[DialOne]

I'm surprised someone didn't work this out and call it in:

The craft was described as 20 ft across and 5 feet high. Its shape is an oblate spheroid (an ellipsoid with 2 radii equal). The formula for volume is:

V = 4/3 x pi x A x B x C

V = 4/3 x 3.1416 x 10 x 10 x 2.5

V = 1047.2 cubic feet.

Lifting power of helium is .067 lbs per cubic foot. Total lifting power of the craft is 70 lbs. Average weight of a 6 year old boy is 45-50 lbs.

That leaves 25 lbs. The weight of the balloon material and the gondola is...what?

Apparently the compartment part was made out of cardboard, so I'd say the weight of that was negligible - but that means the family had to have known it couldn't have supported a child. And even if it did, was it separate from the helium chamber or not? Hell they even have video of the stupid thing lifting off and the dad throwing a fit. It looks like a publicity stunt all the way.

At least we got to hear someone let out a fart on the Larry King interview and then see the kid throw up twice during a live Today Show interview.