Volume 26, Issue 10 October 2011 Welcome to the newsletter for the Ballooning Society of Pikes Peak (BSOPP)! This monthly publication of the balloon club is to inform and educate club members and others about ballooning in the area. Learn more at www.flybsopp.com. General Meeting Tues 10/18/2011, 6p Social Hour, 7pm Meeting Hatch Cover 252 E. Cheyenne Mountain Boulevard Colorado Springs, CO 80906 Program for October Troy Bradley from Albuquerque, will be joining us to speak about his flying experience s with the cluster balloon house from the Disney movie UP. He has over 5000 hours as a PIC. General Flying experience: Owns and operates Star Trail, Inc. in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA., Part 141 school Assistant Chief Instructor Flown commercial contracts for Century 21, Labatt s Beer, Sears, Swatch Watch, Maxwell House, PSA Airlines, United New Mexico Bank, Breyer s Ice Cream, Comet Cleaners, Fox Photo, Disney/Pixar, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and RE/MAX., Flown in 45 of the States and 13 Countries, Made 3,805 hot air and 56 gas free flights, Logged time in 180 different balloons, Flown 16,963 passengers (Flying up to 400,000 cubic foot ride balloons) Made the 1 st anhydrous ammonia balloon flight in New Mexico 3/1/92, Built two gas balloons and one hot air balloon Competitive Flying Experience: Participated as a competitive pilot in: Hot Air Balloons: 14 New Mexico State Championships, winning in 1985, 1992, 2001, and 2003, 12 US Hot Air Nationals, 2 North American Championships, finishing 4 th overall in 1990, 2 US Hot Air Team Nationals, winning with Sid Cutter and Mark Sullivan in 1995 Gas Balloons: 8 America s Challenge Races, winning in 1998 with my wife, Tami, 7 Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennetts The 1994 World Gas Championships, The 1996 St. Louis National Gas Balloon Race, winning with Shane Robinson, The 1999 RE/MAX Balloon Cup Outlaw s Glowin Super FMG is watching AIBF 2011 Paul D. DeBerjeois
Club Contact Information President Chuck Danley (719) 963-1092 veggiewizard@earthlink.net Vice President Dave Bair (719) 434-2223 dave@bairballoons.com Secretary Peggy Sansom (719) 531-5691 peggysansom@yahoo.com Treasurer Stephen Blucher (719) 597-5683 sblucher@juno.com Director At Large Greg Littlejohn (719) 660-6594 gregandlindal@msn.com Director At Large Paul deberjeois (719) 266-8483 pandpdeb@yahoo.com Director At Large Frank Hunter (719) 391-2997 fhunter4139@msn.com Photography Paul D deberjeois (719) 200-8713 paul@colorbandit.com Events Coordinator Peggy Sansom (719) 531-5691 peggysansom@yahoo.com Webmasters Joe Lillard (719) 597-6553 LJoeL@aol.com Newsletter Editor Kimberly Barnett (719) 649-9187 barnettkim@yahoo.com Historian VACANT Safety Officer Russ Robinson (719) 488-8957 russanna@q.com Crew Development VACANT Community Relations Frank Hunter (719) 339-2602 fhunter4139@msn.com Membership Kimberly Barnett (719) 649-9187 barnettkim@yahoo.com Treasurer Report: $1,683.80 Checking $1,063.15 Savings $ 26.59 Petty Cash Getting Cozy AIBF 2011- Kimberly Barnett
Sunrise / Sunset Location: W104 48, N38 51 (Colorado Springs CO) All times Mountain Time October 2011 Day Rise Set Day Rise Set Day Rise Set Day Rise Set Day Rise Set h m h m h m h m h m h m h m h m h m h m 1 0655 1842 8 0702 1831 15 0708 1821 22 0715 1811 29 0723 1802 2 0656 1841 9 0702 1830 16 0709 1820 23 0717 1810 30 0724 1801 3 0657 1839 10 0703 1828 17 0710 1818 24 0718 1809 31 0725 1800 4 0658 1838 11 0704 1827 18 0711 1817 25 0719 1807 5 0659 1836 12 0705 1825 19 0712 1815 26 0720 1806 6 0700 1834 13 0706 1824 20 0713 1814 27 0721 1805 7 0701 1833 14 0707 1822 21 0714 1813 28 0722 1804 November 2011 Day Rise Set Day Rise Set Day Rise Set Day Rise Set Day Rise Set h m h m h m h m h m h m h m h m h m h m 1 0726 1759 8 0634 1652 15 0642 1646 22 0649 1641 29 0656 1638 2 0727 1758 9 0635 1651 16 0643 1645 23 0650 1641 30 0657 1638 3 0728 1757 10 0636 1650 17 0644 1644 24 0651 1640 4 0729 1756 11 0637 1649 18 0645 1644 25 0652 1640 5 0730 1755 12 0638 1648 19 0646 1643 26 0653 1639 6 0632 1654 13 0639 1647 20 0647 1642 27 0654 1639 7 0633 1653 14 0640 1646 21 0648 1642 28 0655 1639 Upcoming Events Calendar BSOPP Membership Meetings/Events Date Event Location/Details 10/18 Club General Meeting 6pm - Social hour, 7pm - Meeting/program Hatch Cover - 252 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd 10/22 Club Fly Field by Holiday Inn s - Pilot Brief Approx 6am 11/7 Board Meeting All Members Invited 11/15 Club General Meeting 630 PM Ihop Powers & Stetson Hills 6:30pm 6pm - Social hour, 7pm - Meeting/program Hatch Cover - 252 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd 11/19 Club Fly Field by Holiday Inn s - Pilot Brief Approx 630am 12/5 Board Meeting All Members Invited 630 PM Ihop Powers & Stetson Hills 6:30pm No Club General Meeting in December!!!!!! Flights, Rallies and Related Events (Tell them you saw it in BSOPP s Tetherlines!) Date Event Location / Details 10/28-10/30 Taos Mountain Balloon Rally Taos, NM - Ed Smith - hotair@puebloballoon.com 11/4-11/6 Arkansas Valley Balloon Rocky Ford, CO - Kevin Kindahl - Festival arkvalleyballoonfest@bresnan.net 11/4-11/6 Page-Lake Powell Hot Air Balloon Regatta Page, AZ Bryan Hill Bryan@pageelectric.org 11/18-11/20 Black Canyon Balloon Classic Montrose, CO - Rick Simon 970-249-0102 12/2-12/4 Red Rock Balloon Rally Gallup, NM info@redrockballoonrally.com Look for more events at http://www.bfa.net
