Stunt Kite Review FAQ - no updates
Simo Salanne
0.0 Usenet rec.kites Stunt Kite Review FAQ
=====================================================================
February 1994
0.1 Update notes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Simo Salanne <Simo.S...@csc.fi> 1 Feb 1994
No updates since December 1993.
New reviews and updates to existing ones are allways wellcome!
PLEASE USE SAME FORMAT AS BELOW!
Smooth Winds
Simo.S...@csc.fi
0.2 Index
---------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Feb 1994
0.0 Usenet rec.kites Stunt Kite Review FAQ
0.1 Update notes
0.2 Index
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Comments to Beginners
1.2 Symbols, Abbreviations & Terms
2.0 Stunt Kite Reviews
2.1 Arrowhead Stunter (B) $
2.2 Big Brother (I,A,B) $$$$$
2.3 California Wasp
2.4 Cheetah (B) $$
2.5 Chicago Fire Bee (I-A,Pr,T) $$$$
2.6 Dynakite (B) $
2.7 Flash Angel (I,T,P,Pr) $$$$
2.8 Flexifoil (I,P) $$$-$$$$$
2.9 Flexifoil Hot Shot (I,S) $$
2.10 Hawaiian Spin-Off (I) $$$
2.11 Hawaiian Team (B,I,P,T) $$$
2.12 Hunter (B,I,S) $$
2.13 Jabberwocky (A,R) $$$$
2.14 Katana (A,S,R,Ba) $$$$
2.15 Magnum Opus (A,S,T,Pr) $$$$
2.16 Mirage (I,Ba,Pr) $$-$$$$
2.17 NBK (R) $$$
2.18 North Shore Extreme (I,S,R) $$$
2.19 North Shore Radical (R,U,T) $$$$
2.20 Peel (A,P) $$$$
2.21 Peter Powell Diamond (B) $
2.22 Phantom (I,A,T,Ba,Pr) $$$$
2.23 Phoenix (R,A) $$$$
2.24 Prism Radian (B,I,T,Pr) $$$$
2.25 Pro (I,A,R,Ba) $$$$
2.26 Quadrafoil (B,P,Q) $$$
2.27 Revolution I (Q,R) $$$$
2.28 Revolution II (Q,R) $$$-$$$$
2.29 Scorpion () $$$$
2.30 Silent Dart (I) $$$-$$$$
2.31 Skyburner (I,U)
2.32 Spin Dart (I) $$$$
2.33 Speedwing (I,S) $$-$$$
2.34 Stinger 1000 () $$$
2.35 Team High Fly Graphite (U,T,Pr) $$$$
2.36 Tracer (I,Ba) $$$-$$$$
2.37 Trlby (B) $
2.38 Ultrawing 96 (Pr) $$$
2.39 Ultralight Cheetah (I) $$$
3.0 Review drafts
3.1 Arch Angel 8' - DRAFT
3.2 EFM - DRAFT
3.3 Griffin - DRAFT
3.4 Competition Edge - DRAFT
3.5 Impulse - DRAFT
3.6 Kestrel - DRAFT
3.7 Hawaiian Maui - DRAFT
3.8 North Shore Kona - DRAFT
3.9 Snap - DRAFT
3.10 Highflyers Spectre - DRAFT
3.11 Swallowtail - DRAFT
3.12 Benson Wasp - DRAFT
3.13 Wizard - DRAFT
4.0 Estimating Wind Speed
1.0 Introduction
=====================================================================
One of the most frequently asked questions is "What should I
buy..." or "What do people think about kite XYZ..." This posting
is an attempt to answer some of those questions.
Section 1.1 Tries to answer the question of "what kite do I
buy to learn on?"
Section 1.2: Defines the symbols etc. used in the stunt kite
review.
Section 2: Contains reviews and comments about many
different types of stunt kites.
Section 3: Estimating Wind Speed.
1.1 Comments to Beginners
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Ken Yoder, Paul Kalowski, Marty Sasaki
"I would recommend that a person buys a larger delta kite in the $75
to $200 US range depending on their budget. Smaller kites take more
wind, move quicker, and are more sensitive - all of which makes them
hard kites to learn on. A slow moving, precise kite like the Hawaiian
Team is a good choice. If you buy a kite at the top end of your
budget, I think you will find that it will take you longer to
"outgrow" it.
If money is an issue, I would buy a Trlby, Peter Powell diamond, or a
Dynakite. They are easy to learn on and very inexpensive. You can
stack them and put on quite a show. You will need someone to help you
launch them at first however.
Whatever kite you buy, it is best if you can get someone who has
experience to help you at first. If that isn't possible, try to pick
a day with a medium wind (10-15 mph [4.5-7 m/s]). Too many people
have become frustrated by trying to learn in light winds." - Ken Yoder
"If the price of kites seem to get a little too high for you, consider
buying a used kite. You can get these from some kite stores or
possibly a local kite club member." - Paul Kalowski
"The best way to find out about a kite is to fly it. See if there is
club in the area and get friendly with the members."
"Many flyers will let you try their kites. Be nice and don't crash
them or drag them on the ground. And return the favor if you can." -
Marty Sasaki
1.2 Symbols, Abbreviations & Terms
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Kalowski May 1993
The following symbols are used to identify the "type" of stunt kite.
For example, Hawaiian Team (T,B,I,P) would mean it is a TEAM kite that
can be considered for BEGINNERS, INTERMEDIATE, and/or POWER FLYERS.
Kites may have multiple identifiers.
Kite Type codes:
----------------
Beginner B
Intermediate I
Advanced A
Power P
Speed S
Radical R
Quadline Q
Team T
Ballet Ba
Precision Pr
Price codes:
-----------
Prices will vary from time to time, from shop to shop and from country
to country. The price code reflects the suggested retail price in US
and in US dollars. Imported kites might fall to another price category
in the country of origin - and vice versa.
$ under $50
$$ $50-$100
$$$ $100-$200
$$$$ $200-$300
$$$$$ over $300
It's recommended you treat price code as "relative price".
WIND RANGE Codes:
----------------
The wind range that the kite handles well in. Example:
WIND RANGE: 5-30 mph (2.5-13 m/s)
- The recommended minimum wind velocity
is 5 miles/hour (2.5 meters/second)
- The recommended maximum wind velocity
is 30 miles/hour (13 meters/second)
For your convience, a wind speed estimating table is tagged on the end
of this FAQ kite review section.
Velocities used in WIND RANGE CODES are approximated only, but should
offer insight into the kites capabilities. The WIND RANGE CODES are to
be used on a "relative" basis, that means that they are used for
comparison purposes only.
Think of it this way:
Do not expect to fly the kite if the wind outside is below the "min
wind" code, and it is suggested that you don't fly the kite in winds
above the "max wind" code. Min wind ratings tend to be "optimistic";
don't expect to fly in min wind without moving yourself.
Kite Span codes:
----------------
Wing span (b) of stunt kite, where the `span' is defined by the
following:
|<-------b-------->|
/^\ /\ _____________ __________________
/ \ / \ | | \ /\ /
/___/\____\ \ / | | \ / \ /
| \/ | ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ \/ \/
| | | |
|<---b--->| |<-b-->| |<-----b----->|
delta (dart) diamond rectangular Revolution
KITES ARE FULLY ASSEMBLED
Most likely the largest dimension of the kite will be defined as the
span of the kite.
The "height" of the kite referes to the dimension as measured from the
nose of the kite to bottom (trailing edge) when the kite is fully
assembled.
The dimensions given in this FAQ are approximate only, and should be
used only as a guide.
2.0 Stunt Kite Reviews
=====================================================================
2.1 Arrowhead Stunter (B) $
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Colin Douthwaite May 1993
Manufacturer: Seagull Kites (manufactured in New Zealand)
Material: Sail: Dilon ripstop
Spars: Fiberglass
Wind Range: 6-15mph (2.7-7.2 m/s)
Span: 3'3" ( 100 cm )
Height: 2' ( 60 cm )
Type: delta
Review:
"It may be classed by the manufacturer as a Beginner's Stunter, but
self-launching this kite is definitely not for beginners. A beginner
needs a launching assistant, then it becomes easy. The pointed base of
the arrowhead makes self-launching tricky.
With more experience, self-launching out of the hands is the most
effective method. I use 4" diameter plastic halo spools to hold the
line for this purpose. As the wind catches the kite it is only
necessary to let the two reels spin on your hands when the kite pulls
out the lines. A little correction between the lines, as they feed
out, is all that's necessary to make the kite fly straight and rise.
I have now discarded all other launch methods.
This little kite really flies like an arrow and matches its name,
Arrowhead Stunter. Tracking is clean and precise. The kite has a very
satisfying clean appearance during all aspects of flight. Response is
good, particularly to push turns. In a wide wind envelope it is a
delight to fly and observe. Flown on 200 foot lines it will do 6 or 8
tight consecutive loops between highest position and ground level. It
performs best at maximum line lengths ( in my opinion ). Beginners
like the kite because it much prefers to fly than to crash. However,
it is not a dreamer's kite, needing your full attention whilst it is
airborne. It provides interest-holding performance and likes to be
working and on the move. I doubt that a beginner would ever neglect
this kite even after graduating to super kites. The Arrowhead would
still get a fair share of flying time. Light and robust. First class
workmanship and materials. Good and lasting value."- Colin Douthwaite
(May 1993)
2.2 Big Brother (I,A,B) $$$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam Rouse March 1993
Manufacturer: Wolfe Designs (manufactured in France)
Materials: sail - 3/4 oz Carrington ripstop
Spars - Wolff Design SPC, a very thin-walled pultruded
graphite that is custom-made for Wolff & has
his trademark; don't know who actually produces
them.
