On July 2, 1982, Larry Walters (April 19, 1949 – October 6, 1993) made a 45-minute flight in a homemade aerostat made of an ordinary lawn chair and 42 helium-filled weather balloons. [2]

This 1818 technical illustration shows early balloon designs. The history of ballooning, both with hot air and gas, spans many centuries. It includes many firsts, including the first human flight, first flight across the English Channel, first flight in North America, and first aircraft related disaster.

At 11 a.m. on July 2, 1982, he would take flight from the backyard of his girlfriend's home in San Pedro, California, by tying 42 8-foot helium-filled weather balloons, tiered into four layers, to a Sears-purchased aluminum lawn chair angled back at a 45-degree angle, using gallon jugs of water as ballast.

On July 2, 1982, Los Angeles truck driver Larry Walters launched his “aircraft”—a Sears lawn chair dubbed Inspiration — from his backyard. He had attached to it more than 40 helium-filled weather...

On 2 July 1982 he flew very high in the sky in a homemade aircraft. He called his flying machine Inspiration I. It was made of an ordinary outdoor chair and 43 large balloons full of helium. Walters went up more than 15,000 feet (4,600 m).

Apr 17, 2018 · His legendary flight gave rise to the extreme sport of cluster ballooning, in which participants are strapped in a harness and attached to rubber helium-filled balloons.

Nov 12, 2023 · At 11 AM on July 2, 1982, Lawnchair Larry decided to take flight from the backyard of his girlfriend's home in San Pedro, California. He would realize this by tying 42 8-foot helium-filled weather balloons, tiered into four layers, to a Sears-purchased aluminum lawn chair.

Balloon flight, passage through the air of a balloon that contains a buoyant gas, such as helium or heated air, for which reason it is also known as lighter-than-air free flight. Unmanned balloons have been used to carry meteorological instruments and may be radio-controlled.

The Cloudhopper and Cluster Balloon Page: Solo flight with hot air or helium-filled balloons.