New Tech Kites - Flight School On-Line

Flight School Instruction

Sport Kite Components

Skill Levels

Beafort Wind Chart

Basic Control

Basic Maneuvers

Intermediate Maneuvers

Tricks / Advanced Maneuvers

Dodd's Flight School Instruction - On Line

Training and Tips for Dual Line Sport Kites

Sport kites, also known as stunt kites, are capable of performing graceful loops, precision turns, and slack line tricks. Sport kites come in a variety of sizes, shapes, performance and price. With the proper guidance from this manual, Dodd's Flight School Video, and your local kite shop, sport kites are easy to fly learn and master. For some it is relaxing pastime, while others will enjoy the competitive side to this sport.

Sport Kite Material Componets

Skin / Sail
This refers to the material that makes up the surface of the kite. There is a wide variety of materials, but to simplify things we will only be dealing with a few.
Ripstop is a woven fabric that resists tearing. Ripstop is most commonly available in nylon, but polyester is become more popular. Another type of nylon sometimes used is Carrington. Originally used in spinnakers for racing yachts, Carrington has special stretching characteristics which kite designers use to the kite's advantage through special panel design and placement. Polyester's is a film laminate, and it resists ultraviolet fading by five times longer than nylon and has 40% less stretch. What's the catch? The price of kites using this material cost more than ones using nylon. Ripstop is graded by weight, ounces per square yard. ¾ oz / sq. yard being the most common. ½ oz would refer to the lightest.

Frame (Spars /Sticks/Rods)
These are materials give shape to the kite. Rods or sticks in a kite make up the frame. The most common materials used in Sport kites are solid fiberglass, pultured fiberglass (pulled hollow), pultruded carbon graphite, and wrapped fiberglass and carbon graphite. Advanced materials like polymer resin are used to make pultruded carbon and wrapped graphite rods. Frames can be highly specialized. Carbon can be designed thin and light so as to enable indoor flight, or strong and stiff to prevent destruction in extremely windy conditions. The sport kites in this manual are measured in millimeters and inches. A .2200 rod is the equivalent of a 5.5mm rod. And a .2300 rod is the same as a 5.9/6mm rod. The numbers indicate the measurement of the outside diameter.

Bridle
These are the lines which are attached to the sport kite frame that your flying lines are connected to. The bridle governs the angle of attack of the kite in relationship to the wind. Most bridles can be adjusted and should have a reference mark set by the factory as a starting point. Most bridles also have an inhaul line which runs from the center tee of the kite to the top spreader. This line is usually adjustable. A fixed or nonadjustable out haul line runs from the bottom spreader area to the tow point. Moving the bridle to inside point causes the kite to turn faster, this is the advance setting. Adjust to the middle knot on the outhaul line will cause the kite to turn wider. This is the beginner setting. Your bridle will have a mark where it should be adjusted to now. This is your reference/starting point. By moving the bridle point forward towards the nose of the kite, the nose is brought closer to you causing the kite's angle of attack in relation to the wind to change. This allows more air to escape via the trailing edge. The result of this adjustment, larger turning radius, increased forward speed and less pull. This setting is good for low and high winds. Moving the bridle point down or away from the nose produces a harder pulling more responsive kite. This is the optimum setting for precision and tricks.

The bridle is your friend. I normally like to adjust my kite heavier (nose away) and then adjust in small increments of 1/8" at a time until it fly's the way I like it. If your kite does not lift, move the bridle up. If the kite launches but falls out of the sky when turning, move the bridle down.
Experiment.

Skill Levels
This will be indicated in the information box located with each kite offered.

B=Beginner. Kites with this rating are easy to fly and are suited for first time fliers. A word of caution - sometimes kites receive this classifaction because of price, not on ease of use.

I=Intermediate. A flier who can launch and fly around without too much trouble with an occasional crash.

E=Experienced. A pilot who understands sport kite launches, landings, and rarely crashers.

A=Advanced. Usually a very experienced or master class competitor.