Wind Range: 1- 20 mph (.5- 9.0 m/s)
Span: 8'2" (249 cm)
Height: 3'8" (112 cm)
Type: Delta w/swallowtail
Flight Review:
"This is the best performing kite I have flown (though I haven't yet
tried any of the hot new wings that have been getting rave reviews).
It flies fairly slowly, but responds in a very precise and predictable
manner to control input; it takes a very light touch. It is very
stable at the edge of the wind window and controlled stall maneuvers
are easy. It will fly in the slightest puff of breeze (I have flown it
in wind that wouldn't even turn the blades of my Turbo Meter, though I
did have to work it a bit). Despite this, it is harder than one might
expect to fly 360s due to its slow speed. Although overall
performance [seems] best at winds of around 7 or 8 mph [3 or 3.5 m/s],
I enjoy its characteristics in light wind and on the edge enough that
I want to keep it that way & so likely won't fly it in any wind over
10 mph [4.5 m/s]. I'm not a competitive flyer, but I expect it would
make a good ballet kite - it is very precise yet responds well enough
to different line tension, stalls, etc. that I think it lends itself
more to ballet than precision. Very graceful in flight."- Sam Rouse
March 1993
Construction Review:
"Big Brother is exceptionally well constructed, with few details
overlooked. Key design criteria seem to have been minimizing weight
and providing the smoothest possible airflow, as well as other
aerodynamic considerations that I don't understand well enough to
discuss. Some examples: 1) Reinforcement weight is kept at a
minimum. Leading edge pockets are made of a double layer of the same
fabric as the sail, with small diamonds of heavy dacron around stress
areas (barely enough to surround the holes). Seams are simple
overlap-and-sew (no folds); this also seems to minimize airflow
disruption (though it doesn't look as tidy up close and may not be as
strong). In another airflow preservation measure, bungees at the
wingtips are knotted inside of the leading edge pocket. 2) Standoffs
are made of the same material as the frame, and fit into closed vinyl
caps connected to the spreaders and sail (no protrusion at all in
front or back). Reinforcing where the standoff connects to the sail
consists of 7 long oval-shaped patches of sail material arranged in a
pattern radiating out from the attachment point and folded around the
trailing edge, making the area of greatest stress 15 layers thick and
distributing the stress over a large area. 3) Vinyls have a two-part
construction - an outer sleeve of thin-walled vinyl (for strength and
rigidity) and a softer inner sleeve of some other, sort of oily-
feeling material (neoprene?) which has the odd but wonderful
characteristic of maintaining a solid grip on the rods while never
getting stuck to them (always easy to assemble & disassemble). 4)
Tail of sail is attached to the keel with a velcro system to allow
compensating for sail stretch. 5) No metal anywhere on the kite (nice
to not have to dispose of those ridiculous boatanchor swivel clips on
the bridle that so many mfgrs are still obsessed with! 6) Very light
framing material is used; very thin-walled. It seems to be comparable
to the Beman "Diva" spars used on the Chicago Fire Bees but with even
thinner walls. This is the lightest kite I have flown. 7) Finally,
and perhaps most important to the performance of the kite, it does not
have a flat sail - only when the standoffs have been put in place,
making the sail taut and imparting a slight curve to the leading
edges, does the kite assume its real shape. The tautness of the sail
also makes it very quiet in flight. Seams use a wave stitch combined
with a straight stitch; the material appears to have been glued prior
to stitching.
The only nit I have about the construction is the absence of vinyl
stops on the leading edge spars (front or back); the vinyls at the
spreader attachment points tend to slide. Not sure why these were
omitted since so much attention was paid to everything else (maybe a
weight tradeoff, but if so, a bad trade IMHO)." -Sam Rouse March 1993
2.3 California Wasp
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Bert Tanaka, Steve Thomas, Kobi Eshun Tue, 22 Jun 1993 20:45:58 -1000
Manufacturer: Miguel Rodriguez
Materials: sail 1/2, 3/4 oz rip stop
Spars Prospar, etc...
Wind Range:
1/2 oz; Diva 16 0.5 -- 8mph
1/2 oz; Diva 20 3.0 -- 12mph
3/4 oz; Diva 20/Wolfe 5.0 -- 20mph
Span: ~7 ft (210 cm)
Height:
Type:
I have an old one so newer versions have doubtlessly been upgraded.
Its about 7 feet, tip to tip, made with no panels except for a chevron
on both wings. I had a choice of spars, and at the time, chose AFC
2300's. Its made by master flyer Miguel Rodriguez, who lives in the
San Francsico bay area. I have never been able to get mine to perform
like Miguel can, but its been awhile since I've flown it, and I think
I could probably do better with it now. I think that its a heavy
handed kite, that responds best to power moves and is best suited to
heavier wind. The first ground turtle, and first snap stall to a
landing that I ever saw, were done with this kite. It is good at
slides, a fast turner, medium spinner, and good tracker. It also has
a lot of pull. Mine is a poor performer in low wind, but I also have
relatively heavy rods in it. The one weakness my version has is edge
work. Despite all this, it is still a very exciting kite to fly, and
has a disticnctly unique personality. Probably not for the beginning
flyer, but if you have ever seen Miguel fly, you can appreciate its
potential. If his number hasn't changed, Miguel can be reached at
(415)233-6503.
Bert Tanaka
~Date: Tue, 22 Jun 1993 20:04:13 -1000
~From: ste...@netcom.com (Steve Thomas)
The Wasp is just about the best kite there is. IMHO :-).
Seriously, the Wasp is extremely responsive, has excellent tracking,
and is rather loud (it has a loud "buzz" to it). This kite
practically invented the snap-stall--which is does splendidly. Beyond
anything else, this kite flies like no other kite I know of.
The kite could be called the kite of choice for competitors, and is
flown by several Master's class competitors here in the Bay Area.
Personally, I own only one Wasp, but I'm a sponsored flyer and fly
Buena Vista's XTC in competition (plug, plug). If I did not fly XTC's
in competition, I would fly the Wasp. That's about as good a review
as I'm capible of giving a kite...
The Kite itself is about 7 feet, and pulls fairly hard for this size
of a wing. It comes in several different frames, depending on what
you want. Each Wasp is made special-order one at a time by Miguel
Rodriguez. Miguel's method of selling Wasps is not really a sell, but
more of an interview. Wasps are not made to be pounded directly into
the ground a million times or other things that first-time flyers tend
to do. Miguel usually likes to talk to the person he's selling his
kite to and see how he/she flies. He also imparts a lot of "Avispa
Culture" upon the would-be flyer (I don't know quite how else to
explain it).
Miguel himself is an innovator of flying, and his moves and attitude
have touched hundreds of flyers all across the world. He actively
competes, and although he doesn't always win, he never fails to
impress. Here on the West Coast "circuit", his main competition is
turning out to be his own proteges.
I believe Miguel charges about $300 for the Kite, and in the peek
season there can be waiting periods for the kite (I think I waited six
weeks for mine...). In the off season, it probably takes a couple of
weeks to get a Wasp... To get a Wasp, however, you usually need to
meet Miguel (you might be able to get a friend who is a Wasp flyer to
vouch for you).
If you attend any of the West Coast events, Miguel will most likely be
there (esp. Berkely). This is how to get a Cal Wasp...
Steve Thomas
~Date: Mon, 28 Jun 1993 17:11:37 -1000
~From: ko...@netcom.com (Kobi Eshun)
Miguel Rodriguez custom manufactures the CA Wasp. It was originally
known simply as the WASP, an acronym for `When Anticipating Superior
Performance...', but that name conflicted with a kite made in Texas,
so it became the California Wasp. (It is probably smaller than the TX
Wasp...)
Construction :
1/2 oz and 3/4 oz ripstop nylon. Frames can be specified, but I think
his current default is one of the Prospar carbon products. I have
seen kites with Beman/Diva 15,16,20,22, Wolfe 5.5mm, Easton Carbon/Al.
3/30,4/18,4/49, AFC 2200, 2400, 2540, Sky Shark IIIp, IVp...
Build quality is excellent. Wingspan ~7ft.
Performance:
I am a little biased, but judges in Long Beach, WA awarded 1st, 2nd,
3rd, and 4th to Wasp fliers in the Master's Individual Choreo. at the
Stunt Kite Championships last weekend.
I can safely say that Miguels kites encourage a somewhat radical style
of flight...and they are a _BLAST_!!!
My Wasps cover the wind ranges as follows:
1/2 oz; Diva 16 0.5 -- 8mph
1/2 oz; Diva 20 3.0 -- 12mph
3/4 oz; Diva 20/Wolfe spine 5.0 -- 20mph
Miguel has also made a few "vented" kites (some of the sail area made
of bug-mesh) which fly in 25mph+.
An interesting comment: all of the variations are the same size, and
have the same feel in their respective wind range.
Price, Who:
I am not sure what they go for these days. He can be reached at home
in Richmond, CA at: (510) 233.6503
Kobi.
ko...@netcom.com (personal) ko...@adaclabs.com (business)
~Date: Tue, 6 Jul 1993 19:20:11 -1000
~From: tana...@swam1.enet.dec.com
In an earlier note to Kevin Mayeshiro I responded to a request for info
on the California Wasp. I own an older one, and although my commentary
was generally favorable, I also reported that I felt it was not a strong
performer on the edge. Which I found out later, really isn't true.
