Spy Balloon!

Roger A. Shrubber

Well-Known Member
If this is true then why wouldn't China pickup the phone and let the countries affected know?
because they're china...they don't tell anyone anything, especially if it would require them to make an apology, AND you're assuming that they are legitimate CHINESE balloons. It is much more likely that they are from American universities or private citizens, they weren't nearly as large as the chinese balloon nor did they fly nearly as high.
 

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
because they're china...they don't tell anyone anything, especially if it would require them to make an apology, AND you're assuming that they are legitimate CHINESE balloons. It is much more likely that they are from American universities or private citizens, they weren't nearly as large as the chinese balloon nor did they fly nearly as high.
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Roger A. Shrubber

Well-Known Member
https://www.reuters.com/business/china-firmly-opposed-us-blacklist-chinese-entities-will-take-countermeasures-2023-02-15/

This is starting to look more and more like the mountain wasn't even a molehill, more like an ant hill...
China claims that multiple American balloons have flown over Chinese territory, and that the balloon that we shot down was an off course research balloon.
I think they may be telling the truth, on both counts. And i think we just shot down some student's or private meteorologist's balloons, after assuming they were more Chinese spy balloons...:oops:
:dunce: And that the "American" balloons that have been passing over China may be the same thing, research balloons of some kind that are either off course, or no plan was ever registered.
I can see the FFA and it's foreign counterparts requiring some kind of id transponders on balloons over a certain size from now on...
 

DIY-HP-LED

Well-Known Member
https://www.reuters.com/business/china-firmly-opposed-us-blacklist-chinese-entities-will-take-countermeasures-2023-02-15/

This is starting to look more and more like the mountain wasn't even a molehill, more like an ant hill...
China claims that multiple American balloons have flown over Chinese territory, and that the balloon that we shot down was an off course research balloon.
I think they may be telling the truth, on both counts. And i think we just shot down some student's or private meteorologist's balloons, after assuming they were more Chinese spy balloons...:oops:
:dunce: And that the "American" balloons that have been passing over China may be the same thing, research balloons of some kind that are either off course, or no plan was ever registered.
I can see the FFA and it's foreign counterparts requiring some kind of id transponders on balloons over a certain size from now on...
When you realize the shit drone pilots have to go through these days with pilot's licensing, restricted to under 400 feet and remote ID requirements, it makes you wonder why they don't have to file a launch announcement and other data. These things are much more a hazard to air travel than drones, imagine a pilot in a 737 coming out of a cloud to be confronted by a massive balloon, it would make a mess, probably in the pilot's pants first!
 

DoubleAtotheRON

Well-Known Member
When you realize the shit drone pilots have to go through these days with pilot's licensing, restricted to under 400 feet and remote ID requirements, it makes you wonder why they don't have to file a launch announcement and other data. These things are much more a hazard to air travel than drones, imagine a pilot in a 737 coming out of a cloud to be confronted by a massive balloon, it would make a mess, probably in the pilot's pants first!
It truly is a pain in the ass to get your Part 107. It's basically a student private pilot test on a CAT computer. You gotta learn aeronautical charts, NOTAMS, etc. .. it's overkill. You get 60 questions, an aeronautical chart, and 2 hours to complete. So yeah, they at least should have to file a NOTAM with the *FAA @Roger A. Shrubber ... The Future Farmers of America prob have little to do with it.... Just ribbin' ya bud. But yes, I agree that every craft in the sky should be equipped with ADS-B (transponder) As of Jan 2021 is was mandated for all commercial and private aircraft with an N tail number.
 

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
It truly is a pain in the ass to get your Part 107. It's basically a student private pilot test on a CAT computer. You gotta learn aeronautical charts, NOTAMS, etc. .. it's overkill. You get 60 questions, an aeronautical chart, and 2 hours to complete. So yeah, they at least should have to file a NOTAM with the *FAA @Roger A. Shrubber ... The Future Farmers of America prob have little to do with it.... Just ribbin' ya bud. But yes, I agree that every craft in the sky should be equipped with ADS-B (transponder) As of Jan 2021 is was mandated for all commercial and private aircraft with an N tail number.
change aircraft to airplanes in your last sentence. Gliders are issued N numbers. They have no transponder requirement so long as they stay out of controlled airspace. In controlled airspace, you need a specified sort, which means adding electrics.
 

