Flugtag in New York City - October 5, 2003

Red Bull Flügtag: Trying to Fly in New York City

October 5, 2003 - An estimated 40,000 people crowded the Hudson River Park's Pier 45 in Manhattan too see the Red Bull Flügtag, an original event considered an "Air Show" by many enthusiasts.

Flügtag, German for flying day, is a contest in which voluntary participants construct human-powered flying machines; and dressed in costumes "try" their flying skills and literally jump into the water. The participants are judged on distance, creativity and showmanship and the prizes include pilots training courses, paragliding and skydiving lessons.

The New York version of the Red Bull Flügtag started around noon at the Hudson River Park when three skydivers jumped from a helicopter and landed on the platform where 35 teams would launch their "flights".

The flights started at 1:00pm and while the pilots and their crews jumped into the Hudson River, the general public enjoyed every minute of it. The large crowd cheered the teams and laughed out loud at both the originality of the crafts, the costumes of the participants and at the landings.

Red Bull, the Austrian energy drink, is the sponsor and organizer of Flügtag and has produced over 20 shows around the world; from Warsaw to London and several cities in the United States.

For more information on the Red Bull Flügtag, visit www.redbullflugtag.com