At the UP Sports competition in L.A. I got to meet Kobi Eshun, who flew
a very innovative and interpretive routine to music that also incorporated
sound effects in the open individual ballet. Small world. At any rate,
Kobi told me to try out the Wasp he was using. The wind was around
5-8mph at the time. I was shocked. Kobi's Wasp handled so much better
than mine. Solid in stalls, not tippy, and extremely responsive.
When I got back home, I checked mine out again to discover that it had
not AFC 2300's but AFC 2400 rods in it. Kobi's Wasp was using a combination
of Diva and Beman rods. The difference in weight between these two
frames is quite high. My Wasp is framed for heavy wind, but this rod is
totally inappropriate for the wind conditions I normally fly in. Its the
one that I ordered though (I didn't know a lot back then). At any rate,
I know better now, and am a little embarassed that I didn't figure it out
by myself.
To make a long story short, I put in Easton 3-30's. Why? I still had some,
and they fit the original vinyls. And, I used a Sky Shark rod for the spine.
What a difference. Much more stable in stalls, more responsive, and big
improvement in edge work and in low wind. I thought it responded quite
well to quick, snapping maneuvers and I didn't have to power it around as
when it was heavier.
Great kite! And thanks, Kobi, for letting me test fly your Wasp.
Bert Tanaka
2.4 Cheetah (B) $$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Galen Komatsu 1992
Manufacturer: Wind Toys
Materials: Hollow Fingerglass ("Glasspar"), Ripstop Nylon
Wind Range: 5- 30 mph (2.5- 13 m/s)
Span: 4'10" (147 cm)
Height: **
Type: Delta
Reviews:
"In strong winds, it's a blast! Flies like a rocket and "snappy" in
turning. A good beginner kite for a person who doesn't like the
"kiddie" diamond shape of the Trlby or Dynakite, and on a minor budget
(kite plus kevlar lines appx. under $100 US)." - Galen Komatsu, 1992
2.5 Chicago Fire Bee (I-A,Pr,T) $$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam Rouse May 1993
Manufacturer: Chicago Fire Kite Company
sail by Flexifoil Int'l
Material: Sail - .75 oz Carrington ripstop
Spars - Beman "Diva" graphite
Wind Range: 6-18mph (2.7-8m/s)
Span: 8'2" (249 cm)
Height: 3'8" (112 cm)
Type: Delta, "Fire Dart" shape
Flight Review:
"The Chicago Fire Bee seems to be oriented toward the
precision and team flier. It moves through the air fairly slowly
but turns quickly with little oversteer. I've found it to be very
fun for team flying (non-competitive); the quickness and
precision with which it turns makes for exciting flying. I find its
slow flight speed makes it relatively uninteresting for
individual flying, however, but the factors that make it boring
may be desirable in precision competition. Although the
manufacturer gives it a minimum windspeed rating of about
3mph [1.3m/s], I would have to rate it at 6mph [2.7m/s] - while
it is certainly possible to fly at 3mph (at least when new), at
that speed it moves unbearably slowly and the wind window is
too small for it to be enjoyable (at least to me). The Bee is the
team kite of choice for me and the friends I fly with, but we
don't get them out until the wind hits at least 7mph [3 m/s].
Construction Review:
The Bee is a well-constructed, well-finished kite. All seams are
double-folded and stitched (no raw edges). Standoffs are capped at
both ends, and in fact end caps are used instead of the traditional
vinyl tubing on the lower spreader to accommodate that end of the
standoffs (very tidy, but not quite stiff enough). Bungees are
knotted and glued with no dangling ends - also very tidy, but
precludes adjustment (and they come pre-set from the factory at a very
high tension; excessive IMHO). Vinyls are color-coordinated with the
kite (black in my case). Interesting design point-installing the
standoffs makes the sail taut and imparts a slight curve to the
leading edges, which in turn puts a pronounced wrinkle in the sail
parallel to and just behind the leading edges. I believe it is this
factor that keeps the kite's speed low and steady."-Sam Rouse, May
1993
2.6 Dynakite (B) $
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Galen Komatsu, Dan Rubesh November 1993
Manufacturer: Dyna-Kite Corp.
P.O. Box 24, Three Rivers, MA 01080
Materials: solid fiberglass, ripstop nylon
Wind Range: 4mph - ? ("I haven't yet found the upper wind it
can't handle" DR)
Span: 36"
Height: 44"
Type: Diamond
Reviews:
"A good kite for a beginning flyer, or child to learn on. It can be
launched from any crash position by yanking on one line (no need to
run down to the kite to upright it). It's nosepiece is extremely
durable and will survive repeated crashes on asphalt. Long tail makes
for wonderful displays. Although a "beginner" kite, it's a joy to fly
even after playing with the big-wings..." -Galen Komatsu, 1992
"Comes in three sizes, and is often flown in train."-Marty Saski
The above size, most common is the StuntMaster (single color sail) or
the ColorMaster (tri-color sail). It is also available as the
FlightMaster (29" x 35") and the TrainMaster (23" x 26"), and a 3-
stack (one of each size) called the Graduate. The DynaKite lends
itself very well to stacking, and I also used it to teach myself to
fly dog-stake as it's nearly indestructable. In my 4+ years of selling
DynaKites, I've only had to replace 2 nose pieces.. Dan Rubesh / Wind
Wizard, Nov 1993
2.7 Flash Angel (I,T,P,Pr) $$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Burka
Manufacturer: Rare Air Kite Company, imported by Air Circus
Materials: Carrington sail, Beman 6.3mm "Strong" graphite
Wind Range: 4- ? mph (2- ? m/s)
Span: 8' (244 cm)
Height
Type: delta
Review:
"An extremely smooth, quiet, precise, slow kite. Screened vents on
the leading edge and wing tips, and a vented keel make this kite
extremely smooth, even through gusts. A great kite for precision team
flying, but be prepared for a bit of pull. This kite feels like an
updated high-tech version of the Hawaiian Team." --Jeff Burka
2.8 Flexifoil (I,P) $$$-$$$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Beattie , Ken Yoder Nov 1992
Manufacturer: Flexifoil International
Materials: Fiberglass spar
Wind Range: depends on size- larger needs less wind
Span: 10',8',6' (305, 244, 183 cm)
Height:
Type: rectangular
Note: price depends on size
Reviews:
[ABOUT THE LARGER Flexifoils:]
"Pulls hard, moves fast but has a big turning radius. You must think
ahead when flying a flex." - Ken Yoder
[ABOUT STACKS of 10' (305cm) Flexis]
"The kite that got me started. I found it difficult at first, they
don't really want to launch when wet and until I started to understand
it, it just flew to the edge of the window and then fell out of the
sky :-(. With practice, I grew power hungry and bought another one.
I remember using the pair to ski the length of Queens Parade in
Aldershot (This area is so large that you might not notice the polo
field tucked in the corner :-) ) The second was soon joined by a
third, a fourth, and then another two to bring the stack to six. The
big stack is a very different beast to the original foil. It moves
and corners much more slowly. There is oodles of power available, but
it tends not to hurt you, as it comes on smoothly and slowly and you
just slide gently across the grass. Paradoxically, the 2x10' [2x 305
cm] stack is the most dangerous, as it moves at the same speed as the
single foil and tends to encourage you to dig in against it, as you
can hold your ground against it until it overpowers you suddenly,
right at the peak of the power zone, catapulting you horizontally
towards a high speed re-contact with the ground."- Andrew Beattie,
Nov. 1992
2.9 Flexifoil Hot Shot (I,S) $$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Marty Sasaki
Manufacturer: Flexifoil International
Materials: Fiberglass spar
Wind Range: 6-30 mph (3- 13 m/s)
Span: 4' (123 cm)
Height:
Type: rectangular
Reviews:
"Smallest Flexifoil available with a 4 foot wingspan. In high winds
on short lines this kite is a blast to fly with tight turns and high
forward speed. Needs lots of wind to fly well with standard spar.
Ultralight spar is available and makes this a moderate wind kite." -
Marty Sasaki
2.10 Hawaiian Spin-Off (I) $$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Marty Sasaki, Ken Yoder
Manufacturer: Top of the Line Kites
Materials: Fiberglass spars
Wind Range: 6-30 mph (2.5-13 m/s)
Span: 8'0" (244 cm)
Height: **
Type: delta
Reviews:
"Faster than the Team with a smaller turning radius." - Ken Yoder
"The kite that other kites are compared to. One of the most popular
stunt kites of all time. In New England, most flyers have one in
their bags, so this is a good kite for impromptu team flying." - Marty
Sasaki
2.11 Hawaiian Team (B,I,P,T) $$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Ken Yoder, Marty Sasaki, Paul Kalowski, Steve Thomas
Manufacturer: Top of the Line Kites
Materials: Fiberglass spars
Wind Range: 6- 35 mph (3- 15 m/s)
Span: 8'0" (244 cm)
Height:
Type: Delta
Reviews:
"Great for precision flying. It's slow speed and precise turns are
also good for a beginner. It tends to pull hard however, so it is not
for a young person." - Ken Yoder
"As it's name would imply, excellent for team flying." - Marty Sasaki
"I learned to fly with this kite. I found it to be very sturdy, and
slow enough that the learning process was easy. However, I did have a
few problems with the standoffs popping out and scratching or
puncturing the sail during crashes. I still fly this kite, but only
during the stiffer winds [ >15mph = 6.5 m/s]." -Paul Kalowski
Right now, I'd say your average Hawaiin Chevron is probably not a very
pleasent place to be. I mean, good gas and all, but probably not a
good place to just hang out. You'd probably be better off at a Shell
station or a 76... :-)
Now seriously, the Team Hawiian, by Top of the Line was the original
kite that came out by TOTL and is largely "what started it all" in
high-performance sport kites. Particularly team flying.
