Lawn Chair Larry
Larry Walters, whose story inspired much astonishment and at least two films, had long dreamt of flying. He got to fulfil that dream, but ultimately couldn’t live without it.
On 2 July 1982 Larry Walters sat (unrestrained) on an aluminium lawn chair connected to a cluster of 42 helium-filled weather balloons, took off from the backyard of a house in California, and rapidly ascended to an altitude of 16,000 feet (4,900 metres).
The world’s media reported his flight and he appeared on both The Ton…