How long does it take to inflate and deflate the balloon?

A good ground crew can inflate and launch a regular shaped balloon in fifteen minutes or less. It takes about the same amount of time to deflate and pack up the balloon after the flight.

Special shaped balloons are another matter! They are usually much heavier and larger, and often have multiple compartments to fill. The more complex shapes may take an hour or longer to prepare for flight and pack up after the flight.