DoubleAtotheRON

Well-Known Member
change aircraft to airplanes in your last sentence. Gliders are issued N numbers. They have no transponder requirement so long as they stay out of controlled airspace. In controlled airspace, you need a specified sort, which means adding electrics.
I think maybe it's because they are categorized as Experimental/non powered. However, I think they still should, as well as anything flying above the 400 AGL limit. .... which after all of this crazy madness, they (the FAA) may be looking closer to changing some of thier codes for all aircraft.
 

cannabineer

Ursus marijanus
I think maybe it's because they are categorized as Experimental/non powered. However, I think they still should, as well as anything flying above the 400 AGL limit. .... which after all of this crazy madness, they (the FAA) may be looking closer to changing some of thier codes for all aircraft.
do you mean 40000 ft AGL? (flight level 400)
Barring record altitude attempts in standing lee waves, no-power pilots rarely exceed 20 thousand MSL (and that’s in the desert where cloudbase can be waay up there) and those guys shell out for oxygen.

But commercial gliders are not tagged experimental. Nonpowered, sure.

On a more frivolous note, imagine if glider pilots had to file a flight plan. I think four words would cover it: “try not to land”.

If pressed to describe the course, I’d lay the sectional flat and drop a long vertical piece of very limp thread onto it.
Glider pilots are very good at packing 400 miles of flying by chasing lift into a ten-mile radius from the airfield.

Working a sudden 800-fpm thermal while wearing a one-seat ship that weighed 550 pounds, racked into a 50-degree corkscrew turn (horizon spinning past like a tipped hamster wheel), was as much fun as I’ve had while wearing pants.
 
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DIY-HP-LED

Well-Known Member
do you mean 40000 ft AGL? (flight level 400)
Barring record altitude attempts in standing lee waves, no-power pilots rarely exceed 20 thousand MSL (and that’s in the desert where cloudbase can be waay up there) and those guys shell out for oxygen.

But commercial gliders are not tagged experimental. Nonpowered, sure.

On a more frivolous note, imagine if glider pilots had to file a flight plan. I think four words would cover it: “try not to land”.

If pressed to describe the course, I’d lay the sectional flat and drop a long vertical piece of very limp thread onto it.
Glider pilots are very good at packing 400 miles of flying by chasing lift into a ten-mile radius from the airfield.

Working a sudden 800-fpm thermal while wearing a one-seat ship that weighed 550 pounds, racked into a 50-degree corkscrew turn (horizon spinning past like a tipped hamster wheel), was as much fun as I’ve had while wearing pants.
Drones and RC planes are limited to 400ft AGL, for most FPV pilots this is no problem as we fly close to the ground, proximity equals perceived speed.
 

DoubleAtotheRON

Well-Known Member
A glider (off tow) at 400 AGL is half a mile and less than a minute away from ending its flight.
Which is perfectly legal at this point in G airspace. Funny thing about airspace. ... the Feds "legally" own anything above your rooftop as far as airspace goes. Be it E, or even G. Does anybody really enforce this? Not really. They are more concerned about private airplanes below 500 AGL (other than approach/departure) than anything on the private side. More pilots get away with this than they should. Hell, my dad used to buzz my treetops on the regular... always made me nervous when he did that. He's an old man, I let him have his fun... but I did give him a subtle warning.... he never did it again. This was after I was flying my Inspire out back, and I heard him coming. The Inspire weighs about 7 lbs fully loaded. Him flying at 60-70 KN, his windshield would't have a chance. I dropped below tree line level as fast as I could. The odds?... prob not very good, but... he should have stayed in his own airspace anyways.
 
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DIY-HP-LED

Well-Known Member
Which is perfectly legal at this point in G airspace. Funny thing about airspace. ... the Feds "legally" own anything above your rooftop as far as airspace goes. Be it E, or even G. Does anybody really enforce this? Not really. They are more concerned about private airplanes below 500 AGL (other than approach/departure) than anything on the private side. More pilots get away with this than they should. Hell, my dad used to buzz my treetops on the regular... always made me nervous when he did that. He's an old man, I let him have his fun... but I did give him a subtle warning.... he never did it again. This was after I was flying my Inspire out back, and I heard him coming. The Inspire weighs about 7 lbs fully loaded. Him flying at 60-70 KTS, his windshield would't have a chance. I dropped below tree line level as fast as I could.
There is a crop duster exception. The FFA owns anything that flies, even a foot off the ground! Drones under 250 grams don't need a license, or have to be registered, but must still follow the regulations and no flights over 400 feet AGL, you would be surprised at what they can do with under 250grams these days! I fly FPV, full manual seat of your pants racing quads that use RC controllers, you fly these things immersivity, ya don't remote control them looking at a phone, you become the soul of the machine.

Here is a sub 250 explorer class with about a 20-minute FT, range depends on the radio setup, comes with DJI digital FPV, like being there.

