9 replies to this topic

[Sari Alexandra Becker]

I came across this video on youtube and I'm intrigued! I SOOOO want to learn to fly this way... It makes so much sense. Get the hand movements down before you even try to fly. I'm constantly planning on what I want to try before I go fly, then when the time comes, I don't really even have a chance to try stuff cuz I'm too busy trying to control my kite. In my defense, the few times I've flown my rev, the wind was crazy all over the place, never a nice steady constant wind.

So... the hand position that Joe is teaching is slightly different from what John suggests in his tutorials. Joe has the index finger up a lot higher than what John shows. Which is correct? Or is it a matter of preference?


Revolution kite lesson by Joe Hadzecki - Porstmouth 2008


P.S. 921

[John Barresi]

Some is a matter of preference, some is a matter of "handicapping" the flier so they're able to launch more easily.

The Rev school of initial teaching favors a kite that can fly forward (launch) very easily, and does not incorporate the "break heavy" (sail loaded) style of flying at all.

In my experience, the Rev school of teaching is a little faster to get a pilot in the air, but takes longer for them to get a firm grasp of control.

Anyone else? Perspectives are varied, lets hear 'em all.

[Sari Alexandra Becker]

Hmmm... interesting John, thanx.

I can launch, I can land, I can turn and correct my kite when its heading in a direction I hadn't planned on it heading... but I cannot, for the life of me, get the damned thing to hover!!!

[--Pete]

Sari Alexandra Becker, on 23 November 2011 - 03:16 PM, said:

Hmmm... interesting John, thanx.

I can launch, I can land, I can turn and correct my kite when its heading in a direction I hadn't planned on it heading... but I cannot, for the life of me, get the damned thing to hover!!!

That certainly sounds like not enough brake. You might try moving out a few knots on your upper handle pigtails.

Exactly how you hold the handles is less important than the relative lengths (IN THE POSITION YOU HOLD THEM) of the lines.

A great many people favor the first exercise of setting up with the kite on the LE (Leading Edge), and pulling in on the lower (brake) lines until the kite just barely lifts off the ground, and then letting the lower lines out immediately to land the kite back on the LE. Never letting the kite rise more than a foot off the ground, repeat this, gradually holding in the air longer and longer until you have control of the Inverted Hover. This gets your hands (it's a motor skill, not a mental skill) used to making the tiny adjustments required to hold the kite steady in position. Dozens, even hundreds, of repetitions are needed to train the muscles to respond correctly. This sounds like a lot, but at the rate of one lift-off and landing every few seconds (increasing to several seconds), you can get a lot of reps done in a very short time.

Another concept (this is my own - NOT widely used in teaching) is to firmly drill yourself on the idea that one kind of differential (difference in angle of the handles) makes the kite turn CLOCKWISE (not to the right) and the other kind turns the kite COUNTER-CLOCKWISE (not to the left). Right and left of the kite change depending on which way is up. Clockwise and counter-clockwise are always the same.

[stroke survivor]

Learning to hover is the ability to find a balance between forward and reverse! As you go forward, slowly decrease the amount of drive (forward) until it starts to fall! Add a small amount of forward!! It's a balancing act finding that hover!! Might help to hold those handles gently, so much info on how the kite's reacting to your inputs is coming through those lines!!!


It all comes down to this - The kite pretty much does what you are telling it to do, consciously or not!! Learning how to tell your kite what, when, where, how much, that's part of the learning curve!! If you can do everything you have said, you're well on your way!!!

PS: We're always learning something new, never think you have it all figured out!!! It's part of the fun!!

[kwmf]

I've had a long time kite flyer be unable to learn to fly a rev (her husbands) until I put her on my handles with more brake than she was used to. She met and flew with Monkey in Bintulu some months earlier and managed, and I would have to assume that he had her setup with a similar amount of brake.

WRT hovering, I actually find side hovers (facing left or right) to be easier than upright hovers. Once I got the inverted hover I actually find that easier than hovering upright as well ... but I'm weird like that

I believe you're in contact with Dave ... drag the Monkey out for an afternoon and your learning will accelerate tremendously. I know when I emailed him about helping you out with 120's he was threatening to have you flying circles around me by the time the Rev clinic came about, so try hold him to that.

[de.skyqalsz.sg]

I totally agree to this sentence here by Stroke Survivor. (PS: We're always learning something new, never think you have it all figured out!!! It's part of the fun!!)

It's definitely true and every pilot will generally grown into his or her own styling but still hold firm to the basic principles of how to fly a Revolution kite. I attended the IQuad Clinic in Singapore, I've noticed that it's never about comparison of who's better. Flying individually, It all go down to the bottom line whereby the pilot must be confident and plan what to do before his or her fly. This minimizes the mistakes and you'll gain a lot more after doing the same thing again and again to really get your own original flying technique.

Style of the finger as you mention from Joe, I've applied both his and John's method and frankly speaking both techniques comes handy when you know when to apply in different wind conditions.
It's a matter of patience and practice. most important is the lines equalization check and wind factor. Kitelife has a lot of tutorials on this performed by John, it does helps me a lot when i first started flying a Quad line kite.

Happy flying and smooth winds to all..

[Sari Alexandra Becker]

Wow... you guys are so inspiring! Thank you all for taking the time to talk me through it, and share your own experiences. You're all so positive and encouraging... I LOVE IT!!!

Can't wait to fly again... there were 90km/hr winds today in Vancouver... needless to say I DID NOT even leave my office. Lol.

[kwmf]

I've had my B2 vented in 60km/h winds with gusts on 50' of 90# LPG ... if we can get Bazzer or Ben to do a B2 Xtra vent then 90km/h shouldn't be a problem

Bad weather was one of the reasons I started with an Indoor Rev - perfect weather every time

[stroke survivor]

Indoor - OOOOH! Love it!!! Got a saying on indoor - "The wind is always the same inside!!"

Too much wind is no fun, too hard just to stand, let alone control anything!!