frob

I've been watching both Hydra and Kymera prices, waiting for some spare cash to hopefully pick up both before they bump it up. The two are very similar in specs, how differently do they handle?

Hurricanes mean business. Agreed with the plea to stay safe. And for those who choose not to stay safe: Now is the time to try a frame-only kite. Just be sure when you catch the kite mid-air, it's because the kite came to you rather than you going to it.

First a preface that those are all reliable kites from established brands. They're all good in that regard. They're the same class of kites. All of the kites you mentioned are parafoil speed kites. "Para" with its roots the same as parachute, the kites have no spars. "Foil" referring to the airfoil shape, similar to an airplane wing with internal cells. There are several sub-classes of parafoil kites. Those are speed kites, the bridle lines on the kite put the kite at an angle to make the kites move quickly, even in relatively light wind. You are right that these kites feel twitchy, that's because they are speed kites. Among the other sub-classes of parafoils, one popular style is traction kite or power kites which can have enough pull for buggies or skiing, and another popular style is lift kites or show kites that are large and stable rather than being designed for agility. The twitchy feeling is part of the style. All the parafoil speed kites move quickly and are sensitive to input. They CAN fly in a straight line, but it requires experience and skill. They are not designed to move slowly like kites designed for slackline tricks, nor move like quad line kites. Fast and nimble are intentional. Some difference, but they're similar because they're all the same class of kites. The bigger kites have a bigger sail area and generate more pull. The 1.3 is 130 cm across, relatively small. It has bigger brothers at 180 cm and 220 cm that can generate more pull. The Synapse family has similar sizes at 140 cm, 170 cm, and 200 cm. All of those sizes are still in the speed kite category. Parafoils are not usually considered power kites or traction kites until they reach about 3 meters across. (Different people use the names differently, commonly power kites are 2 line, traction kites are often four lines, but that isn't universal terminology.) Turning speed is going to be a matter of several factors. The wind speed, the kite's bridle configuration, and the pilot's body movements will all make a difference. Bigger kites tend to have more drag (slow down) due to their size, but with some experience a pilot could make a small kite turn slowly and make a large kite turn rapidly. Even so, they're all parafoil speed kites so they're going to turn fast and fly fast. The kite is marketed as a beginner kite. Parafoils are very resilliant kites because they don't have spars (no parts to break) and this one is smaller making it more gentle than it's bigger brothers. Combined this kite is easier for beginners, but that doesn't mean experienced people can't or won't fly it. If you like the parafoil style consider keeping the smaller kite in your bag and picking up a larger model. When winds are strong a large kite can be damaged or be overpowered, the smaller model with less surface area can let you have a similar flying experience. Whatever you decide to do with it personal preference is important, fly what you enjoy flying. If you live somewhere near others who fly, such as on a beach or near a kite store, consider asking about flying a variety of kites. Many people have a collection of different kites and will help you experiment a bit to find kites you enjoy. Flying other people's kites is the cheapest way to go when starting out. You'll be addicted in no time. ;-)

And if you're interested in multi-line kites, don't be afraid about quad line kites. You can learn to fly dual-line kites or quad-line kites as a complete beginner, you don't need to master one before learning the other. Quad line kites tend to be more expensive, starting around $200 for a ready-to-fly package or a little less if used. They are also much easier to learn with a mentor rather than figuring out from videos and tutorials. Finally, don't be afraid to ask people about flying their kites. If you can find someone near you who flies ask if you can fly with them sometime. The site has a map, look for active members near you. They likely have some kites that are a little more durable, and people generally enjoy sharing the hobby if you ask nicely.

