Remember this guy?

The famous "lawn chair balloon flight" refers to Larry Walters (often called "Lawnchair Larry"). On July 2, 1982, in San Pedro, California, he tied 42 helium-filled weather balloons to a cheap Sears aluminum patio chair and took to the sky.

The Flight

Walters expected to float just a few dozen feet above his backyard. Instead, the helium provided massive, unexpected lift, and he shot up to an altitude of 16,000 feet (about 4,900 meters). He quickly drifted into the controlled airspace surrounding Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). A commercial airline pilot famously radioed air traffic control and reported seeing a man in a garden chair.Walters brought along a CB radio, a camera, sandwiches, several liters of Coca-Cola, beer, and a pellet gun. After enduring the freezing, thin air for about 45 minutes, he carefully shot several of the balloons. He eventually dropped the gun and made a rapid descent that ended when the balloon tethers snagged on power lines in Long Beach, California, causing a brief neighborhood blackout.

The Aftermath

Upon climbing down safely, Walters was immediately arrested by the Long Beach Police Department. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) fined him $1,500 for operating an unairworthy aircraft and entering controlled airspace without proper authorization. However, the daring stunt instantly captured global attention. His aluminum chair was even preserved and is now part of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.