The motion of a balloon vehicle is unlike any other terrestrial vehicle. In fact a balloon vehicle moves much like a spacecraft does in outer space! You will find that once you set your BalloonCraft in motion, it will continue in that motion, even if you stop the motors. This is Newton's First Law in action!

You will learn to use reverse and counter thrust actions to recover from an unwanted movement in direction or spin. For instance, if the BalloonCraft is instructed to turn left, and the joystick is held in the full left position for more than a few seconds, it will begin to spin counterclockwise. In fact, it will continue to spin even when the joystick is returned to the center off position. The fastest way to recover is to move the joystick to the full right position until it stops.

Buoyancy & Atmospheric Considerations

Buoyant lift is produced from the difference between the weight of the helium gas contained in the balloon, and the heavier air the balloon displaces.  Neutral Buoyancy occurs when the lift balances the weight of the balloon and the BalloonCraft.  A neutrally buoyant balloon, in still air, will not ascend (rise) or descend (fall).  The BalloonCraft 2000 is designed to operate at a slightly less than neutral buoyant point so that it will descend slowly without any motor action. Ballast weights are added in small increments to achieve this buoyancy point.  The challenge is to maintain this buoyancy point as atmospheric conditions change.  Temperature and atmospheric pressure affect the weight or density of the air the helium balloon displaces, hence it affects the buoyancy.

The following will help you to understand how your BalloonCraft 2000 will be affected by subtle changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure.

Buoyant lift decreases with a rise in temperature.  If you set the Buoyant point on a cold day, just before the heat comes on, you may notice a reduction in lift, and the lift thruster will have to work harder.  The same may occur if you move from a cold room to a slightly warmer room.  The converse is also true.  If you set the buoyant point in a warm room, and then move to a cool room, you may find that the BalloonCraft rises to the ceiling!

Buoyant lift also decreases with a drop in atmospheric pressure.  A drop in barometric pressure usually means bad weather, so don't be surprised if you notice some reduction in lift if the weather takes a turn for the worse.

In general, you will maintain the best flight performance if you become accustomed to checking the buoyancy point by adding or removing ballast.

Beginner Flight Tips

• Make sure you are not turning the controller off at any time. To help prevent this, the deep recess in wheel is designed to make it difficult to accidentally turn off.  Also be sure to keep your index finger on the wheel knob to avoid blocking the IR emitter.

Extending Float Time

Helium gradually escapes through the thin latex wall of the balloon driving the buoyant point down, and you must compensate by removing a ballast plate about every 15 minutes. When the ballast is exhausted, more helium must be added. After your first few flights you might consider using a balloon treatment to extend the float time.

A non-toxic water-soluble liquid plastic balloon treatment called Super Hi-Float™ can extend the float time up to a week on a single helium fill. The treatment is easy to apply, just inject 1/2 fl oz of Super Hi-Float™ liquid into the 17" balloon, rub the balloon for a few seconds to spread the liquid over the inside surface and then inflate. Be sure to adjust the balloon connector to make sure the nozzle is centered as shown in Step 4 of the instructions and allow a few hours drying time. For best results, allow the treatment to dry overnight before using.

As you might imagine, the liquid treatment adds considerable weight to the balloon, in fact too much weight for high altitude use where you may be tempted to over-inflate. Therefore this treatment is recommened only for altitudes below 2000 ft. If you wish to experiment with partial treatments at higher altitudes, be extra carefull not to over-inflate as instructed in step 8 of the instructions and allow the treatment to dry overnight.

As the plastic treatment dries you may notice a slight increase in buoyant lift. When the treatment drys, it hardens and forms a seal inside the balloon and around the balloon connection. Attempts to reposition the balloon on the connector may compromise this seal. Therefore it's important to set the balloon the way you want it before the treatment drys.

The treatment should only be applied once to a balloon. Treated balloons may be reused but will not retain helium as well.

Super Hi-Float™ is available as an accessory item in convenient pre-measured 1/2 oz bottles, or from your local party supply store in bulk.

SUPER HI-FLOAT™ is a nontoxic, water washable plastic material. Although nontoxic, keep out of reach of children. If splashed into the eyes, flush with water for several minutes.