It's often said that there's a fine line between genius and madness. It's likely that, depending on your point of view, 27-year-old Daniel Boria will fall into one of those two categories.
Last Friday, the Canadian was ordered by a judge to pay an eye-watering $26,500 (CAD) (£16k) after pleading guilty in December to dangerous operation of an aircraft.
But what crime did he commit so heinous that it was worthy of such a huge fine?
Well, Boria was a man with a dream.
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Like Icarus before him he dreamed of soaring into the sky like a bird but, sadly, once again the forces of nature would conspire to lay humanity's folly bare.
Credit: Daniel Boria
Back in 2015, Boria filled 100 balloons with £6,000 of helium at a rodeo fair and attached them to a lawn chair.
His plan was to drift through the clouds above him, to fly like an eagle, to look down on the petty lives of the other citizens of his town, to witness the insignificance of it all like only the gods can. He also wanted to promote his cleaning company.
His plan was to finish the stunt by parachuting into the Calgary Stampede chuckwagon races. But, unfortunately for him, uncooperative winds blew him off course and, rather than approaching the race course, a miscalculation meant he continued flying upwards.
During the half-hour flyby, 24 airplanes took off and landed in nearby Calgary airport, and he claims to have seen a Boeing-747 soaring below him.
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Speaking to LADbible, he said: "The scariest part was the ascent, for the first 3,000 feet you're not high enough to pull your parachute. I wasn't safely strapped into the chair, so I was holding on to a rope extra tight for that part.
"I thought I might get into trouble for it. But if you do anything you're going to get in trouble, if you don't do anything you might not get in trouble, but you won't get anywhere either".
Credit: All Clean Natural
After continuing upwards, he eventually decided enough was enough and he bailed out of the chair, parachuting to the ground below him.
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As Boria did not get permission to perform the stunt, on landing, he was arrested by police.
The authorities didn't see the funny side.
Speaking in court, Judge Bruce Frasier, who handed Boria a $21,300 (£16k) fine on top of the $16,000 (£9.6k) he claimed to have spent on the stunt, said: "There was nothing fantastic, fun or exhilarating about it.
"There is no precedent for so foolish an escapade."
But did Boria learn his lesson?
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Watch him soar...
Credit: CBSN
Responding to the Judge after leaving the court, Boria said the stunt was worthwhile and he has no regrets.
"Why climb the highest mountain?" said Boria outside court.
"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 organise and measure the best of our energies and skills."
A man still committed to his dream.
Featured Image Credit: CBSNTopics: hero