Announcing the 4th Annual XLTA-Amherst

©07 by Bethany Seeger

Has it been a year? Well almost we are approaching our first full year with big steps it's not far away at the end of this month. And as we come full circle we can also announce once again a great annual event organized by Dan Nachbar the father of the Personal Blimp.

4th Annual
Amherst Experimental
Balloon, Hopper, Chariot, and Airship
Rally
(also known as XLTA4 and XLTA-Amherst)

May 16-18, 2008 (This is two weeks earlier than previous years.)

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 non-profit 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.

The event features:

• A fascinating bunch of one-of-a-kind LTA aircraft and pilots.
• Nearby or (depending upon winds) on-site launches.
• On-site field for tethering to show off your latest design.
• 24 hour on-site 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 May start at $110 per night. Some less expensive motels are a 20 minute drive away.)
• Local 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.

The online registration page is: http://www.xlta.org/regform2008.php

Space is limited. Please don't show up without registering in advance. 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 1 and everything will be just peachy.

Each participating pilot with an aircraft is asked to chip in $50 to cover his/her group. (All money collected is used for 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.

Contact Dan Nachbar at 413-549-1321 or dan at nachbar.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.)