What are you planning to do as you fly? Single line kites can be attached to an anchor and then mostly ignored. (That doesn't mean abandoned, they need to be supervised and occasionally adjusted if wind changes significantly.) Children like to run with smaller single line kites, but if you need to run or flail your arms that's usually a sign that something needs adjustment. Generally they're like a banner or pennant, put it up in the air and see it from afar; they're great for groups to mark where you are on the beach. If your goal is to sit on the beach, watch the waves, eat your picnic, and occasionally look up at the kite overhead, you want a single line kite. Large kites cost more money and also require better gear, such as sand anchors, and they're probably more money than you want to pay. Generally the most difficult part is adjusting the kite for the wind, often there are some knots on the bridle that can be adjusted based on your wind speed, but once it is up you're basically done. A multi-line kite (dual or quad) needs to be actively flown by a person. They are kites where the pilot must be in control at all times it is in the air. The only time you can eat your picnic lunch is when the kite is landed. It takes a little bit of skill, if someone helps you learn you can get the basics figured out in an hour or so, and enjoy flying as an activity. If you learn on your own it can take more time. With a bit of practice people can fly formations and patterns. With a bit more practice (more than one weekend) people can do mid-air tricks to make the kite flip, twirl, and otherwise behave in acrobatic ways. People who are comfortable with it can fly for many hours in a day, but it is time on your feet with some upper-body exercise. They're both good types of kites, but for different purposes. Many kite-laden beaches have both types of kites flying. Kite shows also tend to have a field of large single-line kites that are up from dawn to dusk, plus multi-line kites flown individually as long as the person wants. If you decide on a dual line kite, of the ones you listed the Beetle has the best reputation for being nigh-indestructible. Parts can still break, but the kite is durable. There are many other kites, some are lighter, some designed for tricks, some designed for group flying, some designed to be a workout, some designed to drag you down a beach. Try to have someone teach you how to fly. There are many varieties in the $50-$150 range. If you decide on a single line kite, anything over about 8 feet is going to need a solid anchor. Smaller kites can often be tied to a table or heavy chair. The easiest indicator is the type of kite line. If you've got cheap cotton line it's a small kite, you do what you need get it in the air and tie it off. If it has a rating like 100lb line, 250lb line, 500lb line, you better arrange to have something to anchor it off with plus some training about kite safety. Having a line snap with a few hundred pounds on it can be dangerous, and launching/landing can sever fingers if done wrong. Usually the small kites are cheap, you can find them in the store for a few dollars; the large kites quickly reach hundreds of dollars.

Didn't notice the lines. That's okay, I've got plenty of line sets in my bag. I knew the kite would work wonderfully in my bag. Here's hoping for the win.

Maybe it was updated, but the text looks like the retail RTF package: This package includes a VENTED sail, 3 and 4 wrap frames, adjustable handles, DVD and kite sleeve! Not my favorite colors, but it would certainly get some love. Pick me!

For a moment I thought your lines were attached to the giant panda. You should figure out how to do that next. It would make a strange but exciting quad.

Thanks, that helps. The circuit only locks the transmit open through happenstance when music isn't playing. The VOX switch should turn it off when nothing is coming through. The fact that it remains transmitting means there is electrical noise from the loop, which changes the DC bias. It is supposed to keep the powered side and the non-powered side from having issues, but it ends up adding electrical noise that confuses the VOX chip. You could leave that wire out entirely, keep the electrical loop with the resistors and capacitors. They can be as small as you're able to manipulate, probably just a few centemeters then wrapped in tape if you'd like, giving a small adapter about the size of your fingertip, that plugs directly inline. Here's the parts, more or less: A plug and a (sketched-in) socket, two resistors, and a capacitor. No wires are needed. You could trim them down and create a tiny little bundle, wrapped in shrink-wrap plastic or even wrapped in electrical tape. You could also create a two-socket version and use it for your audio input line. There is no need for the wires. That would be exactly like the original, except without the wires: This works because there is a dedicated mic jack for that model, and that model detects the electrical noise as enough talking to trigger VOX. If you use a different radio that has a single jack for microphone and speakers then you'll need to split that out first. Also, a different radio might not trigger the transmit from the electrical noise.

