Tradition holds sway as creative minds attempt to soar sky high

The city's creative types have turned to traditional themes such as dragons, Chinese vampires and mooncakes for inspiration when they are designing weird and wacky flying machines for Asia's first Red Bull Flugtag, scheduled for October 10 at the West Kowloon Heliport.

Contestants of the Flugtag - German for 'flying day' - will have about five minutes each to take off in their man-made and man-powered flying machines from a six-metre high, 30-metre-long ramp leading either to an unlikely flight or an almost certain splashdown into the sea.

Some designs are based on dragons, dragon boats and Chang Er, the legendary lady who inhabits the moon and a figure in the Mid-Autumn Festival folklore. All the entries are from Hong Kong.

But one entry caught the attention of the organisers who have to pick between 35 and 45 finalists out of more than 200 submissions: a sketch of a Chinese junk-shaped machine emblazoned with the government's much-derided 'Act Now' political reform campaign.

'One of the designs that got us all cracked up was the Act Now ship,' a Red Bull spokesman said.

The Act Now design was submitted by a group of twentysomethings - the age group seen to take a radical stand on political and social issues, such as the development of high-speed rail links and political reform.

Contestants have about two months to build their machines, which will be stored in a rented hangar before the Flugtag. The October 10 event will start at noon and is expected to attract more than 20,000 spectators. Organisers are expected to invite local celebrities like comedy outfit CB Fresh.