Biggest MOOP in the history of Burning Man

[Tiahaar]

sure nothing to it without the wing sections and main gear installed

[Tiahaar]

747 Connie comparison by Tiahaar, on Flickr

[Captain Goddammit]

Well no fair, the 747 is being towed by a 379 with a low profile sleeper so it looks smaller and makes the plane look bigger...

[Canoe]

That's what she said...

[unjonharley]

Thanx Tiahaar ..

[Canoe]

(the editing's a little spastic)

Drone view of laying down the mats to get it to roll into its resting place.

I am a bit disappointed with this video. I have seen the 747 on Playa and am familiar with some of the justified and unjustified criticisms that have been bandied about. I was expecting some more meat to this video on how they moved it, people from various camps and institutions coming together in a community to help them out when the move started to have issues. Instead all we got was a puff/propaganda piece that it is off BLM land now and "Hey you people don't come visit it or your bad people!"

A few other videos there are worth watching.
Some building, some MOOPing, some Resto...
https://www.youtube.com/user/Shalaco/videos

[Tiahaar]

The rest of the story, as Paul Harvey might say... (wonder if he and Larry were related)

747 that went to Burning Man

[The Rod]

"Camp Hugely Creative Thinkers"

Gold. Also the extinct dino skeleton was a pretty cool spin..
Still not a fan of the plane.

[maladroit]

I wouldn't trust Marian's opinion on who is or isn't dragging Burning Man into a boring, Coachella-ized festival.

[Elderberry]

Interesting article
https://mashable.com/article/747-burning-man/

[lucky420]

I wouldn't trust Marian's opinion on who is or isn't dragging Burning Man into a boring, Coachella-ized festival.

Exactly

[Canoe]

Interesting to read that article, even if the author gets some minor things wrong and sounds like propaganda too often. I sure wouldn't want to have to solve those problems, and under such a time limit. If it can manage to stay safe (hope that net is real - not photoshop - and helps make it more low key, i.e., not noticed, out of mind = no pot shots), it sounds like its current location is a better fit with less impact on the local population than its original location. (We're an imposing enough annual neighbour as it is.)

But I'm confused about something. Seems there's some expectation that the public should have had more access to the plane. Isn't it a Mutant Vehicle? As in, it belongs to those that gathered the money and put the blood sweat and tears into it? They did that, they brought it, it's theirs and they get to enjoy it as much as possible with all of the additional work they have to put into it once it's on the playa. If anyone from the public gets a chance to enjoy part of it, isn't that a gift from the MV et al? Are some people saying that some (5,000?) got that gift, but I didn't, so that MV shouldn't be allowed?
Why would their using/enjoying their MV with those they invite be elitist? Isn't it theirs to use/enjoy as they see fit? Same as every other MV?

I still think it's a limited-value project that doesn't justify the funds/effort involved (although going forward, the cost should be less per year for future years - and I have to grudgingly acknowledge it is nice to have a viewing platform; and they now know what is involved with bringing/returning it from/to its current location). And even stupider to spend your burn time standing in line when there's the whole of BRC available. But it is theirs, yes?

[Admiral Fukkit]

The vast majority of burners never get to board every other MV out there too.
Hell most never even get to ride a yellow bike.

[Sham]

I think there is some misguided expectation that art cars and mutant vehicles are built specifically for the public to climb on and ride. There is a finesse and tact to working your way onto an MV. The only public part of these privately owned vehicles is to look at and be entertained by the awesome sight of them. If you want to board any, work on snuggling up to the people operating them.

[some seeing eye]

A long time ago we had a bus with a live band on top if it. It was a really good funk soul and electronic band. Some friends were also involved with the Neverwas Haul. While free rides should be encouraged, the demand is just too great in relation to the supply. Our main problem, for which we had to have walkers, was people trying to get run over by the vehicle.

Imagination747 is not an MV. It's more like a camp with interaction hours.

When you process the 10 principles and fake lore through virgin entitlement you get some strange ideas. Same with the sensation media.

I'm not a fan of the Imagination747. But I'm happy they tried it and created the discussion. They also tested themselves, pulled together the community to move it, and broke new ground for the BORG and the BLM.

All IMO, of course!

Design thinking is a strong movement out of Stanford and elsewhere. It's based on failure. Usually it is preferred to fail prototypes fast and small in design, then iterate to a good design in cycles. Read the Netflix deck on their approach. A lot of my friends work for a major creative agency. The founder tells new employees, you are no good to me until you have failed at least three times.

[Dr Helix]

Interesting to read that article, even if the author gets some minor things wrong and sounds like propaganda too often. I sure wouldn't want to have to solve those problems, and under such a time limit. If it can manage to stay safe (hope that net is real - not photoshop - and helps make it more low key, i.e., not noticed, out of mind = no pot shots), it sounds like its current location is a better fit with less impact on the local population than its original location. (We're an imposing enough annual neighbour as it is.)

But I'm confused about something. Seems there's some expectation that the public should have had more access to the plane. Isn't it a Mutant Vehicle? As in, it belongs to those that gathered the money and put the blood sweat and tears into it? They did that, they brought it, it's theirs and they get to enjoy it as much as possible with all of the additional work they have to put into it once it's on the playa. If anyone from the public gets a chance to enjoy part of it, isn't that a gift from the MV et al? Are some people saying that some (5,000?) got that gift, but I didn't, so that MV shouldn't be allowed?
Why would their using/enjoying their MV with those they invite be elitist? Isn't it theirs to use/enjoy as they see fit? Same as every other MV?

I still think it's a limited-value project that doesn't justify the funds/effort involved (although going forward, the cost should be less per year for future years - and I have to grudgingly acknowledge it is nice to have a viewing platform; and they now know what is involved with bringing/returning it from/to its current location). And even stupider to spend your burn time standing in line when there's the whole of BRC available. But it is theirs, yes?

Here is the official stance of Burning Man:

Mutant Vehicles and the Community
The DMV receives a lot of feedback every year from Black Rock Citizens about Mutant Vehicles. One of the ongoing concerns is that Mutant Vehicles are often perceived as being ‘exclusive’. We’ve heard a number of stories about someone walking in deep playa, seeing a Mutant Vehicle and asking for a ride, only to be told “sorry, this is a private party,” or something to that effect.

In the spirit of Radical Inclusion, Participation and Gifting the DMV strongly encourages and expects Mutant Vehicle owners to share their Vehicles with others and give rides to those that need or ask. This is also a great way to meet people and a wonderful show of our community. Proper etiquette should be followed; all participants should be allowed to ride Mutant Vehicles as long as there are not an unsafe number of passengers aboard at any given time.

Private Parties / Thank You Cruises
We recognize that many Mutant Vehicles are large, ongoing endeavors that require a lot of time and resources to bring to the playa each year. We know that many Burning Man Theme Camp and Mutant Vehicle projects use crowdfunding campaigns (like Kickstarter and Indiegogo) to help fund their projects. One of the main concerns regarding crowdfunding rewards has been the perception that someone was ‘selling rides’. One of the most common rewards is a ‘private cruise’ for donors, which can easily be misinterpreted. It really depends on how it is presented in the campaign.

We totally support crowdfunding as well as the “Thank You Cruise” as a reward. We also support MV Owners cruising with just their friends and camp-mates – with the caveat that they should only do so for ONE DAY/NIGHT during the event and be very clear that is what is happening when talking with other participants. (“We’re just out with members of our camp tonight, but if you stop by at sunset tomorrow, we’ll be happy to take you for a spin. Here’s our address!”).

[Tiahaar]

Since I seem to be the 747 liaison here let me share that the plane did not have any public or camp passengers on board (except for a couple doing safety) during its two trips to the deep playa music zone and back to camp, and was surrounded by a rope line manned by 20 or so camp members and escorted by a BMorg Safety officer.

It went out Tues and Thurs evening about 6pm and back Weds and Fri morning about 8am. I was on ground crew all 4 moves, helping with the mechanicals and tug operation. So really nobody missed out on rides because there were none. Although having both day and night DMV stickers the plane this year was only granted operation as a mobile art installation, not a free roaming mutant vehicle, by both BLM and BMorg. Once parked in deep playa it was open all night long until the next morning's move and lots of burners enjoyed it, but then the music was shut down and the plane cleared of people for the moves.

The 747 was open for at least part of each day back at camp too, the hours depending on whether work was going on inside or around it with manlifts and such, and closed for the Friday evening camp party. Hey, if you want to get on the 747 any darn time any darn place anywhere you please, just become one of the support mechanics and help maintain the thing, ask me how I know. Thank you my supporters here

[The Rod]

I think there is some misguided expectation that art cars and mutant vehicles are built specifically for the public to climb on and ride. There is a finesse and tact to working your way onto an MV. The only public part of these privately owned vehicles is to look at and be entertained by the awesome sight of them. If you want to board any, work on snuggling up to the people operating them.

I think that this is not true. In fact, part of the 'contract' that a MV owner agrees to upon invitation is that Mutant Vehicles are considered 'public transit' in BRC. Thanks Dr. Helix.

Not to say that it gives everyone in BRC and their moms the right to expect rides at any given time, but the gist is if you bring a big awesome ride to a society built on a gift economy you're expected to share.

[lucky420]

Moms are cool

[Admiral Fukkit]

That’s absolutely true, when you’re granted an MV license you are expected to allow fellow burners to ride along.
But it’s a somewhere-in-between thing... you don’t have to let anyone and everyone on at all times and you do get to decide how many at any given time.

It’s like if you have a camp that serves lemonade. You’re not expected to have enough for the entire city and you’re not in trouble if you run out.

[unjonharley]

That old broken down *stern of the Caps .. Is not going to take "jump-on's" .. It has a passenger limit also .. Please do not board a MV while it is moving .. For the safely of the ride and your welfare ..

re: * the Caps stern that is ..

[maladroit]

I see a lot of MVs where everyone has worked together to gift rides to as many people as possible. Specifically, clothes are bulky and take up extra room that could be used for another rider instead, so a lot of the passengers are women who have sacrificed much of their clothing for the cause.