The Tech alumni team launches its aircraft

An Atlanta alumni team captured second place in Red Bull's Flugtag, a human-powered, build-your-own airplane flight competition at Baltimore's Inner Harbor Oct. 21.

"Jump the Shark," a replica of the airplane the Wright Brothers flew at Kitty Hawk, built by John Michalik, ID 99, Adam Gilmore, CE 01, and Robert Kerns, EE 00, from materials purchased at a hardware store flew more than 75 feet after it was launched from a 25-foot ramp above the harbor.

More than 70,000 spectators watched 23 teams from as far away as Bulgaria launch their flying contraptions — usually nosediving into the harbor.

The first Flugtag, which means "flying day" in German, took place in Vienna, Austria, in 1991. Since then, more than 35 Flugtags have been held around the world.

The rules are simple. The aircraft must measure less than 30 feet wide, weigh no more than 450 pounds, including the pilot and must be human-powered — no external energy power allowed.