Whats the strangest thing you've seen airborn?
02-17-2008, 05:38 AM
#22
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That's really weird, I swear I could've taken that first picture. I got some shots of one near Albequerque last June. According to center there the balloon was already at FL800. Then I ran into the guys over in Gallup that were chasing the thing down in the desert after it landed. IIRC they were flying a Chieftain at low level trying to spot the thing. Cool stuff.
02-17-2008, 05:57 AM
#23
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Position: ATP, CFI etc.
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Hey has no one seen any juicy UFOs out there? Just balloons? Surely someone saw a thousand foot cigar with purple lights paralleling at the same altitude and taking off at a thousand miles and hour... or maybe I need to cancel my subscription to History Channel.
Last edited by Cubdriver; 02-17-2008 at 07:52 AM.
02-17-2008, 11:07 AM
#24
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02-17-2008, 11:50 AM
#25
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02-17-2008, 11:51 AM
#26
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That's really weird, I swear I could've taken that first picture. I got some shots of one near Albequerque last June. According to center there the balloon was already at FL800. Then I ran into the guys over in Gallup that were chasing the thing down in the desert after it landed. IIRC they were flying a Chieftain at low level trying to spot the thing. Cool stuff.
Its actually a Conquest II and sometimes a King Air 90. I served with the crew for a lil while. It was an awesome job. When the balloon was on its way back down, we would orbit below it around the low 20's then when it was passing through our altitude we would follow it down and mark the impact spot with a gps and direct ground crews out to pick it up.
02-17-2008, 03:57 PM
#28
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Joined APC: Jul 2006
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While closing to our tanker one day at FL210, about 2 miles from the tanker, I saw a red streak pass by the window that looked like a birthday baloon. I thought I was seeing things so I kept my mouth shut. About 20 seconds later, I swore that I saw a couple more in other colors. After seeing about 5 of them, I finally said something to the effect of "am I crazy, or do you guys see balloons up here." Everyone chimed in - yes they saw them, but no one wanted to be the first to admit it. It was a very strange sight at that altitude.
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