Beaufort Wind Chart

Mph    Beaufort      Observations
0-1          0             No wind, smoke rises vertically.
1-3          1             Wind direction shown by smoke.
4-7          2             Flags flap lazily, leaves rustle.
8-12        3             Leaves and small twigs in constant motion.
13-18      4             Flags extended, small branches move.
19-24      5             Branches and small trees sway.
25-31      6             Large branches move.
32-?        7             Why fly? Watch Flight School on TV.

Basic Control

Straight Line Tracking
This is the ability of the kite to fly a straight unwavering line across the window. The kite's tracking ability is affected both by the sail design and bridle setting. The fliers tracking ability is affected by how much he or she practices.

Oversteer
While adjusting your bridle, move the nose away from the bridle point by ½ inch and then fly your kite. Notice when you spin, the kite will continue to spin even though you've stop the spinning command. This is oversteer. Some fliers like it, others don't. It can be used to your advantage and be adjusted to the amount you like.

Speed
Sport kites can achieve very fast speeds. Larger kites are usually slower and easier to handle. Smaller kites in a high wind are fast and demand greater reflexes. Bridle adjustments can slow a kite down but this also increases the pull. The use of Wind Tamers (screens) or vented kites can slow a kite down and reduce the pull in higher winds.

Pull
This is directly related to the wind speed, bridle adjustment and sail area of the kite. More pull requires a heavier gauge line.

Wind Window
An imaginary arc about 120 degrees in front of you which your kite will fly. This area grows and shrinks depending upon the strength of the wind. The kite you are flying, your skill level and any obstructions which are behind you can also affect the size and workability of your window. Rule of Thumb - The wind requires a distance of seven times the height of an object before it begins to smooth.

Power Zone
This is the area directly in front of you (down wind) in your wind window. This is where the kite has its best speed, maneuverability and most pull. This size of this area is also affected by the wind speed.

Edge
The imaginary line in the sky that defines the limits of the wind window. It is the farthest out point extending from your left side, over your head and over to the right of the wind window. To find the edge, fly your kite to the side or overhead. The kite will slow down and then stop and hover as it reaches the edge.

Inside / Outside Hand
Fly kite horizontally cross center window. If the kite is on the left side of the window, your right hand is called the "inside hand" because it is closer to the center of the wind window and your left hand is called the "outside hand". This will be used through this manual. Always pay attention to where your kite is in relation to the center of the wind window.

Basic Manuevers

Basic Launch
Attach flying lines to the kite and unwind your lines ensuring there are no tangles. With the kite down wind from you, gently pull back on both lines equally until kite rests on both wingtips. Lines taut, arms extended, ensure left line is in your left hand and attached to the left bridle, simultaneously pull back and down in a smooth motion with both hands while stepping backwards. The kite will rise in the air. Launching in light winds will require more effort on the part of the flier.

Pull Turns
The direction of the kite is determined by pulling the right or left line. Once the kite is launched, fly to the top o f the window. Pulling on the right line will cause the kite to turn clockwise. Whenever you initiated a pull turn with one hand, DO NOT move the other. As the kite makes the turn and the nose points up, release your right hand, making both hands side by side again. The kite will fly straight up. To make left turns do the opposite hand movements.

Push (Punch Turns)
By releasing the opposite wing in a turn and then pulling it back into position, the kite will make the turn faster and the kite will lock in for an angular turn and straight tracking. Simply fly the kite "to" the top of the window and push forward with the right hand and release to the neutral position. The kite will turn left. The push doesn't have to be fast, but the emphasis of this move is on the release to a neutral position. The release to neutral action is what brings the pushed wing back into position to give the angular turn. Try push turns with both hands and practice large squares in both directions. Combinations turns are the basis for all advanced maneuvers. It combines the push and the pull turn which cause the kite to react quickly.

Basic Landing
Now that you can turn, fly straight lines to achieve boxes, practice flying straight lines horizontally. As you get better, try horizontal passes closer and closer to the ground. Now it's time to land. Fly your kite horizontally across the wind window close to the ground. As the kite nears the edge of the wind window it will slow down. When it stops (reaches the end of the window), simply pull on the inside line and release to neutral while simultaneously walking forward. This will release pressure on the sail. When the wingtips become parallel with the ground, extend both arms forward and the kite will land. In high winds you must release more pressure in the sail by both a faster hand movement and walking or even running forward towards the kite.

