Advice for a beginner to kiting and 2-line kites

[jasonmcmahon76]

3 hours ago, RobB said:

I returned to the roadside flying spot a number of times, and flew by myself, hoping to run into him again, even though it is literally against the law to fly there... 

 

Seriously?  No kite flying?

I just checked out the area on Google maps, I suppose it's not to be a distraction to traffic?

[RobB]

1 hour ago, jasonmcmahon76 said:

Seriously?  No kite flying?

I just checked out the area on Google maps, I suppose it's not to be a distraction to traffic?

I was flying there one day, and a couple of NYPD officers came over after watching me fly for a while. I thought they were interested in the kite (which they were a little bit) but they pointed out the 'No Kites' sign. I never noticed it before (yeah, right...).

I had actually noticed the Pro-Kite graffiti in the parking lot.

Yes, flying can be a distraction to cars, on another occasion at another spot... a single line kite came down on the highway and was quickly smashed by heavy traffic. Luckily, nobody swerved to avoid the kite and the only casualty was the kite. 

[jasonmcmahon76]

21 minutes ago, RobB said:

I was flying there one day, and a couple of NYPD officers came over after watching me fly for a while. I thought they were interested in the kite (which they were a little bit) but they pointed out the 'No Kites' sign. I never noticed it before (yeah, right...).

I had actually noticed the Pro-Kite graffiti in the parking lot.

Yes, flying can be a distraction to cars, on another occasion at another spot... a single line kite came down on the highway and was quickly smashed by heavy traffic. Luckily, nobody swerved to avoid the kite and the only casualty was the kite. 

Ah yes, I hadn't considered the kite flying near or over the road lanes.  Fair enough, I don't have a problem with that! 

A bit surprised that NYPD have time or even took time to worry about enforcing 'No kites' rules!

[SHBKF]

I was asked to leave a mall parking lot while beginning to set up a dangerous Prism 4D attached to five meter lines in a remote corner of a huge parking lot.  I had flown their many times before, sometimes with another dangerous kite, The Wala.  When the officer saw how small my kite was & realized how old I was, he said "Well, just return to your vehicle & put it away."  I was very apologetic & polite as I always try to remember I am a kite ambassador of sorts.   When you fly in parking lots you can't really use a kite stake.  Set your kite by leaning against a curb or light pole base then go to the handles.  The terrain is hard & abrasive but very smooth.  Someone is usually watching so fly your best.  SHBKF 

4D on short lines in a safer location

Wala flying from our office parking lot.

Sea Devil kite like Rob mentioned.  First kite with which I ever did a repeatable flare to fade.  A great one.

[jasonmcmahon76]

6 minutes ago, SHBKF said:

I was asked to leave a mall parking lot while beginning to set up a dangerous Prism 4D attached to five meter lines in a remote corner of a huge parking lot.  I had flown their many times before, sometimes with another dangerous kite, The Wala.  When the officer saw how small my kite was & realized how old I was, he said "Well, just return to your vehicle & put it away."  I was very apologetic & polite as I always try to remember I am a kite ambassador of sorts.

A good attitude to have!

Again, odd that they will tell you to move on, unless there was a specific complaint.  Unless it was mall security.  Those guys are usually dicks, no matter where you are!

[RobB]

Authority figures (?) typically have swelled heads regarding their positions. The two NYPD officers that I encountered were extremely pleasant, they had been watching me fly for a number of minutes before coming over. They talked with me a while before recommending that I pack it up.

But... I did have an encounter with a local park worker who was less than pleasant. Similar to Ralph's story, I was flying in a corner of a parking lot, far away from anyone else, he came driving over and demanded that I leave, like yesterday. He was seriously worried that I would somehow damage one of the parking lot lights that I was bending my lines around (quad line fun). I wasn't much of a good ambasador in this case, set off by his bad attitude. Luckily, there weren't any new signs at the park after this encounter...

 

[jasonmcmahon76]

As a former... authority figure... I wouldn't have bothered anyone flying a kite unless there was a specific complaint.  There was a specific offence in the Summary Offences Act, though...

 

Quote

 

SUMMARY OFFENCES ACT 1966 - SECT 4

Offences relating to the good order of towns etc.

Any person who—

        ...

        (d)     in a public place—

              (i)     flies a kite; or

              (ii)     plays at a game—

to the annoyance of any person;

shall be guilty of an offence.

 

 

[SparkieRob]

Oh dear! There's an act...

 

 

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[jasonmcmahon76]

I know.  We all found it amusing too.

[makatakam]

They just don't want lightning and skeleton keys raining down from the sky, because you know that's what happened when Ben Franklin flew his.

[Tim P.]

11 hours ago, jasonmcmahon76 said:

As a former... authority figure... I wouldn't have bothered anyone flying a kite unless there was a specific complaint.  There was a specific offence in the Summary Offences Act, though

SUMMARY OFFENCES ACT 1966 - SECT 4

Offences relating to the good order of towns etc.

Any person who—

        ...

        (d)     in a public place—

              (i)     flies a kite; or

              (ii)     plays at a game—

to the annoyance of any person;

shall be guilty of an offence.

 

to the annoyance of any person; ....

Heck, people annoy me all the time over all kinds of stuff, I've never felt the need of having to pass a law or an act to "protect" me. What a silly world and times we live in.

[jasonmcmahon76]

My spare parts have arrived and the Quantum is back in one flyable piece again!

Slight wrinkle being my 3 year old girl is currently in hospital with some severe asthma, so very likely I won't be able to do any flying for a few days.

Side note: Anyone here ever heard of a thing called 'Thunderstorm Asthma'?   There was a freak weather event here in Melbourne recently that caused around 8,500 people to seek hospital treatment for shortness of breath.  Nine people died.  It even affected healthy people with no previous history of asthma.  Scary stuff!  

