Captainbob Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 I have been flying my new Niknak dualie alot lately due to the low and erratic winds we have been having in Atlanta, which don't favor the Revs I have. I fly in two places, a public park next to my home with a path that goes right by the field where I fly, and a College that has a gigantic flying field, next to the admin building, where people are always walking or jogging by. When I started flying the Revs, I was kind of surprised that almost everyone that passed showed no interest or curiosity about the Rev, and the way it flew. Hovering, spins, forward and reverse flight, figure 8's, and they would walk by with nary a glance. Since I have started flying the Niknak, I have had a least 10 people walk over to me, while flying it, and ask me about it. A couple of people today, just stopped in the path and stood there for about 5 minutes watching me fly around. They ask questions, like "Where did I buy it, how long does it take to learn, etc". I wonder why they seem to pay more attention to the Delta Type kite, and ignore the Rev, which is so different from any kite they have probably ever seen? I would have thought that the Rev would have garnered all the attention. Wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted April 14, 2014 Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Most people that take notice of my kites, dual or quad have the impression that they're powered by a motor. 'Well then, what's that noise ?'... must be a motor... You know, sail buzz... If you fly your quad with tails, people notice & approach. No tails, no interest. I've found the less lines, the more interest. The Single Line kites draw the most bystander interest & comments. I think flying dual & quads requires pretty intense concentration, and people can recognize that, and hesitate to approach to interrupt. And don't forget, to most people now, the most interesting thing in the world is their 'smartphone'. They rarely take the time to look up... Case & Point : a recent video I made @ 5:27 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainbob Posted April 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2014 Make some good points. I am surprised that they would be interested in SLKs. That kite your flying looks great, love the color. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reef Runner Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 Yep, sometimes I'll put up a big sled, or foil, with a 30 - 40 ft tail, and stake it out on the beach, about 75 - 100 ft up. When I do that, I'll have tons of people stopping by to watch, because with the steady wind off the ocean, they just sit there, pinned to the sky, yet close enough to almost touch. A hundred feet really isn't all that high, especially for something that big, so people really get a chance to take a look, up close and personal, and they really seem interested. Then I'll take out a Rev B2, on 100 ft lines, and fly all around and between the big kites, running up and bumping them now and then, and that really gets them......... 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 I think if a kite just stays in one place, people are less intimidated by it, but if it's zooming around, making noise, they tend to shy away. Plus, when you're flying an SLK, you are just hanging out, and look more approachable than someone furiously tugging on the lines. I've always thought about this, and am interested on other's take on the matter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reef Runner Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 I think if a kite just stays in one place, people are less intimidated by it, but if it's zooming around, making noise, they tend to shy away. Plus, when you're flying an SLK, you are just hanging out, and look more approachable than someone furiously tugging on the lines. I've always thought about this, and am interested on other's take on the matter. I agree Rob. Sometimes, as people approach from down the beach, I will see them ducking and going out of their way, as they hurry by. This usually occurs, if I'm buzzing a Rev (B2), down near the surf line. Of course, most people have been eying the kite, as they make their approach, and I'm sure it appears somewhat erratic, especially to those that are unfamiliar. Most of the time, I think those people just don't realize, that I am actually controlling the flight of the kite. Now, I've begun, just before people approach, to do a very gentle, inverted landing, right beside their intended path, just so that they can see the kite up close, and see that I have landed it intentionally. Then I'll just stand still, holding the upper lines on my index finger, and allow them to pass by, prior to re-launching. This seems to put some of the ancy one's, at a bit more ease. I find then, that lot's of those same people, on the turn around trip back down the beach, may just walk up behind me, and begin to ask a questions, usually something like "how do you make it do that", or "how long did it take you to learn to fly that". My favorite is, "I didn't realize that you could turn it where you wanted it to go"............ It's just strange the different reactions you get from different people............ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainbob Posted April 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 I had one person ask me what kind of motor did my Rev have. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHBKF Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 Very interesting topic to read. I fly solo out in the sticks (SHBKF) where there are very few spectators. People at work the next day will say they heard someone was flying a kite & figured it must have been me. Had a few people park their cars to watch but only one ever spoke with me, "Can you keep it in the air so I can get a picture?" she said. I was trying to do some slack line trick practice. Looked like crashing to her & she was correct no doubt. My dad once said wasn't the point to get the kite up high? But the little kids get it, you can tell by the smiles. Keep em in the air, Solo Hill Billie Kite Flailer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chonkyfire9 Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 Wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience? I know I certainly have seen exactly what you are talking about. I don't fly a Rev but several other people in our club do. I have a dozen different dualies and the people are always way more fascinated by my kites then they are by the Revs. I saw a video of a guy flying with two hundred foot tails on a dualie, and I immediately wanted a similar set up. I started flying dualies til I was confident enough to spend some real money on one, then I got two hundred foot tails to go on mine. Our kite field is right by an interstate that runs through the middle of our city, and you can see my tail from the highway. On any Saturday or Sunday, I have between 20 to 50 cars that will get off the highway to come over and watch. Lot's of people come out to tell me how beautiful my kite is and I encourage them to get a kite themself. It's really rewarding and to me the compliments and interest it gains for kiting is well worth the initial investment I made. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkieRob Posted April 15, 2014 Report Share Posted April 15, 2014 When I put up my Rok, most people are surprised it doesn't need a tail! