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Red Bull
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Red Bull
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Red Bull
If you’ve ever wondered what happens when aerospace engineers let loose their inner child, look no further than James Franklin and his Bell Helicopter squad. Franklin, a quality engineer by trade and captain of a prototype human-powered “Gorilla Glider,” is leading a team of Bell’s best and brightest at the return of Red Bull Flugtag to DFW. After a 12-year hiatus, the notoriously outrageous event lands Sept. 13 at Irving’s Levy Event Plaza, promising gravity-defying hilarity for tens of thousands of spectators.
Red Bull Flugtag — German for “flying day” — is equal parts engineering experiment, performance art, and pure spectacle. Teams of five build human-powered flying machines, push them off a 22-foot deck, and hope for gliding glory over Lake Carolyn. Judges award points for distance flown, creativity of design, and showmanship, with pre-launch skits offering the first taste of theater. Expect outrageous contraptions, dramatic crashes, and a festival-like atmosphere with live performances, food vendors, immersive games, and even a Red Bull Racing F1 display car. It’s this type of scene that inspired Franklin to go bananas and pitch this competition to a few of his coworkers.
After finding five willing teammates, the next thing was to narrow their glider down to a theme. Franklin’s team draws inspiration from the viral internet meme “100 Men vs. Gorilla,” bringing it to life as a hand-crafted flying machine he affectionately calls the Gorilla Glider, launched from the aptly named Human-Powered Banana Rocket.
“We wanted to keep it lighthearted and fun,” Franklin says. “Somebody saw the meme on Instagram, and we decided, hey, let’s make an aircraft with that theme — and that’s where it took off.”
The team’s preparation has been as hands-on as it is inventive. Working out of a garage in Farmer’s Branch, Franklin and his crew sourced materials from Home Depot — foam insulation cut into Clark Y airfoils, dolly wheels for the launch cart, and plywood assembled into the Banana Rocket frame.
Of course, creativity comes at a cost. “We thought it would be pretty economical, but building materials are pretty expensive right now,” Franklin says. “Our first trip to Home Depot was $260 for just foam pieces and plywood. Luckily, we onboarded a sponsor — one of our friends’ girlfriends works for Norwex, and they gave us $1,500. We definitely hit that budget. If we hadn’t, each of us would have pitched in three or four hundred dollars. But honestly, for something like this, that’s totally worth it. That costs about as much as going to a Cowboys game now.”
Still, there’s plenty of aerodynamic thinking behind the whimsy. “We didn’t run any calcs,” Franklin admits, “but we researched the best airfoil design, settled on the Clark Y, modeled it in AutoCAD, and traced it onto foam. I think it’ll go pretty far — maybe even challenge the 225-foot record.”
James Franklin's teammates. James is second from the left.
While the goal is to glide far and entertain, Franklin admits a touch of competition motivates him. Bell Helicopter has a second team of lab engineers in the mix, meaning bragging rights could extend beyond the flight deck. “Even just beating them would be huge,” he says. “But of course, if we could win it all, that would be something I’d remember the rest of my life.”
The spectacle itself will unfold across a carefully staged day at Las Colinas. Gates open at 11:00 a.m. with the Fan Zone packed full of interactive displays, merch booths, food vendors, and games. At 11:45, the Red Bull Air Force will dive into the sky for an opening skydive demo. The competition officially kicks off at 12:00 p.m., running straight through until 3:30, when the final crafts hit the water. By 3:45, the award ceremony begins, and at 4:00 sharp, the event closes.
For most fans, admission to Flugtag is free, making it one of the most accessible spectacles on the DFW event calendar. Those who want a little more comfort can purchase a $75 Flight Club ticket, which guarantees a shaded grandstand seat, access to private restrooms and dedicated food and beverage areas, plus a complimentary hat. With over 40,000 spectators expected, the upgrade could make all the difference on a long September afternoon. Fans who can’t make it in person can catch the livestream on Atmosphere TV starting at noon.
Because the event is outdoors and lasts most of the day, veterans know to pack sunscreen, hats, and refillable water bottles. Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome in general admission, though outside food and alcohol are not. Families will find plenty of kid-friendly activities in the Fan Zone, but the biggest draw for children — like adults — might be the splashdowns themselves.
For Franklin, that balance of engineering precision and absurdist comedy is what makes Flugtag unlike anything else.
“You can take your hobby skills, put them to use, and see something you made actually fly — or crash spectacularly,” he says. “It’s proof that you can do something wild, creative, and memorable with your friends.”