Three parts: ----- On Bluetooth concerns Battery life is long, Apple's headphones last about 5 hours on a charge, the transmitters and receivers mentioned above last about 10 hours, and the parts can be kept in a ziplock bag safe from the elements. All of them recharge quickly. You're right that they can be fiddly since each Bluetooth device is paired in a 1:1 setting instead of an open broadcast, and batteries need to be recharged when they're dead rather than swapped out. Range is very short compared to the handheld radios, and others on the field are also likely to have one you can borrow if something goes bad. ----- On why the circuit helps keep VOX transmitting. I'm not sure, but I think the handsets are forbidden from having a constant broadcast mode. They have a voice activated transmit (VOX) so they can keep you from continuously broadcasting. Wrapping an elastic band around the push-to-talk button wouldn't work because many handsets have a secondary timeout to prevent constant PTT broadcasting. I think that's why the audio input for your music is important in that solution. If you have your music playing in the input jack it will always keep VOX satisfied that you're talking. That specific model doesn't have a VOX timeout, so at transmits as long as your song keeps playing. If you don't have music playing then VOX will not detect speech and stop transmitting. It can take time for VOX to start transmitting, and receivers that have an auto-squelch mode can take time before they play the audio. You can increase the sensitivity of VOX so it might take less time to start transmitting. You can also turn off auto-squelch mode if you don't mind hearing static. Doing them both would make it better, but still wouldn't be perfect because VOX would still need that time to detect something. It might be able to pick up the music in the background, but there's no way to be sure without the audio splitter. ----- On a cheaper, wireless Y cable To guarantee that VOX stays active you need the Y splitter with music playing. The original circuit includes a small capacitor and resistors. They are present because the microphone requires power to operate, but your music line (phone or walkman) doesn't need that power. You can plug directly to other audio sources, but it may mess with the microphone's power levels. That can mean quieter microphone sensitivity and can shorten the microphone's life. Exact details will depend on the hardware being used. The 3.5mm splitters are cheap and tiny if you shop around, if you've got a Fry's nearby you can probably find some for cheaper. Otherwise, $3.09 at amazon. Assuming a 2.5mm mic jack you'll need adapters, probably one for your headset mic into the splitter, and one for the splitter into the handset's mic jack. That's $5.18 at amazon for the pair. They all plug directly in to each other, no soldering, no cables. You still need the cable from your headset and from your phone (or walkman) but you can shop around for those cable lengths. That's $8.27 and waiting for shipping. It also assumes you've got the radios, they're another $90. An all-bluetooth system costs about $150 if people already have their own hip-and-trendy iphone AirPods. The $50 cost difference is relatively minor when you consider there are $1500 worth of kites in the air, plus likely another $4000 for each pilot's quiver of different vented kites and other gear. I'm with you on saving money, I don't have enough to buy the things I like, but in the grand scheme of the sport headsets are relatively cheap.

The circuit looks like a custom Y splitter. I see a 2.5mm stereo male connection, a 2.5mm female, and a 3.5mm stereo male connection with optional volume adjustment. Looks like something I'd put together trying to not spend any money. I'm not sure if you're concerned about size and still want the Y splitter, or if you're looking only for a headset. If you're looking for size for the and you're comfortable with a soldering iron you could make that circuit as small as you want. I imagine you could attach the three directly with jumpers and wrap them in tape for a tiny 3-way adapter. For off-the-shelf parts, you could piece together a short 2.5mm M/F/F cable plus two small adapters to change the size and plug gender. Any of those could be replaced with a longer cable if you need. There are cables with inline volume control, if you want that too, or not. If you've got a A/V wholesale store nearby, they've probably got bulk bins of those parts for even less money, make a chain of adapters for cheap. Or, if you're asking about alternatives to broadcasting to the older style radios... If people have bluetooth headphones (which are becoming common thanks to Apple) you could use your a bluetooth headset or bluetooth microphone to send to an inexpensive bluetooth receiver which outputs to 3.5mm, then use this thing to broadcast four bluetooth signals. That's one broadcaster, four receivers, and a little wireless bundle you could keep in a waterproof bag.

I need a cheaper hobby. Anybody want to spot me a thousand bucks or so? The numbered ones are cool, but saving my pocket change to hopefully buy one as a Christmas present for myself. The warm ones are more my preference but all are beautiful. I'm looking forward to adding them to my bag eventually.

