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)
Wow...it’s the ‘Jupiter 2’...they’re finally home.
mean sea level
Oh Jesus Christ....
These people are suggesting “rescues” that only work in MOVIE SPECIAL EFFECTS....
Is this what we’ve become reduced to? Expecting what we see in the MOVIES to be reality???
Appears to be deflating.
I’d be just right temp.-wise and air sick all over the inside of that little gondola.
Colorado Air National Guard has just dispatched helicopters. It is believed that the child is on board.
Local spokesperson just said that the balloon, while continuing to head east, is descending. Hope that continues.
if he’s in there...it will desend as the weather cools down...as the sun goes down so does the balloon......
Hope he turns up elsewhere.
That would be the best outcome.
“Yeah, it’s a real hoax on every cable news channel at the moment.”
The hoax would be that the kid is in it...
The family made it; it’s pretty unique.
Thanks!
It’s not moving as fast as it looks on TV, you’re seeing a lot of relative movement between the aircraft they’re filming from and the ground. He’s moving with the wind... 25 mph.
Take two helicopters, string a line between them, have rescuer (with parachute) at midpoint of the line. That way you can keep the copters downwash away from the balloon.
I know this is a long shot but I saw this episode of Wife Swap and this sounds like the same family that was on that show! They lived in CO and had 2 or 3 young boys and they were weather chasers and built this kind of stuff.
If he was MY KID after I gave him a hug I WOULD TAN HIS ASS W/ My 4.5 ft leather belt.
"The Journey" part 1 (02/17/63): Timmy and Lassie make the acquaintance of Jake Hodges, who, with the balloon the colorful flyer has nicknamed "Annabelle," has been announcing the upcoming county fair. But in trying to save "Annabelle" from flying away, Timmy is trapped inside; before the basket completely leaves the ground, Lassie leaps inside, starting boy and dog on an unexpected flight.
There is a cable hanging off the balloon that could be caught by a skydiver or something else.
The cruise altitude appears to be stabilized due to the equilibrium of the object and it's the craft's weight and cargo, versus the lift capacity of the helium onboard.
The craft is now near Brighton, Colo. My guess is that if the craft doesn't descend on it's own as the helium escapes through the craft's outer surface incrementally, there is the possibility of impact with a mountain range... however, the winds tend to scream up over the top of ridge lines, turning into waves or rotors on the down wind side, which could carry the object over the ridge or peak, and on to further adventures. The setting set will impact the performance, as the temperatures plummet. This may be what brings the craft down in the end.
Hang on tight little big man.
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