Kent Couch
Kent Couch is an American cluster balloonist who drew international interest for his flights across the state of Oregon.
Cluster balloon flights
Couch, a 47-year-old gas station owner, first flew 193 miles (311 km) in July 2007 riding a lawnchair elevated by 105 large helium balloons. Using amateur instruments to measure altitude and speed, a GPS device to track his location, and 5 gallons (19 litres) of water for ballast, he controlled his descent by releasing water. The flight began in Bend, Oregon and ended in Union, short of Couch's goal of reaching Idaho.
Couch's flight resembled the Lawnchair Larry flight. Larry Walters in 1982, sat in a lawnchair that unexpectedly rose 3 miles (5 km) off the ground after he cut the rope tethering the chair to the ground.[1]
Couch began another flight at dawn on Saturday, July 5, 2008. That afternoon he successfully crossed the desert border, landing near Cambridge, Idaho.[2][3][4]
See also
- Cluster ballooning
- Larry Walters
References
- Archived July 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- Lawn-chair balloonist flies from Oregon to Idaho - CNN.com Archived July 7, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- Video: Man uses party balloons to fly 200 miles | World news | guardian.co.uk
- Kent Couch flies to Idaho with some balloons, a garden chair and a 'big dream' - Telegraph
External links
- CNN Article - "Man flies 193 miles in lawn chair"
- Official Kent Couch website
- Danny Deckchair on IMDb - a 2003 Australian film with a similar storyline