc). Thank
> you.
>
> JumpingMan
>

[LCT Paintball]

http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/episode/episode_07.html



--
"Don't be misled, bad company corrupts good character."
www.LCTPaintball.com
www.LCTProducts.com


"JumpingMan" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Some friends of mine are obsessed with the idea of buying weather
> balloons, filling them with helium, attaching them to a harness (with
> probably about -3 to -5 lbs of net lift) and jumping up into the air.
> If anyone has info on both the feasibility (with implicit danger) and
> cost of such an excursion, you input would be most appreciated.
>
> In addition, if this post better fits another group, please feel free
> to redirect me (I have already posted to .balloon and .misc). Thank
> you.
>
> JumpingMan
>

[Denny]

Add a few more balloons, a lawn chair and a BB gun, and you too can be
on the news...

Now seriously, if you are looking for a thrill spend your helium money
taking a tandem parachute jump.. Or a couple of hours of flight
instruction in an ultralight... Or a hot air ballon ride...

denny

[John]

MikeR wrote:

>
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>>
>> LCT Paintball wrote:
>> > http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/episode/episode_07.html
>> >
>> >
>>
>> Lawn chair Larry really made his flight though it may not always
>> be reported accurately--e.g. no helicopter rescue, he came down
at on a sunny day the lift may increase as the gas in the bag
>> heats up. It will also increase if the pilot loses his lunch
>> or pees in his pants in flight.
>>
>> FF
>
>
>
>>FF said;
>>It will also increase if the pilot loses his lunch
> Agreed. Lunch goes overboard and net weight decreases.
>
>>or pees in his pants in flight.
> Disagreed. Pee stays in pants and does NOT reduce net weight.
>
> MikeR
>
>
>
Oh he'll lose weight as it evaporates!
John

[[email protected]]

LCT Paintball wrote:
> http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/episode/episode_07.html
>
>

Lawn chair Larry really made his flight though it may not always
be reported accurately--e.g. no helicopter rescue, he came down
on his own by shooting the balloons as planned.

However OP was talking about folks contemplating a sub-flight
balloon-assisted jumping. I think this would be a bit less
spectacular than one might imagine as the balloon will not
rise as fast as the person does when jumping so that the
jump would be only a little higher than normal, followed
by a rapid drop until the slack in the lines is used up,
followed by a a slow drop the rest of the way to the ground
which I think won't be very far.

A very rigid connection between the jumper and the balloon
would have a smoother effect but wind resistance being
much greater and inertia also greater than for the unassisted
jumper I expect that would still be disappointing.

Long jumping will be hampered by wind resistance. However,
downwind long-jumping might be a real gas, stopping would
be the hard part.

Oh, OP said negative net lift. That means the pilot would not
need to jump, he will rise on his own and should give careful
consideration as to how to get back down. Keep in mind also
that on a sunny day the lift may increase as the gas in the bag
heats up. It will also increase if the pilot loses his lunch
or pees in his pants in flight.

--

FF

[MikeR]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> LCT Paintball wrote:
> > http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/episode/episode_07.html
> >
> >
>
> Lawn chair Larry really made his flight though it may not always
> be reported accurately--e.g. no helicopter rescue, he came down
> on his own by shooting the balloons as planned.
>
> However OP was talking about folks contemplating a sub-flight
> balloon-assisted jumping. I think this would be a bit less
> spectacular than one might imagine as the balloon will not
> rise as fast as the person does when jumping so that the
> jump would be only a little higher than normal, followed
> by a rapid drop until the slack in the lines is used up,
> followed by a a slow drop the rest of the way to the ground
> which I think won't be very far.
>
> A very rigid connection between the jumper and the balloon
> would have a smoother effect but wind resistance being
> much greater and inertia also greater than for the unassisted
> jumper I expect that would still be disappointing.
>
> Long jumping will be hampered by wind resistance. However,
> downwind long-jumping might be a real gas, stopping would
> be the hard part.
>
> Oh, OP said negative net lift. That means the pilot would not
> need to jump, he will rise on his own and should give careful
> consideration as to how to get back down. Keep in mind also
> that on a sunny day the lift may increase as the gas in the bag
> heats up. It will also increase if the pilot loses his lunch
> or pees in his pants in flight.
>
> FF



>FF said;
>It will also increase if the pilot loses his lunch
Agreed. Lunch goes overboard and net weight decreases.

