US man delays Iraq lawn-chair balloon flight

FILE - This July 5, 2008 file photo shows Kent Couch lifting off from his gas station in Bend, Ore., riding a lawn chair rigged with more than 150 giant party balloons for a flight that ended 235 miles away in an Idaho farm field. Oregon's "lawn-chair balloonist" has put off his flight in Iraq until next year. Couch had planned another balloon flight Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011 in Baghdad along with Iraqi daredevil Fareed Lafta. But a statement Monday from spokesman Mark Knowles says the two have delayed the flight until March to accommodate a number of groups that want to use it to raise awareness of the plight of Iraqi orphans. (AP Photo/Jeff Barnard, File)

FILE - This July 5, 2008 file photo shows Kent Couch lifting off from his gas station in Bend, Ore., riding a lawn chair rigged with more than 150 giant party balloons for a flight that ended 235 miles away in an Idaho farm field. Oregon's "lawn-chair balloonist" has put off his flight in Iraq until next year. Couch had planned another balloon flight Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2011 in Baghdad along with Iraqi daredevil Fareed Lafta. But a statement Monday from spokesman Mark Knowles says the two have delayed the flight until March to accommodate a number of groups that want to use it to raise awareness of the plight of Iraqi orphans. (AP Photo/Jeff Barnard, File)

PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) ? The "lawn-chair balloonist" has put off his flight in Iraq until next year.

Kent Couch made headlines worldwide in 2008 when he flew a lawn chair supported by more than 150 helium-filled party balloons from the parking lot of the gas station he owns in Oregon to an Idaho field 235 miles (378 kilometers) east.

He had planned another balloon flight Tuesday in Baghdad along with Iraqi daredevil Fareed Lafta.

But a statement Monday from spokesman Mark Knowles says the two have delayed the flight until March to accommodate a number of groups that want to use it to raise awareness of the plight of Iraqi orphans.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/apdefault/aa9398e6757a46fa93ed5dea7bd3729e/Article_2011-11-14-Lawn%20Chair%20Balloonist/id-73d36c74f2ac4deba8423e9421c5ee57

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