Axle help

[JWharton]

Hi everyone, my first question is are axles hard?

 

I've studied all the videos I can and watched JBs and Wattys instructional videos. Does an axle depend on wind strength, I mean can one be performed in any wind strength? I understand (well I think I do) the theory of it being a slack line trick and what you have do to get the kite rotating.

My problem in light wind is I just seem to pull a flat kite towards me, and in stronger wind I get a sort of powered up forced turn.

 

Any input much appreciated [emoji5]

 

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[Paul LaMasters]

No or low wind is the best time to practice an axel, in bigger wind you need to be on the edges or lunge at the kite to MAKE it go flat.

How to axel for me? it's one thumb flicked forward (snapping on the brakes, you may also need to punch that handle forward) while the other hand yanks the opposite handle towards my hip.  How much of each hand & how fast dictates whether it changes positions or rotates all from one spot.  in either regard though, it's not an axel if it's not flat.

If you are doing the "changing position" axel it means you are steering the kite around instead of all yank and spank (it's slower, like you dialed it around a turntable with your thumb).  That one leads easily enough to the" half axel into a clamshell roll-up", if done close to the ground.

There's a "launch 1/4 axel" too.  You start out balanced on a tip vertically, leading edge facing the center of the window.  launch and just slightly rise vertically, then quickly punch the leading edge out (away from you) with the lower wing, as you lunge forward significantly to allow the kite to fall and then rotate it around until the LE is facing away from you, holding back that upper wing rotational yank until the last possible moment, halfway is to an inverted hover, (just a flick and it's over) all the way around is back to upright leading edge = 1-1/4 axel.

Feeling bolder?, well you could wind up in a vertical tip stand from a flat spin, but you'd better have some extra tubes to practice as sticks will be sacrificed learning and mastering this bold technique.  Powerful ending to a great routine?

[JWharton]

Thanks for the reply, some stuff to work on there for sure.
Edge of the window didn't think about that I've always been in the center regardless of wind speed.
And i think I've been missing snapping on the brakes with the opposite hand to the one that is being drawn back to my hip.
Shall give it a go, practice, practice, fun, fun.
If all else fails, at the UK quad clinic I'm sure JB will give me some pointers.


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[Paul LaMasters]

standing next to someone doing it correctly (and easily!) will certainly simplify your transition to excellence much faster.

[John Barresi]

Myself and a handful of fliers have had great success with a kind of "snap stall" set up for the axel in higher winds... Basically the axel is cued from a certain hand position, so flying at full speed, one can suddenly shift the kite into axel position with the hands opposite where they need to be, then execute the axel (kind of a "one way, then the other" affair)... Anytime you see that wicked fast dive straight down to axel, that's probably it, I'll try and post a video link if I can find a specific example.

[JWharton]

Myself and a handful of fliers have had great success with a kind of "snap stall" set up for the axel in higher winds... Basically the axel is cued from a certain hand position, so flying at full speed, one can suddenly shift the kite into axel position with the hands opposite where they need to be, then execute the axel (kind of a "one way, then the other" affair)... Anytime you see that wicked fast dive straight down to axel, that's probably it, I'll try and post a video link if I can find a specific example.

Sounds easy LOL [emoji4]

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[John Barresi]

Make sure we talk about it at St Anne's in September.

[John Barresi]

Here it is in slow motion... (hopefully this cues up at 1:44)

Notice there is a "feint" one way, then the axel inputs the other way.

This is actually more the normal set up, still looking for the hard "stall" set up in video.

[John Barresi]

Here it is, full speed only (at :33)...

BUT, you can see both kite and hands because it's through the dogstake.

It's a much, much sharper "stall" set up when entering from a horizontal ground pass.

[JWharton]

Now that is a cool video, I shall keep trying [emoji4][emoji106]

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[makatakam]

Try flying about 1/4 of the way up from the ground. Stop there and go into an inverted hover. Glide away as if trying to regain ground. With your dominant hand sharply pop the bottom (brake) of that handle all the way down past the thigh, and at the same time throw as much slack as possible into the other handle. Do it in light wind, or near but well short of the edge of the window in medium wind. Search samurai slide on this forum. It is the easiest pre-entry position for the axel.

[JWharton]

I will try that,when this rain and 30mph wind stops[emoji4]

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[JWharton]

Just thought I'd share, I was flying my mid-vent today in about 6-9mph on 30ft lines and something just clicked on the axle front yey at last!

 

Hopefully I can replicate it with different conditions/kites.

 

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[makatakam]

Yup, easier to get that sharp pop past your hip on shorter lines. Throw lots of slack with the other, more than you would with longer lines. Easier to see the way it reacts on shorter lines too. Midvent in 6-9mph is axel heaven. Any more than 9, work it closer to the edges of the window. Practice both directions so you don't become "handed".

[mwp]

Maybe take 2 lines off the kite?

[makatakam]

Reviewing this thread made me think, so I took some Excedrin for the pain.

Seriously though, when doing a catch and throw, it may be possible to make the throw an axel in itself. Has anyone here tried it? And with one spin in the right direction put into the lines before the throw, the axel would also unwind the lines.

[Paul LaMasters]

the problem is 

you need the mass (leading edge) to lead the half turn (away from your throw) to wind-up inverted.  So to do an axel you'd have to throw it with the floppy end leading FIRST!  Unless your lines are really short, this isn't likely to be successful frequently, the mass is pushing the trailing edge and it will not slice thru the wind accurately (if at all)

[John Barresi]

You can however strike the axel immediately once the kite reaches the end of the lines though, if you throw so it arrives at the right angle.

[makatakam]

@John Barresi and @Paul LaMasters.

No, no, no, you guys misunderstood!!!! I mean have the kite do a 450-degree spin on the throw so it goes around 1-1/4 times before hitting the end of the lines. The axel is initiated by the throwing motion created by the pilot.

[John Barresi]

I understood, just never seen it done, not feeling it in the mental simulator, except indoors.