Red Bull, worldwide distributor of energy drinks, is good at putting on a show. From their dramatic Hangar 7 museum, art gallery and five culinary outlets in Salzburg, Austria to their extravagant displays of derring-do, Red Bull lives large. Their largesse is doled out in an incredible museum, gourmet feasts, and stunning acts of aerial derring-do.
Hangar 7 houses pristine restorations of historic aircraft and Formula 1 race cars, an ever-changing selection of artworks, and restaurants, a bar, and cafes, all within a light-filled, glass-walled edifice. Entrances to the Hangar remind your editor of depictions of wing lift curves seen in aerodynamic textbooks.
And this video doesn’t even include the Museum’s magnificent Lockheed Constellation, or a glimpse of the five restaurants and cafe’s on site. One of the best parts of visiting Hanger 7 is that parking and admission are free. This is a true gift for fans of aviation history and Formula 1 racers, and enables one to enjoy the culinary wonders of the Carpe Diem Lounge and Cafe‘ (44 euros or $51 for a sweet and savory breakfrast or 128 euros – $149 – for an étagère-celebration for two, which includes champagne and 20 grams of caviar). Fine dining at Ikarus, prepared by a rotating coterie of internationally known chefs, is 205 euros ($239) for a Michelin star meal, plus 225 euros ($262) for the wine pairings with each serving.
Aerial Displays
Red Bull seems always to be looking for ways to highlight energetic displays, totally appropriate for purveyors of the energy drink that funds all of these frenetic activities. One recent outing combined the athletic strength of nine champion cyclists, a skilled ultralight sailplane pilot, and the launching of that sailplane by those cyclists.
Early in glider and sailplane history, pilots leapt from hills or were towed into the air by teams of friends pulling on bungee cords. Other innovative approaches even included horse launching.
Aug. 21, 1939: Horses are used to launch motorless sailplane at Grand Central Flying School in Glendale. This photo was published in the Aug. 22, 1939 Los Angeles Times.
Red Bull probably doesn’t recommend its use for the equestian set, but does sponsor cycling teams. One group of nine riders staged several trials at two locations to launch a Ruppert Archaeopteryx ultralight sailplane.
In 1939, “The horsemen of Los Charros, association of hard-riding film, radio and ranch folk were pulling the glider up, a test proving that horses, galloping at 30 m.p.h. over ground where motorcar launching of sailplanes is unfeasible, can be put into useful operation.” The Baby Albatross sailplane was designed by Hawley Bowlus, one of the builders of the Spirit of St. Louis. Its 229 kilogram (505 pound) gross weight could be towed airborne on two empirical horsepower. It had a lift-to-drag ratio of 20:1, so its airborne drag was a little over 25 pounds.
The Archaeopteryx launched by the cyclists probably weighs about 61 kilograms or 134 pounds empty. Add a nominal 170 pound pilot and raise the takeoff weight to 138 kilograms or 304 pounds. With a listed lift-to-drag ratio of 28:1, aerodynamic drag would be a mere 10.587 pounds. On the ground, until the sailplane lifted off, the cyclists would be pulling the entire weight. with things getting much easier after Archaeopterxy became airborne.
The YouTube video includes this information: