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Fort Collins boy in loose aircraft (6 yr old boy found hiding at home not in balloon)
Denver Post ^
| October 15, 2009
| Kieran Nicholson
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)
TOPICS: Breaking News; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Colorado
KEYWORDS: balloon; balloonboy; denver; faa; falconheene; jiffypop; missing
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To: AFPhys
Think of it this way. If you filled it with water and held it upside down, what shape would it take? It will try to reach a teardrop shape as best it can.
1,021
posted on
10/15/2009 1:59:38 PM PDT
by
Boiler Plate
("Why be difficult, when with just a little more work, you can be impossible" Mom)
To: hattend
Completely wordless book. Bored brothers build a plane with junk they find in their garage. They fly it, and I think dismantle it without their parents knowing. (If I remember correctly.)
1,022
posted on
10/15/2009 2:00:01 PM PDT
by
stayathomemom
(Beware of cat attacks while typing!)
To: JFC
I’m already on a Prayer Warrior group for a mom from my church who has cancer—she leaves updates on caringbridge—I’ll add them to my daily prayers as well!
Believe!
1,023
posted on
10/15/2009 2:00:05 PM PDT
by
pillut48
(CJ in TX --"God help us all, and God help America!!" --my new mantra for the next 4 years)
To: md2576
An interesting tidbit from the Denver (channel 9) broadcast is that the parents called the station requesting the news chopper. It wasn’t clear if the parent’s even called the cops.
1,024
posted on
10/15/2009 2:00:12 PM PDT
by
Daus
To: silentknight
It amazes me how people think they know everything.
What makes you think you know that?
To: md2576
If there was a basket that fell off with the child then wouldnt the parents have told the police when they saw it on the news right away? Good point. I think also that a kid could have never survived inside due to the concentrations of helium, not enough air to breath.
1,026
posted on
10/15/2009 2:00:23 PM PDT
by
Slicksadick
(Go out on a limb........Its where the fruit is.)
To: AFPhys
"Certainly, a 6yo could be lifted." That's upsetting.
1,027
posted on
10/15/2009 2:00:35 PM PDT
by
OldDeckHand
(No Socialized Medicine, No Way, No How, No Time)
To: AFPhys
Thank you! No I no longer have to assume; I wasn’t up for doing the math today.
1,028
posted on
10/15/2009 2:00:55 PM PDT
by
Lady Jag
(Double your income. Fire the government)
To: Arec Barrwin
Praying for this child that he is safe and no harm has come to him. I have a 6 and 7 year old and it breaks my heart to even think of something like this ever happening to them.
1,029
posted on
10/15/2009 2:00:57 PM PDT
by
VairyAngel
(PRAYING FOR AMERICAS FREEDOM FROM THE TYRANT)
To: AFPhys
![](http://www.clusterballoon.org/index/index_01.jpg)
An image to lend perspective to the lifting capacity of the saucer shaped craft.
http://www.clusterballoon.org/
Further research at the donor site may reveal the capacity / displacement figures.
To: houeto
1,031
posted on
10/15/2009 2:01:27 PM PDT
by
Boiler Plate
("Why be difficult, when with just a little more work, you can be impossible" Mom)
To: Tijeras_Slim
You get bored working shift work on Sundays.
1,032
posted on
10/15/2009 2:01:36 PM PDT
by
houeto
(I peered inside the Treasury's door, the entire vault was empty. We've been robbed!)
To: VairyAngel
The kid is not aboard of the balloon, it has landed and he is not on board.
To: Lady Jag
Confirmed: THERE WAS A BASKET underneath.
Basket was gone on landing.
1,034
posted on
10/15/2009 2:02:20 PM PDT
by
AFPhys
((Praying for our troops, our citizens, that the Bible and Freedom become basis of the US law again))
To: AFPhys
V= πr2h is the equation for volume of a cylinder. 20' by 5' ballon should be around 1500 cubic feet of volume. 35 cf per kilo of lift. That's around 45 kilos or 112 pounds it could lift. Minus the weight of the craft and that it wasn't a perfect cylinder there seems to be enough to lift a 60 pound boy.
1,035
posted on
10/15/2009 2:02:46 PM PDT
by
Clint N. Suhks
(President Milli Vanilli wins a NOBEL! Palin/Cheney 2012)
To: houeto
This was a prototype for a new career? Glad to see you thought of the safety first with the hard hat.
1,036
posted on
10/15/2009 2:03:03 PM PDT
by
Boiler Plate
("Why be difficult, when with just a little more work, you can be impossible" Mom)
To: AFPhys
1,037
posted on
10/15/2009 2:03:03 PM PDT
by
Lady Jag
(Double your income. Fire the government)
To: lonevoice
1,038
posted on
10/15/2009 2:03:05 PM PDT
by
pby
To: thefactor
I just heard about it earlier. It does not look good right now.
1,039
posted on
10/15/2009 2:03:05 PM PDT
by
Ptarmigan
(God Hates Bunnies. God Loves Ptarmigans)
To: stayathomemom
Wow... sounds like fun
I started flying hanggliders at 17...does that count? My first one was home made.
1,040
posted on
10/15/2009 2:03:11 PM PDT
by
hattend
(Sarah Palin's mob minion - Mob Name: Hatman the Hitman)
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