# Scary stuff: the boy in the balloon **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 15, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940 "2009-10-15T18:58:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/21 "2009-10-15T19:28:48Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I can’t get sound at work. Are these pics I’m watching live? That balloon is going damn fast ☹ The camera is on a circling aircraft so it makes the balloon look like its going faster than it actually is. They were estimating it is moving at 15-25 mph. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/22 "2009-10-15T19:28:56Z")
Just heard of this myself. He must be terrified, poor kid ☹ ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/23 "2009-10-15T19:29:07Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > An expert on the news said that by the way the balloon is floating, it looks like there is no weight in it. . . so he may have fallen out already. Looks to me like one side of the cockpit is the lowest point of gravity. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/24 "2009-10-15T19:31:55Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > How the hell are they going to get him down? And what is fueling that thing? It’s a home-built helium balloon being carried by the wind. Commercial aircraft to/from Denver is now being diverted. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/25 "2009-10-15T19:32:04Z")
Sounds like it’s starting to circle now, no longer going in a straight line. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/26 "2009-10-15T19:32:20Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > They’re saying he’s estimated to be 8,000 feet up, over Colorado… What is the oxygen like that far up in that area. Not good, right? Must be cold too. > > Watching live footage - the balloon is losing a lot of helium right now. It’s quite breathable that high up, if a bit thinner than he’s most likely accustomed to (Fort Collins is about 5,000 feet). Cold would be the real problem, I think. Unless it’s 8,000 feet above ground… which would put him at 13,000 feet. Still breathable (we visited Pikes Peak and managed to not die…) but then we were wearing warm clothing. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/27 "2009-10-15T19:34:00Z")
it’s only about 500 ft above the ground now, coming down fairly quick ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/28 "2009-10-15T19:34:07Z")
> [@Arnold\_Winkelried](#): > > Well, the outlook is starting to look grim. Maybe a passing mod could change the title of the thread to remove the “my new hero” beginning. At first glance I thought it looked like a fun adventure but not so much any more. If someone could use a “report his post” on the OP and ask for the thread title to be changed I would be most appreciative. Don’t give up on the kid yet. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/29 "2009-10-15T19:34:58Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > How the hell are they going to get him down? And what is fueling that thing? The wind is moving it along. It’s filled with helium, so it doesn’t need a heat source like a hot-air balloon. It appears to be much lower now and moving much slower. It may be coming down soon. ETA: It’s down. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/30 "2009-10-15T19:35:14Z")
The kid’s name is Falcon? Oh, the irony. Assuming this turns out fine, Jay Leno’s joke writers can take the night off. He just landed. ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/31 "2009-10-15T19:35:59Z")
He just came down in a field. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/32 "2009-10-15T19:36:34Z")
THIS is reality TV, my friends! ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/33 "2009-10-15T19:36:55Z")
It appears to be on the ground. I wasn’t watching. What happened? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Socks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a8b319/32.png) [@Captain\_Socks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Socks)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/34 "2009-10-15T19:37:21Z")
CNN says that the child is in the balloon, it has touched down. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/35 "2009-10-15T19:38:10Z")
Fine? I’m watching it live and the kid’s not out yet. ETA: I should say they haven’t takn the kid out yet. It hasn’t even been confirmed he was still there. Still no sign of anyone coming out. This really doesn’t look good. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/36 "2009-10-15T19:39:05Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > Fine? I’m watching it live and the kid’s not out yet. Yeah, they haven’t even opened it yet. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/37 "2009-10-15T19:39:35Z")
Fox is reporting there’s no one in the balloon. So where is the boy? ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/38 "2009-10-15T19:40:02Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Fox is reporting there’s no one in the balloon. So where is the boy? Maybe he released it and bounced and hid or something because he was afraid of getting into trouble. CNN is saying he is in the balloon and Fox is saying he isn’t, classic. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/39 "2009-10-15T19:40:35Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Fox is reporting there’s no one in the balloon. So where is the boy? The thing was almost vertical in the air at times. So there’s that option, and the possibility that he wasn’t in it when it took off. CNN indicated a few times that it was not known for sure that he is in there. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940/40 "2009-10-15T19:40:45Z")
The kid wasn’t in the balloon. Did he fall? An elaborate runaway scheme? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scary-stuff-the-boy-in-the-balloon/513940.md?page=3)