>or pees in his pants in flight.
Disagreed. Pee stays in pants and does NOT reduce net weight.

MikeR









>

[Vaughn]

"MikeR" > wrote in message
...
>
> > wrote in message
>
>>or pees in his pants in flight.
> Disagreed. Pee stays in pants and does NOT reduce net weight.

More likely much of it would run down your leg, so the effect on the flight
would depend on if you were wearing shoes or not.

Vaughn

[Montblack]

("Vaughn" wrote)
> More likely much of it would run down your leg, so the effect on the
> flight would depend on if you were wearing shoes or not.


Pee-toe system?


Montblack

[Morgans]

"Montblack" > wrote in message
...
> ("Vaughn" wrote)
> > More likely much of it would run down your leg, so the effect on the
> > flight would depend on if you were wearing shoes or not.
>
>
> Pee-toe system?
>
>
> Montblack
>

Groan. Go to your room!

A heated pee-toe, yet.
--
Jim in NC

[Carl / KG6YKL]

Morgans wrote:
> "Montblack" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>("Vaughn" wrote)
>>
>>> More likely much of it would run down your leg, so the effect on the
>>>flight would depend on if you were wearing shoes or not.
>>
>>
>>Pee-toe system?
>>
>>
>>Montblack
>>
>
>
> Groan. Go to your room!
>
> A heated pee-toe, yet.

I don't know, I'm still laughing...

[Stuart Fields]

I'm amazed at the number of people with expertise in the aerodynamics of a
body that pees during flight. I wonder if NASA knows of this body of
expertise. I would also like to hear of the experience that supports the
experts knowledge.
Stu Fields

"Carl / KG6YKL" > wrote in message
news:_D40e.60692$xt.55172@fed1read07...
> Morgans wrote:
> > "Montblack" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >>("Vaughn" wrote)
> >>
> >>> More likely much of it would run down your leg, so the effect on
the
> >>>flight would depend on if you were wearing shoes or not.
> >>
> >>
> >>Pee-toe system?
> >>
> >>
> >>Montblack
> >>
> >
> >
> > Groan. Go to your room!
> >
> > A heated pee-toe, yet.
>
> I don't know, I'm still laughing...

[Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired]

Morgans wrote:

> "Montblack" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>("Vaughn" wrote)
>>
>>> More likely much of it would run down your leg, so the effect on the
>>>flight would depend on if you were wearing shoes or not.
>>
>>
>>Pee-toe system?
>>
>>
>>Montblack
>>
>
>
> Groan. Go to your room!
>
> A heated pee-toe, yet.

OK, guys, we just had a string of moldy puns in the "A&P tipping"
thread. Urine deep need of help if you do it in this thread too.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

[Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired]

Stuart Fields wrote:

> I'm amazed at the number of people with expertise in the aerodynamics of a
> body that pees during flight. I wonder if NASA knows of this body of
> expertise. I would also like to hear of the experience that supports the
> experts knowledge.
> Stu Fields
>
> "Carl / KG6YKL" > wrote in message
> news:_D40e.60692$xt.55172@fed1read07...
>
>>Morgans wrote:
>>
>>>"Montblack" > wrote in message
...
>>>
>>>
>>>>("Vaughn" wrote)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> More likely much of it would run down your leg, so the effect on
>
> the
>
>>>>>flight would depend on if you were wearing shoes or not.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Pee-toe system?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Montblack
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Groan. Go to your room!
>>>
>>>A heated pee-toe, yet.
>>
>>I don't know, I'm still laughing...
>
>
>
HUSH before Congress decides to have an investigation. Flush that
suggestion.