While the Team Kite is still a great kite for team flying--at least at
the novice level--it is certainly an old design, and has since been
surplanted by TOTL's North Shore Radical.
Flying Impressions: The team kite is really, really
sssssslllllooooowwww. It does not spin very tight (further out than
the wing-tip), it tracks real straight, and corners very precisely.
Light wind performance is less than optimal. It lacks many
capabilities that many more modern designs have.
September 1992
Steve Thomas
ste...@rossinc.com
2.12 Hunter (B,I,S) $$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Thomas Brettinger March 1993
Manufacturer: Elliot (Germany)
Materials: 6mm graphite spars
Wind Range: (2-14 m/s)
Span: (133 cm)
Height: (88 cm)
Type: delta
Review:
"This was my first stunt kite and I still like to fly it. It doesn't
need much wind to fly and gets incredibly fast in stronger winds. It
is quite popular here in my area, as we don't have strong wind often
and hunters are fun before other kites have enough wind to launch." -
Thomas Brettinger, Feb 1993
2.13 Jabberwocky (A,R) $$$$
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Marty Sasaki
Manufacturer: Bob Childs
Materials: Carrington Ripstop, Advantage graphite spars
Wind Range: 3-17 mph (1- 7.5 m/s)
Span: 7'8" (234 cm)
Height:
Type: Delta
Reviews:
"Light weight, flies well in light wind. The Jabberwocky is capable
of both radical tricks and smooth straight line flight. Workmanship
is excellent." - Marty Sasaki
2.14 Katana (A,S,R,Ba) $$$$
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Marty Sasaki
Manufacturer: Sasaki Kite Fabrications
Materials: Beman Graphite, optionally Carrington Ripstop
Wind range: 5-18 mph (2-8 m/s)
Span: 7'4" (224 cm)
Height:
Type: Delta
Reviews:
"Also known as the MDM-6. Kite was designed for individual ballet and
has tunable oversteer. Spins fast. Does tricks. Flyers with Katanas
have done well in Eastern League competition." - Marty Sasaki
2.15 Magnum Opus (A,S,T,Pr) $$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Kalowski 1992
Manufacturer: Chicago Fire
Materials: Beman Graphite or Advantage 2-wrap spars
Carrington Ripstop
Wind Range: 4-17 mph (2- 7.5 m/s)
Span: 10'0" (305 cm)
Height:
Type: Delta
Reviews:
This kite is big, relatively fast for its size, silent and does nice
snap turns. Stability, tracking, precision and groundwork are good.
The workmanship is good, and the kite overall seems very solid. Takes
time to put together (8 battens, 2 camber inducers and 2 standoffs)."-
Paul Kalowski 1992
2.16 Mirage (I,Ba,Pr) $$-$$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Burka
Manufacturer: Jones Airfoils
Materials: Solid fiberglass spar (1/8"), or .1800 AFC
3/4oz ripstop
Wind Range: fg 8-25 mph (3.5-11 m/s)
trusstix option 10-35 mph (4.5-25.5 m/s)
AFC frame and VG spreader set 3-8 mph
(1.5-3.5 m/s)
AFC frame with standard spreader 5-15 mph
(2-6.5 m/s)
Span: 2' (61 cm)
Height: 3' (91 cm)
Type: diamond
Note: price depends on options
Reviews:
"These track incredibly straight, turn incredibly tightly, and even
make a good ballet kite because they have a wonderful personality (the
only problem is that it's very tough to do any groundwork with them).
And all of this is for a stack of 3 kites! Jones has a number of
different options on his kites. You can buy them in 1, 3, or 6 kite
stacks. Single-piece sails with fiberglass frames are only US $100
for 3 kites."-Jeff Burka
2.17 NBK (R) $$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam Rouse March 1992
Manufacturer: Skyward Kites
Materials: Sail 3/4 oz. ripstop
AFC .2400 graphite
Wind Range: 4-30 mph (2-13 m/s)
Span: 8'6" (260 cm)
Height: 3'6" (107 cm)
Type: Delta,relatively high aspect ratio
Flight Review:
"This may be the kite that I have had the most fun with. It is
completely impractical for precision, most ballet, or team flying
IMHO, but the qualities that render it useless for those activities
are what I find make it fun to fly. It is very fast and can turn
almost within its own wingspan. It has a lot of oversteer and in a
tight turn will spin air out of the sail causing it to stall and lose
altitude, making it very easy to land and do other active groundwork
maneuvers. I keep the bridle adusted back to maintain the flight
characteristics I like, which means good pull in stronger wind but a
smaller than average wind window. The more wind you have the more fun
it is to fly; though the manufacturer recommends an upper limit of
somewhere around 22 mph (10 m/s) , I've had it in much higher with no
bad effects (other than raising the low end due to sail stretch). I
have to admit that this is the one kite in my bag that I'm willing to
thrash (my mud kite), and it takes it well - the only thing that has
ever broken is a wingtip arrow nock, while learning tipstands on
frozen turf."- Sam Rouse, March 1993
Construction Review:
"I have to give a mixed review here. There are some innovative
features, such as 4 standoffs and a 7-point bridling system. Seams are
double folded and stitched (no raw edges showing); small holes are
grommeted. Other areas are lacking. The vinyls are too thin-walled
and didn't fit the rods well (I had to build up the rod tips with
shrink tubing and superglue to keep them from falling out). My sail
had a stitching error in which a seam had been ripped and re-sewn.
The ferrule that connects the lower spreaders at the keel is glued to
one of the spreaders, so must be worked through a hole in the vinyl
where they connect (difficult, especially when it's cold; provides no
positive centering - you have to eyeball it each time). I don't care
for the way the standoffs are attached to the sail - a complicated and
inelegant scheme involving mini arrow nocks, vinyl sleeves, heavy
Dacron line and glue (invites entanglement with flight lines). I
also must note, though, that mine is over 3 years old; I expect the
manufacturer has corrected most if not all of these problems by now.
Also, if the prices are still as low as I expect, considering the all-
graphite construction (and it IS a really fun kite) I think it's a
good value, especially if you don't mind doing a little customizing."
- Sam Rouse, March 1993
2.18 North Shore Extreme (I,S,R) $$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Burka, Paul Kalowski
Manufacturer: Top of the Line
Materials: 3/4 oz ripstop, AFC graphite
Wind Range: 5-22 mph (2.5-10 m/s)
Span: 6'3" (191 cm)
Height: **
Type: Delta
Reviews:
What a great kite for the money! The Extreme is fast, fun, and has a
slight radical edge. Both the bridle and outhaul are tunable. Great
for stacking and even team flying. The AFC frame is geared for light
wind, not strength--try to avoid the ground. - Jeff Burka
Every chance I had to fly this kite, I had fun. It seems to have
little pull, even in relatively high winds." -Paul Kalowski
This is "basically" a 3/4 NSR, and as such, has quite a pull for its
size. By suitably adjusting the outhauls, I've tuned this kite so it
will do stalls, slides, belly and leading edge launches, etc. It's the
most radical yet controllable 3/4 I've flown (of course there are lots
of 3/4s that I haven't flown). This is probably not a good kite for
precision flying, as I have yet to get really sharp turns out of it. I
learned most of my tricks on this kite --- which took a long time but
paid off in sensitivity when I do the tricks on a full size (I don't
recomend learning this way... it can be frustrating). I highly
recommend this kite for anyone who wants a good radical 3/4 delta.
March 1993, luc...@emx.cc.utexas.edu (Light-Bearer)
2.19 North Shore Radical (R,U,T) $$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Marty Sasaki Dec 1992
Manufacturer: Top of the Line Kites
Materials: carbon aluminum (Easton) [See NOTE below]
Wind Range: 5-28 mph (2.5-12.5 m/s)
Span: 8'6" (259 cm)
Height: **
Type: Delta
Reviews:
"With the NSR you can have a family of kites with very similar
performance. Use a Kona in light wind, move up to a standard NSR for
moderate wind, and use the VIP for heavy wind. Team High Performance
won the 1991 World Cup flying these kites. Flight Squadron and Air Art
did well during the 1992 season flying NSRs." - Marty Sasaki
-As of December 1992:-
NOTE: Also, I don't know about the materials any more. With
Eason leaving the kite spar world, TotL has changed, but to
where I don't know... - Marty Sasaki
This is the first full sized delta I had. I have recently rediscovered
it since I got a new sail. It's loud and pulls hard. It will pull as
much as two Stacker flexis in a good (15-20) MPH wind. The adjustible
outhauls provide a wide range of flight characteristics. It stalls and
slides easily, and leading edge launches are very easy. The biggest
problem seems to be its tendency to shoulder in turns. This causes the
sail to deflate and makes it hard for me to make precise turns. I have
been able to tune out most of this problem, but it's touchy. There is
quite a bit of space between the leading edge spars and the spine at
the nose --- this may be the problem. The kite is sturdy and
generally well constructed. And I still see them in competition.
March 1993, luc...@emx.cc.utexas.edu (Light-Bearer)
2.20 Peel (A,P) $$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Andrew Beattie, Paul Kalowski March 1993
This Kite comes in 4 sizes: 2m^2, 5m^2, 7.5m^2, 10m^2.
The kite discussed in this section is the 5m^2 Peel.
Manufacturer: Peter Lynn
Materials: Heavy duty thick coated Ripstop nylon
Wind Range: Minimum: 2mph? will do 360's.
