FAQ's up the Wazoo!

With every great project comes great questions and for all those great questions we hope have great answers. So with that in mind we have compiled a list of faqs (frequently asked questions to the lay person) which have been answered by our team members, doctors, and lawyers.

1. Flugtag?? Huh.. sounds German?
2. Oh.. that competition where people jump of the pier?
3. Is it fun for the whole family?
4. What's your Team name?
5. So what's your flying machine?
6. Dude, that bull is HUGE! How's it going to fly?
7. So you're going to catapult the pilot?
8. How are you catapulting him?
9. Is it safe?
10. Teeter board? Will he go far enough?
11. How and where do you train for something like this?
12. Can I watch you guys train?
13. Do you guys have real jobs?
14. How did you guys make the teeter board?
15. Who's the guy getting catapulted into the water?
16. Who are the other members on the team?
17. You guys are crazy!
18. How are you moving the bull?
19. I can't make it to the event because I have to go to my cousin's sisters friends birthday party... how can I see your Bull?
20. When and Where is this "Flugtag" taking place?
21. What can I do to help?

Flugtag?? Huh.. sounds German? Indeed it is German and it means "Flying Day". It's an annual event put on by Red Bull (Oct 25, 2003 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.) where contestants build home-made flying machines to see who can fly the furthest.

Oh.. that competition where people jump of the pier? Bingo, that's the one!

Is it fun for the whole family? Sure it's an all age event and it's FREE! But get there early if you want a good seat. Last year's event brought in over 25,000 (yes that's thousand) spectators and this year they're expecting even more!

What's your Team name? The Running of the Red Bulls

So what's your flying machine? A bull that's 13 feet high, 18 feet long, and 8 feet wide. Check out our blueprints.

Dude, that bull is HUGE! How's it going to fly? The bull it's self is not going to fly… We took a different approach to the other entries you might see in this year's Flugtag. Instead of trying to fly our craft we are going to fly our pilot!

So you're going to catapult the pilot? Yes, catapult is good term.

How are you catapulting him? With a teeter board.

Is it safe? Of course it's safe! Do you really think that Red Bull would just let us launch our pilot off the 30 foot high flight deck if it wasn't?

Teeter board? Will he go far enough? We estimate that he will travel 15 feet above the platform and then another 30 feet out.

How and where do you train for something like this? At Acro Sport in San Francisco under the careful guidance and supervision of Sergey Zenov a veteran of the Russian circus.

Can I watch you guys train? No problem! You can watch this video in the comfort of your own home, but if you really, really, really want to come see us train in person stop on by the Acro Sport gym anytime after 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

Do you guys have real jobs? Yes, we are all gainfully employed and hold 9 to 5 jobs (which are really more like 8 to 7)

How did you guys make the teeter board? Sergey actually made it. It's a classic Russian design that he brought over to the US. It's made of multiple pole vaults which are bound together into two major columns. Because the pole vaults are made of fiberglass they're very strong and springy! Great for catapulting. =)

Who's the guy getting catapulted into the water? That would be Brian Bennett. An alumni of San Diego State and a proud member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity he has extensive experience in high diving, surfing, wakeboarding, kite surfing, and he's also the craziest of the group! And "yes" ladies… he's single.

Who are the other members on the team? David Schaeffer is a SF local who brought the crazy notion of doing the flugtag to the group. Shannon Dunn (no not the pro-snowboarder chick.. we wish) hails from Livermore where he guards the build site and bull with his life. David Cervenka the team captain resides in San Mateo who puts his cell phone and email to great use while trying to keep this madness on schedule.

You guys are crazy! Hey that's not a question..... But, yes! We do like to push the envelope.

How are you moving the bull? We have enlisted the help of the national guard to fly the thing in via helicopter…. Actually on a flat bed trailer similar to this model.

I can't make it to the event because I have to go to my cousin's sisters friends birthday party... how can I see your Bull? Yeah... riiigggghhht. Anyway, we do offer "private tours" on requested, but in all seriousness come check us out the Sunday Oct 19 at the Pier 23 Bar and Restaurant (map) in San Francisco between 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

When and Where is this "Flugtag" taking place? Saturday, Oct 25, 2003 - in San Francisco at Piers 30-32 (map - just south of the bay bridge). The gates open at 11:00, the first flight is at 1:00, and the awards ceremony is at 5:30. If you visited the X-game a few years back, it's at the same pier.

What can I do to help? Come on out and cheer us on. We will be handing out thousands of red sashes to the crowd to wave when our bull is on the flight deck. We hear that the color "red" makes bulls angry, we hope that will make our bull angry enough to launch Brian Bennett and our team into first place! Oh yeah yelling "Toro, Toro" at the top of your lungs will help too! See you there!