Flugtag comes to Nashville

Nashville, Tenn. – Feb. 14, 2007 – It’s a bird, a plane … a flying pig? Actually, it could be a spaceship, a pregnant cow, a diaper-delivering stork, a pirate ship or anything else your mind can imagine. It’s all part of Red Bull Flugtag Nashville, to be held June 23 in the Music City. Flugtag, which means “flying day” in German, challenges the tinkerer in all of us to build a human-powered flying machine with the help of up to four friends, relatives or neighbors. Teams will pilot their crafts off a 30-foot ramp into the Cumberland River in Nashville, Tennessee and hope to achieve flight — or at least to entertain the crowd. Got an idea for a craft? Sketch your flying machine and submit your application by April 16. The successful applicants will receive confirmation by April 24, with 25 teams selevcted for the Nashville competition. Red Bull Flugtag Nashville will be the first time the competition has been in the South since 2004 when it debuted in Miami. Since its start in Vienna, Austria, in 1991, more than 35 Flugtags have been held around the world, attracting up to 300,000 visitors. The record for the farthest flight currently stands at 195 feet set in 2000 at Red Bull Flugtag Austria. The U.S. record stands at 81 feet set in Baltimore, Maryland, last year. But teams aren’t judged solely on distance. Creativity and showmanship also come into play with eye-catching crafts gathering the best score. For the showmanship portion, each team is given one minute on the flight deck before they launch. This minute can be filled with dancing, songs, skits … anything to get the crowd excited. The competition is free and open to the public. But if you can’t get to Nashville, you can still experience the excitement of Flugtag. Do the next best thing and play the Flugtag game online. Need more Flugtag goodies? Check out the videos of past events, check out the photos or download wallpaper at the Red Bull site. The Rules All flying machines must be entirely human-powered (no external energy sources or stored power) All crafts must be less than 30 feet wide. All crafts must weigh no more than 450 pounds, including the pilot. Five people can be on a team — four pushers and one pilot. Only the pilot can be in the craft when it is launched. Pilots must be 18 years or older; however, those younger can participate as a team member. The Prizes First place — Pilot’s training course (cash value $7,500) Second place — Skydiving lessons (cash value $3,000) Third place — Paragliding lessons (cash value $1,500)

Which came first? The chicken or the egg? A better question might be which one splashed down first! Red Bull Flugtag is coming to Nashville, Tenn. This summer. A collection of some of the unusual creations from past Red Bull Flugtag events. (photos courtesy Red Bull) For More Information Apply Now! Play On Line! Videos and More Canadian Flugtag Results

• 2008 - 09/03 - Wings Across America Flight
• 2008 - 08/27 - Flying Man to Challenge Channel
• 2008 - 08/26 - Wingwalking Wedding
• 2008 - 08/25 - Homebuilt Spacecraft To Fly In October
• 2008 - 08/22 - Grand Adventure breaks speed record