Flugtag competitors ready for Willamette flights of fancy

Team Yakima won last Portland event, hopes for a repeat

Maybe it wasn’t the wisest thing to do, but Lyle Ramsdell recently looked up something on the Internet: Worst injury in Red Bull Flugtag events.

“It’s not pretty,” he says, of what he found on the Internet. “A broken back.

“But, I’m not too concerned.”

Yes, injuries can happen, but it’s all about fun and adventure in the popular Red Bull Flugtag events, in which teams construct crafts to push and fly off a ramp and into a body of water. In Portland’s case, it’ll be the Willamette River for the third time, 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, at Waterfront Park. Thousands of people watched the previous Red Bull Flugtag Portland events in 2004 and 2008, and pilot Ramsdell and his mates on Team Yakima have some work to do.

Yakima won the 2008 Flugtag event, soaring their Big Wheel (with fold-out wings) 62 feet. Ironically, Ramsdell worked at Williams Controls in 2008, and piloted its airplane-type craft to second place behind the Yakima Big Wheel. Later, he sought employment at Yakima, which makes bike racks.

“I had (Flugtag pilot) on my resumé and it came up in the interview,” says Ramsdell, a design engineer. “They said, ‘Your plane was way better than ours.’ ... Ironic turn of events that I ended up here.”

Ramsdell and fellow employees Tom Miron, Kyle McRay, Rod Nelson and Chuck Kraeuter (the only holdover from ‘08) have been working long hours building what they think will be an entertaining and effective craft. It’ll be a birthday cake just like the one in the movie “Animal House.” During the movie’s parade scene, the funny and rebellious frat boys busted out their “Deathmobile” from inside the cake. Yes, there’ll be a surprise busting out of Yakima’s cake once crew members push and Ramsdell prepares to pilot their craft.

“You’re going to want to be there to see what comes out of the cake,” says Ramsdell, 41.

Yakima was doing dry runs this week. If all goes well, they (or maybe somebody else?) might top the Flugtag record of 258 feet by the Chicken Whisperers in San Diego two years ago.

Ramsdell looks forward to seeing what he can do at the controls of the birthday cake (and surprise flying contraption).

“I went to hang-glider school last week,” he says. “I’ve flown a few things, but nothing that’s not powered (that much). I only had about 1.5 seconds to learn how to fly (in 2008).

“I’m not concerned about our design” for safety purposes, he adds. “Our airplane will weigh about 70 pounds. It’s huge, but it’s pretty light. Even if it goes straight into the water, it’ll be easy to get out and be safe.”

There are other Portland teams involved in Flugtag. The Muy Guapo teammates from last year — featured in the Tribune — are back as Game of Bros; the same guys finished third in 2008. A team from Ruckus Composites has been talking smack with the Yakima guys; they’re flying a hot dog craft.

“We eat hot dogs at lunch, and we put Doritos in as wings and pretend it’s Ruckus,” Ramsdell says.

Rip City, Mufasa Mufasa Mufasa, and Rings of Fire are some of the other top teams in the 41-craft field. By the Bruun brothers of Lorentz Bruun Co., Rip City will commemorate late Trail Blazers coach Jack Ramsay. The Mufasa team of friends takes “The Lion King” to new heights. Rings of Fire, made up of CrossFit Portland fellows, honors Johnny Cash.

Other cool names and teams: Air Pug, Soaring Sasquatch, Flying Narwhai, Pterodactyl Pteam, Team

Redonkulous.

Judges are: Gregory Gourdet, executive chef at Departure; Ben Ferguson, top snowboarder; Nate Herse, captain of Chicken Whisperers; Willy Claye, Olympic triple jumper/long jumper; Jesse Thomas, triathlete; Brandon Beaty, citizen. They’ll judge on showmanship and style.

For more: www.redbullflugtagusa.com.