Intermediate Manuevers

Snap Stall
This is a very important move to learn. It is the basis for many other "tricks". To make this easier, I've divided the Snap Stall into two simple steps.

Step I - Fly kite horizontally across the wind window until it stops. Pull only the inside hand and release or push to neutral quickly. This will cause the kite to stall wings parallel. Do not move your outside hand, keep it neutral.

Step II - Now that you have the Stall, let's make it more dramatic. To do this you need to have more pressure on the sail. Repeat step one but try your Snap Stall a little further into the wind window using a more exaggerated action. Almost at the same time you're pulling and releasing with your inside hand, punch and release to neutral aggressively with your outside hand. This will help stop the stall and hold it, making the move dramatic. If you do this close to the ground and move forward after the stall, you can land the kite.

Spin Stall Landing
Fly kite horizontally across the window about 15 feet above the ground until the kite slows from reaching the edge. Pull back slow the inside hand causing the kite to rotate. Just before the wings become parallel during the spin, release or punch back to neutral causing the kite to stall. To land, simply do the same move close to the ground and walk or run forward. Do not move the outside hand.

Leading Edge Launch
Kite is launched from its side (leading edge). Fly to the edge of the wind window, close to the ground, left to right. Pull right and land the kite on its right leading edge. Be careful that the kite doesn't tip over onto its left leading edge. Pull left (up wing) slowly until it begins to fall towards you. Tug the left line and almost at the same time tug with the right. The kite should lift off. Stepping backwards during this maneuver will help.

Side Slide / Skating
Kite stalls across the wind window sideways. Fly to the right edge of the window until the kite slows down Pull with the outside hand opposite of the spin landing but release early. When the wing tips are parallel to the ground, this will cause the kite to slide. Steer with the outside hand. It is important to only move the outside hand and keeping the inside hand at neutral. Some kites slide better than others but a heavier bridle adjustment can help.

Wingtip Stand
With the kite landed on the edge of the wind window, be sure that the inside wing is about one foot closer to you than the outside wingtip. While keeping some tension on the inside wing, pull slightly on the outside wing until it starts to lift. Practice balancing the kite on one wing tip.

Cartwheel / Flip Over
With the kite down wind on its nose just inside center, belly pointing towards you. Practice rotation from one wing to the other to get the feel of it. Pull inside hand a little while pushing the outside. Now, remember to always rotate toward the center for the Cartwheel. With both hands, push to allow the kite to lay back a little. On the outside edge of the kite, nose on the ground pointing in, pull the outside hand while pushing the inside hand. As the kite rotates its edge should start to go up onto the outside wingtip. As the inside wing starts to rotate around, finish the move by pulling slightly on the inside wing until the kite ends up on both wing tips.

Vertical Snap Stall Landing
Fly kite nose down towards the ground about 5 feet above the ground, initiate the snap stall only this time you must pull a little more with the inside hand to allow the kite to rotate until the wings are parallel to the ground. If it is done fast and correct, little forward movement is necessary.

Spike / Stab
This is basically a Snap Stall variation whereby the kite goes from a fast forward speed into a wingtip stand very quickly. As a result the wingtip is forced into the ground for a dramatic affect. Although some kites spike better than others, try the following. Fly you kite horizontally close to the ground. As it passes center, pull the inside hand while simultaneously pushing inside hand. This causes the down wing to come towards you causing the kite to "spike" into the ground. Try this a few times above the ground until you see what I mean, then fly nearer to the ground and Spike It! Then try spiking from different angles.

Fly Away
Used to gain ground in light wind or indoor flying. Fly the kite to the top of the window. Turn the nose down and push both hands forward while walking forward. The kite will glide down on its belly. Watch the pitch of the nose. If you over control the angle of the nose relative to the wind, the kite will stall out and fall.