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Red Bull Flugtag (German pronunciation: [ˈfluːkˌtaːk], 'airshow' lit. 'flight day') is an event organized by Red Bull in which competitors attempt to fly home-made, human-powered flying machines, size-limited to around 10 metres (33 ft) and weight-limited to approximately 150 kilograms (330 lb). The flying machines are usually launched off a pier about 9 metres (30 ft) high into the sea or body of water. Most competitors enter for the entertainment value, and the flying machines rarely fly at all.

Background

The format was originally invented in Selsey, a small seaside town in the south of England under the name "Birdman Rally" in 1971. The first Red Bull Flugtag competition was held in 1992 in Vienna, Austria. It was such a success that it has been held every year since and in over 35 cities all over the world.

Anyone is eligible to compete in the Flugtag event. To participate, each team must submit an application and their contraption must meet the criteria set forth by Red Bull. The criteria vary with location. In the United States each flying machine must have a maximum wingspan of 30 feet (9.1 m) and a maximum weight (including pilot) of 450 pounds (200 kg). In Australian Flugtags the wingspan is limited to 8 metres (26 ft) and the weight (not including pilot) to 180 kilograms (400 lb). The craft must be powered by muscle, gravity, and imagination. Because the aircraft will ultimately end up in the water, it must be unsinkable and constructed entirely of environmentally friendly materials. The aircraft may not have any loose parts and advertising space is limited to 1-square-foot (930 cm).

World records

Distance

The record for the longest flight is 258 feet (78.6 m), set on September 21, 2013, at the Flugtag in Long Beach, California, by "The Chicken Whisperers" team in front of a crowd of 110,000.

Attendance

The largest crowd was in Cape Town, South Africa with 220,000 attending in 2012.

Results

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Teams that enter the competition are judged according to three criteria: distance, creativity, and showmanship.

International

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (June 2024)

