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Red Bull flying contest canceled, unsafe marine conditions cited
Updated: September 8, 2012 10:12AM
CHICAGO — The Red Bull Flugtag, a homemade flying machine competition that was scheduled to be held at North Avenue Beach in Chicago Saturday, has been canceled, because of “unsafe marine conditions.”
Nearly 30 teams from across the Midwest were expected to take part in the Flugtag, which challenges teams to build homemade, human-powered flying machines and pilot them off a 30-foot high deck in hopes of achieving flight.
Flugtag means “flying day” in German, and according to the event’s website, all these crafts ultimately could be expected to splash into the water.
According to the event’s website, the Chicago Flugtag has been canceled because of unsafe marine conditions.
There is a small craft advisory on Lake Michigan, in effect until 10 p.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. According to the weather service, significant waves, of between 4 to 7 feet, with occasional waves of up to 9 feet, were expected today.
A small craft advisory means high winds and waves greater than 4 feet can produce hazardous conditions for small craft.
The Chicago event was scheduled to be the first of four flugtags, with other competitions occurring in Philadelphia, Miami, and San Francisco later this year, according to the website.
