Popular Post Jay Farlow Posted September 23, 2013 Popular Post Report Share Posted September 23, 2013 After officially joining the dark side with the gift certificate I won here last winter, I had my first chance last weekend to fly in formation with a group of other (much more experienced) Rev. fliers. What a blast! I was kite number 10 of a 10-kite flight at the third-annual Illinois Kite Enthusiasts' weekend retreat. We did some follow-the-leader and a couple of static formations. I had more trouble than anyone else staying in position, but part of the time I did OK. The other fliers were very gracious and encouraging and I got a great deal out of the experience, which is why I'm writing. If you're a novice (like me) or future Rev. flier, take heed: If a group of experienced fliers invites you to fly with them, do not hesitate! Don't worry about whether you're good enough. They've been watching you fly and know what they're getting themselves into. Do realize that group flying can help improve your precision more than solo flying. This is especially true with speed control. Flying solo, it's really hard to know how well you're really controlling your speed. In a group, you know exactly how good your speed control is! And these training benefits, I suspect, are big part of what prompted the experienced fliers to invite the novice in. They knew what it would do for my flying, because they've been there. If you haven't had a chance to fly with a group yet, I recommend that during your solo flying, you work on holding hovers more than just zipping around the sky. Then, fly horizontal figures 8, slowly, without allowing your kite to speed up on the descents or slow down on the climbs. This is particularly difficult to judge when flying alone, but work on it anyway. Then, find some experienced people to fly with. I'm lucky that the IKE retreat happens only a couple of hours from home, but there are plenty of other kite clubs around the country who have fun flies, so find one. Believe me, you'll get a lot out of it! 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted September 23, 2013 Report Share Posted September 23, 2013 Hey, Jay! It was fun flying with you on Saturday. I'm the solid black, three kites ahead of you. Glad you could make it. Everyone is always welcome to join in and help is always available. We always tell people how much nerve-racking fun it is, but you won't know until you try. It is great practice for being able to hold your spot in the sky as you witnessed during all the "oops" times while we were flying. I believe we also made a few converts to the game as I gave away at least half of a dozen IKE business cards to people who were interested. Perhaps some of them will join us next year. The more, the merrier. Looking forward to flying with you in the future. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted September 23, 2013 Report Share Posted September 23, 2013 Next step is to put yourself in the middle of that line - HAHA!! No escape route!!! Once you get over the beginning "jitters", read panic, start breathing, learn what the calls mean, then you really start to enjoy it!! I flew with those guys at WSIKF this year, lotsa fun, and plenty patient too! Never have I heard anyone thrown off a line due to inexperience, we've all learned from the ground up and are willing to help everyone!! ENJOY!! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Farlow Posted September 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 Hey, Jay! It was fun flying with you on Saturday. I'm the solid black, three kites ahead of you. ... I believe we also made a few converts to the game as I gave away at least half of a dozen IKE business cards to people who were interested. Perhaps some of them will join us next year.The more, the merrier. Looking forward to flying with you in the future. Thanks Mark. I didn't know IKE cards exist! Yeah, there seemed to be a lot of bystanders who were pleased by all the kites IKE put up Saturday. I heard a member say that someone had seen us at the beach last year and made a point to return to see us again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Farlow Posted September 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 Once you get over the beginning "jitters", read panic, start breathing, learn what the calls mean, then you really start to enjoy it!! Surprisingly, I wasn't all that nervous. I'm not that confident in my skills. I think was was just so focused on trying to keep the kite in the right place that my brain didn't have time to think about being nervous! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Farlow Posted September 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 Just came across another picture of an IKE retreat group fly. That's me, the tall guy at the left end of the line. The kite I'm flying (borrowed, because it was a vented kite day and I don't have a vented kite) is almost in position in this shot, in the lower left corner of the pyramid. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 Maybe next year... I passed on the opportunity to fly with the group at Wildwood this year, and just watched. Watching others fly is a treat for me because I fly solo 99.5% of the time. It's good to see the people fly who know what they're doing ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Farlow Posted September 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 Maybe next year... I passed on the opportunity to fly with the group at Wildwood this year, and just watched. Watching others fly is a treat for me because I fly solo 99.5% of the time. It's good to see the people fly who know what they're doing ! True, but it's also good to work toward being one of those people! My premise is that doing so requires more than solo flying. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 To fly team - you've got to .....fly team!!!! Ain't gonna learn anything sitting on the sidelines, watching!! Roll up the sleeves and get in there!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Farlow Posted September 24, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 To fly team - you've got to .....fly team!!!! Ain't gonna learn anything sitting on the sidelines, watching!! Roll up the sleeves and get in there!! My point, exactly. You just said it in a lot fewer words! