Inspired by ‘Up,’ Man Flies Over South Africa in Chair Held By Balloons

Tom Morgan flew for more than 15 miles at 8,000 feet in the air.

October 28, 2017 5:00 am

This story is just crazy enough to be true. An English man, inspired by the movie Up, strapped himself into a lawn chair and flew over South Africa this week.

Tom Morgan, 38, flew for more than 15 miles at 8,000 feet in the air, reports ABC Newswith 100 giant helium balloons strapped to just a lawn chair. The proof of this movie-like flight was posted in video form online by the Adventurists, whose mission is “fighting to make the world less boring.”

Up is an animated movie about a man who straps balloons to his house to travel to South America. It was released in 2009 by Disney-Pixar.

Morgan is from Bristol, England. He stayed over one country and had planned the stunt for months. There were quite a few dangers, including dangerous winds and exploding balloons.

Morgan isn’t done flying high yet. He is thinking of launching a three-day, long distance race flying with the balloons. The Adventurists’ website does warn people that “these are genuinely dangerous things to do” and that people “cannot overestimate the risks involved in taking part in these adventures,” reports ABC News. 

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