("d&tm" wrote)
They made a movie in Australia about a guy doing the same thing. It would
never win an Academy award or anything but it was a real fun movie, about
a guy just chasing a dream.
It is called Danny's Deckchair, and if you are really inspired by what
Larry Walters did then you would love this movie, although you might not
get some of the Aussie lingo.
Cool links
http://www.clusterballoon.org/
http://www.clusterballoon.org/intro/intro.html
http://www.cloudhopper.org/Why.htm
Fun: Part 103 Balloon
http://www.cloudhopper.org/Hoppermania/Hoppermania.html
Cool: Hoppermania 2003 (Pics below Quick Time Slide Show)
http://www.cloudhopper.org/FAQs.htm (FAQs)
Q: Why do you call it an "ultralight"?
A: A Cloudhopper or other small, single-person balloon weighing less than
155 pounds is considered to be an "Ultralight Vehicle" by the FAA, and is
regulated under Part 103. Ultralight airplanes, hang-gliders and
paragliders are other examples of ultralight vehicles. The pilot of an
ultralight vehicle is not required to hold a pilot's license, and the
aircraft itself does not require FAA registration or an airworthiness
certificate.
Q: What's Part 103?
A: Part 103 is the part of the Federal Aviation Regulations that covers
ultralight vehicles. It contains the definition of an ultralight vehicle,
and covers flight rules in a manner similar to Part 91. Grossly
summarized, the rules tell you to stay away from controlled airspace and
"congested areas", and to observe VFR visibility minimums. It's included in
the commercial FAR/AIM books.
Q: Are all Cloudhoppers ultralights?
A: No. If you want a 15 gallon fuel tank, for example, that usually puts
you up over the 155 pound weight limitation, which means you're a regular
aircraft operating under Part 91. Since the two major balloon manufacturers
who make Cloudhoppers don't have standard type certificates for Cloudhoppers
in the U.S., that means you have to register your Cloudhopper as an
Experimental aircraft. This puts operating limitations on you that are in
many ways as restrictive as the rules for ultralights.
Montblack