Legal? - SPOT Helium Balloon Race

wrote:
Bottom line is I would not personally have any issue if such a balloon were
launched while I was in any sort of aircraft in the same area.

With the right size balloon you might be able to fit the Spot inside
the balloon envelope. I'm guessing that would reduce the chances of it
striking anything directly as the upwash ahead of any moving object
would tend to deflect it - plus you get a built-in airbag. Anyone
who's seen a balloon on a freeway can understand that.

As to the turbofan scenario - jet engines are designed to eat birds up
to 5 lbs (as Capt Sully found out to his dismay, geese are bigger). I
can't imagine a Spot is any tougher than a duck. You'd get some damage
I'd bet, but I doubt it'd be catastrophic.

With a little effort you could balance things so the balloon didn't
get into the Class A. For instance a small pinhole would allow helium
out at a rate to ensure that the balloon didn't get too high or go too
far - how long a chase do you want anyway? If you release it away from
and downwind of any significant terminal areas your odds of hitting
anything are infinitesimal.

Given all the time lags associated with Spot messages I doubt you'll
be able to track the thing close enough to actually see it until it's
already on the ground. Also, you'd have to worry about lakes and maybe
forests as possible unhappy endings. Without a good wide area wireless
connection you will have trouble tracking it in real time from the
road, so you'll have to wait for it to land, get a fix and go find it.

Assuming you mean "wireless" as used for computer communication, that
may not be a limitation: SPOT service can be set to send text messages
with the coordinates to your cell phone, which usually has a lot more
coverage. The truly determined could rent/borrow a satellite phone for
the day of the flight. SPOT floats - tow a boat with your retrieve vehicle!

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* Sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org