Has anyone thought to do something similar? Sounds like an adventure. I'd take off from BFI and try to fly into SeaTac traffic, then turn towards my beloved Mt. Rainier.

From Associated Press:

BEND, Ore. — Last weekend, Bend gas station owner Kent Couch settled down in his lawn chair with some drinks and snacks — and a parachute.

Attached to the lawn chair were 105 balloons of various colors, each 4 feet around. Bundled together, the balloons rise three stories high.

Couch carried a global positioning system device, a two-way radio, a digital camcorder and a cell phone. He also had instruments to measure his altitude and speed and about four plastic bags holding five gallons of water each to act as a ballast — he could turn a spigot, release water and rise.

Destination: Idaho.

Nearly nine hours later, Couch was short of Idaho. But he was 193 miles from home, in a farmer's field near Union, having crossed much of Oregon at 11,000 feet and higher.

Couch, 47, 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 surprised an airline pilot, who radioed the control tower that he had just passed a guy in a lawn chair with a gun. The weapon was to shoot balloons and descend. Walters paid a $1,500 penalty for violating air traffic rules. Eleven years later, he committed suicide at age 44.

Why would Couch try such a flight?

"When you're a little kid and you're holding a helium balloon, it has to cross your mind," he told the Bend Bulletin.

"When you're laying in the grass on a summer day, and you see the clouds, you wish you could jump on them," he told the Bulletin. "This is as close as you can come to jumping on them. It's just like that."

It was Couch's second flight.

In September, he got to 15,000 feet on a six-hour trip. Like Walters, he used a BB gun to pop the balloons, but he went into a rapid descent. He jettisoned his goods, including food, drink and BB gun. Eventually, he parachuted to safety.

This time he was better prepared. The balloons had a new configuration, so it was easier to reach up and release a bit of helium instead of simply cutting off a balloon.

To fly, Couch dressed in shirt, sweater, jeans, work boots and sunglasses handed him at the last minute.

He took off at 6:06 a.m. Saturday after kissing his wife, Susan, goodbye and petting his Chihuahua, Isabella.

"See you in Idaho!" he said.

As he made about 25 miles an hour at altitudes of 11,000 feet to 13,000 feet, chase vehicles followed.

A three-car caravan filled with his friends, family and his dog followed Couch as he traveled from below.

Even at two miles high, Couch said, he could hear cattle lowing and children talking. He heard gunshots, which worried him. A black butterfly flew past. He passed through clouds. He said they were fluffy.

Couch stopped when he was down to a gallon of water and just eight pounds of ballast. Concerned about the rugged terrain outside La Grande, including Hells Canyon, Couch decided to come back to earth.

This time, he was able to pop enough balloons to set the craft down, although he suffered rope burns. But once he was down, he jumped out, and the wind grabbed his gear, chair and remaining balloons, sweeping all aloft.

Afterward, Couch said he's thought about ways to improve the trip, especially the landing, but whether he'll take a third trip is up to his wife.

"I'm not saying I won't do it again, but I told her I'd let her decide if I did it again," he said.

Susan Couch said she's thinking about saying no. But she said she was willing to go along with last weekend's trip.

"I know he'd be thinking about it more and more, it would always be on his mind." she said. "This way, at least he's fulfilled his dream."

 

From the fellow pilots out there, I'd like to thank this guy for graciously not caring that he's cruising through the clouds in a lawnchair and not talking to anyone to know that he's doing that. Maybe he'll carry a handheld transponder next time, or the alternative is someone hits him mid-air.

 

Are you sure you're not a lawyer? You are more direct and to the point than I am! My attempt at being "kinder and gentler" failed.

I agree with you - the guy put himself and many other unsuspecting aviators in jeopardy. He ought to think twice before doing this again.

 

Indeed. And honestly, what the hell was he doing up at 13,000? If I were to do something like this, I would imagine it would be way more enjoyable, as well as less hazardous, to cruise along a few hundred feet above the trees. Why can't morons like this just go get a hot air balloon ride and be happy?

-Ben

 

This has got to stop! LCCs (Low Cost Chairs) are undercutting the profession that we Barcalounger pilots worked so hard to build. I won't let a lawnchair pilot JS on my ottoman. What next -- cabotage and flying futons?

 

That's the funniest thing I've seen all week! I wonder if the FAA plans on getting involved... one would think that this little adventure falls under FAA experimental free balloon restrictions.

 

Hey, that's pretty darn cool there! I ouldn't want to come head on with him in an aircraft but..... I think that would be great to get in the chair and have have a beer at 5,000ft. I hope I don't get any ideas.

Could you imagine flying up at FL150 and seeing a guy in a lawn chair with a gun??!?! HaHaHaHa!

 

Would rather see him out there, than behind the cockpit door

 

Not saying it was exactly smart...but c'mon it at least sounds fun. Little high for not having oxygen...unless I misread.

 

Time to break out the SAM's if you ask me.

Have him change his callsign to "skeet" first.