Earlier American airships sometimes had to transfer helium from one hull to another because there was too little to fill both. The world's largest producer therefore still struggled to meet its own requirements. Expanding the experimental fleet would have required more gas as well as additional airships. The same shortage underpins the argument against taking on new foreign supply contracts, while existing commitments remain a separate consideration.
Notable Point · 39:36-40:29
Why helium supply limited the experimental fleet
Transferring helium between airships exposes a supply limit that constrained both a larger American fleet and additional foreign sales.