Do you see or Feel it?

[Wayne Dowler]

3. - You and the kite fly together!! Nirvana!!

Wayne, instead of nirvana, I think you mean Zen

Saving my pennies for one as we speak!! Until then, an SUL gets me by!!

[Reef Runner]

I think I am about a 2.1, on "Dowler's Scale of Kite Flight"............as long as the wind is cooking, that is!

Yep, come to think about it - I'm all into flying fast and keeping the kite out of the dirt !

[John Barresi]

So I would like to take a census. Weather and wind permitting how often do you guys fly? The reason I ask is after finding and watching everything I can get my hands on with regards to quad line kites I am under the impression that many of you guys with videos out there could quite literally fly with your eyes closed. Not that you would want to do this for too long as seeing the kite is part of the allure, or it is for me anyway, but things I really have to concentrate on such as bicycle turns just seem so easy when I watch all of the videos. Now I know the years of experience attribute to this and I know I will get better at it, but it is as if there is an auto pilot or rather not a deep thought process that takes place. Is this just deep muscle memory set in your body? and did you recognize a point when you began doing skills and think to yourself "hey I am just doing that now not processing each part of the skill."

I have made leaps and bounds with my learning,or at least I think so. I am having a fun time learning anyway. I seem to have hit a plateau sort of stuck as of late. Is this normal? I travel all over the country for my job and my kites go along with me. I don't really have anyone to fly with so I have begun to rely on you guys to sound off of, also inspiration and a wealth of knowledge. Thank you Kitelife! you all are great!

I try and fly at least 3 or 4 times a week for an hour or so.

Ya, at this point, almost everything is automatic for me... There is a slight consciousness about the *detail* or *timing* of maneuvers, but not the mechanics.

[pwiii]

Ya, at this point, almost everything is automatic for me... There is a slight consciousness about the *detail* or *timing* of maneuvers, but not the mechanics.

See that's what I thought. I will keep practicing and I am sure it will start to click.

[rexracer]

I fly as often as I can. My biggest problem is lousy winds. Even when the wind is up, it's bumpy and from many directions. When it is up, I try to fly as long as possible so that I can practice instead of just trying to keep the kite flying. I've had 1 day this year that I could fly my vented Rev, and I went to the 3 spots I usually fly at and flew a total of about 6 hours. That was a good day! I actually left the spot that has the best wind (hilltop, trees back a ways when the wind's right) because the wind was a bit high for the vented and I could have used an extra! Even after a year, I still over control too much.

I know what you mean about a plateau. I feel the same way lately, but I have picked up a new trick. Catch and toss. Looks cool, but it can be rough on the leading edge vent.

[Pen]

I fly weekly indoors (2-3 hours every Wednesday) with a group (Time On The Line)... we all fly single line Walas and iFlites and other glider type of kites. I try to get to the outdoor kites as often as I can but this spring we've had a ton of rain and now the thunderstorms are kicking up a fuss. Today I got out and flew my dual lines at the soccer fields and then moved across town to a hayfield which has just been "shorn" to fly my rev for another hour and a half. I fly outdoors alone... nobody around town to fly outside with yet... but a few other indoor fliers have just purchased rev's and so will be out there with me soon.

[West Australian]

That sounds Awesome Pen,

A weekly Indoor group is pretty Sweet.

Does anyone fly a Canard Style Glider eg Zero-G, Plutz?

I hope you get some outdoor company soon.

120' Lines Rev flying with friends is awesome.

[Pen]

Nobody in our group has a ZeroG or Plutz... but we do have a few eMong gliders (Flying Wings kites) and the Laima bird single line indoor kites (again a Flying Wings kite). We're pretty lucky to have the support of our community centre.. we can fly for $3/person each week. We want to keep our spot and be visible so we fly all year round at the centre. In the winter we use the new gymnasium, and in the summer we use the arenas when they take the ice out. I'm going to post a few pictures in our FB group Time On The Line.

I really like flying the 120' lines better than the 90'... I did get to fly with a friend down in South Padre Island, Texas. He taught me how to do the lazy S together. I loved the feeling as the lines crossed over.