Thanks for those. Trying to keep the format: French Bridle / Turbo Bridle / Sync Bridle Alternate bridles different from the original Hadzicki bridle. Bridle configurations can have many variations, redistribute forces for a gentle response, others have slack segments allowing for some motion without affecting flight, some others are tight or rigid giving a fast response. Here is Paul LeMaster's description from a few years ago about the French bridle: attachment points are extensions built outside the frame, and the bridle is completely rigid with no play which gives a feeling of faster response from the kite. I'm not sure where dimensions are for them, or where they could be purchased. The turbo bridle (described here with measurements) appears to have two off-center mounts rather than a center mount point. John has written in teasers for the Djinn that the kite will use a modified bridle being called the Sync Bridle. Each bridle distributes forces across the kite differently. No Bridle Some flyers of Super Ultra Light (SUL) and most indoor models prefer to remove the weight of the bridle for easier flight. The four lines are attached directly to the wingtips or vertical spar mounts. Normally the bridle changes the kite's angle of attack, and it distributes forces from the lines. Without a bridle the lines pull directly on the frame making it feel more responsive to input. This can also be considered more twitchy, since input forces not redistributed. Trailing Edge Double Stitch Reinforcement The Rev typically comes with a single stitch along the hem of the trailing edge. As the kite is flown and the material moves, that single stitch can wear down from movement and stretch of the fabric. In the modification, a second row of stitching is placed through the hem. This reduces stress and friction from stretching as the hemmed edge is reinforced. In kites that had poor initial stitching or bad quality control, it can also help prevent unraveling of the fabric. Since I didn't mention it earlier, use polyester sewing thread. Knot Covers Kite frames are attached with bungee cord which runs through a hole, through a washer, and is then secured with a knot. During certain tricks it is possible for kite lines to snag on the knots or the washers, which means losing control of the kite until the snag is released (usually after crashing to the ground). A slip of fabric is sewn over the knots, usually leaving one side open as a pocket so the bungee can be adjusted. This can be combined with Reinforced Bungee/Shock Cord Mounts mentioned above, where the reinforcements also form a pocket that protects the bungee tips. Alternate Spars Revolution has several spar weights and thicknesses over the years. For many years the popular Rev 1.5 included several weights and strengths commonly called the 2-wrap, 3-wrap, 4-wrap, and race frames, each of these was a 1/4" diameter spar. The Revolution Reflex uses a 5/16" spar. The Revolution SLE (Super Leading Edge) is a larger 7/16" spar. Other companies produce and sell spars of various strengths, weights, and diameters. It isn't much of a modification to swap out a 3-wrap spar for a 4-wrap spar since both sets may have come with the kite; it is more of a modification to swap out for a different brand or a different size. Spars that are lighter can help flight in light wind but are more fragile and tend to be more flexible and springy, causing different flight characteristics. Spars that are heavier can slow the kite, are more sturdy, and tend to be both flexible with a harsher refractory spring. Alternate Spar Endcaps, Snagless Endcaps When kite spars are swapped out the endcaps that hold the spars in place need to fit the replacement. This could mean untying the bungee, replacing the endcap, and retying the bungee. Some kite stores sell endcaps designed for multiple rods that slip around the outside of the 1/4" diameter rods also slip inside the 7/16" spar. Some endcaps are designed with a curvature or a casing to reduce the risk of lines snagging on the endcaps during tricks. @riffclown - I'm not familiar with the punched Dacron modification you mentioned, although I've seen several kites with extreme amounts of venting, including a few with practically no sail fabric at all. Care to elaborate on that? My hope is to have enough information that a creative individual could either implement it themselves (like the description of the tabs and stretch strips) or find the parts in kite stores or hardware stores.

He posted that he's stopping that soon, which is part of what prompted the list.