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 Point is - we all learned the same way - from the start!! Didn't know anything, just got in there and banged around!! Sooner or later it all comes to you and you enjoy it! "Nothing to fear but fear itself!" 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jynx Posted September 25, 2013 Report Share Posted September 25, 2013 Jay ~ You did great! ...You kept your cool, didn't give-up, and held your own! ...It was a Pleasure flying with you! ...and you're the most awesome announcer (kite)voice around! ...Soon we'll have to sit back and do the announcing...while YOU perform! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swannie Posted September 28, 2013 Report Share Posted September 28, 2013 Agreed - I was the 4th kite in the line (sometimes 3rd) and it was great fun. I've only been flying a year or so, and this was my first time ever flying with others. The IKE/180Go! folks are a great group of people and I learned a lot from them. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makatakam Posted September 28, 2013 Report Share Posted September 28, 2013 Yup! More fun than a barrel of monkeys with a water hose! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkrinor Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 To fly team - you've got to .....fly team!!!! Ain't gonna learn anything sitting on the sidelines, watching!! Roll up the sleeves and get in there!! How do you get in there?.......I know.. seems like a silly question. I had kite in hand in hand Sat night at LC 2013, you guys were flying at dusk Sat... it looked fun. I hit the beach with the intent of flying, but did not. Does one interrupt to ask permission,..just launch and walk into your space? I really did not know how to "get in there". I did not want to interrupt practice, interrupt friends getting together etc. A novice asking demo flyers to join them, seems pretty daunting. I ended up not flying that evening, but appreciative of watching folks with skills beyond mine. BTW: what 's your dog's name? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfish Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 Last year, when I was wanting to get into team flying, I looked for an opportunity to chat with JB about it at the Berkeley Kite Festival when he appeared to be not busy. It was toward the end of the festival and he was shortly on deck for some demos, but he invited me to fly with him and some others after the end of scheduled activities. I must say it was an awesome experience flying team for the first time with JB. Plus, I learned a ton in that probably less than an hour. Express your interest to others when not flying. You'll get an invitation soon. Having flown with others for more than a year now, it seems that people who fly team love flying team and getting more people to fly team with them. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 I remember it well Joanna, and still regret not inviting you into the mega team, especially since I saw how much control you had already! She's got it right on, just sidle up and ask you way in... It's not as hard as it looks, and the whole sub-culture is very friendly and forgiving. FYI - dragonfish has qualified for a spot at the AKA Grand Nationals in Experienced Multiline in Seaside next week! I'm really looking forward to the event, got 5 comp categories of my own to fly in. 'Tis alright, I'm counting on Watty to kick the snot out of me in most of them anyway. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Barresi Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 To fly team - you've got to .....fly team!!!! Ain't gonna learn anything sitting on the sidelines, watching!! Roll up the sleeves and get in there!! How do you get in there?.......I know.. seems like a silly question. I had kite in hand in hand Sat night at LC 2013, you guys were flying at dusk Sat... it looked fun. I hit the beach with the intent of flying, but did not. Does one interrupt to ask permission,..just launch and walk into your space? I really did not know how to "get in there". I did not want to interrupt practice, interrupt friends getting together etc. A novice asking demo flyers to join them, seems pretty daunting. I ended up not flying that evening, but appreciative of watching folks with skills beyond mine. BTW: what 's your dog's name? Best way honestly, is to stake off nearby, then stand right and slightly back of the leader, and watch. Soak it in... Get the smell of fun in your nose... Then grin at someone during a break and explain the situation, you're keen to try and are open to instruction. More times than not, you'll get a shot, or an opportunity later if they're focused on something in particular. Some inside tips: It's easier to join 3-packs (to make 4), because it's harder to fly team with odd numbers. It's easier to fly in groups of 5 or less, as 6+ starts to fill the sky up a lot more, also multiplying the angles and errors. Make sure you have enough break (extension/length) in your top lines, to keep the kite from over accelerating (often noticeable by a loud kite) . It's much easier to fly team on vented kites - less terminal speed, more forgiving controls, sufficient wind. If you tangle up with anyone, RELAX and work to hover... Focus on your kite... Land side by side if needed, sort it out at the handle end, have a laugh and relaunch. Give love, you get love. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mystainedskin Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 I missed my first opportunity...but it is what it is. I did have no problem at my first festival meeting and joining a few people, we just didn't get into any formations or anything. This year will be a different story I just walked up and starting talking to the first Revs we saw.... Just so happened to be Terry Rankin and asked If I could throw kite out with them. Did 2 afternoons of that....but looking for more and can't wait. