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Inverted Hover


Guru4tru
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I was flying my Rev. and I realized something that I wouldn't have believed 8 months to a year ago. At that time, there was "NO WAY" that I could figure out how to do an "inverted hover". I brought my frustrations to "post" and received help and support from my many mentors ...Jeepster, Hedgewarden, John, and I think Watty and some others had some words on it. Choccy tried to help me before that too, but I needed more flight time first.

What I realized was that the "inverted hover" is NOW actually the position that I feel the most comfortable flying in. I always return to that between any other stuff I'm doing...It's like my Rev. "Home Sweet Home"!

I don't know how or when the transition took place, but it happened! So, if anyone out there is suffering with it like I was...just keep on keeping on...and you'll probably look back as I have and wonder how it ever happened!! heehee!!

Keep It Up!

Duane

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AMAZING!!! .....It Is!!!!..............

Kinda Weird.......When I started Flying , The Inverted Hover ,Was the ONLY Thing I could Do!!!????

As Guru4true said Its like my Rev's " Home Sweet Home"..................Same Here!!!... The " Sweet Spot"........

If I had some WIND, right Now !!!!!!!!! That is Exactly What my REV would be doing!!!..........

...............................................IT TOLD ME SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..............................................:) Have a Great Day!!!:blink: .

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Amazing, isn't it?

The inverted hover is an absolute puzzle for the longest time, then one day you realize you're happier there than in any other position. :)

I believe you meant to say.... 'you're happier there than in any other KITING position'... or at least I hope that's what you meant!?

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JUST MAYBE!!!!.........MULTIPLYING!!!..............If so It is a GOOD thing they play well with Earthling's...................

I think they like the Gravity here!!!........It make's the flying a little more challenging, rather than without gravity!!:)

......have a good one .....or two!!!...............

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Yeah - the inverted hover changing from hardest to easiest is totally weird.

Well, almost easiest. The vertical hovers are still probably a little easier skill-wise, but more work.

Bazzer shared with me, during a clinic, great advice. Park your Rev inverted on the ground - the easiest way to keep it from misbehaving anyway. Put some relaxing music on your MP3 player. Start jiggling your lines until the kite starts to leave the ground. Just relax and keep playing with it. Before you know it, your "muscle memory" will figure it out, and your inverted hover and flight will click. Do NOT try to reason it out while flying. Still takes some practice to develop control and avoid the "How do I do this again - OOPS crash" syndrome. :)

Just some encouragement for the newbies that are where I was a year ago. :P

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... Bazzer shared with me, during a clinic, great advice. ...

Nothing against John, he's helped me a lot, but I believe that Bazzer has a hidden talent for simplifying the learning curve. Or, maybe it's just that he relates more to the older gents.

Cheers,

Tom

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  • 2 weeks later...

Yeah - the inverted hover changing from hardest to easiest is totally weird.

Well, almost easiest. The vertical hovers are still probably a little easier skill-wise, but more work.

Bazzer shared with me, during a clinic, great advice. Park your Rev inverted on the ground - the easiest way to keep it from misbehaving anyway. Put some relaxing music on your MP3 player. Start jiggling your lines until the kite starts to leave the ground. Just relax and keep playing with it. Before you know it, your "muscle memory" will figure it out, and your inverted hover and flight will click. Do NOT try to reason it out while flying. Still takes some practice to develop control and avoid the "How do I do this again - OOPS crash" syndrome. :wacko:

Just some encouragement for the newbies that are where I was a year ago. :)

Gee Whiz!! How did this slip past me!!

Hey Hedgewarden!! Great to hear from you!

Another thing I found helpful (I think Watty told me) was to walk toward the Rev. as you lift it off the ground. AND...Yes...don't try to "think" about how to fly the Rev. heehee!! I would say that the Rev. "taught me" how to fly it...instead of the other way around. I just kept doing it over and over again until I learned what the Rev. was trying to tell me to do...and then somewhere and somehow...I was doing it! heehee! (I'm still trying to listen to it about "controlling" the sideways sumer-salts!)

Keep It Up!

Duane

PS....nice statue John...maybe I'll see something like that on a Rev. sometime in the future!! (I noticed that that elephant is always with that mouse!) heehee!

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Yeah - the inverted hover changing from hardest to easiest is totally weird.

Well, almost easiest. The vertical hovers are still probably a little easier skill-wise, but more work.

Bazzer shared with me, during a clinic, great advice. Park your Rev inverted on the ground - the easiest way to keep it from misbehaving anyway. Put some relaxing music on your MP3 player. Start jiggling your lines until the kite starts to leave the ground. Just relax and keep playing with it. Before you know it, your "muscle memory" will figure it out, and your inverted hover and flight will click. Do NOT try to reason it out while flying. Still takes some practice to develop control and avoid the "How do I do this again - OOPS crash" syndrome. :wacko:

Just some encouragement for the newbies that are where I was a year ago. :P

Hey Howard, Thanks for sharing that.............I'll have to give it a try (maybe it's the music). There really is nothing nicer that flying with the music. My problem is, that I seem to be able to do just as you describe, 6" - 12" above the ground, but as I try to gain altitude, that's where I seem to lose it............I know - practice, practice, practice, and maybe a little "Snow Patrol"..............again, thanks for sharing that. :)

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Aye, no substitute for practice... The inverted hover is one of those things where you can only "know" so much, before you just have to spend the time and *feel* it. :)

Practice, practice, practice...............I hear you mate................practice, practice, practice ;)

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Aye, no substitute for practice... The inverted hover is one of those things where you can only "know" so much, before you just have to spend the time and *feel* it. :)

Practice, practice, practice...............I hear you mate................practice, practice, practice :kid_content:

Reef, when it starts to really click, it really clicks!

Keep bouncing those low hovers. Move side to side, maybe. Just keep twiddling them.

As you try to gain altitude, the natural inclination is to tense up, and try harder. That results in over-control, and out-of-control kite. Relax into it. It doesn't really get harder as you gain altitude - just harder to believe you can do it.

You may need to increase your "brake" (adjust the lower line shorter, or upper line longer.) You want lots of reverse thrust. But there is a limit at which you start to flip the wings. You probably already know that! Just go slower.

I find I can now launch inverted and rise to the top of the wind window fairly smoothly. The smoothness comes with practice. And relaxing into the controls seems to be very important. That is usually my first maneuver when starting a flying session. It lets me adjust my lines, my attitude, and gives me confidence. If the ascent is too ragged, I think about the adjustments, calm my self, try again until it is acceptable.

BTW, the more venting the kite has, the easier it seems to be to control the reverse maneuvers. Obviously, one needs sufficient wind to fly the kite. The less venting, the "twitchier" the kite seems - especially in reverse.

Hope this helps. I just keep seeing "practice, practice, practice" as if this were an onerous task. It doesn't have to be. Rather, keep "playing, playing, playing" and it will come. :blue_wink::single:

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