See How Planes Pick Up Banners To Fly Over Our Beaches [Video]

It's one of those things that we're so used to seeing flying over the beaches in the summer that most of us don't even think about them - the ubiquitous yellow airplanes towing banners of all kinds.

From ads for bar happy hours to full color company logos, and even the occasional marriage proposal. Those of us who have lived here for a while have gotten so used to them that they're just kind of "there".

But did you ever stop to wonder exactly how they get the banners into the air in one piece?

You'd think that if they drag them across a runway they would get torn up.

If they unfurled them in midair, you'd think that the sudden drag would be dangerous.

So how do they do it?

Well, it turns out that it's a pretty skilled cross between landing on an aircraft carrier with a hook and playing joust, where you're aiming for a target at high speed.

The planes actually take a flying start and grab the banners while they're taking off. It's pretty cool to see.

Check it out: