Skyclad01

Thanks to the explanation of step #2, I was finally able to do my first sets of Taz Machines! My problem this whole time was that I was watching the spine instead of the nose, and because of that, I ended up with the kite in a flat position by the time I went to do the 2nd input, thus pulling the nose down instead of spinning the kite. So it just took me a few tries to get it right because right as you do the 2nd input, you have to take a few steps forward at the same time to give slack to the opposite line to allow the kite to rotate all the way around. I would have to say that the key for doing the Taz Machine is step #2 - keeping an eye on the nose, making sure its higher than the tail of the kite to get a proper spin, and making sure to give enough slack with the other line at the same time so it can do a full rotation. Once you get that down, then doing a Taz machine is a piece of cake. Now I just need to keep practicing it so I can give it a cleaner look when I do it, because even though I can do one, its still a little sloppy. The main thing is I can now do a Taz Machine!

That would make sense. It would be the best way to get the kite to spin. I think if you pulled the line when the nose is center (or just before center) you would just be pulling the nose down into a dive position.

Thats my problem with not giving enough slack. When I do that first input (as if doing a half axel), im too used to tugging on both lines when the nose is pointed away to bring the kite into a fade position. It's a hard habit to break when that second input is meant for only one line and not both, as im used to doing.

The Taz machine and 540 elude me as well. Like Dave, I have a hard time finding the correct timing of the 2nd input. I try to keep an eye on the spine and nose when I do that 2nd input, but the timing for it is so quick that im either a second too late or a second too soon. Not in English, but some very lovely examples

If only I had the money!

The ferrule idea was suggested to me last night, but I thought that it wouldn't work because even though it was a clean break, theres still quite a bit of splintering. Later on though, I realized that I could just turn the pieces around and have the splintered (already sanded) ends in the end caps

I will be ordering a new rod tonight, so all is good there. This will definitely make me judge the wind better before and during flying. I remember hearing about your lines snapping, thats not fun at all. I guess broken rods and lines are just the inherent hazards of kite flying. May we all become better fliers because of them.

So after a month an 40 hours with my Rev, apparently I underestimated the wind. I am really kicking myself right now because after so many years of flying dualies, I should have known better. Everything was going fine when I first got to the park and was flying around for a bit. The winds were a blowing just a little harder than what I usually fly in, but it didn't seem too bad overall. I figured if the winds gusted a bit strong, that I would hold the Rev at the edge of the wind window, or just set it on its leading edge till the gusts passed. At times I could feel a bit of tension in the lines from the wind, but it wasn't anything that was pulling my hands forward. Then it happened! A little over an hour into my flying session while practicing my precision maneuvers, watching my lovely red and black EXP fly against a clear blue sky, I heard a very loud 'SNAP' and I see 2 black pieces fall to the ground and my Rev slowly drifting down after them with one wing flapping in the wind. I immediately bring the kite down in somewhat of a controlled semi-landing, staked the handles and ran over to the kite to assess the situation. I knew the rod snapped obviously, but my main concern was if there was any holes or tears in the sail. Fortunately (or probably luckily, most likely), the sail was fine. I then checked over the end caps to make sure there was no cuts or splits on them as I had no idea where the breaking point in the rod was. Luckily, the end caps were in fine shape as well. I then walk past the kite and search the grass and find the 2 pieces of my Rev's wing spar. I then break down my kite and roll it up, wind the lines and pick up my handles, stake and water bottle and head home with my tail tucked between my legs. Still kicking myself thinking I should have known better than to fly today with these winds. I just figured the Rev could handle it. So I guess I underestimated the Rev and the winds. Such is a lesson learned. Just wish it wasn't a $20 lesson, But ill take that over a $230 lesson due to a torn wing because of the rod snapping. What is interesting though (and I don't know if this is common), is that the break in the spar is practically a clean break right at the end of the Revolution sticker on the spar. Oh well. At least now I can make a Rev stick.

I'll have to search around and see if I even have a SLK

With just over a month of owning my Rev and with approximately 40hrs flying time, I think I have made pretty good progress so far with having only myself for a flying partner, good chat room friends for advice and help, and the internet for my education. I honestly feared that as mainly a dual line flier, that I would get bored with the Rev after a while considering that a dual line stunt kite would be the gymnast of the kite world, and the Revs/quads would be the ballet dancers. But surprisingly, the Rev has completely held my attention all this time and my dual lines have taken a back seat. Though, my previous flying day I did take one of my duals out for a flight instead of the Rev, and I had a good time with it. It only took that one day to suffice my missing tricking with my dual line. Theres something about having total control and the precision needed for flying a Rev that really holds my attention. With all the progress ive made in this short time, I know I still need at least 10 times that till I actually become half way good. But thats not a bad thing at all as I have been enjoying the journey thus far and really enjoy being able to notice my own skills improving as I go along. Even when things like reverse flight tend to frustrate me a little. I still don't let that bug me, because when it starts to, I just move on to doing something else that I know is challenging and not as frustrating. So far, my frustrations of fun have been and will be trying to do clockwork turns, proper inverted slides as well as trying to keep the pivot points correct and in a straight line when trying to do a vertical ladder. My vertical slides aren't too bad, but could be better. It would be nice if there was something that I can interact the kite with at the field I fly it. But its probably better that there isn't. I would most likely end up somehow ruining the kite in some way if there were, lol. My biggest surprises of myself is how much easier it has become to hold an inverted hover. Don't get me wrong, its far from perfect and still wobbles a little often times. But it has gotten to the point to where I can feel where the hold point is when I rotate the kite into an invert. Now its just a matter of dialing it in to keep it perfectly still and level. All in all, I have been enjoying every minute of flying those 40 hours with the Rev, and I always look forward to flying it some more. So much so that I check the wind forecasts daily and make every effort to fly when the winds are good. Hopefully, in time, I will be able to save up enough money to get a nice looking Rev B to go along side my EXP. The darkside isn't so dark after all.

Congrats Karen!

The lineset that came my Rev EXP, one side (pair?) has a red stripe on the sleeving and thats how I identify my left from right lines.

His picture link isnt working, so I have no idea what it looks like.

I would if I had the money!

I had a nice 3 (small) paragraph entry to update my ongoings with the Rev, went to another tab to get a link for here, came back to this one and accidentally hit the backspace key (keyboard shortcut for page back) and lost everything that I had typed out. I know that there are auto saves when you type replies, but I couldn't find anything to get it back. Even pressing the forward button to get back here and my reply box was still wiped clean. So now im a little pissed about all that because it was a well written and descriptive entry (at least I believe so anyways).

Actually I ended up buying a new one after several weeks of not getting any bites. Otherwise I would definitely take you up on yours.

That shouldn't be a problem once my inverts become a little more stable.

I must include this link here in this quasi-journal of mine for posterity, ease of access and helpfulness. Working on inverted hover, a possible simple solution http://kitelife.com/forum/topic/5896-working-on-inverted-hover-a-possible-simple-solution/

I just bought my first Rev(exp) slightly less than a month ago and have already put 30 hours flying time on it. Most of that time has been spent learning basic controls and just general flying all together. I have practiced holding inverted hovers, but have always found it very difficult to do. Not only because I am new to Rev flying, but because up until getting this kite, I have always flown dualies. With dualies, pretty much all you need to know for controls is pulling on the left line will make the kite go (or spin) to the left.. and same goes for the right. When I got my Rev, I knew before hand, from watching tutorials and reading up on it, that I would basically have to forget everything I learned with a dualie when flying a rev. All that was simple enough, but one thing that stayed was left hand for left controls, right hand for right. Normally not a bad thing, but basically dailies do not fly inverted in the same sense that a rev does. So controls became very confusing when flying inverted cause I was still stuck on the whole left/right steering idealism (I hope im using that word correctly here). Then earlier this week, I found this specific thread. And when I read Captainbob's breakdown of the post he found it right away clicked and made sense for me. I'm only a few hours in putting the clockwise/counter-clockwise practice into effect when flying my Rev and have found this to be extremely helpful when dedicating those hours to practicing my inverted hovers. My hovers are still a little wobbly, but that is to blame with these Arizona winds as they are never smooth or steady. 98% of the time, the winds are bouncy and inconsistent, and a quarter of that time, the wind is either changing direction or getting a bit of a crosswind. Though when the winds happen to be steady at times, I am actually able to hold a steady and level hover in one specific spot with very little movement. And when my hovers wobble, my response time for calming down wobbles have become much easier to do and my response time a lot quicker. Also, in turn with learning and improving my inverted hovers, I have also noticed a big improvement in my left and right facing hovers as well. Plus my response time with turning and spins have become a lot quicker in which all of this as a whole has helped my overall flying skills. So I gotta say thank you to Captainbob for his posting here of which has been extremely helpful for me, and im glad I found it.

That was very cool.

Another nice kite with some more nice tricks. Shame about the crabs though on such a nice looking beach.

I actually do horizontal and vertical slides at an given random times when I fly. Vertical ones can be tricky for me to do because I need to work on not letting my hands rotate just enough that it goes into forward drive. Sill I enjoy trying to do them and getting the kite to land in a tip stand position. As far as horizontal slides go, I only do those with the kite upright. Doing them inverted could be hazardous for the kite at the moment as my inverts tend to wobble a bit too much still for that. I also try to practice reverse flight, both left to right and right to left. Which I can get the kite to go from one side to the center of the wind window. But I sometimes tend to pull on the brakes a bit too much that it will cause a wing to flip. I know i'll get it eventually though.

Yes, I do have my own version of flying a box. But with 30 hours now on the Rev, that box flight is feeling a bit repetitive - even though I know its good practice.

(contd) Lindsey Buckingham - Holiday Road Mind.In.A.Box - Change Snow White's Poison Bite - The End Of Prom Night Steel Dragon - We All Die Young Vernian Process - Something Wicked (That Way Went) Voltaire - Goodnight demon slayer Voltaire - When You're Evil