The most common first phone call is not a complaint. It is somebody opening the box and asking where the helium is.
In the box
The balloon itself, folded. The tether line. A patch kit. The fill valve fitted, and on a blimp the fins.
It is smaller and heavier than people imagine. A 13-foot blimp packs down to something one person carries.
Not in the box
Helium. A cylinder. A regulator. Ground anchoring.
None of that ships, and that is deliberate rather than mean. Compressed gas is expensive and awkward to freight, and you can open a local account for far less than we could ever ship it to you. The helium hose is $42 if you want ours.
Have this ready before it arrives
An account with a local welding-gas or industrial-gas supplier. Set it up the same day you order the balloon, not the day it lands.
Gas suppliers keep business hours. The classic failure is a Saturday opening, a Friday afternoon delivery and a closed depot.
And somewhere to anchor it
A sandbag, a ground stake, or a fixed point on the building. Nothing exotic; a 13-foot blimp has about three pounds of net lift.
Pick the spot before delivery and look at what is behind the balloon from the road. A balloon against open sky reads; a balloon against a tree line disappears.
Ask for a quote. Call 1-800-791-1445 or email sales@arizonaballoon.com and tell us the size and whether you want it printed.
More at arizonaballoon.com.