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Oregon Lawn Chair Pilot Takes Flight
Last weekend, Kent Couch, an Oregon-based gas station owner, lifted into the sky on a lawn chair tethered to 105 helium-filled balloons. With a few snacks, a pellet gun, and a parachute, the chair lifted off and traveled over 193 miles at 13,000 feet before landing nine hours later in eastern Oregon."Even at two miles high, Couch said, he could hear cattle lowing and children talking," according to the AP. "He heard gunshots, which worried him. A black butterfly flew past. He passed through clouds. He said they were fluffy."
I have a fear of heights, and this is pretty much the ultimate anxiety-inducing situation I could find myself in. Planes don't bother me, but hot air balloons sure do -- even looking at them makes me dizzy. There's something about standing in a wicker basket tied to some helium-filled fabric with giant torch in the middle that really stresses me. Hanging from some weather balloons in a lawn chair doesn't sound too much better.
The AP story mentions another lawn chair pilot: Larry Walters, who -- in 1982 -- rose over 15,000 feet over Los Angeles. Like Couch, Walters used a BB gun to shoot the balloons when he wanted to descend, much to the dismay of a passing pilot. "Walters surprised an airline pilot, who radioed the control tower that he had just passed a guy in a lawn chair with a gun." [via]
Filed under: Stories
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Hank Jul 10th 2007 4:10PM
Might be interested to know that the 2004 Aussie film "Danny Deckchair" was a decent flick that centered around a man who flew in a lawnchair tied to ballons and started his life over.
Ashley Jul 15th 2007 2:44PM
OMG! Danny Deckchair is one of my fave flicks! It is a must-see... especially for Mr. Couch.
DANIEL BEIRO Jul 15th 2007 3:12PM
what is he trying to prove?we already know that a certain volume of helium filled balloons will lift a certain amount of weight.he is lucky he did not get killed during the landing.I ASSURE YOU THAT,IF ANYTHING HE WILL BE MORE AFRAID OF HEIGHT AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE THAN EVER BEFORE.
cfr Jul 16th 2007 6:40PM
Check out a book called the Darwin Awards, about people who remove themselves from the gene pool (die)by doing stupid things... i'm pretty sure one of the stories is about a guy that did this, and i've heard a guy violated airspace around an airport doing this, but if you're afraid of heights (and not afraid of being dead) than I say, what better way to conquer your fears?
AngllHugnU2 Jul 15th 2007 3:30PM
WHAT IS TRYING TO PROVE? That's simple! NOTHING! That was the point. He'd left his dream of doing it behind and began just doing it. Never lose your sense of wonder...when you get your fill always keep your dreams and hunger. TRY IT! It's great!
cheryl Jul 15th 2007 3:57PM
Mr. Couch should've watched Myth Busters. They already proved that it would take hundreds of helium balloons just to lift a small child only five or ten feet off of the ground.
Rollando Jul 15th 2007 4:37PM
It be an interesting experience to say the least. However, I would not want to do this too high up in the sky. Imagine going though clouds and suddenly the helium baloons are being sucks through a descending airliner's jet engines.
charles Jul 15th 2007 4:35PM
myth busters used regular balloons filled with helium, didn't work. the VERY documented examples listed here used weather balloons filled with hellium. weather balloons very in size and capacity. and yes virginia, this is the real deal, not a myth!
charles Jul 15th 2007 4:40PM
for more info check these guys out! http://www.clusterballoon.org/
Deuce Jul 15th 2007 5:08PM
Actually, Mythbusters did tackle this before. You are correct they also did one with helium filled party balloons, but there is an episode in which they get permission from the FAA (as the original person to do this got jail time for violating the law) to test the myth. They hooked host Adam Savage to a lawn chair with an airsoft gun and used army surplus weather balloons. They got him off the ground with I want to say 13 or 14 balloons, but the sheer amount of helium needed makes for a very expensive flight!
cbaer Jul 15th 2007 5:44PM
It's wondrous and fool-hardy stunts such as this that cause we Americans to love our country all the more. Further, in America it's legal to own and operate a gasoline-powered ultra-light airplane without first having to obtain any form of pilot's license.
Know what that means?
In America, you're free as a bird.
America, sweet America.
"Freedom isn't free." but American's are (unless the jack-booted Feds kick in your door for attempting to use any drug that's far less deadly than alcohol).
God, I love it so... except the nonsense parts. http://www.TheWackingtons.150m.com
WILDBILL Jul 15th 2007 6:17PM
NEXT HE SHOULD TIE SOME ROCKETS TO THE CHAIR. BEATS ME WHY ANYONE WOULD WANT TO DO THIS AS IT APPEARS THAT HE IS HARDLY THE FIRST. GOOD THAT HE LIVED THROUGHT IT WITHOUT INCIDENT AS IT DOES MAKE AMUSING READING. AS TO ONE OTHER COMMENT ABOUT NOT NEEDING A LICENSE TO OPERATE UTRA LIGHT. YOU ARE CORRECT. WORD OF CAUTION ON THIS ONE. DON'T FLY WITH SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO TAKE YOU UP IN A TWO-SEAT TWO BY SIX WITH A V.W. ENGINE AND A WING AS YOU MIGHT WIND UP IN A CORNFIELD.
UP up and away! Jul 15th 2007 6:48PM
Too bad he didn't crash. That would have made a more interesting story.
volukon Jul 15th 2007 6:51PM
when i first saw the promo for this article, i remembered a part from one of my favorite books "all i need to know i learned in kindergarten". it talks about Larry Walter's flight over the Los Angeles airport terminal. the book also talks about other factors in life, and kids and adults will enjoy it. and no, i am not the author.
gary Jul 15th 2007 6:53PM
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jen Jul 15th 2007 7:45PM
that is great!!!!!! we all should try it sometime. at least if he came into trouble he always has his parachute :)
anthony Jul 15th 2007 7:55PM
My 11 year old daughter said she she wanted to do this until I asked her how she was going to pee...
Lou Jul 15th 2007 7:59PM
JUSTIN: I think you are a little confused when you say, "There's something about standing in a wicker basket tied to some helium-filled fabric with giant torch in the middle that really stresses me."
Hot air balloons are NOT filled with helium - they are filled with hot air. The torch you mention is used to heat the air in the "envelope" that is the "Balloon" portion of a hot air balloon. As we all know, heat rises, thereby causing the "balloon" to rise. The Goodyear Blimp is filled with helium. It does not have a torch.
Heating helium would be, I believe, counter-productive to causing anything to rise.
steve Jul 15th 2007 8:06PM
George Plimpton wrote a book called "The Man in the Flying Lawn Chair" it is about Larry Walters and other people that dare to do foolish things and how it changes their lives. I was lucky enough to hear Mr. Plimpton speak back in the '80's and he told this story and others such as the fan that ran out onto the field to snatch the ball from the line of scrimmage during a Baltimore Colts football game only to get the snot knocked out of him! It is just about the wild hares that one gets to do crazy things! Not really about the guy that went up in the ballon in Oregon, kind of nuts if you ask me, but thought other might likr to know more. By the way, Larry Walker dropped his BB gun during the flight!