Pilots in the Playground

[Tyndmyr]

Red Bull Flugtag is coming again...I've already formed a team, and started looking for a bike to cannibalize!

Anyone else a fan of this event, or intend on participating(why not, it's free, and making a functional flying machine is mostly optional)?

[pendell]

Can you tell me more about it? First I've heard of it but would like to learn more.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Tyndmyr]

Aright, here's how it works...you build an aircraft(within weight and size limits, though frankly...you shouldn't be shooting for lots of weight anyhow). No power producing or storage mechanisms other than you...pedal power is generally preferred.

Your team shoves the aircraft off a thirty foot high ledge over the ocean, and sees how far it goes before it slams into the water. Results range from hundreds of feet to the more common "splat". Then, the entire team jumps off the ledge for funsies. Points are given for elements such as distance travelled and popularity with the crowd. Lots of the planes are...incredibly poorly designed, and go for pure entertainment value.

I'm looking at a gently sloped v-wing biplane model shooting for very high surface area within the size parameters(30ft cube), and minimizing weight.

Edit: Also, prizes typically include things like flying lessons or skydiving lessons for everyone on the team.

[fergo]

That sounds... brilliant :smallbiggrin:. Best of luck, hope nothing breaks :smalltongue:.

[hamishspence]

"Those magnificent men in their flying machines, they go up diddly-up-up, they go down diddly-down-down...." :smallamused: