On July 2, 1982, a 33 year old truck driver named Larry Walters launched himself into the skies above Los Angeles using a lawn chair and 45 helium filled weather balloons. Within minutes, he had ascended to 16,000 feet, drifting directly into controlled airspace near LAX, confusing commercial pilots and triggering a response from federal authorities. He carried no license, no flight plan, and no training, just a pellet gun, a parachute, and a lifelong dream of flying. What began as a backyard experiment quickly became a national spectacle, a safety incident, and eventually, one of the most bizarre and unforgettable chapters in modern aviation history. Our other podcast: "FEARFUL" - https://open.spotify.com/show/56ajNkLiPoIat1V2KI9n5c?si=OyM38rdsSSyyzKAFUJpSyw MERCH:https://www.redbubble.com/people/wickedandgrim/shop?asc=u Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/wickedandgrim?fan_landing=true Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@wickedlife Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wickedandgrim/ Instagram: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wickedandgrim/?hl=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/wickedandgrim Website: https://www.wickedandgrim.com/ Wicked and Grim is an independent podcast produced by Media Forge Studios, and releases a new episode here every Tuesday and Friday. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
On July 2, 1982, a 33 year old truck driver named Larry Walters launched himself into the skies above Los Angeles using a lawn chair and 45 helium filled weather balloons. Within minutes, he had ascended to 16,000 feet, drifting directly into controlled airspace near LAX, confusing commercial pilots and triggering a response from federal authorities. He carried no license, no flight plan, and no training, just a pellet gun, a parachute, and a lifelong dream of flying. What began as a backyard ex...