Back Flip Question

[John Wells]

I've been practicing back flips and a few lazy susans the last couple of days and have a question. Nearly every time that I stall the kite, and as it is laying over on its back, the right wingtip (left side as I'm looking at it) drops lower than the left one. I can seem to correct it by giving a slight pull on the left line. Could the kite have a heavy wingtip? If so, what do you recommend for that?

The kite is a Prism Hypnotist.

Thanks,

JW

[RobB]

Hey JW,

My Hypnotist is hyper sensitive when its flipped on its back, maybe your right line is just a tiny bit shorter than the left. I guess you could prove that by flying backwards one day, left is right, right is left with the lines. Maybe it will tend to go to the left each time, and that would prove it to be the lines. Maybe it is heavier on the right side, I would think you could balance it or hang it from the spine to determine that. The Hypnotist seems to wobble around on its back more than other kites I have, like its not happy about being flipped over.

Hey, I have a question for you about your Hypnotist... my sail has become very noisy (buzzy) lately, and I can't seem to get it any tighter. How loud is yours ? I don't remember if this kite has always been loud, or if I just flew it too much. It still flies OK, but I wonder if it could be flying better.

Take care...

~Rob.

[John Wells]

Hey JW,

My Hypnotist is hyper sensitive when its flipped on its back, maybe your right line is just a tiny bit shorter than the left. I guess you could prove that by flying backwards one day, left is right, right is left with the lines. Maybe it will tend to go to the left each time, and that would prove it to be the lines. Maybe it is heavier on the right side, I would think you could balance it or hang it from the spine to determine that. The Hypnotist seems to wobble around on its back more than other kites I have, like its not happy about being flipped over.

Hey, I have a question for you about your Hypnotist... my sail has become very noisy (buzzy) lately, and I can't seem to get it any tighter. How loud is yours ? I don't remember if this kite has always been loud, or if I just flew it too much. It still flies OK, but I wonder if it could be flying better.

Take care...

~Rob.

I'm pretty new to this, so I can't give you an answer from much experience, but the hypnotist is noisy compared to a "new jam" kite that I have. Thanks for the info on the back flip characteristics. I suppose that it might make me better at doing it on a different kite.

On another issue, I adjusted the nose of the hypnotist forward the other day and the kite started sorta jumping or bobbing. I don't know exactly what happened, so I moved the adjustment back to the old spot. I thought one could adjust it for low wind, but not sure about this kite.

JW

[RobB]

I've adjusted the nose forward, and it has a diminishing returns effect. To far forward, and it doesn't fly at all. There are two knots on the bridle that seem to be guides. I fly with my bridle adjusted between 1/3-2/3 in light conditions, and 1/2-1/2 in normal to heavy wind. At the 50-50 spot, the kite seems to stall better.

I have a New Jam as well, I like my Hypnotist better, though. Much more durable when you're learning how to do stuff...

~Rob.