Red Bull Flugtag Tampa Bay Flight Manifesto Complete

Forty Teams to Take the Plunge on October 8th at the Tampa Convention Center

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Sep 01, 2011, 01:37 ET

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Teams from across the country, and from across the pond, look to defy gravity with their human-powered flying machines on October 8th at Red Bull Flugtag Tampa. After reviewing more than 240 applications, 40 teams received their boarding passes to participate in the outrageous flying competition hosted alongside the Tampa Convention Center. Selected flyers like team Team Shake Weight, The Free Range Flyers and Stay Classy Tampa Bay will entertain the crowd as they launch their crafts with hopes of soaring across the bay.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110901/LA61571)

If your German is a bit rusty, flugtag means "flying day." Each team of daredevils will launch from the flight deck perched 30 feet above the Seddon Channel adjacent to the Tampa Convention Center and attempt to catch some air under their wings in their homemade crafts. 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 on the big stage. Spectators will also have the opportunity to chime in for their favorite team via SMS voting to determine the People's Choice Award.

UFOS, CHICKENS AND JORTS SPREAD THEIR WINGS

Red Bull Flugtag Tampa will have 40 outrageous crafts, ranging from a flying sombrero to a giant stapler and even a Harry Potter themed creation all the way from the U.K., were built by participants ranging from military backgrounds and fire fighters to engineering students and roller derby girls. Each team of five will need to bring out their inner test pilot and sheer silliness in order to make a splash against a wide array of talent including the Tampa Bay 2008 reigning champions set to take flight as Willy Wonka's Amazing Flying Adventure.

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 450 lbs. (including the pilot).

FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS AND PREPARE FOR TAKE OFF

For novices, the first Red Bull Flugtag took off in Vienna, Austria in 1991 and has since visited more than 30 countries around the world attracting crowds of up to 300,000. Currently, 207 feet stands as the farthest flight, which was set last year in St. Paul, MN at Red Bull Flugtag Twin Cities. This year Tampa is the only opportunity to beat the record in the United States.

Red Bull Flugtag is a free event and open to the public. Gates open at 11:00am and the first craft launches for flight at 1:00pm. Spectators are encouraged to take the in-town trolley or set sail and check out the view from the water. For more information, including applications, photos, and video footage from past Red Bull Flugtag events, visit www.redbullflugtagusa.com.

SOURCE Red Bull