Dust off your sequined jumpsuits and grab your water wings, because Red Bull Flugtag is coming to Tempe, Arizona.
What is Flugtag?
Flugtag, which means "flying day" in German, has launched outrageous aeronautic crafts into
unsuspecting bodies of water since 1991, when the first Red Bull Flugtag event took place in Vienna, Austria. Since then, there have been over 30 Flugtags held all over the world. Flugtag attracts crowds of up to 250,000 spectators, and my guess is that the Flugtag in Tempe will be just as popular.
When is Flugtag?
Red Bull Flugtag is set to launch over the waters of Tempe, Arizona at the Tempe Town Lake on Saturday, April 29, 2006. The festivities will start at 11 a.m. Admission is free.
Can I become a Flugtag contestant?
You have to have four friends. Still qualified? Creative minds and courageous souls can apply online or by calling toll-free 877-Fly-Bull, now through February 17, 2006. Thirty teams, consisting of five members will be selected to turn the dream of human-powered flight into a damp reality.
What kind of contraptions will compete at Flugtag?
If it defies both physics and common sense, then chances are it's a winner! Past Red Bull Flugtag entries have included a pregnant cow, a diaper-delivering stork, a pimped-out Cadillac, a giant oompa loompa, and a lobster named Larry. Teams will be judged on three criteria: distance, creativity and showmanship. What a team lacks in engineering ingenuity can be made up for in originality and style.
So there are no rules for Flugtag, right?
Wrong. Of course there are rules. How could those huge cash prizes be awarded without rules? All flying machines must be entirely human-powered. No external energy sources or stored power is allowed. All crafts must be less than 30 feet wide. All crafts must weigh no more than 450 lbs including the pilot.
What are the huge cash prizes?
Oh, well, I lied about that. There aren't cash prizes, but there's great stuff. The first place prize is a pilot's training course. Second prize is skydiving lessons. Third prize is paragliding lessons. There is also a special prize awarded for the Most Creative craft. So bust
out those sketch pads and super glue, and find out just how far your creativity can take you.
So you just want to watch Flugtag?
Hah! No guts. You can still come and enjoy the fun, though.
Here are directions and a map to Tempe Town Lake.
Do you have pictures?
Yes! Now that the event is over, here are some
pictures from Red Bull Flugtag Arizona.