FAR out Stephen Blucher The question of the meaning of the Federal Air Regulations is something that is cussed and discussed over and over. The key word is interpretation. Does the FAA representative see the rules the same way as does the pilot? One of the rules in question is FAR 61.57, Recent flight experience: pilot in command. Another club s newsletter asked if one could get current in a congested area, and ZAP, suddenly we are now talking about yet another FAR, 91.119, Minimum safe altitudes. Let us look at the rules one at a time. 61.57 states a pilot must have three takeoffs and landings in the same category and class aircraft within 90 days to be current and carry passengers. That is all it says. There is no limit on height or distance. An airplane pilot, with a long enough runway, can do three touch and goes, be current and never leave the confines of that runway. A balloon pilot can Up up and away AIBF 2011 - Kinda Schuler bounce three times across a field and be current. Since the pilot of a tethered balloon must be certificated and current, the three touch and goes can be done on the end of a rope. The only restriction on a balloon pilot comes if flight/tether is going to during the hours of legal night. Then the landings must be to a full stop but can still be on a rope. Is it to the letter of the law? Absolutely. Is it to the spirit...? So, can a pilot become current in a congested area? The answer is yes. What about 91.119? What about landing in a congested area and continuing a flight? The rule states quite clearly, Except when necessary for takeoff or landing. Some FAA inspectors would have a pilot believe an aircraft cannot be landed and taken off again in a congested area. There is nothing in the FARs that states such a fact. If a pilot has to land to change passengers, or for whatever reason, as many ride companies do around the country, it is a necessary landing and takeoff. Airplanes do it thousands of times a day. It is unfortunate that even Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) representatives disagree on this. There is no standard. FAR 91.119 was written originally for airplanes and balloon pilots have to live by it, but those who flew Fiesta in Albuquerque know the FAA FSDO there is working on making flight safer. Rather than the mandatory 1000 feet over the tallest object within 2000 feet horizontally, balloon pilots' minimum altitude was 300 above. Interestingly enough, no chimneys or antennas were knocked down, dogs did not bark any louder and spectators on and off the field had great views. Most pilots flew higher than the minimum, but it was nice to be able to fly at 300 for extended distances while trying to find a landing spot (which are disappearing quickly). Perhaps one day there will be FARs for balloons like there are for helicopters. Until then, read the book, know the rules. Butterflies R Us AIBF 2011 - Matt Davidson BSOPP July Board Meeting Balloon Society of Pikes Peak Board of Directors Meeting 10/10/11 The meeting was held at IHop and called to order by Dave Bair at 6:45 PM. Board Members and Club Members attending: Dave Bair Kimberly Barnett Paul deberjeois Sr. Stephen Blucher Peggy Sansom 1. The next Board Meeting will be held at I Hop on the corner of Powers & Stetson Hills on Monday, November 7th.
2. Stephen Blucher reported that the Club has: $1,063.36 Checking $1,621.70 Savings $ 26.59 Petty Cash Stephen has been working on a budget for the club. 3. Kimberly stated that the membership at this time was approximately 45 families. It was suggested that a list of scheduled presentations be sent to members that have not renewed their memberships in hopes of getting them interested in the club again. 4. Board members discussed the elections. Greg Littlejohn is coming off the board. There have been no nominations turned in for the upcoming election. Nominations will be collected until the 19 th of October. 5. Paul D. deberjeois is working on several projects but still intends to create a web page for the club as discussed. 6. It was agreed that the Club Meeting will stay at the Hatch Cover for the rest of the this year, however, we will need to solicit ideas at the October & November general meetings. 8. Winterfest will be brought up again at the next general meeting. A location needs to be discussed. 9. Meeting adjourned approx 7:44 pm. Peggy Sansom BSOPP Secretary "BSOPP s youngest member @his first fiesta Pictures from Fiesta Paul D. DeBerjeois and Kinda Schuler
Tetherlines Ad Rates Article Submission Guidelines Per Issue: Full Page $10 Half Page $6 Quarter Page $3 Bus. Card $1 Please limit articles to 750 words Deadline is first Tuesday of each month Publication by second Tuesday of each month 12 Months for the price of 10 if paid in advance 12 Mo ads include ad & link on BSOPP.com Next General Meeting is Tuesday, October 18th 6p Dinner, 7p Program Club Website FlyBSOPP.com Facebook Ballooning Society of Pikes Peak Tetherlines Official Newsletter of the Ballooning Society of Pikes Peak PO Box 75033 Colorado Springs CO 80970