United States

• Austin, Texas, Saturday, April 26, 2003
  • First Place: Pop and Fizz – 70 ft (21.3 m)
  • Second Place: Team Acme
  • Third Place: Winged Jalapeños
  • Most Creative: El Sombrerians
• Chicago, Illinois, Saturday, August 9, 2003
  • First Place: Sync, Swim or Fly – 51 ft (15.5 m)
  • Second Place: Jake and Elwood
  • Third Place: The Kicken' Chicken
  • Most Creative: Candy Flyer
• Los Angeles, California, Saturday, September 20, 2003
  • First Place: When Pigs Fly – 66 ft (20.1 m)
  • Second Place: West Coast Flying Machines
  • Third Place: The Marine Team
  • Most Creative: Red Bull Slugger
• New York, New York, Sunday, October 5, 2003
  • First Place: Pedal Power – 39 ft (11.9 m)
  • Second Place: Mighty Whirl
  • Third Place: Bammr's Ballistic Bedrock
  • Most Creative: Urban Rodeo
• San Francisco, California, Saturday, October 25, 2003
  • First Place: El Toro Guapo – 61 ft (18.6 m)
  • Second Place: Project S.T.O.L.
  • Third Place: Running of the Red Bulls
  • Most Creative: Snoop's Dogg House
• Miami, Florida, Saturday, April 24, 2004
  • First Place: The Resurrector – 33 ft (10.1 m)
  • Second Place: Three Finger Salute
  • Third Place: Believe It or Not (It's Just Me)
  • Most Creative: Joy of Birth
• Portland, Oregon, Saturday, July 31, 2004
  • First Place: 2004 X-Wing Glider – 39 ft (11.9 m)
  • Second Place: Flying Wonka Bar
  • Third Place: Oregon Santa Sleigh
  • Most Creative: Hair Force One
• Cleveland, Ohio, Saturday, July 31, 2004
  • First Place: Rover's Flying Glory – 63 ft (19.2 m)
  • Second Place: Aerobus
  • Third Place: The Stork
  • Most Creative: Flying Musical Sensation
• Tempe, Arizona, Saturday, April 29, 2006
  • First Place: The Need for Speed – 26 ft (7.9 m)
  • Second Place: Air Farce One
  • Third Place: El Vuelo Del Lobo
  • Most Creative: Dipsomaniacal Devil
  • People's Choice: El Vuelo Del Lobo
  • Farthest Flight: El Vuelo Del Lobo
• Baltimore, Maryland, Saturday, October 21, 2006
  • First Place: Victim's of Soi-cumstance – 81 ft (24.7 m)
  • Second Place: Jump the Shark
  • Third Place: F-10-75
  • People's Choice: 4-4-0 American Flyer
• Nashville, Tennessee, Saturday, June 23, 2007
  • First Place: Rocky Top Rocket – 155 ft (47.2 m)
  • Second Place: No. 1 Lucky Flyer
  • Third Place: Yellow Submarine
  • People's Choice: Galapagos Flight Club
  • Farthest Flight: Rocky Top Rocket
• Austin, Texas, Saturday, August 25, 2007
  • First Place: Skate and Destroy
  • Second Place: Superman's "Crip"tonite
  • Third Place: Billy Ocean's Flying Fish Taco
  • People's Choice: Congress Bridge Bats
• Tampa Bay, Florida, Saturday, July 19, 2008
  • First Place: Team Tampa Baywatch – 109 ft (33.2 m)
  • Second Place: Air Gilligan – 32 ft (9.8 m)
  • Third Place: The Little Engine That Could – 21 ft (6.4 m)
  • People's Choice: Tampa Bay Derby Darlins
• Portland, Oregon, Saturday, August 2, 2008
  • First Place: Team Yakima Big Wheel – 62 ft (18.9 m)
  • Second Place: Greased Lightning – 55 ft (16.8 m)
  • Third Place: Free Ballin'
  • People's Choice: Space Balls
• Chicago, Illinois, Saturday, September 6, 2008
  • First Place: The Crustacean Avengers – 120 ft (36.6 m)
  • Second Place: New Style Flyers – 75 ft (22.9 m)
  • Third Place: Pie in the Sky! – 90 ft (27.4 m)
  • People's Choice: The USHE
• Miami, Florida, Saturday, July 10, 2010
  • First Place: Team Formula Flug – 53 ft (16.2 m)
  • Second Place: Ibis Engineers
  • Third Place: One Giant Leap
  • People's Choice: Team TransPlace
• Saint Paul, Minnesota, Saturday, July 24, 2010
  • First Place: Team Major Trouble and the Dirty Dixies from Inver Grove Heights – 207 ft (63.1 m)
  • People's Choice: Team FORE Play from West Des Moines, IA
• Long Beach, California, Saturday, August 21, 2010
  • First Place: Team Peepin' It Real – 98 ft (29.9 m)
  • Second Place: Green Machine
  • Third Place: Airforce 1
  • People's Choice: Green Army Men
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Saturday, September 4, 2010
• Tampa, Florida, Saturday, October 8, 2011
  • First Place: Willy Wonka's Amazing Flying Flugtag Adventure
  • Second Place: Adventure Team Bigstuff
  • Third Place: U.S.A. Team
  • People's Choice: Stumble Force
• Miami, Florida, Saturday, November 3, 2012
• San Francisco, California, Saturday, November 10, 2012
• Chicago, Illinois, Saturday, September 21, 2013
• Dallas, Texas, Saturday, September 21, 2013
• Long Beach, California, Saturday, September 21, 2013
  • First Place: The Chicken Whisperers – 258 ft (78.6 m)
• Miami, Florida, Saturday, September 21, 2013
• Washington, D.C., Saturday, September 21, 2013
• Portland, Oregon, Saturday, August 1, 2015
• Boston, Massachusetts, Saturday, August 20, 2016
  • First Place: Flite-Riot
  • Second Place: What Sphinx? (a Secret Boston team)
  • Third Place: Something Wonderful
  • People's Choice: Flite-Riot
• Louisville, Kentucky, Saturday, August 27, 2016
  • First Place: MMMad MMMax
  • Second Place: Dukes of Hazzardous by Kre8Now Makerspace – 82 ft (25.0 m)
  • Third Place: Kentucky Power
  • People's Choice: Mercy No Mercy – Mercy Academy
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Saturday, August 5, 2017
  • First Place: Flight at the Roxbury – 78 ft (23.8 m)
  • Second Place: Survivor Tractor – 121 ft (36.9 m)
  • Third Place: Left Field Loonies
  • People's Choice: The Flite Testers

• 

  Nashville, Tennessee, Saturday, September 23, 2017
  • First Place: Ground Control – 81 ft (24.7 m)
  • Second Place: His Majesties Royal Circus and the Flying Irish Woman
  • Third Place: YMCA
  • People's Choice: Team Smashville
• St. Paul, Minnesota, Saturday, September 7, 2019
  • First Place: Spooners' Revenge – 54 ft (16.5 m)
  • Second Place: Ferris Bueler's Takeoff – 63 ft (19.2 m)
  • Third Place: Flying POS
  • 24 Hour Greatness Award: Spooners' Revenge
• Milwaukee, WI, Saturday, July 16, 2022
  • First Place: Flight For Your Right to Party – 66 ft (18.9 m)
  • Second Place:
  • Third Place: Bear-Naked Chonkers
  • People's Choice: FLYING SCHMEAT
• Cincinnati, Ohio, Saturday, August 12, 2023