Maximum: unknown. The flier will chicken out before
the kite shows any sign of stress.
Span: 16.4' (5.1m)
Height: 3.6' (1.1m)
Type: rectangular/elliptical
Reviews:
"This is a totally soft power kite. It has a complex cross-bridle
system which gives good control. This kite has the widest wind range
of anything I have seen. It is second only to the liteflite for doing
360's and I have seen Peter Lyn Fly a 3.5m peel in light storm
conditions - the kite didn't even show any sign of stress. This kite
turns slowly (it's fun to give it to an experienced flier and watch
them crash it into the ground because it takes so much sky to do a
downward turn near the edge of the window). It is difficult to break,
because there are no spars (but I have it on good authority that if
you smash it head on into the ground hard enough, it will explode!).
Despite the power, it is usually the kite that I will hand to a
stranger who wants to try, because 1: they won't break it and 2: it is
slow enough for them to think "It is going to the right, so I want it
to go to the left, so I need to pull on the left line, the one in my
left hand. .. pull" and still manage to do it before it hits the
ground. Learning how to untangle the 20+ bridle lines is an important
life skill." Andrew Beattie, Dec. 1992.
"This kite can be extremely powerful, and the flyer should know
his/her safety limits. Xerox everything Andrew Beattie said and stick
it here!" - Paul Kalowski, March 1993.
2.21 Peter Powell Diamond (B) $
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Wes Voss April 1993
Manufacturer: Peter Powell
Materials: 1.5 oz ripstop nylon
solid fiberglass spars
Wind Range: 8-40 mph
Span: 47"
Height: 48"
Type: diamond
Review(s):
"I'm a complete novice, but perhaps some of this will make sense to
another novice who is going through what I am. I think it makes a good
introductory kite. My sisters are planning on buying one to start
with; mainly they are impressed with that long tube tail. (How long?
I'm not sure. 40 ft? Anyone?) It has been very forgiving, as far as
crashes go. There were several times I thought I had killed it, but
the spars just pop out; put them back in again, and off it goes! Very
sturdy and well suited for beginners.
I hear it looks nice stacked, but I'm not putting any more money into
it since I want something faster. I haven't been able to figure out
how to fly it on a horizontal line, yet, but I'm not sure if that is
because of skill or design.
Summary? I have enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who is
interested in a slower, graceful kite without having to spend a lot of
money. A great starter kite I'm not afraid to let others try." - Wes
Voss (March 1993)
"I got playing around with it last week and took the tail off in a
stiff breeze. I *LOVE* it. It is only a little faster, but it is much
more responsive. Turns are tighter and it's easier to run it parallell
to the ground. A good way to get some more advanced use out of a basic
kite..." -Wes Voss, April 1993.
2.22 Phantom (I,A,T,Ba,Pr) $$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Marty Sasaki, Simo Salanne Dec 1992
Manufacturer: High Flyers
Fizz Sport Kites
Materials: Carrington ripstop, Beman 5.5
Wind Range: 4-20 mph (2-9 m/s)
Span: 8'0" (244 cm)
Height: **
Type: Delta
Reviews:
"As far as the kite itself goes, Phantoms do fly well and have a
fairly wide wind range. They are expensive, in the USA, and are
relatively fragile, ie, when you buy a Phantom, buy some replacement
sticks at the same time." - Marty Sasaki
"Phantom was designed by Tim Benson in the end 1980's. High Flyers
first manufactured it in cooperation with Tim. Their ways separated
and Tim's company started to make "Original Benson Phantom". High
Flyers market their products with attributes like "Shadow" and
"Sport". My Phantoms are from High Flyers, but today (Dec 1992) I
would buy Benson's - they are considered to be better quality." - Simo
Salanne
2.23 Phoenix (R,A) $$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Kalowski May 1993
Manufacturer: David Bui (KS)
Materials: Beman Spars, Carrington ripstop, spectra bridle
system
Wind Range: 3-25 mph (1-11 m/s)
Span: 8'0" (244 cm)
Height: **
Type: Delta
Reviews:
"This kite uses a spectra bridle system which can be altered (along
with the removal of the outer standoffs) for ultralight wind flying.
This kite does VERY NICE SHARP snap turns, and does well in ground
work and stall controllability. The kite is easily tuned for fast-to-
slow flying, and is extremely noisy. This kite is engineered for
aggressive flying (i.e. it is very hard to pull this kite out of the
sky during any large magnitude punch turn.)" -Paul Kalowski (May 1993)
2.24 Prism Radian (B,I,T,Pr) $$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Dean, Dave Butler October 1993
Manufacturer: Prism Designs Inc., Seattle, Wa, U.S.A.
Material: 3/4 Oz Ripstop Nylon, 0.9 Mil Mylar laminate
Spars: 2200 & 2300 AFC Carbon
Battens: 1/8" & 3/32" Fiberglass (carbon optional)
Wind Range: 3 - 25 MPH (1.5 - 11 m/s)
Span: 8.5 Feet (2.5 m)
Height: 28 Inches (0.7 m)
Wing Area: 8.7 sq ft (0.8 m2)
Wing loading: no battens 1.08; battens 1.27 (Oz/sq ft)
330 388 (g/m2)
Type: High aspect ratio, (span sq/area) 8.3
Review:
I got mine in December. It is a very interesting kite. First, it has
a lot of oversteer (it will easily spin in place). Also, as it it a
wide/short kite, you can easily pull it of the air in light wind.
Perfect wind for learning the kite is about 10 mph. If you try to
learn on a much lighter wind, you will likely feel very clumsy and
keep pulling it out of the air (ie: it was very irritating the first
time I flew it in low wind).
Now as to the adjustment system you ask about. The system of
removable battans used to tune for the wind speed is excellent for
steady wind, but a little clumsy and irritating for unsteady wind
(you're always landing the kite to take one set out, or put one in).
As to the bridle adjustments, the concept is simply brilliant.
Usually when I want to tune a kite, I expect to spend at least a half
hour to get it right. Thus I am less willing to change a bridle and
experiment with odd bridle configurations. The Radian though has
premeasured knots at the top and bottom of the vertical spine, which
hook into a clever latch system. Thus tuning the bridle is a snap (I
wish my other kites were this easy to tune).
As to what it can do, there too the Radian is unique. By keeping your
hands low, snapping your hands down and quickly throwing them up high,
the kite will pop over on its back, and float. Another quick jerk and
the kite will pop back over on its belly. If you do the first
movement well enough, the kite will do a complete backwards
summersault, and will roll up in the lines. Thus when you give the
kite a strong second jerk it will do a forward summersault and snap it
back into position (I've successfully done a two summersault wrap).
It also does a tremendous helicopter. You simply get the kite in
helicopter position and drag on the downwind line; The weight of the
upwind wing will keep it in position. Not only can you drag it
sideways, you can almost drag it backwards.
It also loves stall spins. It is incredibly easy to dump air with the
kite, so it is very easy to stop it near motionless in mid air. In
fact it, it is reasonably easy to slam it into a stall spin, and
helicopter back the way you came (Making yourself look much more
proficient than you really are).
Also, in a reasonably strong wind, you can do a severe push/pull turn
and it will face almost perpendicular to you and spin like a fast
propeller. Caution though, it is extremely difficult to recover from
this spin.
As to disadvantages, there's the fact that you may well feel
uncoordinated for the couple of hours. I would also point out that
you'll have to learn a new way of doing a leading edge takeoff (it's
nothing like a Phantom, Scorpion, Magnum Opus or anything else I can
think of). Frankly, I still haven't figured out how to do one (except
by purest accident). Now I know that they are possible as I saw demos
last summer, but I haven't figured out how to do it myself.
All in all, it is a great kite for doing very radical ballet and trick
moves (some like the summersault are not possible on other kites), but
not for precision. It's major advantage is that it is so different
from other kites, that it will do things other kites cannot, and thus
gives delta kiting a whole new dimension to explore (Not that my wife
thinks that I need a new dimension to explore ;).
March 1993
Dave Butler
The Prism Radian is a very well designed and impeccably tailored kite
with gussets sewn at all points of strain. Up to eight battens may be
used to stiffen and form the sail depending upon wind conditions. The
kite is recommended to be flown with all battens removed for light
wind conditions; adding battens as the wind increases. I have found
that the top spreader may be removed for very light wind conditions to
lighten the kite which helps, but, when removed, the kite is very easy
to stall and it will fluter to the ground with no chance of recovery.
All control motions should be gentle and smooth with the top spreader
removed.
The kite is designed to be a slient flyer and if any buzz is noticed,
enough battens should be added only to quiet the kite so as to
maintain the lightest configuration for the wind condition. Except for
belly down or very light wind conditions, the kite is easily launched
from most any other landing attitude. The kite uses a unique bridle
system that allows for quick, repeatable settings for various flight
conditions and turning response. The manual that comes with the kite
is the best I have seen other than the documentation supplied with the
REV I kite.
Turns are accurate and fast and spins are beautiful with the kite
revolving on one wing tip. It is possible to do enough spins to nearly
render the kite uncontrollable because of twisted lines before losing
much altitude. I have executed 15 turn spins with less than 10 feet of
altitude loss.
I would classify the kite as light to moderate pull throughout the
wind range. Slides (a nose high sideways slip across the wind window)
are easy and controllable. This kite is a lot of fun to fly, easy to
adjust for wind conditions, easy to assemble and a real eye catcher
because of its beautiful color schemes.
This is a kite you will not outgrow. - Jim Dean, October 1993.