Hey, I was going to make a calculus related pun on this subject, but it
would have been too derivitave.

Dan, U.S. Air Force, retired

[JumpingMan]

wrote:
> LCT Paintball wrote:
> >
http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/mythbusters/episode/episode_07.html
> >
> >
>
> Lawn chair Larry really made his flight though it may not always
> be reported accurately--e.g. no helicopter rescue, he came down
> on his own by shooting the balloons as planned.
>
> However OP was talking about folks contemplating a sub-flight
> balloon-assisted jumping. I think this would be a bit less
> spectacular than one might imagine as the balloon will not
> rise as fast as the person does when jumping so that the
> jump would be only a little higher than normal, followed
> by a rapid drop until the slack in the lines is used up,
> followed by a a slow drop the rest of the way to the ground
> which I think won't be very far.
>
> A very rigid connection between the jumper and the balloon
> would have a smoother effect but wind resistance being
> much greater and inertia also greater than for the unassisted
> jumper I expect that would still be disappointing.
>
> Long jumping will be hampered by wind resistance. However,
> downwind long-jumping might be a real gas, stopping would
> be the hard part.
>
> Oh, OP said negative net lift. That means the pilot would not
> need to jump, he will rise on his own and should give careful
> consideration as to how to get back down. Keep in mind also
> that on a sunny day the lift may increase as the gas in the bag
> heats up. It will also increase if the pilot loses his lunch
> or pees in his pants in flight.
>
> --
>
> FF

Sorry about the net lift mixup. I actually meant the person jumping
would have 3-5 lbs of net weight. So yes, he would be on the ground
but barely. In this case, even the slightest nudge with his toes would
make him airborn...so I don't think there will be much rope slack to
deal with, unless he tries to jump upwards very violently (although my
gut reaction was the same as yours). We would have at least 2
tethers...one to the ground and one to another person. This seems
pretty failsafe to me, barring shoddy tethering, with we would take the
necessary precautions for. Perhaps the jumper could also have a pair
of scissors in his pocket as an emergency solution to an airborn
accident. It seems like this would have appealed to more people...I
know it exists at some amusement parks. Here's the inspiration to my
friend's idea: www.parabounce.com

It clearly works there with no slack problem. You'll notice there are
two kinds of harnesses used. One is mostly rigid, allowing for a more
direct transfer of unward movement, while the other seems to be a more
straightforward setup...like a parachuter's.

The increase in lift due to heat is a good point...our tethers should
have no problem with the additional pull...right?

Does anyone have a cost estimate for this? They would be starting from
stratch.

JumpingMan

[[email protected]]

JumpingMan wrote:
>
> ...I
> know it exists at some amusement parks. Here's the inspiration to my
> friend's idea: www.parabounce.com

The video has me convinced. I want to do it too. Where are you?

>
> It clearly works there with no slack problem. You'll notice there
are
> two kinds of harnesses used. One is mostly rigid, allowing for a
more
> direct transfer of unward movement, while the other seems to be a
more
> straightforward setup...like a parachuter's.
>
> The increase in lift due to heat is a good point...our tethers should
> have no problem with the additional pull...right?

Yes, no problem. There woudl be at most only a little additional
lift--very easy to pull back down and as the jumper rises more
rope, and therefor more weight will be lifted. You just need to
keep in mind that if airborn with no tether and net negative lift
there will be no way to come down in a controlled fashion without
releasing a little, and only a little gas. That can be done by
adding a couple of smaller balloons that can be released or
deflated.

>
> Does anyone have a cost estimate for this? They would be starting
from
> stratch.
>

Google can get you prices for balloons, helium, skydiver's harnesses,
and rope. Rope is cheap. Helium is pricey. The rest is soemwhere in
between.

--

FF