New World Record Set in Red Bull Flugtag-Twin Cities

August 25, 2010 — It looked like an airplane, and more importantly, it flew like one. Team Major Trouble and the Dirty Dixies soared into a victory and the record books when they flew their flying machine a distance of 207 feet at the Red Bull Flugtag Twin Cities last month in St. Paul, Minnesota. The flight smashed the previous Red Bull Flugtag world record of 195 feet, which had held for nearly 10 years. Just as importantly, the new record is holding strong after the August 21 Flugtag competition in Long Beach, California, where a giant Peeps took home the top award with a flight of 98 feet. Red Bull Flugtag, which means “flying day” in German, is a competition that dares both the brave and the brainy to design, build and pilot homemade flying machines off a 30-foot high ramp in hopes of achieving human-powered flight. While distance is important, teams need both creativity and showmanship to impress the judges. However, while the teams let their imaginations soar, they must follow a few rules. First, all flying machines must be entirely human-powered. Second, all machines must weigh no more than 450 pounds, including the pilot.    “It took a lot of effort and hard work to get the job done, but we had a lot of fun,” said Jason Franke of Major Trouble and the Dirty Dixies. “This was a solid event and the experience was even better than we expected.” Click here to see a YouTube video of the record-setting flight. For winning the competition, the team will receive an excursion aboard the Red Bull Albatross. Other Twin Cities winners include The Spooners and Team Griswold, while the People’s Choice Award went to the Zorbaz Flying Food Zquadron. Peepin’ it Real took top honors in Long Beach. The all-female team from Newport Beach, who are students at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and UCLA, beat out teams comprised of mechanical and aerospace engineers, U.S. Navy rescue divers, and The Coast Guard. Team pilot Corinne Schnieders admitted: “This was probably the most fun I’ve ever had.  My flight was much smoother than I’d imagined.  I just floated down and landed like a marshmallow.” For claiming first place, team Peepin’ it Real will receive a flight with Red Bull Air Race World Champion, Kirby Chambliss, at his Arizona ranch. Other Long Beach winners included teams Green Machine from Las Vegas and Airforce One, who sailed into the harbor on an 8-foot tall paper mache head modeled after President Obama’s head.  The coveted People’s Choice Award went to Green Army Men. Red Bull Flugtag USA will be featured in a reality series called “On the Wings of Glory” airing Sundays after baseball starting September 5 on FOX Sports Networks. The final Flugtag race of the 2010 season will be held September 4 in Philadelphia.

“Major Trouble and the Dirty Dixies” soared into the record books with a 207-feet flight during the Red Bull Flugtag Twin Cities competition. Photo credit: Red Bull Team Zorbaz Flying Food Zquadron took the People’s Choice Award during the St. Paul, Minnesota competition. Photo credit: Red Bull Air Peepin’ it Real took top honors in Long Beach on August 21 with a 98-foot flight. Photo credit: Red Bull

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