Seeking advice in re. helium-filled balloon

[Moon]

Physicists, engineers or anyone else with such arcane knowledge: I want to determine whether it's feasible to fill a hot-air balloon with helium, rather than heating air each time the balloon is used. I emailed someone in the county's hot-air balloon club, but he blew me off with "The balloons are filled with hot air, not helium." No foolin'? Is there someone out there who would know how to find out how much helium is needed to lift X weight?

[ChefJayTay]

The Goodyear blimps carry less and require teams to handle their "landings".

[joybird]

Not an answer to your question. I read that we are running out of helium on this here planet.

Joy

[Moon]

Wow, I have missed something! I figured there was plenty, just because it's such a simple atom; but in Earth's atmosphere, it's only 5.2 parts per million.

Not an answer to your question. I read that we are running out of helium on this here planet.

[podfish]

Amateur scientist time.. I faintly recall discussing this/reading about this/imagining I heard that (it was a long time ago!) helium atoms are so small they leak out too fast. Hot air is full of big fat nitrogen atoms.

[rossmen]

There was the guy who floated himself on a lawn chair with 200 helium party balloons. It's a good question, hot air balloons are carbon spewing noisy monstrosities firing tens of gallons of propane each trip. However the torch is an essential control element for assention and fall and venting hot air provides propulsion direction. Helium balloons just bob in the wind. Helium blimps use large motors, fans and fins for control.