
This year, Kent Couch is going to be flying with Captain Fareed Lafta of Iraq! They lifted off on July 14th in Bend Oregon. But that isn't all! The two have another balloon flight scheduled for the fall of 2012. And this next flight isn't going to be in Bend, not Oregon, not even the USA. They'll be launching from Fareed's home country of Iraq! [read more]
You will be able to see Kent Couch on MSNBC talking about his upcoming trip where he plans to set a new world record for his flight scheduled for March 2012. The show will air on Sunday, December 18th, 2011 at 8PM EST.
Volunteer balloons team starts at 5:00am
John was inspired by Kent's 2008 flight to Cambridge, Idaho and knew right then... "I have to do this!" Fast forward to October 10th, 2009 and John does exactly that. With Kent Couch and a group of close friends, John flies over the Salton Sea and lands safely just East of the Chocolate Mountains in Southern California. See for yourself in John's flight video...
"I’m not stopping till I get out of state," Kent said as he prepared for launch on Saturday, July 5th, 2008. Kent met his goal at 4:12pm, when he landed safely in Cambridge, Idaho, and was soon met by the friendly townspeople, his ground crew, and the media. Couch covered about 235 miles a little over nine hours. Kent had a great time and made no of giving up his passion for cluster ballooning.
With the help of SPOT (Satellite Personal Tracker) and Google Maps, we will be broadcasting Kent's position. So if you're local, come on down to the Stop & Go in Bend, OR. If you aren't able to see Kent in person, watch the live launch and track his flight online.
Kent and Susan Couch traveled to New York City on May 30th to be interviewed for the second time by Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America. Kent shared the excitement of recovering his lost cluster balloon chair and electronic equipment. Most notably, clips from the much anticipated in-flight footage were shown. Kent discussed his plans for his next cluster balloon flight, scheduled for July 5th, 2008. Susan said, "You can't let a good man stay down."
This morning, Kent announced on a Portland radio station that "Mission Control" a.k.a Susan Couch (Kent's lovely wife) has provided flight approval for Kent's next cluster balloon flight. He is currently scheduled to fly again on Saturday, July 5th, 2008. Kent is anxious to test some new ideas and techniques he believes will take him farther than he has ever been before. Stay tuned for the latest information on the upcoming cluster balloon flight.
After almost a year, Kent Couch's cluster balloon chair and electronic equipment were discovered in Eastern Oregon, just outside of Baker City. A ranching couple stumbled upon the chair while checking their property's fence line. Kent traveled to Baker City to recover the cluster balloon chair and present the $500 reward. The chair and equipment are in excellent condition and the in-flight footage is currently being recovered. Read more about the amazing discovery.
Kent Couch appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno to gab about his recent cluster balloon flight. Kent wasn't shy, sharing some of the most intimate details of his journey. The highlight of the show was when Jay experienced cluster ballooning in a tethered custom cluster balloon outside his studio. Jay looked a little leery as he left the ground to hoots and cheers from the crowd below. After all, cluster ballooning isn't for the faint of heart.
Kent Couch fulfilled his childhood dream of flying by cluster balloon Saturday, July 7, 2007. For Kent, the intrigue of flying by balloons never faded with adulthood. While watching a show on the Discovery Channel years ago about Larry Walter's lawn chair helium balloon ride, Kent became moved. Armed with his insatiable curiosity, Kent Couch began preparing to fly by cluster balloon. Read more about how Kent planned his flight.
July 6th 2008 - MSNBC - Lawn chair balloonist achieves his dream
Oregon gas station owner makes safe landing in Idaho with 150 balloons.
July 6th 2008 - ABC News - Ore. Man Completes Flight of Fancy - in Lawn Chair
Oregon man gets carried away - in lawn chair tied to helium balloons - and lands in Idaho.
iReport - Kent Couch - Lawnchair Balloon Flight - Bend, Oregon
Video of Kent taking off in his cluster balloon lawnchair.
KTVZ, Bend - Third-time charm: Bend's lawn-chair balloonist lands in Idaho
Bend gas station owner Kent Couch has realized his dream of flying a lawn chair rigged with more than 150 giant helium-filled party balloons across the Oregon High Desert to Idaho.
Wednesday morning, July 11th, 2007 Kent appeared on Good Morning America with Diane Sawyer. Kent mentioned that everyone at ABC treated him and his family very nicely.
MSNBC - Vehicular Peculiarity: Man floats 193 miles using chair, balloons
An Oregon man takes flight in a lawn chair attached to 105 huge balloons. NBC's Brian Williams reports.
KATU, Portland - Oregon man takes lawn chair up to 13,000 feet
Couch, 47, is the latest American to emulate Larry Walters - who in 1982 rose three miles above Los Angeles in a lawn chair lifted by balloons.
FOXNews.com - Helium Balloons Carry Man in Lawn Chair 193 Miles
Last weekend, Kent Couch settled down in his lawn chair with some snacks — and a parachute. Attached to his lawn chair were 105 large helium balloons.
cbs13.com - Bender's Ender: Man Flies 193 Miles In Lawn Chair
Nearly nine hours later, the 47-year-old gas station owner came back to earth in a farmer's field near Union, short of Idaho but about 193 miles from home.
KTVZ, Bend - Bend lawn-chair balloonist soars high on 2nd flight
In preparing for his second long-distance lawn-chair balloon flight, Bend gas station owner Kent Couch said he didn't even bother to put a seat belt on the contraption this time, "because I didn't think I'd need one."
AP nation news - StatesmanJournal.com
Attached to the lawn chair were 105 balloons of various colors, each 4 feet around. Bundled together, the balloons rise three stories high.
The Bulletin | Bend / Central Oregon News - Floating at 11,000 feet
Kent Couch, of Bend, sailed with his cluster balloons on the way to Idaho early Saturday morning. He was climbing at roughly 800 feet per minute...
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Kent Couch
Kent Couch is a 47-year-old gas station attendant who in July of 2007 flew 193 miles in a lawnchair powered by 105 large helium balloons.
KPRC, Houston - Couch Takes Lawn Chair For Flight
Gas Station Owner Takes 2nd Flight In Helium Balloon-Powered Chair. "It was beautiful -- beautiful," he told KTVZ-TV.
KOMO TV, Seattle - Oregon man takes lawn chair up to 13,000 feet
Couch, 47, is the latest American to emulate Larry Walters - who in 1982 rose three miles above Los Angeles in a lawn chair lifted by balloons.