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Police in Larimer County, Colorado, spent all afternoon on Thursday to chasing a helium balloon homemade in shape of a UFO.   On board was supposed to take a boy of six years, Falcon Henne. But when the balloon landed after more than two hours, it was empty; Falcon actually hiding in an attic in the family garage. The incident has raised all sorts of questions about the trip in a balloon, here are the answers.

Is it legal to fly a balloon craft? Obviously. Anyone can build and fly a flying non-motorized air-craft that weighs less than 70 pounds without needing permission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). You do not even need a pilot’s license. The balloon flew over Colorado seemed extremely light and would likely fall within this category. If the ballon weighs over 70 kilos, you need a license to drive and a certificate from the FAA. First, an FAA inspector comes to see the device. If it seems to fly, you can begin flight tests, with certain restrictions: it must remain within a certain geographical boundary for example, and you can not fly at night. If all goes well and that the inspector approves your gear, you can fly above all the United States.

How much helium do you need? A gas balloon normal, as opposed to a balloon (hot air), requires about 1,000 m3 of helium. (Here’s what it looks like.) It’s about 120 of those bottles of helium found in party stores. To steal a lighter camera, like the ball that has wandered over Colorado, you would need much less. A helium tank raises almost 1.8 6.55 kg. To raise a child six years of 23 kilos, so you would need four tanks.

Is Piloting helium balloons a popular hobby? No, they are too expensive. Each helium tank costs between $50 and $100, depending on whether you buy wholesale or not. A single balloon flight of helium costs more than 6,700 dollars. Pilots generally fly gas balloons once a year at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

The balloons are cheaper and more common. The balloon itself costs between $17,000 and $34,000 on average and the cost of a trip only covers the cost of propane used to heat air, or about 35 euros. It is also much easier to pass his license for a balloon for a gas balloon, in part because they can not go very far. The balloons can fly for about an hour and travel a few kilometers. Gas cylinders can fly up to three days in a row and across an entire continent.

Should people be allowed to fly balloons? It depends on where you live. In remote rural areas not near airports, you do not need permission as long as you stay within 5500 meters of altitude. (The ball Falcon Henne had reached 2,200 meters.) This is complicated when you get closer to urban areas and airports. Near smaller airports not need a formal authorization from the FAA, but it is imperative to be in radio contact with air traffic controllers. Near major airports, such as the International Airport of Los Angeles or one of LaGuardia, you need a clearance to enter airspace, just like if you want to fly more than 5,500 meters. In both cases, you must also provide a transponder on board, so that air traffic controllers can track you on radar. Some areas are only allowed air in no case over military bases or Washington, DC

How do you pilot a balloon? The balloons flying in the wind direction. To choose your direction, so you need to first climb to an altitude at which the wind blows in the direction that suits you. Changing direction is easier in a balloon in a gas balloon, since it is easier to climb and descend. To gain altitude in a balloon, the pilot simply heat the burner edge, which heats the air inside the balloon, and lifted. To get it reduced the relapse rate of heat, or lets a little air through a flap at the top of the ball. A gas balloon is different. To climb, the pilot removes the weight by passing overboard: sand or water for example. To lose altitude, it leaves a little helium escape (making sure not to pull on the rope tied to a system that leaves all the helium escape at once) or the expected nightfall, when the gas cools, and descends from the balloon itself.

How do I know which way the wind blows depending on altitude? You can call the flight service from the FAA, who will brief you on the different wind directions and speeds at different altitudes in your area. Or you can send your own weather balloon. Just buy a “balloon driver” and release it before your flight. Using a compass and a stopwatch, you can see which way it goes and at what altitude. (To calculate altitude practice, click here.) During the long flights to helium balloons, the pilot will often have a satellite phone to receive updates from the meteorologists.