mbeck@bnl.UUCP (Mark E. Becker) (08/07/84)
Last week I was flying from BWI to Cumberland, MD on a local commuter.
This being a twin-prop 9-seater with the pilot and I aboard, I asked if I
could watch the flight from the right front seat. (your pardon if I use
the wrong terms here, I don't have a license).
Anywho, we're flying along when the pilot tells me this story about
some guy that tied a whole bunch of helium baloons to a lawn chair and took
along a BB gun to pop the baloons. He tells me the guy got over 10,000 feet.
This story is either true or the biggest whopper I've ever heard.
Anyone know which?
Mark Becker
...sbcs!bnl!mbeckmfc@hp-pcd.UUCP (mfc) (08/08/84)
Your pilot wasn't pulling your leg. The story is true! The event
took place a year or two ago (I don't remember the exact date) and the
man that did it was from southern California (Los Angeles?). Maybe that
explains it.
Mark Cook
hp-pcd
Corvallis, ORron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie <ron>) (08/09/84)
It was a Sears Lawn chair and he hit 18,000 feet. It was out in California about two years ago. -Ron
davidk@dartvax.UUCP (David C. Kovar) (08/09/84)
Yes, some guy near one of the larger cities tied quite a few helium
ballons to his lawn chair, armed himself with a BB gun, and took off.
Last I knew, he was being fined for operating in commercial airspace
without a license or somesuch. I have no idea what the final outcome
of the whole thing was...
--
David C. Kovar
USNET: {linus|decvax|cornell|astrovax}!dartvax!davidk
ARPA: davidk%dartmouth@csnet-relay
CSNET: davidk@dartmouth
"The difficult we did yesterday, the impossible we are doing now."nathanm@hp-pcd.UUCP (nathanm) (08/09/84)
It was in San Diego, I believe. ---------- Nathan Meyers hp-pcd!nathanm
whalen@erlang.DEC (An Italian at heart) (08/10/84)
The story is true. It happened a little more than a year ago, I think it
took place in California. From what I heard/read it was a Sears lawn
chair, and the balloons were designed for taking weather insturments aloft
(i.e heavy duty). He also was wearing an emergency parachute, which he
didn't use. He started popping the balloons with the BB gun when he got
cold, at this point he was quite high and causing all sorts of trouble for
General and Commercial Aviation. He came down a little fast than he
expected and landed in some power lines. He didn't get hurt, but did take
out the power for a few towns. I remember reading that the FAA was going
to prosecute him, but the only thing they could charge him with was flying
without a license! Some papers even had pictures with the story.
The story is still a rather popular one at my home drop zone, which is
where I first heard it, if I recall correctly it happened on a weekend.
Rich Whalen
Digital Equipment Corporation
Hudson, MA
UUCP: ...decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-erlang!whalen
...decvax!deccra!whalen
MCI Mail: Richard V. Whalensimard@loral.UUCP (Ray Simard) (08/10/84)
[Lawn chair N4576Y cleared for immediate afternoon nap] > Last week I was flying from BWI to Cumberland, MD on a local commuter. >This being a twin-prop 9-seater with the pilot and I aboard, I asked if I >could watch the flight from the right front seat. (your pardon if I use >the wrong terms here, I don't have a license). > > Anywho, we're flying along when the pilot tells me this story about >some guy that tied a whole bunch of helium baloons to a lawn chair and took >along a BB gun to pop the baloons. He tells me the guy got over 10,000 feet. > > This story is either true or the biggest whopper I've ever heard. >Anyone know which? It (I wouldn't believe it either if I hadn't seen it) is really true! I was watching one of those "Life's Embarrasing Moments" shows or something of the sort, and saw this guy. He did exactly as you heard, and rose to a considerable altitude, before the drop in temperature got to him. He carried aloft with him something to shoot out balloons selectively (a pellet gun or some such). He also failed to amuse the local aviation authorities. -- [ ] [ I am not a stranger, but a friend you haven't met yet ] [ ] Ray Simard Loral Instrumentation, San Diego {ucbvax, ittvax!dcdwest}!sdcsvax!sdccsu3!loral!simard
bl@hplabsb.UUCP (Bruce T. Lowerre) (08/10/84)
The story is true and the "pilot" was cited by the FAA for flying a balloon without a license, not to mention flying in positive controlled airspace (above 18,000 feet) without an IFR flight plan.
estate@abnjh.UUCP (D.R.Pierce) (08/10/84)
As far as the newspapers are concerned it's true. I don't remember the altitude, but as far as I'm concerned anything higher than 30 feet is irrevelant, since you'll probably die if you fall from anything higher than that. He also got some stiff fines as I recall (you need a license to pilot a balloon (or balloons). He did in fact bring along a BB gun and shot the balloons one at a time. It's not the fall, It's that sudden stop!!!!!!! (Visions From The Orcrest Stone) Carl D.
brian@sequent.UUCP (08/11/84)
Absolute truth. The guy was up in Washington State somewhere and I believe he attained @13000 ft. They were weather balloons, though and not the ones on a string you get your kids. It was on the news here in Oregon so lots of people here should be able to back me up.
ark@rabbit.UUCP (Andrew Koenig) (08/11/84)
Either the story about the guy with the balloons and the lawn chair is true, or the Associated Press news wire was lying when they reported it. According to AP, the guy made it to 16,000 feet and then descended by shooting a bunch of balloons with his BB gun because he was drifting out to sea. Originally the FAA said all they could do was take away his pilot's license if he had one, but eventually they decided they could charge him with four violations of the regs.
paul@uiucuxc.UUCP (08/11/84)
#R:bnl:-55700:uiucuxc:10800005:000:950
uiucuxc!paul Aug 11 13:57:00 1984
I was in Santa Monica, CA when the ballon & lawnchair pilot made his
ascent. He tied ~40 helium weather ballons to a chair and carried a
CO2 pellet pistol to pop the ballons. He was over 12,000 feet and
possibly above the TCA. The ascent was so rapid he lost his eyeglasses.
He started popping balloons when he felt it was too cold. He would have
died from the landing impact (no parachute) if his balloon tethers hadn't
wrapped around some power lines. Some folks just have a charmed life.
The FAA was in a bit of a quandry deciding what to charge him with. They
wanted to discourage other folks from this sort of entertainment.
I believe they settled on flying an aircraft with no airworthiness
certificate, some fine, plus reimbursing the power company for the line
repairs.
Paul Pomes
uucp: {ihnp4,pur-ee}!uiucdcs!uiucuxc!paul harpo!uiucuxc!paul
US Mail: University of Illinois, CSO, 1304 W Springfield, Urbana, IL 61801howard@cca.UUCP (Howard Bernstein) (08/13/84)
I am quite certain there is a CW song about this guy in the lawn chair. Anyone else know about this ?
mjs@inmet.UUCP (08/25/84)
#R:bnl:-55700:inmet:16400003:000:195
inmet!mjs Aug 10 20:36:00 1984
That story IS true. It happened about 2 years ago. It was on all the national
news shows, as well as most local broadcasts.
Michael Steinberg
{ihnp4,esquire,harpo}!inmet!mjs