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Farlow Posted April 16, 2014 Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 One of our kite club members tells the story of flying a duallie all over the wind window, only to have a neighbor comment to his wife that his kite seemed to be out of control that day. The point is, the unitiated assume that all kites behave like the SLKs of their childhood and the idea of actually controlling where one goes is foreign to them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainbob Posted April 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2014 Got my Widow NG today. So far I love it. Only got to fly it a few minutes due to Atlanta winds, which when you want to fly something, decided to either quit, gust to beyond the breaking point of anything your flying, or switch directions 180 degrees as your walking to pick up the straps or handles as the case may be. The Widow comes in a really nice and heavy case, which contains the kite with the LE folded up. Once you unfold and assemble the LE, the bottom of the case, held by velcro, unhooks and now the case is much longer and the kite slips right inside without having to disassemble the LE. This is probably normal for this kind of kite, but it was new to me. On the back of the case is a mesh compartment which holds the lines, which came with the Widow. They are 150#, and I am guessing 100 ft, cause the kite is a long way off compared to my Revs or Niknak. I looked at the stitching and basic construction of the kite, and it looked to be about the same quality as my Niknak. The harness was carefully done, and marked, on each knot, and looked like it had been gone over carefully in production. Next to the other Dualies I have, the 4D, and the Niknak, this kite looks like a 747. The upper and lower spreaders have rods that look like 3 wraps on a Rev, as far as their size. Everything fit right together, except it took alot of force to get those rods into the rubberized fittings the first time. I imagine they will loosen up some with use. By the time I got everything together, and unwound the lines, and hooked them up, of course the wind started disappearing altogether. I finally got the Widow to launch after standing around for 15 minutes waiting for some breeze, and I would guess the wind at launch was around 4-5 mph. I took the tail weight out prior to launch, because the wind was so low. It was really easy , just unhook this velcro piece on the tail, and remove weight. Usually when the wind is low , near the ground, if I can climb up about 30 feet, it picks up substantially . Not today, I would launch, and I could get it to creep higher by shallow s turning up and much pumping of the lines, but then it would eventually stall. Oh well, if you have lemons, make lemonade, so I practiced doing some side slides when it was on the verge of a stall , which I like doing. Finally I launched , and at the same time the wind picked up a bit higher , and I got to fly around a bit, some figure 8's and circles, and squares. . Maybe because it is bigger, or farther away than I am used to seeing with my other kites , but it seemed to move more slowly than the 4D or the Niknak. Turns were relaxed, and I could hold it in a straight line very easily. Finally the wind just quit altogether, so that was it for the day. Ah, I have to work the next two days....Yuck..... I think if I can get the wind up around 8 mph, this kite will be a blast to fly around. Here is the case with kite folded inside. Right before 1st launch Day 2: Got to fly it before work today. The wind was around 6 mph at ground, but probably about 16 at altitude. I take back what I said about it flying slow. The Widow was screaming across the wind window. A couple of times, it pulled me 5- 10 feet forward in a gust. That kite really moves. The lines were really whistling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainbob Posted April 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 I wonder how long it will take for me to learn to fly my Widow like this 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted April 19, 2014 Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 I wonder how long it will take for me to learn to fly my Widow like this My guess is 2-3 years with 5+ hours per week practice... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkieRob Posted April 19, 2014 Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 I wonder how long it will take for me to learn to fly my Widow like this My guess is 2-3 years with 5+ hours per week practice...I've got a fair way to go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainbob Posted April 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 I wonder how long it will take for me to learn to fly my Widow like this My guess is 2-3 years with 5+ hours per week practice... I am thinking 5 years at 5 hours per day, minimum...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainbob Posted April 22, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2014 Flew my Widow NG a total of 11 hours in the last three days. Wind has been great, and I am having a blast. Going to start working on snap stalls next. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkieRob Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 I can't quite get a snap stall but I can stall it the same way but using a 360 rotation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hadge Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 A good snap stall is the basis of good trick flying, if you haven't already seen it I suggest reading this is a must. http://prismkites.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1213810335 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparkieRob Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Always working on it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainbob Posted April 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 A good snap stall is the basis of good trick flying, if you haven't already seen it I suggest reading this is a must. http://prismkites.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1213810335 Mark Reed, on the DVD, makes it look so easy...... Since I am a musician, the grace note analogy makes it simple. can't wait to try it. BTW, found out that Mark Reed is the owner and designer of Prism Kites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay Farlow Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 A good snap stall is the basis of good trick flying, if you haven't already seen it I suggest reading this is a must. http://prismkites.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1213810335 Thanks for the excellent resource. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainbob Posted April 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 Well I got alot of "stall practice" today at the field, but not exactly what I had in mind. Launched the kite, flew for 10 seconds or so and all of a sudden the wind of about 7 mph instantly switched 180 degrees, and the lines dropped half way to the ground as the kite drifted towards me at a good clip, doing a lazy susan, round and round, and settled to the ground. Hmmm, I didn't even practice for that "trick" This happened multiple times, until I finally put the kite back in the bag and headed home for lunch. Can I count that as a "trick"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobB Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 If the kite didn't break, it's a trick. If you can do it again, it's also a trick ! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkyPuppets LimitVoodoo Posted April 23, 2014 Report Share Posted April 23, 2014 I wonder how long it will take for me to learn to fly my Widow like this My guess is 2-3 years with 5+ hours per week practice... I'm gonna add to that... you'll probably never learn to fly like that without someone assisting you LIVE. In person. I watched all the dualie trick DVDs back in the day. After a solid year I was still struggling big time. I finally learned where the local flyers go, and John Chilese taught me more in 30 minutes than watching 3 hours of combined DVD material over 100 times ever did. But he got to me too late; by then the Dark Side had consumed me 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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