Helium weather balloon in (near) space?

[paddymoo]

Has anyone tried doing this?

Does anyone know whether Thai Meteorological Dept use them?

Or where to get them in Thailand?

I am interested in trying, but need to work out a couple of things first, like Notices to Airmen?

Would be good to hear from anyone with any experience.

[David48]

Why do I instantly think of ...

[GuestHouse]

I launched a couple with my dad them when I was a kid.

We blew one up with an air compressor, my bothers and I holding a length of string around the balloon to measure the diameter at which it burst. We then partially filled one with helium and launched it with a self addressed post card attached and the went back home and did gas law calculations on how heigh we thought it would go.

The Card never came back, but I remember the fun we had.

A litte later on my brothers and I made balloons out of bin liners taped together and filled with Hydrogen - with little expectation of having a self addressed post card returned we attached slow burning tapers instead. :-)

The balloons we had were ex USAF and came in tin cans, modern versions can be bought on Ebay.

Edited May 16, 2014 by GuestHouse

[paddymoo]

Why do I instantly think of ...

Was thinking more about this

[marko kok prong]

Did hear of a Thai lady who had one,her husband had been messing around,so she severed his member,tied it to the balloon and let it go,it was never recovered.

[GuestHouse]

David48's photo reminds me of the Italian Priest who tried to raise funds by launching himself by strapping himself to a plastic chair, to which were attached hundreds of party gallons filled with helium.

He had in his possession a pocket knife, with which to cut one balloon string at at time when he wanted to descend and a mobile phone.

Just before the tether was cut allowing him to float off and upwards, a member of his congregation handed him a GPS device. The rope was cut and off he floated.

Shortly after launch he made two phone calls:

In his first call he said he had just dropped his knife.

In his second and last call he asked for instructions on how to use the GPS.

He was never seen again and is now remembered at the annual "Feast of the Ascension of Father Giuseppe"

[h90]

I launched a couple with my dad them when I was a kid.

We blew one up with an air compressor, my bothers and I holding a length of string around the balloon to measure the diameter at which it burst. We then partially filled one with helium and launched it with a self addressed post card attached and the went back home and did gas law calculations on how heigh we thought it would go.

The Card never came back, but I remember the fun we had.

A litte later on my brothers and I made balloons out of bin liners taped together and filled with Hydrogen - with little expectation of having a self addressed post card returned we attached slow burning tapers instead. :-)

The balloons we had were ex USAF and came in tin cans, modern versions can be bought on Ebay.

common sport at home was to fill a balloon with hydrogen and oxygen and ignite them. But I was never in one of these groups so I have all my fingers and

[paddymoo]

Anybody have an useful replies!!!>???

[Rooo]

Moving it to hobbies.

[David48]

I am interested in trying, but need to work out a couple of things first, like Notices to Airmen?

Would be good to hear from anyone with any experience.

OK ... as far as 'Notices to Airmen' ... think not of the legalities, but of the practiciality.

Commercial Aircraft, e.g. Thai Airlines usually fly a standard flying corridor, but change their approach

to the airport depending on the prevailing wind direction.

If currently, from your launch site, if you don't see any planes .. chances are that you won't interfer

with their chosen flight path.

[The Fat Controller]

David48, complete and utter b****cks, aircraft are regularly cleared on direct routes and as these balloons go well above 40,000 feet they do pose a small risk to aircraft.

Genuine met balloon launches are notified by NOTAM and anyone launching a non-approved balloon would likely be open to prosecution should they ever be identified.

Some useful info her, UK based, but I am sure Thailand would have similar or stricter regulations.

http://www.metlink.org/observations-and-data/balloon-launch/

[David48]

David48, complete and utter b****cks, aircraft are regularly cleared on direct routes and as these balloons go well above 40,000 feet they do pose a small risk to aircraft.

Genuine met balloon launches are notified by NOTAM and anyone launching a non-approved balloon would likely be open to prosecution should they ever be identified.

Some useful info her, UK based, but I am sure Thailand would have similar or stricter regulations.

http://www.metlink.org/observations-and-data/balloon-launch/

You obviously don't understand the life in Thailand.

There are practicalities and there are rules and regs. Practicalities rule here.

Here are the current air corridors used in Thailand ... was done 5 mins ago.

I've only been able to show 1 though due to the nature of the program.

I would warmly suggest to the OP that, unless he lived under one of those corridors ... we would be fine.

If you ever had to deal with any of the Government Thai Officials ... get used to the term ... 'Sorry, can not'

As for me ... I live under the Flight path into Swampy.

Have a read of ... plane-spotting-the-quiz ... enjoy ...

[The Fat Controller]

The airspace in Thailand is defined here

http://www.aisthai.aviation.go.th/webais/download_aip.php#section1

There are much more than en-route airways (corridors as you call them) to be taken into account, there are RNAV arrivals and departures, control zones etc

I know how things work in Thailand, but aviation IS well regulated and anyone contemplating launching a met balloon would be well advised to follow the regulations.

[paddymoo]

Thanks for the helpful responses guys - its good get some finally!

I will take a look at the links mentioned and see what I can find out.

Cheers.

[Tagaa]

Sorry...wrong topic

Edited May 30, 2014 by Tagaa

[Boeing757]

Airways are the route an aircraft plans to fly. It is also the route it has to fly in the event of a communications failure.

Once airborne an aircraft can, and will deviate from that route for many reasons.

Weather avoidance, other aircraft avoidance, fuel saving and trying to make it home before pub closing time are all legitimate reasons for deviating from your planned airway. Therefore aircraft can be found in any airspace over Thailand.

Releasing a weather balloon in the Bangkok FIR (all of Thailand) without consent is just as much a crime here in Thailand as anywhere else, only the prisons here are less comfortable.

Just in case you feel you are sure you can get away with it, just remember that they are designed to be tracked on radar. They have not made a stealth weather balloon yet!

Clive