2.25 Pro (I,A,R,Ba) $$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Burka
Manufacturer: Jordan Air Kites
Materials: Carrington sail on Advantage 2-wrap (AFC frame also
available)
Wind Range: *no info*
Span: *no info*
Height: *no info*
Type: Delta
Reviews:
A radical ballet kite with a strongly developed personality. Designed
with a good bit of oversteer (some can be removed by tuning), this
kite excels at groundwork, stalls, unusual launches, and all around
flight. Sewn with Dean Jordan's usual attention to detail, as well as
Dean's willingness to do custom graphics on order. - Jeff Burka
2.26 Quadrafoil (B,P,Q) $$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Burka
Manufacturer: Kite Innovations
Materials: 3/4 oz ripstop; no spars
Wind Range: *no info*
Span: *no info*
Height: *no info*
Type: Rectangular
Reviews:
Possibly the best kite to learn to fly Quad with. The Quadrafoil is
slow and forgiving, and with its soft construction, you can neither
break it in a crash nor injure people or items by hitting them
(obviously you still want to avoid any such contact). Beware of the
pull--the smallest version, the 25, has enough yank to pull the flyer
in a fresh wind. - Jeff Burka
2.27 Revolution I (Q,R) $$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Ken Yoder
Manufacturer: Revolution
Materials: Advantage graphite
Wind Range: 6-20 mph (3-9 m/s)
Span: 9'2" (279 cm)
Height: **
Type: revolution
Reviews:
The "original" quad. It uses a different technique than a dual line
kite and takes some getting use to. The propeller spins and ground
action are great. Once you get the hang of it, it is very easy to
land and launch. People love to see it stop in midair and fly
backwards. Needs a fair amount of wind. - Ken Yoder
2.28 Revolution II (Q,R) $$$-$$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Ken Yoder, Andrew Beattie Dec 1992
Manufacturer: Revolution
Materials: Advantage graphite
Wind Range: 8-20 mph (4-9 m/s)
Span: 5'8" (173 cm)
Height: **
Type: revolution
Reviews:
Smaller version of the Rev I. Needs more wind but is quicker and
more maneuverable. - Ken Yoder
The Rev II just looks like a small version of a Rev I, but it feels
like a totaly different kite. It is so responsive, it tends to bounce
back when I merely want it to stop.- Andrew Beattie, Dec. 1992.
2.29 Scorpion () $$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Marty Sasaki, Andrew Beattie, Light-Bearer Dec 1992
Manufacturer: Flexifoil International
Materials: Carrington Novare
Wind Range: *no info*
Span: *no info*
Height: **
Type: Delta
Reviews:
The Scorpion is manufactured by Cobra, who used to import the
Phantom. Cobra's official line is that the quality of the Phantom's
was declining and they couldn't get the quantity that was desired. So,
Cobra started making the Scorpion. I haven't flown the Scorpion enough
to form much of an opinion, but my gut reaction is that it's a nice
enough kite, but there are lots of better kites out there, many of
them for a lot less money. - Marty Sasaki
This kite qualifies simply by being extremely GOOD. It simply does
exactly what you want it to do. Leading edge launches (leading edge
on the ground), belly launches (bridle side down, nose away from you),
floating sideways across the window, with the nose pointing upwards
(slide), moving from standard launch into a tip-stand without leaving
the ground, holding a tip stand for a minute or more... This kite
just does what you tell it.- Andrew Beattie, Dec 1992.
I love this kite! This is the kite I will probably pull out the most
when I want to do alot of stall tricks and ground work; and as the add
says, "it'll make you feel like the pros." This is the easiest kite to
launch on the leading edge that I've flown. It's great in light (4-
10MPH) winds, and even though Cobra says it'll go to 20 MPH, I won't.
All the spars are 5.5mm Beman and I've already busted a leading edge.
It will spin very tightly, but the turns "feel" unusual ---the kite
rotation sort of accelerates into and out of the turns (increasing
into, the decreasing out of the turns). It's very weird, but nice once
you get used to it. Also be warned that, in contrast to most (US)
kites, the static line on the bridle runs from the "T" to the clip, so
tuning is a new adventure. I haven't really tried much fugure-type
precision flying with it yet, since I get too excited fooling around.
I highly recommend this kite, but test fly it first since you may not
like the weird feel while turning.
Light-Bearer (luc...@emx.cc.utexas.edu)
2.30 Silent Dart (I) $$$-$$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter Lenzen Mar 1993
$$$$$ -60 panels
$$$$-6 colors w/carbon frame
$$$- 6 colors w/epoxy frame
Manufacturer: In Vento (Germany)
Materials: ripstop nylon
Carbon 6mm, or epoxy 8.9 mm
stand-offs: carbon 3mm
Wind Range: epoxy: (3.5-17 m/s)
carbon: (2-21 m/s)
Span: (240 cm)
Height: (95 cm)
Type: Dart
Review:
It takes time to adjust it, but then it's fun pure. The kite is too
fast for team flying, but if you are alone and it's a cold winter day,
you are the one who is getting drenched in sweat while the people
around you are freezing. This is not a kite for beginners because it
stalls in low winds, so you have to work with it. - Peter Lenzen,
March 1993.
2.31 Skyburner (I,U)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Marty Sasaki
Manufacturer: Skyburner Kites
Materials: AFC graphite
Wind range: 3-15 mph (1- 7 m/s) depends on kite
Span: *no info*
Height: **
Type: Delta
Review:
A good low wind kite. The ultra-light version does do well in very
light wind. The workmanship on the Skyburner is some of the best that
you will see. - Marty Sasaki
2.32 Spin Dart (I) $$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter Lenzen Mar 1993
*Spin Dart (I) $$$$
Manufacturer: Eliot (Germany)
Materials: ripstop nylon, 6mm carbon
Wind range: (.5- 10.5 m/s)
Span: (240 cm)
Height: (95 cm)
Weight: (350 g)
Type: Dart
Review:
The kite is developed from the 'Fire Dart', but with pockets at the
tips of the trailing(!) edge; that makes it slow and silent. This
kite IS my favorite one. While slowly going backwards, you can turn it
360 deg. (without any wind) great! It's very precise, spins over the
end of the wing, is slow, even in more wind (caused by the pockets)
and easy to handle. By adjusting the bridles, it is possible that you
can fly it whenever you want. To prevent the sky (in Hamburg) getting
overcrowded of Spin Darts, we [Peter's Team] never give the name
away. Instead we say `just a kind of dart.' - Peter Lenzen, March
1993.
2.33 Speedwing (I,S) $$-$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Burka
Manufacturer: Drachendompteur (imported by Air Circus)
Materials: Carrington sail, carbon frame (fiberglass on
"giant")
Wind Range: standard(12-40 mph) (5-18 m/s)
Span: standard(3'10") (117 cm)
Height: ***
Type: Delta
Note: 3 versions: standard, pro, and giant
Reviews:
An interesting kite, the Speedwing has no spine, and only a single
spreader. This is a tough kite to break! Unfor-tunately, I am
completely unable to recommend the "giant" version. While it is, as
advertised, fast and noisy, it also has a tremendous amount of
vibration that makes it uncom-fortable to fly. I'm told that the
smaller versions do not have this problem. With no standoffs, the
Speedwing is virtually impossible to launch without a stake or
assistant, and leading edge launches are a dicey proposition. Once in
the air, the kite flies nicely, though care must be taken not to
deflate the sail; stalls are difficult to recover from. The 'pro'
version has a camber sewn into the leading edge by the nose; it is
_supposed_ to increase the wind range down to about 2 mph. [1 m/s] -
Jeff Burka
2.34 Stinger 1000 () $$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Marty Sasaki
Manufacturer: Designed by Vince Bobrosky
Materials: Fiberglass
Wind Range: 4-15 mph (2-6.5 m/s)
Span: 8'8" (264 cm)
Height: **
Type: Delta
Reviews:
The Stinger has decent low wind performance, but swapping out the
fiberglass for graphite spars will produce a noticeable increase in
performance. - Marty Sasaki
2.35 Team High Fly Graphite (U,T,Pr) $$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Marty Sasaki
Manufacturer: High Fly Kite Co.
Materials: Glassforms Pro-Comp
Wind Range: *no info*
Span: 8'8" (264 cm)
Height: **
Type: Delta
Reviews:
This really is a team kite. Team kites stress stability and
precision. This kite will not do the tricks that other kites will do,
but it will fly a nice straight line, and speed control is easy. You
can get Team High Fly kites with an ultra-light two wrap spar. -
Marty Sasaki
2.36 Tracer (I,Ba) $$$-$$$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Jeff Burka
Manufacturer: Skyward Kites
Materials: Graphite or Fiberglass spars
Wind Range: *no info*
Span: 8'+ (244+ cm)
Height: 4'+
Type: Delta
Review: [NOTA BENE: based on *modified Tracer*]
It's a big kite, with a wing span of over 8' and a height of 4'--
there's lots of sail area. The sail is extremely deep--the stand-
offs, at 10.5" from sail to spreader are amongst the longest I've seen
on a standard 'full-size' kite. In addition to this, the leading edge
is curved, creating a camber. Finally, the kite makes use of what
Skyward is referring to as "active frame tensioning" --instead of the
usual bungee in the leading edge, the sail is held taut by a length
of spectra sewn into the trailing edge. This has the dual role of
keeping the trailing edge taut (making the kite quite quiet) and
keeping the sail tight on the frame. It actually works quite well.
