Man flies 193 miles in a chair
Attached to his garden 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 petrol station owner came back to earth in a farmer’s field near Union, short of Idaho but about 193 miles from home.
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 £750 penalty for violating air traffic rules.