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-25/thunderstorm-asthma-ninth-death-in-victoria/8212096

Anyway, the weather recently followed a similar pattern for Thunderstorm Asthma. (Windy/Hot conditions quickly followed by rains/thunderstorm), so we are thinking that may have been the cause.

Late breaking news, my girl has just come out of Intensive Care onto the regular ward.  Yay!

[makatakam]

I hope everything goes well. Tell her Mark says "Get well soon so you can help your dad fly a kite".

[jasonmcmahon76]

I hope everything goes well. Tell her Mark says "Get well so soon you can help your dad fly a kite".

Thank you Mark!

This is all just the latest episode in a saga longer than my kite tail!
I am very proud of my brave little fighter. The short, I just got woken at 3.30am version is that Ebony was born 14 weeks premature, at 26 weeks gestation. Ebony weighed just 549g, or something like 1.3lb, at birth. Six months in hospital before we could bring her home, and some long term issues with her lungs and eating that we are still helping her get through, three years later.

I got woken by mum in tears about some terrible things that are happening in the ward tonight with other babies that are upsetting her. So I'll be very glad to get them both home. Hopefully maybe even later today, if we are lucky!

Hopefully we will be back on topic of advice for kite noobs not long after that!

J.

[Tim P.]

As much as we all love to fly, family comes first. Take care of them, there will be plenty of time to fly later. Hopes and prayers for everyone to be home safe, healthy and happy very soon!

[jasonmcmahon76]

As much as we all love to fly, family comes first. Take care of them, there will be plenty of time to fly later. Hopes and prayers for everyone to be home safe, healthy and happy very soon!

Thank you! Yes, the lack of entries in my logbook does reflect that sentiment!
We will be home soon, maybe even today if we are really lucky.

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[cerfvoliste]

I am going to step off a cliff here. Major departure.
Forget the "Snap Stall," it is a waste of time if you're moving on to modern kites.
Let the flames begin.
@

No Matter Where You Go, There You Are.
 

[jasonmcmahon76]

I am going to step off a cliff here. Major departure.
Forget the "Snap Stall," it is a waste of time if you're moving on to modern kites.
Let the flames begin.
@

No Matter Where You Go, There You Are.
 

Oooh. Controversial!... Like I know what I'm talking about.

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[Exult]

4 hours ago, cerfvoliste said:

Forget the "Snap Stall," it is a waste of time if you're moving on to modern kites.
Let the flames begin.

 AArrgg!!! How could you?! Subversive statements like this threatens the world order! And B.t.w. I'll fight that statement for three generations for three generations (at minimum).  (removing the foam from my mouth between each word). 

No seriously, what is wrong with a snap stall? Flying (normally) with style until you suddenly bang (snap stall) stop - a move that you can do with higher or lower degree of control. Then you FA so the (modern?) back spins can start. I see a value in a well performed snap stall here (even though all my back spin attempts exits the fade or end up in a barrel rolls). OK, you can get to a fade also without a snap stall, but considering the tricks "snap stall"/"2-point landing"/"2-point landings accidentally going into a turtle" (and perhaps a snap turtle) they are all much alike, the major difference being in how far the kite flips backwards when you do the snap stall like movements. You need to work on keeping them separate and in this process try them all. I see no reason for a beginner to omit the snap stalls from the repertoire. 

[jasonmcmahon76]

I've just finished putting a stake together from some odds and ends in the shed.   Just have to give it a lick of paint!

[SparkieRob]

That will work. Just check its easy to put straps over if it staked. Sometimes you might find you want to stake first.


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[Exult]

On 2/9/2017 at 1:05 AM, jasonmcmahon76 said:

More kites? Hmm I might have a problem getting that one past the Mrs... she found out how much I paid for the Quantum!

Two more ways of arguing for kite procurements:

• Refer to the kite cost per hour. A lot of practice is needed, so this is not really difficult to live up to.
• Wait for a day with enough wind for the tube tail. Have her to come and join you for a while and do a few loops. Why not prepare something picknic-like to make her see positive on the activity (or would she see throw this?). Idea: since flying with the tail looks stunning, it should therefore follow that your investment really wasn't that bad.
   

[Exult]

On 2/9/2017 at 1:23 AM, cerfvoliste said:

and ground recoveries to start

An idea which I didn't know of at the time of learning the cart wheel was not to wait for a kite field visit to practice it. Bring gloves to the near but poor and small kiting field. Assemble the kite and connect the lines as usual, but only roll them up to a bit less than 10m. Then grab the lines with your gloves about six metres from the kite and start practicing. Bonuses of this approach are: the walk of contemplation gets short and you see what is happening, which makes the risk of breaking a stand-off less.
 

[Exult]

On 2/11/2017 at 5:39 PM, RobB said:

Unfortunately, I don't think I ever saw that guy again, I didn't think to take his name or contact at the time, so I never got to thank him.

I understand your frustration even if it's old. But seek comfort in the thought that in a way you have been that flick flacking guy, whether you have done your part of sharing IRL or in forums.

On 2/11/2017 at 5:39 PM, RobB said:

First the flick flacks that you got "for free" and now the Prophesy, I see that you further wish to torment me . I once was about to buy a new one at 50% discount, but it kind of disappeared in thin air only seconds before my purchase.

[Exult]

On 2/14/2017 at 5:02 AM, cerfvoliste said:

Forget the "Snap Stall," it is a waste of time if you're moving on to modern kites.

Hmm... Admittingly my view on this is a bit tainted from the time in which I learnt duals (end of nineties) and that is really the only case that I've seen IRL. So this is the perspective or the glasses through which I see the learning process. This makes it difficult for me to see how a beginner would start out in a way that is not "a waste of time if you're moving on to modern kites".