The Falcon Project - Launching Spring '2015

[Lake County Bigfooot]

Yes as William has stated repeatedly and Nathan again points out, they are not concentrating their efforts over dense forest. The strategy sounds reasonable to me, but being from the Midwest I am not sure of where to find them exactly seasonally, but my guess is that they move up in elevation in warmer weather, so that is your opportunity. I know that some of the folk hear are simply naysayers and nothing will get them on board. Others have a different set of convictions, such a Norseman, which although I disagree with in principle I respect your opinion and reasoning, and I certainly know that it is not blood thirst with the majority of pro kill groups, nor would most be upset if discovery happened apart from killing a specimen, it is more that they feel compelled to take such action to ensure the scientific world can no longer debunk what they know to be true. Either way you go, the push toward discovery is stronger than ever, and that will pressure the Government to either shut down these efforts, or to steer them to their own ends, that is the end game for all this.. "How will discovery be managed by the Government" in terms of the forest industry and tourism. I see the potential for it to help tourism, get ready for all those freaking yahoos looking to bag a photo or some fresh scat, also the tree huggers will be out in force come that day. It will be a tumultuous adjustment period regardless...but then I see the day when we look upon this creature the same way we look upon a grizzly or polar bear, with respect and wonder and a proper amount of fear as well. This day is upon us and we ought to be prepared for it, technology has caught up to the Sasquatch.

Edited March 9, 2015 by Lake County Bigfooot

[SWWASAS]

Personally I would not bet against Wag on his "in the trees in three months" bet.    I have many hours flying my own airplane in mountainous regions looking for BF.    Keeping it out of the trees is a full time job that takes all of my tens of thousands of hours of flight experience to pull off at times when the winds are other than calm.      My airplane is an absolute rocket ship compared to what the Falcon airship will be.     You have to understand winds, compensate for up and down drafts, play the terrain to avoid getting into a downdraft that exceeds the aircrafts performance capability.       As I understand it,  Barnes will be their pilot, or so their website claims.     I wonder if he can even read an aviation wind report?  

 

   I suspect they plan on flying in the intermountain West like Eastern Idaho, Montana, or Eastern Washington to avoid dense tree canopy.   4000 feet AGL sounds like a lot of terrain clearance but in mountainous areas (which are likely BF habitat) you can have significant mountain wave effects up to twice the height of the terrain obstacle.       If Barnes is not a pilot already,  he has a significant learning curve that the Falcon airship may not survive.      If he blindly flies into a down draft that exceeds the climb capability of the airship, it will likely end up in the trees.   

Edited March 9, 2015 by SWWASASQUATCHPROJECT

[NathanFooter]

We are flying way to high impact anything as the drone has a telescopic lens to look down upon the areas of interest.

This is not going to fly down into the valley or drainage, it is simply not needed.

[SWWASAS]

Nathon, your comment indicates you do not understand the problem.    I would bet that Barnes does not either unless he is a pilot.        If you cross a ridge that is 4000 high,  the winds aloft will produce updrafts and down drafts that can be significant up to twice that height.     On the upwind side you get an updraft, and on the down wind side of any ridge, there is a downdraft.   It is like water going over a big rock on a fast moving stream.       In my example with a ridge top at 4000 msl,   that will produce wave effects up to 8000 above ground level, so up and down draft wave effects will extend up to 12,000 MSL.        In other words you can be thousands of feet above the terrain,  and if you approach a ridge, from the wrong direction,  you could enter a down draft that exceeds the climb capability of the airship and it could force it down into terrain.    

 

 As an example,  the current glider record in the United States was set by Steve Fosset.     By using the mountain waves over Mt Whitney in California he was able to achieve an altitude of 49,000 feet.    Mt Whitey is 14,000 some feet tall.   So the updraft over that mountain allowed him to climb unpowered to 49,000.     On the down wind side in those conditions, there is a down draft that is as strong or stronger.    If you flew into those conditions with a powered airship like the Falcon,   it would force you down into the terrain.     

Edited March 9, 2015 by SWWASASQUATCHPROJECT

[Faenor]

They probably should have skipped the blimp and went with just the organized ground crew. If the project fails it'll just turn into a big joke about the "bigfoot blimp". Especially if it crashes spectacularly or knocks down a power line.

[Guest Divergent1]

Just dropping in here for a second to address a few statements and issues.

We will be operating in sub alpine forest environment on the border of descending lowland forest, also the areas water resources are also more restricted therefore narrowing and channeling wildlife activity toward these resources. The forest composition within the selected sites is not as dense as what typically comes to mind when you think of the PNW.

http://cdn1.arkive.org/media/04/04AB3119-D36B-494F-A16D-A47B197F458F/Presentation.Large/Subalpine-fir-forest.jpg

http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000yvTO7MpiXPQ/fit=1000x750/subalpine-trees-Naches-Peak-EdBook1035.jpg

The team is not going to be stationary, we will move throughout the selected area collecting data. This system continues until we happen upon or observe something of interest that would compel the group to settle into the area of interest for some duration.

Is the selected area known for bigfoot activity or was the area chosen because of the type of equipment that will be used?