Incidents

Serious injuries

• Bucharest, September 19, 2010: broken back, skull fracture
• Pittsburgh, August 4, 2017: ruptured spleen, traumatic brain injury
• Nashville, September 23, 2017: Lumbar vertebrae (L1)

Cancellation/termination by authorities

• The Portland, Oregon, competition, held on August 1, 2015, at Tom McCall Waterfront Park, wherein craft were launched into the Willamette River, was ended early by the United States Coast Guard after an excessive number of spectator boats (over 500) filled the river, making it impassable to commercial traffic. One collision was reported between a spectator boat and a commercial vessel, though damage was minimal and no injuries occurred.

In video games

The Red Bull Flugtag is featured as a playable mini-game in a special "Red Bull space", called the Red Bull Beach, in PlayStation Home released on November 26, 2009.

See also

• International Birdman

Notes

1. First known Flugtag format event
2. Back, Adrian (22 June 2020). "The day a daring amateur aviator swooped into the history books". www.redbull.com. Red Bull. Retrieved 20 February 2021. ... the inaugural edition was held in Vienna in 1992, ...
3. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-06. Retrieved July 28, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
4. "Red Bull Gives You Wings". Red Bull. Archived from the original on March 8, 2017.
5. "Chickens take flight at the Red Bull Flugtag". PressTelegram. September 21, 2013. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
6. ^ "Stupid accident: Woman aged 26 breaks her spine after jumping on piano in Dambovita River". Archived from the original on January 8, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
7. "Red Bull Flugtag Moscow". Red Bull. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
8. "Red Bull Flugtag 2015". Red Bull. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
9. "4. Red Bull Uçuş Günü'nde Neler Oldu?". Red Bull (in Turkish). 4 August 2019. Retrieved 2022-08-20.
10. "Red Bull Flugtag Vienna". Red Bull. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
11. "Red Bull Flugtag Portland". Red Bull. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
12. "Red Bull Flugtag Milwaukee 2022". Red Bull.
13. "Red Bull's Flugtag brings splashes, competitors from all over to Cincinnati". Fox19. 13 August 2023. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
14. "KDKA-TV's Dave Crawley was 'severely injured' during Red Bull Flugtag stunt last year, his attorney says". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
15. "Coast Guard shuts down Flugtag after Willamette River traffic jam (video, photos)". oregonlive. August 2, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
16. Locust_Star (November 25, 2009). "This Week in PlayStation Home: New Red Bull Space + Event, Fight Night Producer Chat & More". Sony Computer Entertainment. Retrieved November 25, 2009.

References

• "The History of Flugtag." 1st Red Bull Flugtag Sydney. Red Bull. 14 Apr. 2008: .
• "Events." Red Bull Flugtag USA. Red Bull. 2 Aug. 2008: .
• "What is Flugtag?" Red Bull Flugtag USA. Red Bull. 2 Aug. 2008: .

External links

• Roundhay Park Leeds UK
• LONDON PIXELS London Flugtag 2008 Photo set Archived 2012-02-16 at the Wayback Machine
• www.redbullflugtag.hk
• http://redbullflugtag.se
• http://www.redbull.com/flightlab
• https://web.archive.org/web/20080922004420/http://www.redbullflugtag.at/
• http://www.redbullflugtag.com.au
• http://www.redbullflugtagusa.com
• https://web.archive.org/web/20030809102902/http://www.redbullflugtag.co.uk/
• http://www.redbullflugtag.ae
• http://www.redbullflugtag.com.br
• http://www.airplix.com
• https://web.archive.org/web/20110714170032/http://www.netnewspublisher.com/more-than-80000-turn-up-for-the-red-bull-flugtag-in-portland-oregon/
• https://web.archive.org/web/20090930183313/http://www.redbullflugtag.fr/
• https://web.archive.org/web/20100722033255/http://www.redbullflugtag.ro/
• https://web.archive.org/web/20110610220355/http://www.redbull.co.il/cs/Satellite/he_IL/Red-Bull-Flugtag/001242937177311
• https://tnflugtag.com

• Aviation competitions and awards
• Mechanical engineering competitions
• Recurring events established in 1991
• Red Bull sports events
• Webby Award winners