Brought to you by Red Bull Flugtag.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it.
Are you excited about Red Bull Flugtag coming to Dun Laoghaire on 20 May? Perhaps you’ve already talked some mates into doing it and started scribbling down blueprints on any scraps of paper you can find.
Well, if you’re brave/mad enough to enter, we thought it might be useful to come up with a quick checklist of things that you need to remember. You can find the full list of rules over on the Red Bull Flugtag website but here’s a handy recap of things to keep in mind.
1. It starts with an idea
You can sit in the pub and chat about it all you want. You still need to send in a design and have it accepted if you want to take part. So get thinking and, more importantly, get working on that design.
2. Go big or go home!
You get points for creativity of craft, showmanship and distance. This is no time to be understated or to hide your makeshift aircraft under a bushel. Go all out on your design, theme and costumes if you want to impress!
3. Your machine needs to be able to float
You can use metal or other heavy objects but your craft has to be able to float as a whole. This makes sense. Why should the harbour bed suffer because you’re terrible at making airplanes?
4. You’re not allowed engines, motors or rockets
Your craft can only be launched using man/womanpower. So forget about channelling your inner Dominic Toretto and pimping it out with Nitrous Oxide boosters. This is all about Flintstones technology and getting a good run up to launch.
5. Your flying machine needs to be built from scratch
The craft must be entirely designed and constructed by your team. Painting go faster stripes on a hang glider and trying to enter just isn’t going to cut it.
6. If it’s too big, you’ll be disqualified
Your machine must be no longer than six metres from wing-tip to wing-tip, and no more than six metres from nose to tail (or whatever the equivalent measuring points are). That’s not exactly unreasonable. How would you even transport a seven-metre homemade plane from A to B?
7. You need to know how to swim
There’s a nine-metre drop into water so it makes sense that everyone on the team needs to be able to swim 100 yards unaided. It’s going to ruin the spectacle a bit if the event has to stop so the safety team can fish you out of the water.
8. You can’t be drunk if you’re taking part
Not even if you’re feeling nervous. The rules state that the participants can’t be under the influence of alcohol. Rules is rules, after all! So forget about Dutch courage before you jump off a nine metre ramp on the back of something you cobbled together in your garage.
9. The costumes can’t pose a danger to anything other than your dignity
You need to be able to swim in any costumes that you’re using. So that suit of armour may look cool but you’re not going to be able to wear it. As long as your creative vision doesn’t put you or your pilot at risk, the world is your oyster. Or your comedy bee outfit in this instance.
10. Pilots have to ride on top of the craft
Again, there’s no point taking chances when there’s water involved. The pilot can’t be strapped to the plane/glider/inflatable chicken or sitting inside a cockpit or capsule. I don’t think we really need to explain this one, people!
11. You’ll need four other people
Each team has five members over the age of 18. The other requirement is that all members of the team are fit and well and able to participate without risking their health. Sorry Gran.
12. The distance to beat is 78.5 metres
Seriously. A team of aerospace and mechanical engineers from California smashed the previous world record of nine metres with an incredible flight in the 2013 Red Bull Flugtag. No pressure!
13. The deadline is 31 March
What are you waiting for? Get designing, get applying and get building.
For more information, check out the Red Bull Flugtag website.
Brought to you by Red Bull Flugtag.
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