[Guest]

First of all it is pretty obvious to me that this project has morphed from the grand scheme Blimp,  to a couple of toy drones with go-pros attached.   i hope I am proved wrong,  but all the signs point to no blimp,  no magic CO2 sensor,  No top secret thermal imaging -  etc etc etc. 

[NathanFooter]

Nathon, your comment indicates you do not understand the problem.    I would bet that Barnes does not either unless he is a pilot.        If you cross a ridge that is 4000 high,  the winds aloft will produce updrafts and down drafts that can be significant up to twice that height.     On the upwind side you get an updraft, and on the down wind side of any ridge, there is a downdraft.   It is like water going over a big rock on a fast moving stream.       In my example with a ridge top at 4000 msl,   that will produce wave effects up to 8000 above ground level, so up and down draft wave effects will extend up to 12,000 MSL.        In other words you can be thousands of feet above the terrain,  and if you approach a ridge, from the wrong direction,  you could enter a down draft that exceeds the climb capability of the airship and it could force it down into terrain.    

 

 As an example,  the current glider record in the United States was set by Steve Fosset.     By using the mountain waves over Mt Whitney in California he was able to achieve an altitude of 49,000 feet.    Mt Whitey is 14,000 some feet tall.   So the updraft over that mountain allowed him to climb unpowered to 49,000.     On the down wind side in those conditions, there is a down draft that is as strong or stronger.    If you flew into those conditions with a powered airship like the Falcon,   it would force you down into the terrain.

You would be correct, I did not understand your post. I must admit, I need to bone up on my understanding of air movement in relation to terrain and atmosphere. Thank you for clearing that up, I certainly will be reading on this.

I do have more info to share soon about the flying of the drone, I have to have a few things nailed down first to make sure I have all of the information and that it is correct.

[SWWASAS]

At this point, I have put out enough technical aviation information, that they should have some idea what they do not know.    If it is not passed along or it is ignored because of egos or whatever,  they do so at the peril of the project.   

 

Whoever the pilot or pilots are need to know about this stuff and it needs to be second nature.     When a drone is being forced down into the trees is not the time to be learning about it.  

Edited March 9, 2015 by SWWASASQUATCHPROJECT

[Guest Divergent1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Kyi0WNg40

[NathanFooter]

Is the selected area known for bigfoot activity or was the area chosen because of the type of equipment that will be used?

The areas we have chosen where had to fill four crucial requirements, these include a report history from past to present, an ability to survey the forest and terraian, lacking in human traffic and inhabitation and lastly limited water resources ( the limited water sources narrow wildlife activity and give anything in the area few other options for water, including sasquatch ).

At this point, I have put out enough technical input, that they should have some idea what they do not know.    If it is not passed along or it is ignored because of egos or whatever,  they do so at the peril of the project.   

 

Whoever the pilot or pilots are need to know about this stuff and it needs to be second nature.     When a drone is being forced down into the trees is not the time to be learning about it.

Your information has not fallen on deaf ears, I certainly will ask William about these aspects, thank you for sharing.

[SWWASAS]

They probably should have skipped the blimp and went with just the organized ground crew. If the project fails it'll just turn into a big joke about the "bigfoot blimp". Especially if it crashes spectacularly or knocks down a power line.

I don't know about that.    I was thinking about finding out where they will be flying and go to watch.    Might be entertaining.     When they have to post a Notice to Airmen to fly, it will not be a secret.   

Edited March 9, 2015 by SWWASASQUATCHPROJECT

[Cotter]

“Those who say it can't be done are usually interrupted by others doing it.â€
― James Baldwin

[Yuchi1]

^^^ As in the builders of the Titanic, professing it to be unsinkable?

[norseman]

Just dropping in here for a second to address a few statements and issues.

We will be operating in sub alpine forest environment on the border of descending lowland forest, also the areas water resources are also more restricted therefore narrowing and channeling wildlife activity toward these resources. The forest composition within the selected sites is not as dense as what typically comes to mind when you think of the PNW.

http://cdn1.arkive.org/media/04/04AB3119-D36B-494F-A16D-A47B197F458F/Presentation.Large/Subalpine-fir-forest.jpg

http://cdn.c.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000yvTO7MpiXPQ/fit=1000x750/subalpine-trees-Naches-Peak-EdBook1035.jpg

The team is not going to be stationary, we will move throughout the selected area collecting data. This system continues until we happen upon or observe something of interest that would compel the group to settle into the area of interest for some duration.

I'am well aware that in the mountains there are alpine environments that hold less trees and more parks. But have you looked at seasonal sighting data in correlation to elevation? For MOST of the year that country is covered in deep snow, hence the reason why there is no dense forest canopy. A few of the hardy species of trees that live up that high such as Alpine fir and AlpineLarch are built like an A frame house so the bole of the tree doesn't snap of under the weight of heavy snows.

Boiled down to brass? In the Cascades and Western Rockies this leaves a very narrow window for you to operate in. Some years I would estimate Aug, Sept, Oct. And maybe July in other years too.

http://www.bchw.org/lnt/main/advisory.htm