Crew Members for Crown_Balloons
[Crew applications will not be accepted until the field
trials for the 1st system have been completed]
General crew requirements: 21+ years of age, M/F, 20+ skydiving jumps (three for 20 sec or more -- or -- a B license), Class A
truck driver's license (100+ hours behind wheel; 18 wheeler), aviation (pilot) physical (no contact lens; glasses corrected to 20/20 OK),
certified scuba diver; passing grade (pass/fail) on all balloon system exams (correspondence courses; 8 sets; $200 each; $1,600 total).
Plus a posted cash or cash bond ($3,500) -- Forfeitable during training; free flight of a unit -- all of crew, 16, forfeits all deposits;
$100/phone call (anytime during training or during the flight; crews operate alone) -- for each and all of the crew ($1,600/phone call),
failure to complete training forfeits deposit and each remaining crew member forfeits $100. The cost of training is $3,000 (includes
4 sets of clothing). Basic cost: correspondence course ($!,600), training ($3,000), cash deposit ($3,500). Total: $8,100.
The “A” (acclimation) room -- used prior to start of training.
The A room allows the crew to catch and lose respiratory infections (helps avoid having people with colds during training). A single story unit (flat roof; roof access) with an 8 foot surrounding chain link fence; food/garbage portal and gate. Crew is confined to fenced area/house for 10 days. House contains two rooms with 8 bunks each, 2 full bathrooms, a kitchen, 2 large refrigerators, TV, stove, microwave, laundry facilities and library (relevant training materials and large international map collection; topographic maps). Some administrative work (e.g., grading correspondence course tests). Intercom communications from the current flight are piped into the library 24 hours a day. No telephones, no cell phones; no internet access, no attendance at party. 10 day time lock on gate.
Training conditions -- There are no instructors, no instruction and the permanent staff is only there to maintain equipment, not to answer questions. No cell phones. Flight crews are green (none have prior experience); training dropouts are not replaced. Each crew of 16 divides itself into two groups of 8. Command shifts in each group every 2 hours (alphabetically through each group of 8). Time of shift is offset by 1 hour between groups. Overall command shifts from one group to the other every hour. All rooms are interconnected with runs for live otters. The otters have full free (24 hour a day) access to all rooms -- this introduces a random factor into the training.
Balloon Crew Training --
[The Wet Room, the Cold Room and the Hot Room each are fully enclosed and each
has two full sets of frames, with each frame having 3 Stash boxes, 3 Gunner's boxes,
2 Utility boxes & Control room (w/toilet & shower).]
Arrival (Pretraining -- into the A room; no orientation; 10 days)
Wet Room -----
1. To lockers. Change into wet gear. Package clothing to ship (e.g., UPS).
2. Into Wet Room. Seal door setting 10 day time lock.
3. (after 10 days) Party for crew with 3 other crews (flight crew does not party).
Cold Room -----
4. Dress for Cold Room. Package wet weather gear to ship (e.g., UPS) if not to be used for flight.
5. Into Cold Room. Seal door setting 10 day time lock.
6. (after 10 days) Party for crew with 3 other crews.
Hot Room -----
7. Dress for Hot Room. Seal door setting 10 day time lock. Flight preparation (10 days).
Flight -----
8. (after 10 days) Preflight preparation (no party). Preparation complete and crew on-board by 6:00 pm (9th, 19th and 29th of each month). Sleep onboard and up at 5:00 am. Just prior to launching the first grapple, test the 6 grapple launcher warning horns (in sequence; one main unit sounds each of its 3 horns and then the other main unit checks its 3 horns)' The first grapple is launched at 7:00 am (regardless of the weather). (Certificates are signed by the crew members for each other and are distributed just after the first grapple is launched.]
9. Upwind travel (westward) and return as the crew desires (10 days).
10. (on return) Dress in standard gear. Ship out rest of clothing.
11. Party for crew with 3 other crews (no outsiders whatever at the parties).
Support -----
12. Ten days of administrative support for the operation. This crew literally runs the operation.
13. Final party with 3 other crews. Tour of Crown Balloon assembly facility. Bus to airport.
14. Deposits (balance) mailed to crew members.
Wet Room ----
Crews are coed and set their own schedules and pace of operations. They prepare their own food. Each unit has 6 enclosed operational/sleeping compartments; 3 Gunner's boxes (G boxes) and 3 Stash boxes.
The Wet room and the Hot room are boom rooms (very loud simulation of thunder with lightning; random for 10 days; about 5 per hour, day and night; rains at least once an hour). Around-the-neck earplugs are provided (a loop with ear plugs on the ends). Simulated daylight and night in all rooms. Wet room is cold (95% humidity). Floor is black and ceiling is grey. It gets windy. All 6 units are center mounted to rock in any direction (dampened motion); no true ballasting.
All rooms use Schedule Grids. These are on the computer for the crew and each room has a specific set of tasks on the grid. The object is to try to complete the grid (all crew members doing each task prior to the expiration of the time lock). Typical tasks: fix/adjust a winch; make a drink (a Corner box on each unit has a titanium expresso machine). In the Wet room, the tasks are mainly the mastery of the standard onboard systems (excluding the winch and grapple launchers).
Cold Room ----
The ballast is 125 proof vodka (which does not freeze at -40 degrees F). Utility water (cooking, drinking, showers) is flash distilled (the alcohol goes back into the waste water). Normal temperature is -5 degrees F (long nights, grey days; no precipitation).Great emphasis on grapple launching practice. Stress on winch and line management. Lots of work on tactics of interactive travel (2 units & 2 T balloons) and survey work (i.e., using onboard, standard equipment; drill stem, etc.).
Hot Room ---
Very little demand on crew; mainly an acclimation to heat and humidity. Introduction to supporting gear (nonstandard equipment); scientific and survey equipment; video systems management. Rains at least once an hour; 95% humidity; 100 degrees F. Use of safety nets and spring poles (extend nets outward). Use of hammer-headed saws and steam hoses nozzles (for snakes). Special procedures for night work. Emergency drills.
Actually this training is probably as bad as boot camp (but with no supervision). If you mess up everyone pays . If the above training sounds tough, just think about a real expedition when the operational crew is never more than six. It frequently may only be four fully trained crew members -- plus you have to put up with the demands and needs of scientists and/or tourists. The time locks on rooms are used to let crew members become accustomed to living and working in tight living quarters.
The Snow_Water Corporation -- Baby Safari.US -- Akilo.Com
