[balloon-makers] Amherst XLTA -- June 1-3, 2007

[Dan Nachbar]

              Third Annual
           Amherst Experimental
  Balloon, Hopper, Chariot, and Airship
                Gathering
(sometimes known as XLTA3 and/or XLTA-Amherst)

June 1-3, 2007

Amherst MA (two hours by car West of Boston
            in the beautiful Connecticut River valley)

All builders, owners, and fans of experimental and ultra-light LTA
aircraft are invited.

This is a small private event: no paid rides, no public
audience, no muss, no fuss.  Just experimental LTA and the people
who love to build and fly them (as well as friends and families,
of course.)  This event provides both an opportunity to exchange
ideas and experiences amongst builders and a chance to fly
together informally.

My goal is to have a generally pleasant and easygoing event.
However, in order to keep things reasonably well organized:

        PLEASE REGISTER ONLINE BY MAY 15!!!

The online registration page is:
http://www.xlta.org/regform2007.php

Each participating pilot with an aircraft is asked to
chip in $50 to cover his/her entire entourage.
(All money collected will be put towards covering the fixed
expenses of the event.  This is a purely non-profit affair.)
Folks who come on their own (i.e. without an aircraft) will be
asked to chip in $20 per person or family.  Non-flying folks will
also be asked to lend a hand with crewing and other logistic stuff.
This is a participatory, not a spectator event.

To repeat, registration in advance is required. There is
limited space available. Please don't just show up on the
day of the event.  You may well be turned away.
However, all registration fees and food/fuel deposits are
fully refundable if you can't make it.  So sign up and send
a check by May 15 and everything will be just peachy.

I hope to be able to accommodate everyone who is interested
in attending this year.  However, things were pretty cozy
last year.  I can take some steps to make more room, but
only if I have sufficient notice.  After May 15, I'll
only be able to accept registrations on a space-available
basis.  Again, I'll happily refund any money you put down
if you can't make it.

Last year's event went amazingly well in spite of truly
rotten weather that grounded everyone all weekend.  The previous
year we had faboulous flying. This year, who knows? And, while
I can't promise anything about the weather,
I do know we'll have:

- Nearby or (depending upon winds) on-site launches.
- On-site field for tethering to show off your latest design.
- 24 hour on-site inexpensive propane available for purchase.
- On-site workshop/sewing facilities for experiments/repairs.
- Pleasant on-site daytime hang-out, cooking, and eating space.
- On-site camping and RV parking.
- A wide variety of motels and hotels available nearby.
        (Be advised motel rooms in this area in June start
                at $110 per night. Some less expensive motels
                are a 20 minute drive away.)
- Local launch and chase crew available.
- On-site catered group meals available (with sign-up in advance)
- Nearby dining/entertainment/culture for rainy day amusement
        of both pilots and non-flying family members.
- On-site playground and indoor playroom for kids of all ages.

  (For all of the above, the term "nearby" means less than
   a 10 minute drive by car.)

Again, please remember to register by May 15!

Contact Dan Nachbar at 413-549-1321 or dan at nachbar dot com
for more information.  (If you don't get a quick response to
your email please assume that your message has mistakenly fallen
prey to spam filtering and give me a phone call instead.)
-
"Balloon-makers" is archived at http://www.hombc.org/balloon-makers/