Red Bull has carved out a niche as promoters of extreme (and family friendly) offbeat competitions. Flugtag which in German translates to “flying day” combines equal parts silliness and science. The event first premiered in 1992 in Vienna and has become a worldwide phenomenon. Details on this FREE event can be found HERE.
All you need is an un-powered flying machine along with some human muscle to launch said vehicle off a launch pad 30 feet above the Mississippi. Oh, and somebody foolish enough to agree to be a pilot. Teams compete based on three criteria: design creativity, showmanship and, of course, distance traveled. It’s a prescription for hi-jinks and mayhem.
However, before you wonder if watching 50 crews plunge straight into the water might get a bit tedious, know that there’s some serious design effort going on here. At least by some of the teams. The world record for o Flugtag flight is 258 feet! The Wright Brothers would be proud!
Of the 50 teams vying for a spot in history, 25 are from the Twin Cites. 32 hail from the greater Minnesota area. Don’t be surprised if you know one of these Orville or Wilburs.