I haven't found any lists of common changes people make but I think it could be a useful list to create. So here goes. Leading Edge Tabs The leading edge mesh eventually wears out and tears through. Instead of leaving the kite in two pieces, a series of short tabs are sewn in place along the leading edge. The modification adds typically 7 or 9 small strips of mesh or webbing sewn across the mesh to connect both sides. This can be done to support the mesh and help extend its life, or as a repair after the mesh fails. The tab material should be a non-stretch material such as 1/2 inch nylon webbing used in backpacks. Typically one is sewn into the center, a pair is sewn near the fold points (see the next modification) others spread across the mesh. Fold Point Leading Edge Tabs The leading edge mesh at the two points where the kite is typically folded wears out quicker than other sections of mesh. While they can be the same as the other leading edge tabs, these are typically wider because the kite does not typically fold at precisely the same point each time. They may use 1-inch nylon webbing, 2-inch nylon webbing, or patches of Kevlar fabric. Wear / Stretch Strips The kite sail stretches as the fabric bears the forces of the wind. The biggest stretch tends to be along the lines of the vertical spars. The modification adds a strip of less-stretching material along the sail down along that same path to reduce how quickly the fabric stretches. The most common material seems to be 1-inch insignia tape (a 3.9 ounce Dacron tape) sewn in place directly along the path of the vertical spars, but other sail repair tapes, lightweight webbing, or materials could be used. The Revolution Reflex uses a heavy tape for this reinforcement. Reinforced Bungee/Shock Cord Mounts Some kites have minimal extra fabric at the connection points where the kite sail is attached with elastic cord to the caps for the spars. The reinforcements depend on what is already on the kite. Adding a piece of Kevlar fabric with adhesive, with stitching, or with both, adds stiffness and makes the material more difficult to rip through. Adding larger washers to the bungee spreads the forces even more. Knot Covers The knots and washers on the trailing edge vertical attachment points can sometimes snag on the lines, especially when performing slackline tricks like an axel or catch/throw. Adding a strip of fabric that covers the knots but goes behind the spar (between the spar and the knots) will cover up the knots and washers, reducing the risk of snagging the lines at that point. Reinforced Leading Edge The leading edge of the kite rubs along the ground, and over time abrasion can tear, scuff, weaken and eventually wear through the leading edge material. Urban flying on concrete can quickly damage the leading edge material. This reinforcement adds additional layers of fabric along the leading edge. A strip of adhesive Dacron tape or Kevlar tape is stuck along the leading edge folding around it to provide extra layers of material. In a pinch other tape like masking tape or painters tape could be used. The tape can be removed and replaced as needed. Glued Sail Repairs When there is a tear on the sail that has clean edges it might be repairable with glue instead of a ripstop patch. After cleaning the surface with rubbing alcohol, align the tear so the edges are touching and secure it with adhesive tape. Be as precise as possible to align the torn edges. Flip the kite over, find the tear, and smooth out the material. You can use Superglue (cyanoacrylate glue degrades in water and is stiff) or a waterproof glue like Seam Grip (urethane glue is waterproof and more flexible). Apply a bead of glue along the tear. After the glue is dried remove the tape from the opposite side, smooth the fabric out, and apply a bead of glue across the opposite side. Magic Sticks A pair of standoffs for the rev kite. I think these were created and are sold by Eliot Shook, who runs a kite shop and sells these as a kit. 12-inch or 16-inch standoff spars are attached to the vertical spars, with short lines that attach to various mount points on the kite. The standoffs allow the kite to stay upright and stationary when landed without using a ground stake, and make the kite frame more stiff and less prone to bowtie effects. LED Lights Small LED lights can be beautiful when flying at dusk. I've seen small "finger lights" that can be ordered in large packs online, which have a small elastic and power switch on them. The finger lights can be slid over bungees or spars to put light along the kite. If the kite uses Magic Sticks the lights can be pointed directly at the sail to provide a bright backlight. LED light strips are heavier, but provide an interesting option. Some searching on eBay can find strips of color-changing lights with wireless remote controls and a USB power source (e.g. phone charger battery packs) which can be secured with adhesive tape. They add weight to the kite but add quite a visual flair. Tails and Streamers Easily attached and removed, they add some flair while flying. Any ribbon-like material could be added. In my own bags I've got bright spools of flagging tape (from the hardware store) that can be any length I choose. Unlike tails for single line kites, these can be unbalanced and attached at any existing mount points at any desired length. Several performers use them occasionally. Scott Weider has a custom black indoor rev with a silver strand design flowing through the length of the sail, ending at the wingtip where he attaches a long silver streamer. I've seen some amazing pair performances where two revs were tied together by a long ribbon. You can use tails and streamers to help tell a story with your music or as a decoration to the flight. Any other modifications and adjustments for your quad-line kites?

Kevlar line is anti-social. Don't use it near any other kites, nor for multi-line kites. It is generally either officially banned or unofficially banned from group events. In hunting that down, a quick web search goes back to at least 1985 when the American Kite Association president asked the question generally: "Do we need to restrict use of Kevlar linein AKA Sanctioned events, or require that the use of Kevlar line, flying of giant kites and flying of long trains be confined to prescribed areas with a specified number of safety markers and designated safety sentinels ( experienced kite-fliers who are not flying kites)?" Unless you've got good reason to keep it around, consider replacing it.

That's the big one. I don't think "load the sail". I think "add some oomph", or "bonus wind". Effectively it's all the same thing. A quick tug on your arms can move at 25 mph pretty easily, but only for a moment. A quick step backward can add 3-5 mph easily, perhaps up to 10 mph if you're vigorous in shifting your body back. The extra motion is brief, but can be substantial. Whatever you call it, your kite gets a gust of wind. Sounds like most things it wears off eventually. That reminds me of young children who run around the playground wildly without purpose or teens learning to drive who cruise the neighborhood just because they can. If you need help with a purpose, you might find a list of maneuvers to learn and focus on those top three. Sometimes you'll want to review your entire list, sometimes you'll want to focus on improving a specific skill. I think of these like forming the individual letters of kites. When those don't work, spending time building collections of maneuvers that pair well together. This strings the letters into words. Then you can turn words into bigger phrases of maneuvers. With that in place, you'll crank the radio and string together kite-words into a beautiful larger expression.

