Couch in a Lawn Chair - up, up, and away

David Paleg · Post by **David Paleg** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:16 pm

105 Balloons Put Lawn Chair Pilot in Air
Jul 10, 11:36 AM (ET)

BEND, Ore. (AP) - Last weekend, Kent Couch settled down in his lawn chair with some snacks - and a parachute. Attached to his lawn chair were 105 large helium balloons.

Destination: Idaho.

With instruments to measure his altitude and speed, a global positioning system device in his pocket, and about four plastic bags holding five gallons of water each to act as ballast - he could turn a spigot, release water and rise - Couch headed into the Oregon sky.

Nearly nine hours later, the 47-year-old gas station owner came back to earth in a farmer's field near Union, short of Idaho but about 193 miles from home.

Story at AP news

Zak Tyler · Post by **Zak Tyler** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 12:26 pm

this dude needs a better hobby.

SPIKE NESMITH! · Post by **SPIKE NESMITH!** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:31 pm

Nice story, but he's 25 years too late for it to be news....

Lester · Post by **Lester** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 2:36 pm

SPIKE NESMITH! wrote:Nice story, but he's 25 years too late for it to be news....

RTFM big guy.

Couch is the latest American to emulate Larry Walters - who in 1982 rose three miles above Los Angeles in a lawn chair lifted by balloons. Walters had surprised an airline pilot, who radioed the control tower that he had just passed a guy in a lawn chair. Walters paid a $1,500 penalty for violating air traffic rules.

SPIKE NESMITH! · Post by **SPIKE NESMITH!** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 4:18 pm

RTFA...?

yeah, I read the first sentence and tuned out. I'm the media, damnit. I don't need to READ things!

AmpedNow · Post by **AmpedNow** » Tue Jul 10, 2007 4:44 pm

Walters had surprised an airline pilot, who radioed the control tower that he had just passed a guy in a lawn chair. Walters paid a $1,500 penalty for violating air traffic rules.

There has to be audio of that conversation somewhere...