Online Registration for the
Fourth Annual
Amherst Experimental
Balloon, Hopper, Chariot, and Airship
Gathering

Registration Deadline
May 1, 2008

This event is quite different from a garden-variety balloon festival. In particular, it's entirely pilot-oriented. Since every pilot has different tastes, there are lots of options as to food, lodging, etc. As a result, the form below is pretty long-winded. I apologize for all the verbiage.

If you attended last year, you can probably skim through since almost everything is the same. The two significant changes from last year are 1) I'm asking for larger fuel deposits ($30 per balloon flight and $15 per hopper flight) and 2) providing 5 meals (adding pizza Friday evening and sandwiches for lunch on Saturday) for the same $30 per person.

If this is your first year, please read the text thoroughly. It will save us both a lot of time and confusion.

After you've filled out the information below, click on the button at the bottom of the page. Once your information is received, I'll send you an email confirmation along with a login name and password that you can use to access the rest of the site.

While this is a friendly, non-profit event, there are some genuine fixed costs to cover -- in particular, building rental and cleaning. I ask participating pilots to chip in $50 each. (This covers your whole gang -- pilot, family, crew, etc.) I also ask folks coming on their your own (i.e. without an aircraft) to chip in $20 each. In addition, I ask for deposits on food and fuel in advance (details below). Any deposit for fuel that is not used will be refunded. Any other funds left in the bank at the end of this year's event will be rolled into next year's event.

All of the contact information collected below will be kept confidential. However, the website will have a password protected listing of people along with their aircraft, city, state, and email address so that other attendees can see who's coming. The attendee list will make it easier for those wishing to travel together to make direct contact. If you don't want your personal information included in the list of attendees, please check the appropriate box on the form.

For further information, please send email to dan@nachbar.com or call me (Dan Nachbar) at my office: 413-549-1321. (If you've never sent me an email before, you will receive an automated reply from my anti-spam system. In that email, there will be a link for you to click on. If you find this process unsettling, please just call the phone number above. I apologize for the bother.)


First Name:
Last Name:
Street:
City:
State:
Zipcode:
Home/Office Phone:
Cell Phone:
Email:
Please list any people
who will be coming
along with you:
Experimental and Ultra-light Aircraft Only Please!
Aircraft Type: Balloon
Hopper
Chariot
Airship
None (Note -- Folks who aren't flying will be asked to lend a hand with some of the various logistic tasks as well as to help crew for the peole who are flying. This is a very much a participatory event.)
Aircraft Name:
(if named)
Listing Preference: Please include me in the attendee list.
Please include my name and balloon but exclude my contact information.
Please exclude me from the listing completely.
Other - add comment below.
If possible, would you like me to arrange local crew for you? Yes, I would like a local crew member.
Yes, I would like more than one local crew member (if possible).
No thanks. I'm all set for crew.

Please answer the following to help with my planning.

Lodging

In previous years most people have pitched a tent and camped on site. It's fairly comfortable camping experience. There are complete indoor shower and restroom facilities available. Some other folks bring their RV's to sleep in. Others stay at one of the local hotels/motels that are a 5-10 minute drive away (about $110 per night.) Some less expensive motel accomodations are about 20 minutes away. Please contact me if you want more information about hotel/motel choices.
Lodging: I plan to stay at a local hotel/motel (about $110 per night).
I plan to pitch a tent and camp.
I plan to bring an RV.
Other - please describe in comment area below.

Food

As with previous XLTA events, we'll be offering group meals during the weekend. (To some folks this group meal stuff sounds a little strange. Think of it as a "summer camp" style dining arrangment only with better food.) To be clear, the group meals are entirely optional. Feel free to participate or not as suits your fancy.

On Friday, we'll have pizza after the flight. On Saturday, there will be a post-flight breakfast, a light lunch (e.g. sandwiches) for folks who want to hang around during the day, and post-flight dinner. On Sunday, there will be a post-flight breakfast. All the meals will be good and hearty. (Just ask last year's pilots.) The cost will be $30 dollars total per person for all five meals.

If you want me to try and provide local crew for your flights, in keeping with the tradition of feeding the crew, please plan to include $30 to cover the cost of their meals too.

In order to make the planning managable, the group meals are all-or-nothing.

As mentioned above, please feel free to "do your own thing" when it comes to food. I'll be happy to direct you to any of the numerous local restaurants and/or to provide menus for food that can be delivered. But again, most folks choose to join the group meals.

Food: I'll sign up for the group meals. (5 meals -- total cost $30 per person.)
I'll order in my own food.
I'll go to local restaurants.
Other - please describe in comments area below.
Total number of people for group meals:
include yourself, your crew members, anyone else who will be with you, plus one if you want me to provide a local crew member. Please send $30 per person along with your registration fee. For children: kids 5 and under are free; kids ages 6 to 12 are $15 per child; kids over 13 eat as much an adult as far as I can tell, so send please send $30 for each of them. For other special cases, please contact me directly. Please note the numbers of kids in the Comments section.

Show Me The Money!!

Like most pilots, I prefer to spend my time flying rather than chasing people around trying to collect money, so I ask you to send a check in advance. Fuel deposit money not used will be refunded after the event. Any money left in the bank at the end of this year's event will be rolled into next year's event. In addition, all deposits and fees are fully refundable if you can't make it. Sign up even if you are not sure you can attend. If it doesn't work out, it's no big deal.

Checks should be made out to "XLTA". I need to receive your check by May 1 in order to hold places for you. With luck, we won't have to turn anybody away, but folks who register and send in their money by May 1 will have priority.

Please send

Registration Fee $50 for folks bringing an aircraft (This covers yourself and all who come with you.)
$20 for folks not bringing an aircraft (This covers yourself and all who come with you.)

Food Deposit $30 per adult and $15 per child (age 6-12) for the three-meal package

Fuel Deposit

If you have your own source of propane, feel free to use it. As a courtesy, I will sell propane at the event at my cost. However, since I'm not willing to be in the position of bill collector, if you want to buy fuel, I'm asking for a deposit in advance. If you wind up buying less than the deposit, I'll refund the balance. As of mid-March, my cost was $2.05/gallon. Your guess is as good as mine about the price of fuel in May.

If you want to buy propane from me, then please include
$30 per planned flight for balloons
$15 per planned flight for hoppers

An Example

For a pilot bringing two crew members, wanting a local crew person, planning to join in the group meals, and planning to buy fuel after all four flights. The calculation would look like this:

Registration $50
Food $120 (4 people @ $30 each)
Fuel $120 (4 flights @ $30 each)
Total $290

If you have any questions about the costs, please don't hesitate to ask.

Please send checks (payable to "XLTA") to:

XLTA
110 Pulpit Hill Road
Amherst MA 01001

I'll be sending a check for $

Remember, I need to receive your check by May 1 to hold your place!

Registrations/deposits after May 1 will be accepted on a space-available basis.

Please add anything that you think it would be useful for me to know.
Of course, you're also welcome to call at 413-549-1321 or send me an email if there is a topic that needs more discussion than can readily fit below.
Comments: