The questions that arrive in week two, answered in advance.
Finding helium
Search for a welding-gas or industrial-gas supplier in your city. That is who sells helium by the tank, and they are set up for accounts that come back monthly.
Expect roughly $300 for a 200 cubic foot tank. Ask about cylinder rental terms while you are there, because that is the cost people forget to ask about.
Knowing when to top off
You lose about one percent a day, so nothing fails suddenly. The blimp gets softer and starts riding lower on the tether.
Use that as your gauge instead of a calendar. When it stops looking taut from the road it has stopped doing its job, and that is the moment to add gas. In practice that lands every three to seven days.
The 25 mph rule
Bring it in when winds over 25 miles per hour are forecast, not when they arrive. By the time you can feel it, it is too late to be casual about it.
We are direct about this because weather loss is the one thing the replacement warranty does not cover, and it is entirely avoidable.
Indoor use
You need 15 feet of clear ceiling. Below that the blimp cannot sit high enough to be seen over a crowd, which defeats the purpose.
Ask the venue about helium rules before you ship anything. Some halls restrict it regardless of ceiling height, and finding out on move-in day is an expensive way to learn.
Airspace, briefly
Below 150 feet above ground level the FAA is not part of the conversation. We fly at 120 feet deliberately, to sit well under that line.
Within five miles of controlled airspace, call the tower and ask. It is a short call and the answer has always been yes. Johnny Mulder, who runs the company, holds an FAA commercial pilot certificate, which is why this answer is specific rather than a shrug.
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