Red Bull Paper Wings

'Red Bull Paper Wings is an international paper airplane contest organized by Red Bull, a company widely known for its energy drinks and sponsorship of extreme sports. The competition invites participants from around the globe to design, create, and fly paper airplanes in three distinct categories: Longest Distance, Longest Airtime, and Aerobatics. The event emphasizes creativity, innovation, and the basic principles of aerodynamics, making it a unique blend of engineering and sport.

Overview

The Red Bull Paper Wings competition is divided into three main categories, each testing a different aspect of paper airplane design and flight:

• Longest Distance: Competitors aim to design a paper airplane that can fly the longest distance from a set launch point.
• Longest Airtime: This category focuses on the duration the paper airplane can stay airborne.
• Aerobatics: Participants are judged on the creativity, complexity, and aesthetic appeal of their paper airplane's flight path and tricks.

Participants compete in national qualifiers, with winners advancing to the World Finals. The World Finals have been held at the Hangar-7 in Salzburg, Austria, a venue known for its collection of historical aircraft and affiliation with Red Bull.

History

Red Bull Paper Wings was first held in 2006 and has since grown in popularity, with subsequent editions typically occurring every three years. The competition has seen participants from over 60 countries, making it one of the largest paper airplane contests in the world.

Rules and Regulations

The rules for Red Bull Paper Wings are straightforward, emphasizing fairness and the spirit of competition. Participants must use standard A4 or letter-size paper, with no cuts, tape, glue, or other modifications allowed. Each category has specific guidelines to ensure that the competition remains focused on skill, creativity, and understanding of paper airplane design principles.

Cultural Impact

Red Bull Paper Wings has contributed to the popularization of paper airplane construction as a competitive and educational activity. It has inspired individuals to explore aerodynamics, physics, and engineering concepts through a hands-on approach. The competition also highlights the importance of creativity and innovation in problem-solving.

See Also

• Aerodynamics
• Paper airplane
• Red Bull
• Hangar-7