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Farlow Posted October 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 One cool benefit of being a member of a club like IKE is that you get to know the people and the people get to know you and your interests. In my particular case, I'd indicated in the club's Web forum an interest in someday flying in a group. When the time came, I wasn't even flying .... I was busy putting away a single-line kite when I heard "Jay, get in here!" I hadn't even strung my brand-new (just bought that day from a member) 120-foot lines yet.If you haven't spent much time yet socializing with hard-core kite people, you might not have experienced what I've found to be universal hospitality. I wrote an essay about it shortly after my lovely wife and I got into the hobby (JB, I'll try to remember to submit it for editorial consideration). Recent examples: I showed up at the 2012 IKE retreat with dual-line kites, which I did fly a bit, before Mike Kory put a pair of handles in my hands, gave me a short lesson and sent me off to practice with his kite for the rest of the day. This year, I showed up with the Kite Connection custom rainbow 1.5 I bought with the gift certificate I won in a KiteLife subscriber drawing but the wind was too strong. So guess what? Mike had me flying one of his vented kites all day. I've begun to think, BTW, that Mike has an ulterior motive ... he probably wants to eventually break some kind of single-club mega-fly record, so he's pulling as many fliers to the dark side as he can!Bottom line: If there's a club or informal group of any kind near you, join it and participate in club activities. If there's not, introduce yourself to any new fliers you find. In my experience, once other kite fliers see you as a potential recruit to their worlds, they'll suck you in before you realize what's happening! It's easier to fly in groups of 5 or less, as 6+ starts to fill the sky up a lot more, also multiplying the angles and errors. Agreed. My first experience was as #10 in a 10-kite group. That meant I was often off the the edge of my wind window, where flying is a bit more challenging. It also meant I was always at the bottom of the pre-burst ball, where I had to hover right-side-up instead of the usual inverted, because I haven't mastered the inverted hover yet. It's much easier to fly team on vented kites - less terminal speed, more forgiving controls, sufficient wind. Agreed again. I was so thankful for the loan of a vented as mentioned above. Another advantage: wind gusts don't seem to affect the kite as quickly, making a stable hover easier to fly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 To fly team - you've got to .....fly team!!!! Ain't gonna learn anything sitting on the sidelines, watching!! Roll up the sleeves and get in there!! How do you get in there?.......I know.. seems like a silly question. I had kite in hand in hand Sat night at LC 2013, you guys were flying at dusk Sat... it looked fun. I hit the beach with the intent of flying, but did not. Does one interrupt to ask permission,..just launch and walk into your space? I really did not know how to "get in there". I did not want to interrupt practice, interrupt friends getting together etc. A novice asking demo flyers to join them, seems pretty daunting. I ended up not flying that evening, but appreciative of watching folks with skills beyond mine. BTW: what 's your dog's name? Her name is Mindy!! JB has it all covered, ask in a break in the action! At WSIKF this year JB asked me to keep working with those newer to group flying - felt honored to do so!! I really don't have a lot of time in as a team flier, so it can be a quick transition from flying solo to team! Ya just got to start!!! I'm proof of that!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonfish Posted October 3, 2013 Report Share Posted October 3, 2013 I remember it well Joanna, and still regret not inviting you into the mega team, especially since I saw how much control you had already! Don't worry about it John. I'm grateful that I even got to fly with you that day. While I was excited for the mega team, I didn't really want to jump headfirst into the deep end (mega team) on the main field at a festival in front of a huge audience before I had some experience in a less stressful setting. Plus, when the next festival came around (Morro Bay earlier this year), I was ready for the megafly of 14 Revs! Exciting. FYI - dragonfish has qualified for a spot at the AKA Grand Nationals in Experienced Multiline in Seaside next week!I'm really looking forward to the event, got 5 comp categories of my own to fly in. 'Tis alright, I'm counting on Watty to kick the snot out of me in most of them anyway. lol Thanks for the mention. I'm really looking forward to Nationals too. And I'm competing in Open Multiline Pairs too. Couldn't get enough of flying with others, even if it's just one other, once it started. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tkrinor Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 When flying with a dozen folks or so, how does one determine their position on/in a circle/or whatever the proper term may be? Is there a link or list of the most common commands or/whatever the leader calls during a mega fly? I saw JB's vid on skills required....but how does one know where to go and when? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Dowler Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 Pretty much depends on your skill level - I'd suggest a middle of the group placing! That puts you up on top in a ball! I don't know of a link for commands, I learned by just joining in and learning on the fly! Had some very patient teachers that explained things well and I picked it up pretty fast! Like Reef Runner says - "It's not rocket science!!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Farlow Posted October 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 Is there a link or list of the most common commands or/whatever the leader calls during a mega fly? http://www.revkites.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Revolution-Mega-Fly-Figures-v1d.pdf 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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