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 varies with location. In the USA each flying machine must have a maximum wingspan of 30 feet (9.14 m) and a maximum weight (including pilot) of 450 lbs. (204 kg). In Australian Flugtags the wingspan is limited to 26.25 feet (8.0 m) and the weight (NOT including pilot) to 396.8 lb (180.0 kg). 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 (0.093 m2).
Teams that enter the Flugtag competition are judged in three categories; distance, creativity, and showmanship. The record for the longest flight is 229 feet (69.79 m), set May 28, 2012 at the Flugtag in Mainz, Germany by the team "Die Rückkehr der Teichfighter" in front of more than 60,000 people.
The US city that holds the record for attendance to this event is Tampa, FL with 110,000 attending in 2008.
Read more about this topic: Red Bull Flugtag
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