Posted on 10/15/2009 11:45:55 AM PDT by Arec Barrwin
Rescuers are tracking and chasing a "homemade flying saucer" that is in flight with a 6-year-old, by himself, on board.
The incident started this morning in Fort Collins when the boy got into the balloon-like device, which was built by an adult, and it came loose from a tether, according to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office.
The contraption could rise as high as 10,000 feet, the sheriff's office said.
The home-made flying saucer was last seen in flight over Weld County.
The sheriff's office is working the Federal Aviation Administration to determine how to best get the boy down.
The homemade airplane was tethered in Fort Collins when the boy got onboard and it floated away. (Lisa Ecklund via 9News)
The six-year-old boy was by himself on board the hommade aircraft. (Courtesy Lisa Ecklund, via 9News)
The craft could fly as high as 10,000 feet, according to the Weld County Sheriff's Office. (Lisa Ecklund via 9News)
Did you see my post?
I think my math is right.
OMG! The show “Wife Swap” isn’t an actual, sex-swapping of partners!!!!! It’s not about THAT at all!
As a former EMT, I can attest that a 50ft. fall onto a hard surface is real bad.
Also, the basket attached to the balloon..... wonder if the basket was designed for some equipment and not expected to hold 50-60 lbs.... which is the reason for it eventually falling off. Just speculation.
Isn’t that lovely? Parents are burnt out hippie nut jobs, unfit parents.
Neither am I.
OK...
MSNBC just aired tape of this thing up close.
It DEFINATELY could have lifted a kid into the air.
Cavuto saying reports of a basket or box taht the boy went in but not there upon landing, that they are searching.
But of course if you believe this a hoax there may not have been a box. We won’t know until we know.
That’s the point I’m making, 50’ is a 5 story fall, while you might survive the fall its going to cause massive ammounts of blunt force trama.
If an object falls 50’ it falls at a constant accelleration of about 32’ per second, so it would hit the ground in a little over a second, at a velocity of somewhere around 40’ per second, which is about 27 MPH, if I didn’t screw up my math.
Instantaneous deceleration from 27mph to 0 by colliding with an object is a massive amount of trauma, even if it isn’t head first. Survivable? Yes, but not typically if you are lying there for hours afterwards.
I pray that this child is found somehow safe and sound.
Are the parents already lawyered-up? Not saying anything to the press. If they are media whores why are they not in front of a camera?
The size of this is EASILY sufficient to have lifted the weight of a six-year old.
I was going to do the calculations more carefully, but my quick back-of-envelope says it was within a factor of two of 35cu.meters- which means it could lift 40-160pounds. The mylar is practically weightless. The cardboard/plywood probably was under 10 pounds.
If anything, I’m off on the low side of its capacity.
Certainly, a 6yo could be lifted.
Oh really? How did you get your information? You should probably contact the authorities and let them know.
It amazes me how people think they know everything. Lot of stupid people on-line. Read at your own risk, I guess.
Not this season any way
Still at work here and my calculator is on. What's the problem?
If there was a basket that fell off with the child then wouldn’t the parents have told the police when they saw it on the news right away?
Make sure you record video when you try it yourself.
I am not out and out saying its a hoax. I think it could be. But I am very worried about the kid.
Those of you who think you know it all are very annoying to those of us who do. There! I said it! Thank me!
*
Where are the police reporting he wasn’t on it? I haven’t seen that anywhere.
Saw it now...thanks!
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