It hit 109'F in my area this week, wind has been light and variable, and it's been four weeks since I could fly outdoors. Summer is the season for indoor kites.

I think that's called gaining experience. Remember: Learning is fun. Before you gained the experience you only had stories and anecdotes. You seem to have known better so you likely read something about it, or at least assumed the lines could break. Now you have personal knowledge of why people say to use stronger line when gusts are possible. And of course now your story serves to guide others. Some of them will also ignore it, gain experience, and repeat the process.

The little cheater knot at the end of the loop looks like this: It gives a tiny little piece that is easier to grab when untying the lark's head knot. As for having the kite flip, as they wrote it comes with practice. 5-10 hours of practice should give basic control, many people can get it with a full day at the beach. Another 30-50 hours should give you enough control that you can put the kite wherever you'd like, and another 50 hours of practice should get all the fundamentals in place. Some skills take longer than others. For me, I kept having troubles with inverted flying. The kite would flip just as you described, or lose all power. After showing people and recording videos of it, people said I was doing everything basically right and just needed more practice. It took me about twelve hours of practice (spread across multiple flying days) focusing on inverted flying and then I could fly inverted as much as wanted. Pick a skill, then actively practice it. There is no substitute for practice.

Spectra line is a synthetic that degrades slowly, but it does still degrade. With nearly three decades in storage it will have lost some strength. Without actually testing it you won't know how much it has lost, and testing will probably break it. UV light, temperature, humidity, and air circulation around it would all make a difference in how well it has survived. For 100# test normally that means tying one end down, attaching a force gauge (or even a basic spring scale), and pulling until it says 100 lbs. A 5 pound dumbbell will only test to 5 pounds. Since you can reasonably expect they're not in perfect shape, if you happen to have a spring gauge I'd gently pull them to about 75% capacity. If the 100# line can pull 75#, if the 200# line can still pull 150#, that's probably strong enough. If it can't, well, that means it broke during the test and you'll need to buy new line anyway. The line is only one material in the kite. Other materials will break down much faster, particularly elastics and bungees that include natural rubber or latex. They're far more likely to have deteriorated to uselessness over the years. If you have a kite shop nearby you'll probably be best looking them over together. If you don't have a kite shop that can help you look them over, or if you aren't too attached to the cost (it's been in storage for three decades) you could fly with them if you aren't too concerned. Lines break normally, you should always have a plan for if that happens in the field. Same with the sail, if you handle the material and it feels like it is in good working order, use it, and if the kite tears or breaks down you know that all equipment gets used up and degrades over time. Enjoy it while you've got it.

If you don't like them they are easily swapped. You can rotate the spring spars so they're not engaged. Then you'll use the slightly wider 5/16" spars without the spring. If you prefer the variety of 1/4" spars you'll need different caps (and the alternate spars) Some stores like A Wind Of Change will swap out the end caps and spars if you ask when you buy your kite. Or you can buy the hardware yourself and replace the six caps as fast as you can retie the six knots.

Isn't that what caused the 1960s?

Depends on the airports involved. I've always seen the 5-pound limit in text, but from the stories I've read about run-ins with officers the weight of the kite is never discussed. The rules as I understand them: If you fly within 5 miles of an airport, 150 feet maximum altitude. Or better yet, don't fly near airports. If > 5 miles from an airport, 500 feet maximum altitude. Never so near clouds or aircraft that a low-flying pilot couldn't react, at least 500 feet. In general it is the "don't be stupid" rule. Do you really want to be in the news for interfering with commercial flights because FAA folks couldn't figure out your intentions? Do you really want to make the news because an emergency helicopter came out of a cloud bank and crashed on your kite? If there is a chance a pilot might be distracted by your kite then don't fly there. I've skipped flying at parks that had great kite potential because they were too near a major highway for my comfort, and I wouldn't feel comfortable being responsible for a distracted driver's crash.

"Brakes" are the difference between the top and bottom lines, which adjusts the kite's pitch. The greatest difference you can get is the length of your handles, that's the difference between all the way forward and all the way back. That distance is limited by handle length. If you need more drive than you can get from pulling parallel to the lines, get longer handles to allow a bigger difference in pitch. The Rev typically ships with 13-inch handles, but many stores also sell 15-inch. Common sizes run from 11" to 17".