Thirty teams launch homemade aircraft into Biscayne Bay this Saturday

Red Bull Flugtag, a competition where amateur pilots launch self-built aircraft into bodies of water, is returning to Miami for the Halloween weekend event.

The gathering will take place at Bayfront Park this Saturday, with the action starting at 10 a.m. The event features thirty teams competing on a 30-foot ramp. Judges will score the entries based on flight distance, creativity, and showmanship. The goal for each team is to travel as far out into Biscayne Bay as possible, though the primary expectation is that the craft will eventually splash or crash.

The event is hosted by Miami personality Mr. Red, who notes that while some aircraft manage to travel a considerable distance, most fall short. He states that while some fly, most fall, but all are guaranteed to splash.

Among the participants is a team featuring Daniel Figueredo, who describes the event as a spectacular show of people crashing into the water. His team, associated with Sanguich restaurants and the 'A Day in Miami' podcast, plans to fly a device they call the world's largest Cuban sandwich. Figueredo says the group will wear guayaberas and Panama hats, and possibly carry fake cigars, during their launch.

Another group, team IEEE, consists of engineering students from Florida International University. They are focusing on aerodynamics and structural integrity. Felix Fraile, a member of the team, explains that they design for the worst-case scenario to ensure strength. The goal is to allow air to flow around the wing rather than into it. The students are working to cut as much weight as possible to help the craft fly. They are utilizing horizontal and diagonal members, specifically triangles, to create an advantage in their design.

One student helped the team build a website to test simulators and see how the plane would fly. When asked about weight, Fraile confirmed they are trying to reduce it to maximize flight. The team expressed confidence that they will beat local rivals, though they acknowledged the challenge of beating the world record. Eduardo Moya, associated with the group, said they expect to blow the local teams out of the water. Figueredo joked that Moya should have a towel ready for the pilot, who will end up with cold underwear after being dumped in the water. Moya added that the pilot has good life insurance, a fact he confirmed with the pilot's wife.

Other teams are bringing a performance element to the competition. One group plans to dance to Pitbull's 'Damn, I Love Miami' while dressed in bald caps and fake suits. Alex Miranda, a participant, noted that the event has a show element in addition to the competition. He joked about needing a lot of wind for the craft to work, to which Fraile replied that it is situational. Miranda also remarked on the use of math in the engineering designs, noting how complex the calculations are for non-engineers.

The event is free to watch at Bayfront Park. For those who cannot attend in person, video footage of the launches will be available online shortly after the event concludes.