Ducks, Tigers And Frogs Give "Flying Day" A Whole New Meaning

--Thirty Teams Selected for Red Bull Flugtag Chicago 2012--

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Aug 02, 2012, 06:42 ET

CHICAGO, Aug. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Red Bull Flugtag is soaring into Chicago this September for the first time since 2008, and the teams have been chosen! Thirty teams will compete in the flying spectacle that has come to dazzle millions of people around the world. Various states will be represented throughout the competition with teams from Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio.

What will these crafty Midwesterners construct to represent their great states? High heels, frogs, tigers, ducks and unicorns are just some of the fun and quirky crafts taking flight. Creativity will reign supreme as these teams entertain crowds on North Avenue Beach before leaping off a 30-foot high flight deck, soaring into the Chicago sky and ultimately splashing into the cold waters below.

WINGS OF WISDOM
For all first-time flyers, 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 in hopes of achieving human-powered flight. But don't be fooled – this is no ordinary flying competition! While distance is important, creativity and showmanship are necessary to impress the judges. These criteria have inspired such outrageous crafts as a sky-high Pope-mobile, an airborne outhouse, a flying cheeseburger and even a replica of Santa and his sleigh to test their wings at Red Bull Flugtag.

While the sky may be the limit on creativity, there are still a few flight regulations. First off, all flying machines must be entirely human-powered (no external energy sources or stored power, so forget about the slingshots, catapults or anything besides your own burliness.) Second, no matter what they say, size does matter – all crafts must be less than 30 feet wide and must weigh no more than 450lbs (including the pilot).

Since the first Red Bull Flugtag took place in Vienna, Austria, in 1991, more than 100 flying days have been held around the globe, attracting up to 300,000 spectators for a single event. The current record is 228 feet held by a German team from this year's competition in Mainz, Germany. The record for the farthest flight in the US currently stands at 207 feet and was set at Red Bull Flugtag Saint Paul in 2010 by team Major Trouble and the Dirty Dixies. The pressure is on for this year's Red Bull Flugtag flyers to bring the record back to the Midwest! This year, the Red Bull Flugtag in Chicago will bet the first of four Flugtags, with other competitions occurring in Philadelphia (September 15), Miami (November 3), and San Francisco (November 10). Come on Chicago, we know you can outdo the other stops …let's show them how the Midwest gets things done!

Parking will be limited at North Avenue Beach, so plan accordingly! We suggest taking the CTA. Check www.transitchicago.com for the best routes to take.

Twitter: @redbullCHI #flugtag #flugtagCHI
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SOURCE Red Bull