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Man takes cue from 'UP,' floats across English Channel
The movie "UP" has sparked a renewed interest in the sport of cluster ballooning.
Remember "UP," the Pixar movie in which good ol’ cranky Carl hooks 20,000 helium-filled balloons to his house and floats away to South America?
It’s not as impossible as it looks.
American adventurer Jonathan R. Trappe strapped himself to a wicker chair – sans house – that was strung with 55 multicolored “chloroprene cloudbuster” balloons and successfully floated himself across the English Channel Friday morning.
Snipping off one eight-foot helium filled balloon at a time, Trappe, descended into a field in Dunkirk, northern France, after more than three hours in the air, according the UK’s Times newspaper.
Sure, he might not have flown as far – and possibly as high – as Carl, but Trappe’s latest trip is said to have made history: It’s the first successful cluster balloon flight over the 22-mile ribbon of water between U.K. and France.
Describing the trip the 36-year-old told SkyNews: “It was tremendously peaceful, tremendously beautiful… it was just an exceptionally quiet, peaceful experience.”
“Isn’t it everyone’s dream?” he said. “Grabbing on to toy balloons and flying off into open space?”
But not everyone can attempt such a feat. Trappe is FAA certified pilot with two dozen flights under his belt.
The only way to land in a cluster balloon flight is to cut off one balloon at a time and fine tune the descent by jettisoning water ballast. Trappe’s seat pod was packed with a location device and communication equipment.
Last month he claimed new world record for the longest free-floating balloon flight, flying 109 miles across North Carolina. He has also made flights using an office chair.
The balloons he adds “represent dreams... the uncommon, the unusual, the unlikely the impossible but true.”
The sport of cluster ballooning began in 1982 when Larry Walters flew across San Diego in a homemade craft reaching heights of 15,000 feet.
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This is now the best story EVER!
"Trappe is FAA certified pilot with two dozen flights under his belt."
What does that mean!?? He falls better than anybody else??
It means he can make better judgements based on experience regarding rate of decent. Why do people always have to argue everything.
This story is so cool, Just a peaceful bit of cool news in a world of hate and discontent, take me with you on your next flight,
I wonder if this guy will go the way of the Darwin Award winning priest from a few years ago.
Another 'Lawn Chair Larry' imitator.
Highly unlikely. His flights are planned months in advance and to the strictest of safety standards. Set up for these flights take hours alone.
TSIWWP
This Story Is Worthless Without Pictures
I agree. I saw 'Up', great movie, but why do we need a pic from the movie? I want to see what was actually used to make the flight.
There is a link to a website that will show a video of the flight.
Not one picture. He brings a location device, communication equipment, but no camera.
Go to his website, pleanty of pics there! He always takes loads of pics!
If you want to see a great film that no doubt influenced this story and Pixar's UP, check out Danny Deckchair.
Since this type of thing was first done in 1982, is it correct to say it is inspired by the movie Up?
Doesn't anyone fact check anymore. Lawn Chair Larry made his clustered balloon flight over Los Angeles. He launched in San Pedro and landed in Long Beach. Nothing to do with San Diego. And I agree, this is a story that needed a picture.
I wonder if he had to submit a flight plan or anything. I don't know much about air traffic around the English Channel, but it occurs to me that aircraft do have occasion to fly around there. That would suck, huh? Just sitting there, enjoying the breeze, the sunshine, and then hearing the buzz of an airplane engine...
nah, with the volcanic ash cloud this is how Brit Air will be doing all there flights to the continent.
btw there = their
He does and is in constant contact with air traffic controllers via radio.
stupid with no pictures.. and it's on the front page? so much more we should be reading and SEEING...
Yeah thats why I only read books with big colorfull pictures in them.... (use your imagination)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7775991/Adventurer-tries-to-cross-English-Channel-using-helium-balloons.html
here is a link to a pic of the guy doing the baloon thing. It might be from a previous excursion.
Worthless story without pictures
Without pictures, it didn't happen.
Did he have a passport?
So this snipped how many balloons? Which then floated off, eventually descended, and probably choked a bird or animal?
Stay classy, Great Britain.
JKRC – you are a tool.
Agreed. Tool you are. "What about the children!"
Agreed. Cool story in theory, but 55 8-ft balloons would create a LOT of litter. Look up an image of these balloons – they are huge. He just sounds selfish to me.
What a wonderful story- Up was a great movie-