Advertising Balloons California

In most states the first question is which size. In California it is whether your city will let you fly one at all, and the answer varies enormously.

The ordinance comes first

California cities write detailed sign ordinances and many of them mention temporary or inflatable signage specifically. Some permit it with a permit and a day limit. Some prohibit it outright. Some are silent, which is its own risk.

Call your city planning or code enforcement department and ask about **tethered balloons or temporary signage** before you order anything lettered. Five minutes on the phone is much cheaper than a notice of violation after you have printed your business name on a blimp.

What to do if the answer is restrictive

Two options that often work.

First, a **blank balloon**. A 5.5-foot sphere at $351 or a 10-foot blimp at $684 with no lettering is sometimes treated differently from a named sign, because it carries no message. Ask specifically.

Second, **event days**. Many ordinances allow temporary signage for a limited number of days per year, which suits a sales event or a grand opening perfectly.

Airspace is the easy part

Below 150 feet above ground the FAA is not involved, and we fly at 120 feet.

Within five miles of controlled airspace you call the tower and ask. In coastal California that catches more locations than people expect, but it is a short call and in forty years we have never been refused.

The conditions

Inland sun is hard on materials. Ours are polyurethane, which stays flexible and tolerates ultraviolet far better than PVC. A California company flies more than 100 of our blimps every weekend for homebuilders, which is the durability answer in one line.

Coastal and pass wind is the operating constraint: over 25 miles per hour forecast, bring it in.

More at bigblimps.com.