Flugtag to Feature Flying Sombrero, Giant Stapler

September 14, 2011 — A flying sombrero will take to the air in Florida this fall, as well as a giant stapler and other out-of-this world contraptions. And the one that flies the farthest will come away with the coveted prize. The outrageous human-powered flying competition known as Red Bull Flugtag soars over Tampa Bay, Florida, on October 8 with gates opening at 11 a.m. and the first flight taking off at 1 p.m. Tampa Bay is the lone United States competition in 2011. Red Bull Flugtag challenges teams of everyday people to build homemade, human-powered flying machines and pilot them off a 30-foot high deck in hopes of achieving flight. Flugtag means "flying day" in German, but all the crafts ultimately splash into the waters below. The panel of celebrity judges will take three criteria into account in deciding who makes the podium: distance flown, creativity of the craft and the team's showmanship.  Spectators will also have the opportunity to chime in for their favorite team via SMS voting to determine the People's Choice Award. After reviewing more than 240 applications, 40 teams from across the country and world received their boarding passes to participate in the Tampa Bay competition, PR Newswire reported. The “aircraft” range from a flying sombrero to a giant stapler and even a Harry Potter-themed creation from the United Kingdom. The builders of the 40 craft range from military backgrounds and fire fighters to engineering students and roller derby girls. While the sky may be the limit on creativity, there are a few flight regulations.  First, all flying machines must be entirely human-powered (no external energy sources or stored power, so forget about the slingshots or catapults).  Second, all craft must be less than 30 feet wide and weigh no more than 450 pounds, including the pilot. The first Red Bull Flugtag took place in Vienna, Austria, in 1991. Since then, more than 80 Flugtags have been held around the world — from Ireland to San Francisco — attracting up to 300,000 spectators for a single event. The record for the farthest flight currently stands at 207 feet, set in 2010 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

A competitor in Tampa Bay’s 2008 Flugtag contest is off! Tampa Bay is the only city in the U.S. hosting a Flugtag competition in 2011. Photo credit: Red Bull This is the team to beat. Major Trouble and the Dirty Dixies have the record for the farthest flight — 207 feet, set in 2010 in the Twin Cities, Minnesota.

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