OC Great Park Balloon Inflation 12/4/2009

Missing something in the skies above Orange County? That's right the big orange balloon at the Great Park hasn't been flying this week... in fact it has been getting ready for a face lift.... and you can watch. A new balloon has been laid out and is scheduled to be pumped full of 210,000 cubic feet of helium beginning at 3:00 today. And all that lift will take 400 sandbags and over 30 people to control as the new balloon takes flight.

Of course, the great park has taken the opportunity to make a few improvements, too:

"The big difference is that with this balloon the color is pigment-dyed so that the color won't fade, but it actually has internal illumination so it'll really be seen for miles and miles even at night. This one will be lit from the inside." JENN STARNES, PIO, OC GREAT PARK

And once inflated, the improved balloon will be ready for flights sometime this weekend. So if your kids are impressed by a small handheld balloon, pack them up to see this 74-foot giant!

"We are all so very impressed when we see even a very small balloon. So you can imagine when it's a big one. It's a huge balloon." ERIC BACHELIER, PROJECT MANAGER, AEROPHILE

For updates and more information visit ocgp.org

For ocnewschannel, I'm Troy Witt

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Orange County
• Great Park
• Ballooon
• OCGP
• Inflation
• December 4
• Irvine great Park
• Troy Witt