In terms of performance, the Tracer is somewhere between a precision
kite and a radical ballet kite. With a combination punch-pull turn
you can cut extremely tight angles with great precision. While it's
not really on rails, the kite does track pretty well, so groundsweeps
look good. Despite all this, the kite has a nice bit of oversteer,
and it's a very simple matter to dump air from the sail, stalling the
kite in a lot of neat positions. This also makes the kite good for
groundwork. Belly and leading edge launches are a snap, and the kite
is very easy to turtle--and recover. It's a good idea to string some
monofilament along the trailing edge to keep your lines from wrapping
around a tip or the keel.
*I will point out that my kite is not a stock Tracer. I've removed
the extraordinarily heavy vinyls and bridle and replaced them with
much thinner-walled vinyls and 300# Spectra. I also added rubber
bands to each end of all 3 spreaders to hold them in place. I've set
the clip about 1/8" _above_ the half-way point along the main bridle
line. If you buy one with the 2400 frame, consider making the
modifications I've suggested above; it's like a completely different
kite. - Jeff Burka
2.37 Trlby (B) $
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Ken Yoder
Manufacturer: Trlby Products
Materials: Fiberglass (solid)
Wind Range: 8-20 (single kite) mph (4-9 m/s)
Span: 3'0" (91 cm)
Height: **
Type: Diamond
Review:
A good, cheap beginners diamond. Takes a beating and gives you the
feel for flying a stunt kite. Trains or stacks of three or more with
their long tails are a great spectator attraction. - Ken Yoder
2.38 Ultrawing 96 (Pr) $$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Ken Yoder
Manufacturer: Skynasaur
Materials: AFC graphite
Wind Range: 3-20 mph (1-9 m/s)
Span: 7'11" (241 cm)
Height: **
Type: Delta
Review:
A nice ultralight with good precision. I've only flow on a few
times, but it handled smoooooth. - Ken Yoder
2.39 Ultralight Cheetah (I) $$$
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Al Harrington
Manufacturer: Wind Toys
Materials: Graphite spars
Wind Range: 4-20 mph (2-9 m/s)
Span: 8'1" (246 cm)
Height: **
Type: Delta
Reviews:
Very good low wind kite (3mph = 1.5 m/s). When the wind kicks up to
8-15mph [4-7m/s] the kite generates good pull and is quite fast. In
addition to the pull and speed it is a very noisy kite - a 'feature' I
like. It is a fun kite that gets more air time then the rest of my
kites. - Al Harrington
3.0 Review drafts
=====================================================================
Simo Salanne Movember 1993
The following reviews were never posted for FAQ, but they were posted
to rec.kites. Because of some technical information is missing, I have
tagged them as "DRAFT", hoping the original contributor will complete the
review to the FAQ standard and also offering an opportunity to adjust
opinions if they have changed.
3.1 Arch Angel 8' - DRAFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
da...@crash.cts.com (Dan Rubesh) Sun, 20 Dec 92 03:07:54 EST
Manufacturer: Dyna-Kite
Materials: sail
Spars
Wind Range:
Span: 8' (240 cm)
Height:
Type: Delta
The newest entry from Dyna-Kite, and their first venture as far as I
know into the delta wing stunt kite arena is the Arch Angel.. I first
saw the magazine ads quite a while back, and soon found that the ads
were somewhat premature, so I've been bugging John at Dyna-Kite ever
since to send one out for testing.. The long awaited Arch Angel
arrived last week and I just had a chance to give it some air time
this afternoon..
The sail is 3/4 oz ripstop, no big suprise there.. The frame is AFC
2300 graphite, using reinforced vinyl tubing at the spreader
connection points, and the standoffs are snap attached to the sail ala
Dean Jordan, but are also threaded through a tab of sail material
that's attached to the trailing edge apparently to act as a retainer
for the standoff should it come detached from the kite.
The flight characteristics are smooth and stable with no sign of
oversteer which should make it a great kite for someone ready to step
up from the diamond wing designs or as a first kite for someone that
wants to jump in at the big wing level.. The only handling drawback
that I found was a slight tendency to pull itself out of the air with
a bit too much control input at the extreme edges of the window, but
was mostly able to recover with out an 'unplanned landing'.. I'll see
what improvments I can make via bridle tuning, as the wind today
wasn't really conducive to much tuning, (too variable and choppy). The
turns are just a shade inside of the wingtip.
The pricing is quite attractive for an 8' graphite framed delta as it
should sell at the $120-$130 ballpark level. There are plans to bring
out 3/4 and 1/2 versions (6' and 4' respectively) later down the road,
I'm told..
Ob. Disclaimer:
I am a stunt kite dealer and carry some of the above mentioned
product(s). As such, my opinions may tend to be somewhat subjective.
Good Winds and Tight Lines!!
Wind Wizard
3.2 EFM - DRAFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
je...@syrinx.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) 14 Sep 92 20:42:14 GMT
Manufacturer: Big Easy Kites
Materials: sail
Spars Beman
Wind Range:
Span:
Height:
Type: Delta
I also got to take a closer look at one of the new EFMs from Big Easy
Kites. I first flew the EFM (then the Mariah--Trilogy got their Moriah
on the market first, so they got the name) when it was still being
worked out and was impressed with it's light wind capabilities, silent
flight, and solid feel. But it never appealed to me like the Phantom
(the kite from which the EFM is partially derived). Even the original
Mariah has the innovative stand-off system which relieves pressure
from the lower spreaders.
Over the past 6 months or so, Big Easy has been making a number of
innovations to the EFM that are quite neat. The most obviously
visible one is to the bridle. The EFM's bridle is rigged like the
Phantom's--the static line goes to the t-fitting instead of the lower
leading edge. But that's where the similarity ends. On the EFM, the
dynamic line has been shortened and the static line lengthented.
Instead of attaching the flying line to he junction of the two lines,
the flying line is attached to a loop of line that's on the static
line. Both the static and dynamic lines have markings for wind
ranges, with corresponding color. For instance, for light winds, put
both lines on the black mark. Once you've adjusted both lines for the
right wind, you can then adjust the static line for oversteer. By
doing it this way, you can adjust the attitude of the kite without
changing where the bridle is set over the pocket of the sail. It's
quite neat and something I'm anxious to experiment with. Another
advantange to this bridle method is that it supposedly increases the
wind range of the kite into the 20s (the EFM is sparred with beman
5.5).
The other major innovation is to the lower spreader. There are 3 ways
to use the bottom spreader, thanks to vinyl stops glued to either end
at different lenghts from the end of the spar, *and* a removable vinyl
stop that can be slid on one end. The t-fitting is extra wide to
allow different amounts of the spreaders to be inserted. By using the
shorter options on the spreader, you pull in the bottom of the leading
edge, creating a camber in the sail. Also included with the kite are
two different top spreaders.
All in all, it's a neat package, and one I'm far more interested in
now than I was when I first flew the kite.
Jeff Burka
3.3 Griffin - DRAFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
re...@flounder.harvard.edu (Ronald S. Reich) Wed, 24 Feb 93 06:08:15 PST
Manufacturer: Stan Swanson
Materials: sail
Spars Beman
Wind Range:
Span:
Height:
Type: Delta
I posted a message that "The Griffin is Comming". Indead it has.
The kite is designed and manufactured by Stan Swanson of the United
States. His address and Phone number are in the AKA register. I
don't have that information with me or I would provide it here.
The kite is similar in shape to other 8 foot deltas' with the dart
type swallow tail. It is supurbly constructed. The Sail material
is the new shiney carrington. The standard model is available in
three color patterns. I was tasked to test fly it and I was able to
perform all of the current masterclass fancy individual stunts and
also found that it could do some new ones that will be seen in
competition this year. The one I tested was framed with wrapped
graphite. The best of all is the price. I believe the whole sail
price is around $60.00 and that puts the retail at about $120.00.
I'm not positive about those numbers.
I HIGHLY RECOMMED THIS KITE FOR THE COMPETITOR AS WELL AS THE
BEGINNER.
Ron Reich
3.4 Competition Edge - DRAFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
sas...@netop3.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) Mon, 29 Mar 1993 22:33:44 GMT
Manufacturer: Big Easy Kites
Materials: sail
Spars Beman
Wind Range:
Span:
Height:
Type: Delta
First Impressions on the High Performance Competition Edge
Due to the generosity of Kevin Mayeshiro, I've had a bit of time to
play with a Competition Edge. Some shops have them, other's don't. I
couldn't find any locally so Kevin sent me his kite for evaluation.
They are bound to be popular kites since High Performance flew these
kites when they won the 1992 World Cup, and the suggested retail is
$195. (I might have this slightly wrong, it might be $190 ;-)
The kite is a full sized dart with little "winglets" near the tips.
The construction is good. The kite is normally spared with Glassforms
Pro-Comp rods. The fabric looks like Icarex. In large volumes, Icarex
is about the same price as Carrington, and Spectra Sport is going to
sell a lot of these kites.
So, how does the kite fly? How strong are you?
This kite is not for wimps. In moderate wind, this thing pulls like
crazy.
I removed the kite from my bag and set it up in about 8 mph winds. I
eased the nose forward expecting the kite to leap into the sky.
Instead the kite just sat there a few feet off of the ground wobbling
like crazy. Kevin warned me that High Performance likes to set the
kites "a little heavy," so I figured that the bridles were just too
low for me and the current wind conditions. I walked back to the kite
expecting to move the bridles way up, maybe an inch or so.
But the marks were only about an inch apart and the clips were just
below the midpoint between the marks, so I figured that the bridles
were correct. I moved them about an eigth of an inch anyway.
