AeroBalloon builds tethered helium balloon rides. They resemble hot air balloons, but the envelopes are filled with inert helium with no fuel required to stay aloft, making the ride safer. A tether permanently connects each balloon to the ground, so it’s an up-and-down ride rather than a travel-across-the-land affair. The balloons can go up to 500 feet in the air; you can imagine the view passengers can get from this height. They sell to amusement parks and fairs worldwide.

AeroBalloon hired PERCH to analyze its newest, largest balloon design for approval by a new national market. PERCH evaluated every component – from the fabric that holds in the helium, to the ropes and shackles that connect the 40-passenger gondola with the tether, to the tether itself – and demonstrated that each component has a high factor of safety and meets the national standards.

For the next two weeks PERCH is on the road to present the analysis. I’ve cued up some blog entries in the interim, so keep watching this website. Expect a travelogue upon return.