  Larry Walters, Lawn Chair Pilot (1949)Larry Walters, or Lawnchair Larry, was an American adventurer who constructed a homemade aircraft out of a patio chair and 45 helium-filled weather balloons and lifted off from his girlfriend\'s backyard in July 1982. He quickly rose to an unexpected height of 16,000 feet (4,876 meters) and drifted toward Long Beach Airport, where passing airplane pilots reported him to the control tower. Asked by a reporter why he did it, he replied, "A man can\'t just sit around." How did he make it back down? More... Discuss |