He took his pellet gun, a CB radio, sandwiches, beer, and a camera. ![]() On July 2, 1982, Walters attached 43 of the balloons to his lawn chair, filled them with helium, put on a parachute, and strapped himself into the chair in the backyard of a home at 1633 West 7th Street in San Pedro. They used a forged requisition from his employer, FilmFair Studios, saying the balloons were for a television commercial. In mid-1982, Walters and his girlfriend at the time, Carol Van Deusen, purchased 45 eight-foot (2.4 m) weather balloons and obtained helium tanks from California Toy Time Balloons. His intention was to float over the Mojave Desert and then use a pellet gun to burst some of the balloons in order to land. In 1982, he decided to try his flying idea. He first thought of using weather balloons to fly at age 13, after seeing them hanging from the ceiling of a military surplus store. Lawrence Richard "Larry" Walters had often dreamed of flying, but was unable to become a pilot in the United States Air Force because of his poor eyesight. ![]() The flight attracted worldwide media attention and inspired a movie and numerous imitators. During the landing, the aircraft became entangled in power lines, but Walters was able to climb down safely. The aircraft rose to an altitude of about 16,000 feet (4,900 m), drifted from the point of liftoff in San Pedro, California, and entered controlled airspace near Long Beach Airport. On July 2, 1982, Larry Walters (Ap– October 6, 1993) made a 45-minute flight in a homemade aerostat made of an ordinary patio chair and 45 helium-filled weather balloons. As right-handedness is more predominant than left-handedness, when the PIC sits in the left seat their dominant hand is available to work the throttle.For persons of a similar name, see Lawrence Walters (disambiguation).Ĭluster ballooning was inspired by Larry Walters's experience, although his was not the first. The ignition, magnetos, and instruments are often concentrated on the left side of the cockpit as well.Ī third theory: Many side-by-side aircraft were designed with the throttle in the middle of the panel, putting the throttle knob or lever to the right of the left seat. ![]() As airplanes and automobiles were developed around the same time,it makes sense that they would borrow designs from each other. In American cars the driver sits on the left side. Pilots figured this out, and the left traffic pattern was born.Īnother theory relates to automobile design. The left-turning tendencies caused by P-factor, a symmetrical thrust, spiraling slipstream, and torque make it easier for the airplane to turn to the left rather than the right. Sitting on the left side of the cockpit, the PIC has a better view of the runway during traffic patterns to the left. There is the left seat/left traffic theory. ![]() When side-by-side seating became more common, the PIC took the left seat. When flying solo, the pilot in command (PIC) often sat in the back seat in order to keep the aircraft within its weight and balance envelope. Many aircraft in early aviation had tandem seating. Question: Why does the pilot in command sit on the left side of the cockpit in an airplane?
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