American balloonist and former hang-glider pilot Kent Couch and Iraqi pilot Captain Fareed Abdul-Zahra al-Saadi have planned to be airborne using helium-filled party balloons and lawn chairs in March 2012. As to how long will they keep themselves suspended in mid-air is the big question and thrill for the two and their friends.

Couch and al-Saadi were originally scheduled to depart last November 15, according to Discovery News. However, the flight was later moved to March due to widespread interest from international dignitaries and organizations.

Known as cluster ballooning, Couch had originally planned to do this to break current records. The official highest altitude reached using cluster ballooning is 18, 300 feet, as recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.

First done by a man named Larry Walters in 1982, he later inspired Couch to take up cluster ballooning.

The first flight of Couch in 2006 was initially unsuccessful. In 2007, he followed it up with a second flight from the gas station in Bend, Oregon which he owns. He used over one hundred balloons filled with helium to fly into the sky while riding his lawn chair. Not quite meeting his target of Idaho, he later came down in Union, Oregon.

He finally reached his goal to make it to Idaho with his third flight in 2008. Taking over nine hours and covering two hundred and thirty-five miles, it proved to be a success that would bring him to the attention of the world.

"Originally, I wanted to do it because of boyhood dreams. I don't know about girls, but I think most guys look up in the sky and wish they could ride on a cloud," said 48-year-old Couch, as quoted by The Telegraph. "Things just look different from up there. You've moving so slowly. The best thing is the peace, the serenity," he added.

Upon the arrival of Couch in Iraq, he met with Captain al-Saadi, who brought his attention to the plight of over three million Iraqi orphans. The pair, who will depart from Baghdad Stadium in full view of several thousand Iraqi orphans, decided to use the flight to raise awareness for them.

"This is our dream. Now, what can you dream? This is to show the American and Iraqi people that we can work together to accomplish a goal, to complete a dream, and inspire them to do it," said Couch to KTVZ, according to The Associated Press.