 

DoubleAtotheRON

Well-Known Member
There is a crop duster exception. The FFA owns anything that flies, even a foot off the ground! Drones under 250 grams don't need a license, or have to be registered, but must still follow the regulations and no flights over 400 feet AGL, you would be surprised at what they can do with under 250grams these days! I fly FPV, full manual seat of your pants racing quads that use RC controllers, you fly these things immersivity, ya don't remote control them looking at a phone, you become the soul of the machine.

Here is a sub 250 explorer class with about a 20-minute FT, range depends on the radio setup, comes with DJI digital FPV, like being there.

That's awesome man!. I never really got into the FPV... it's cool as hell tho!. I've had every DJI drone they've put out since 2015, except for the latest release.. but, it's just not with the upgrade to me. I don't do as much commercial work as I used to. That reminds me.. prob need to cycle my battery set. Great footage!
 

DoubleAtotheRON

Well-Known Member
I didn't always adhere to the "line of sight" rule.. I always had to test DJI's claims. My longest range test was 4.3 miles out and back with 5% battery left. I even hit the RTH button and walked back up to the house for a beer to see if if would land on it's own without my input.... perfect.
Disclaimer... I live very rural.... not that that's an excuse.
 

DoubleAtotheRON

Well-Known Member
It DOSE give me 5 miles radius ADS-B detection and and a screen warning with a map of the flight path of the inbound aircraft to my airspace which is kinda cool. But I do have my RTH set at 40 meters AGL. Surprisingly great low latency at 4.3 miles out.
 

DIY-HP-LED

Well-Known Member
I didn't always adhere to the "line of sight" rule.. I always had to test DJI's claims. My longest range test was 4.3 miles out and back with 5% battery left. I even hit the RTH button and walked back up to the house for a beer to see if if would land on it's own without my input.... perfect.
Disclaimer... I live very rural.... not that that's an excuse.
I go where they ain't, out in the sticks and away from people, there are not too many places to fly here except over water and I'm thinking of retiring from the hobby and giving some stuff away. I have a bad foot and knee when ya lose things, the "walk of shame" sometimes means a hike! Not many into it here and forget posting videos these days, unless ya are sneaky about it. Sims are a good way to learn how to fly FPV and not as expensive, DJI drones are to be avoided for FPV, racing and freestyle are crash and repair intensive. It is very much about flying skill, in the old fashioned sense, you are unconscious of the controls in your hands. It's like learning to ride a bike or to swim, it is a physical skill.

Here is a thread I made here trying to promote FPV and I have a local FB group.

 

DoubleAtotheRON

Well-Known Member
I go where they ain't, out in the sticks and away from people, there are not too many places to fly here except over water and I'm thinking of retiring from the hobby and giving some stuff away. I have a bad foot and knee when ya lose things, the "walk of shame" sometimes means a hike! Not many into it here and forget posting videos these days, unless ya are sneaky about it. Sims are a good way to learn how to fly FPV and not as expensive, DJI drones are to be avoided for FPV, racing and freestyle are crash and repair intensive. It is very much about flying skill, in the old fashioned sense, you are unconscious of the controls in your hands. It's like learning to ride a bike or to swim, it is a physical skill.

Here is a thread I made here trying to promote FPV and I have a local FB group.

Im sure it it. It's prob been months since I was in the air, been too busy shutting down and selling my grow op to fly lately. I'll prob keep this one for a while anyways. It's got the German Halablad (SP?) camera, and is as good as any Inspire I ever owned that cost $7000 or more to send up in the air. At least with the Mavic series, it's more affordable, less weight, and can handle high winds better than the Inspire series... those things flew like a bus full of kids... but!., it was early tech. Never owned anything in the sub 250G range.
 

DIY-HP-LED

Well-Known Member
Im sure it it. It's prob been months since I was in the air, been too busy shutting down and selling my grow op to fly lately. I'll prob keep this one for a while anyways. It's got the German Halablad (SP?) camera, and is as good as any Inspire I ever owned that cost $7000 or more to send up in the air. At least with the Mavic series, it's more affordable, less weight, and can handle high winds better than the Inspire series... those things flew like a bus full of kids... but!., it was early tech. Never owned anything in the sub 250G range.
I'm licensed, but sub 250 is popular because of regulations, the DJI mini is sub 250.

I have a heavily modified video drone, but have it rigged for FPV, flys like a pig! Regulations have taken much of the fun out of it for the things I wanted to do and videos kinda bound the online community together, but the fines are eyewatering and you are always breaking some rule or another with FPV. With the war in Ukraine, we can see why, these things can be easily turned into weapons of war.
 
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