'Balloonatic' gets $26.5K fine for 'unconscionably stupid' lawn chair flight over Calgary

In a phony Boston accent, Daniel Boria quoted John F. Kennedy's moon speech and compared himself to the Wright brothers to explain why he tied over 100 helium balloons to a lawn chair and floated four kilometres above Calgary,getting in the way of commercial aircraft and putting hundreds of lives at risk.

Boria, 27, wasordered to pay $26,500 in fines when he was sentenced Friday, after pleading guilty in December to dangerous operation of an aircraft for the 2015 stunt.

'Unconscionablystupid' stunt

"Why climb the highest mountain?" said Boria outsidecourt. "Why 85 years ago fly the Atlantic? Why do the Oilers play the Flames? I chose to fly a chair; not because it is easy but because it is hard. Because that goal served to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills."

In handing down the sentence provincial court Judge Bruce Fraser called Boria's stunt "dumb and dangerous" and "unconscionably stupid."

"There was nothing fantastic, fun or exhilaratingabout it," said Fraser. "There is no precedent for so foolish an escapade."

Fraseragreed to accept a joint recommendation between Crown prosecutor MattDalidowiczand defence lawyer AlainHepnerthatBoriabe fined $5,000 and make a $20,000 donation to the charity of his choice.

The veteran's food bank and theRoyal Canadian Legion's Poppy Fund were therecipients ofBoria'sdonation.

No regrets

On July5, 2015,Boriatied $13,000 worth of industrial-sized balloons to a Canadian Tire lawn chair and took to the skies to promote his cleaning company, with theplanto parachute into the Calgary Stampede chuckwagon races.

Uncooperative weather forced him tobail early, and winds pushed his landing toOgden Road, where he was arrested by police who had been monitoring Boria since he was spotted above the Stampede grounds. The Crown noted he hassince earned the nickname "balloonatic."

During the time he was in the air,24 airplanes took off and landed in Calgary.

He said the stunt was worthwhile and he has no regrets.

"[They] didn't charge the Wright brothers," said Boria.

"It's pretty hard to take it seriously when you guys are asking methese questions based on me flying a lawn chair."

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