Let's Talk About Blimps

Watched an interview with KR senior and the eagle on his helmet (and a lot of other racers) was draw up and paid for by Goodyear.

 

Dad took advantage of a promotional event in 1959 or 60 and got us a ride on the blimp. All I remember is that it was noisy as hell and the gondola had an aluminum diamond plate floor.

 

Technically, Its a Helium Nucleus, not an atom. For it to be an atom it needs some Electrons.

But yes, thats how radioactive decay can generate helium and if we could capture it and store it before it escapes the Earth, we would have more.

 

Usually the aerial shots over NFL games come from the blimp. Sure there's some kind of agreement there.

 

Walterboro, SC a few days ago.

 

Helium shortage? Hydrogen is plentiful. What could go wrong?

 

not a thing

 

Kenny Roberts is just off frame with a shotgun.

 

I got to go for a goodyear blimp ride in the early 80's. It was weird landing, they point the nose down, and you're like pitched forward in your seats feeling like youre going to fall right out of em. I dont think it had seatbelts, either?

Never been in a balloon yet. A few chopper rides as well, the last one I dont remember...

 

The few times I've been in a helicopter I start to turn in to this guy.

 

Sure 'bout that? Helium is comparatively light but not massless. It's also noble so it doesn't chemically combine with other elements and therefore get "trapped". I suppose some of it may get lost due to the solar wind but I'd guess that most of what we've released over the years is still around it's just so diluted that recapture is impossible.

 

Cleetus did a pretty informative video on the Goodyear Blimp including the ride. The pilots gave out lots of info. I seem to remembering them talking about volume.

 

4 chopper rides. First 2 when I was with Explorers at the 174th TFW with Syracuse Hancock. Got to watch A10s and F16s strafe targets at Ft Drum in H2OTown.

3rd was in Maui.

4th was a trip to PittPresby from Da Beave.

I remember 1-3.


And as said…

EFF hot air balloons.

 

Live a little!

Ill set up a beeb 2026 balloon ride!

 

Sign me up. If ASRA can have a dude parachute into Daytona before the endurance race, then we should be able to take off for a sunset hot air balloon ride from Tally.

 

Hell Yeah....

 

See, I'm not doing any of that. Eff a balloon and triple eff a blimp.

 

One of the fields my kid used to play travel lacrosse at up in MD was literately a converted corn field that the farmer or whomever just cut the crops down a few seasons before and converted to "grass" fields. Kinda a dump with shit fields but a a mile or three over they also converted some of the land to a grass airfield with parachute jumps from lower altitudes. When the games were boring (and it was 6th or 7th grade lacrosse so often) you could watch the planes take off, spiral up and watch the legally insane people jump from the planes and come down.
One time up there they had the parachutist jumping but also had hot air balloons and a biplane with wing walkers. Watched more of that than my kid playing.

All cool from a distance but three definite fuck that shits.