On the way back to the handles (it's amazing how long that trip can be
sometimes) I thought about the way High Performance flys and the kinds
of things that they like to do with their kites, and it occured to me
what I was doing wrong. I was flying the kite like a wimpy Easterner
and not like an Island boy.
A small digression on kite design, especially bridles. Many delta-wing
stunt kites have two three legged bridles. The lengths of these legs
is about the same. This results in a kite that is relatively flat as
it flys. By this, I mean that the lower spreaders are either straight
or just slightly bowed.
Now look at an Edge (or a North Shore Radical when tuned by High
Performance) and you will see that the legs are unequal, usually the
outhaul bridle (the leg that goes from the clip to the lower
spreader/leading edge intersection) is much shorter. When the kites is
in the air and in forward motion, the spreaders are noticeably curved.
When the kite is moving forward, an Edge has a lower angle of attack,
because of the curve in the spreaders, than when it is stationary,
when the spreaders are straight.
Now back to flying an Edge...
Rather than easing the nose forward as I had done before, I gave the
lines a hard, even tug. The kite leaped into the air and flew nice and
straight. I did a ground pass and did a double push turn up and the
kite stopped neatly. A few steps forward and I had landed the kite
almost directly down wind.
After I got used to flying it this way, I found the Edge a great kite
to play with. Tip stands and helicopter slides were both very easy.
I'm sure that leading edge launches would also be easy, but since it
was a borrowed kite I refrained from dragging it on the ground.
I had troubles with sharp right angle turns, I had a tendancy to push
too much, which would flatten the kite out and cause a wobble. I think
that the kite's frame was a little too stiff for the wind that I was
flying it in.
I'll have to return the kite to Kevin soon (thanks again for the
loan), so I'll either buy one locally, or make a clone for further
playing with. It is a fun kite to fly and flying it will add a few
things to future kites that I make... --Marty Sasaki
~From: sas...@netop3.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki)
~Date: 5 Apr 93 17:14:08 GMT
Well, here's my final test report on the High Performance Competition
Edge.
The short form: This is a high performance kite capable of all of the
tricks. It is also very steady and stable. A real bargain, with a Pro-
Comp graphite frame and Icarex polyester, and a suggested retail price
of under $200.
The long form:
Construction: Construction is pretty good, with double turned seams
and hems, and reinforcements in high wear and stress areas. The only
nit here is that the bridles are formed using aluminum crimp-on
fasteners, and a ball bearing swivel. If it were my kite, I would
replace the bridles with knotted, or spliced bridles, and use a system
that doesn't require a swivel or snap, but this is just personal
preference.
The kite should be thought of as having two different "modes". Forward
flight, and stopped flight.
Once the kite is moving forward it is very steady and stable (and
noisy). Standard precision figures feel very solid. If you keep
tension on the lines, there is virtually no oversteer.
But give your line some slack so that the kite flattens out, and it
will stop dead in it's tracks. In this mode the kite slides easiy. It
is easy to land this kite, a double push turn and a step forward will
put it down anywhere in the window. If you violently load the kite
with a jerking sharp turn, and throw both hands forward, you can
flatten the kite out and practically drive the kite into the ground.
When you stop the kite, it goes from a loud buzzing to complete
silence. It's startling and a very effective attention getter.
Tip stands are also easy, as are leading edge launches. I also managed
a Scott Augenbaugh nose launch. It isn't really easy, but the Edge
made this stunt easier than other kites in my bag.
You do have to be strong to fly this kite, it likes to have low
bridles and flys very poorly with high bridles.
It also has a completely different feel from the other kites in my bag
or other kites that I really like. Enough differently that many of the
other folks that tried the kite out (not many have been seen in New
England) didn't like the way it flew. I didn't have enough air time
with it to really show it off. So, if you are used to Big Brothers, or
Jordan Pro's, or Katanas, then give this kite a fair chance before
dismissing it.
I'll add one of these to my kite bag soon. Thanks again go to Kevin
Mayeshiro for loaning me his kite (I'll put it into the mail by
Wednesday Keven). --Marty Sasaki
3.5 Impulse - DRAFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
luc...@emx.cc.utexas.edu (Light-Bearer) 22 Mar 93 20:19:50 GMT
Manufacturer: Cobra Kites
Materials: sail
Spars
Wind Range:
Span:
Height:
Type: Delta
Cobra Kites' Impulse - This is the new 3/4 Scorpion'ish kite. It has
the same weird turning feel as the Scorpion. It is fast and quiet and
very sensitive. It will do most tricks, and a sharp snap turn will
cause the kite to pivot 180 around the "T". This seems pretty unique
for this configuration --- I've only seen a Spin-off or a Snap do this
before. It's bridled like the Scorpion, but its sensitivity (and
unfortunately, its dissapearing feducial mark) make tuning a
challenge. Bottom line: I like it, but the jury is still out.
3.6 Kestrel - DRAFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
luc...@emx.cc.utexas.edu (Light-Bearer) 22 Mar 93 20:19:50 GMT
Manufacturer: Sky Delight KItes
Materials: sail
Spars
Wind Range:
Span:
Height:
Type: Delta
Kestrel by Joel Sholtz - If I could have only one kite out of my bag,
I'd probably pick this one. It's very colorful and flies great to
boot. Joel (with the help of Terry Baudoin) redesigned the Neptune by
shortening the bottom spreaders, extending the standoffs, and slightly
adjusting the sail. It looks like they added more cambre to the
leading edge too. The result is an even better flier than the Neptune
(which was no sloucher; see the SKQ review), and a great all around
kite. It's currently framed with 2400 (I think... too lazy tocheck)
AFC graphite, so it's fairly rugged, but also ultralite.
I can do stalls, slides, belly and leading-edge launches, wingtip
stands all with relative ease. The kite is precise and will hold a
clean line. Also, a good 360 pull-turn on the edge will cause the kite
dump air and slide to a wingtip landing (in a very stable way). This
really looks cool. (Forgive me if this trick is "old hat.") The only
possible drawback is the tail, which seems to give the kite different
characteristics in higher winds, especially on the edge. The only time
I've pulled the kite out of the air was at the edge in high winds. I
think this is caused by the tail flapping somewhat in higher winds,
but I haven't had a chance to really investigate this --- Terry says
he's never had this trouble. In summary, I think this would be a good
all around stunt kite giving a nice happy medium between looks,
precision, durability, and radicalness.
3.7 Hawaiian Maui - DRAFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
luc...@emx.cc.utexas.edu (Light-Bearer) 22 Mar 93 20:19:50 GMT
Manufacturer: Top of The Line
Materials: sail
Spars
Wind Range:
Span:
Height:
Type: Delta
TOTL Hawaiian Maui (3/4 Hawaiian Team) - This is a figure-precision
kite. It practically rides on rails, is very stable and forgiving, and
does very tight snap turns. It is very fast and has little pull. It's
made of thick ripstop on fiberglass tubing so it is very rugged. On
long lines, it's great for fast precise figure flying. However, it has
zero radical behavior. It's very hard to stall or dump wind (which is
why it's so stable and precise). Also, ground work is nearly
impossible as the lines easily get wrapped around the kite. I've never
been able to launch from the belly or leading edge. On the other hand,
it is THE kite for me when the wind is gusty and strong (>=15-20 MPH).
Since I can't do many tricks in heavy gusty winds (I need a VIP, or a
Moriah), I usually just pull this kite out and do loops, figures and
ground passes. I like this kite alot, but now days it's more of a
special purpose kite than an all around pick.
3.8 North Shore Kona - DRAFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
luc...@emx.cc.utexas.edu (Light-Bearer) 22 Mar 93 20:19:50 GMT
Manufacturer: Top of The Line
Materials: sail 1/2 oz Carrington
Spars 2 wrap Advantage
Wind Range:
Span:
Height:
Type: Delta
This is an ultralite with Carrington 1/2 oz on a 2 wrap Advantage
frame. This is a very fragile kite, but it is the only kite that I've
been able to fly in "no" wind (if you can feel the direction, you can
keep this kite up). I should note that I have mild Cerebral Palsey
which limits my backward running mobility, so the Kona is a dream when
the wind's really low. The Kona is very precise (seems more so than
the Radical), but definately has a radical edge. In about 3-4 MPH, the
Kona will fly slow enough for nice team flying (e.g. Grand Nationals
in Lubbock last year), but will also do most (non-abusive) tricks. I
would only recommend this kite for experienced fliers unless you have
a big, spar replacement budget. Also note that the fittings and bridle
are stock NSR (big nasty swivels, heavy vinyls, and at least a 300-400
lb bridle!). I've lightenned the kite considerably by just taking off
the swivels.
3.9 Snap - DRAFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
luc...@emx.cc.utexas.edu (Light-Bearer) 22 Mar 93 20:19:50 GMT
Manufacturer: Top of The Line
Materials: sail
Spars
Wind Range:
Span:
Height:
Type: Delta
Outstanding mini stunt kite. This litte (4ft) kite comes complete with
line and standoffs. It'll fly in 5MPH wind and can be a real blast. In
higher winds on longer lines, it's great and has zero pull. I've heard
that these kites are excellent in stacks. I carry the Snap around for
quick flights when I get a spare moment. The stock line is 60' of
Dacron, so you can fly it in small areas. I haven't perfected many
tricks with it yet except for the 180 degree pivot turn. A good intro
kite for kids since it's easy to fly, very sturdy, and inexpensive
(around $50-60 US).
3.10 Highflyers Spectre - DRAFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
and...@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) Thu, 14 Jan 93 06:40:59 EST
Manufacturer: Highflyers
Materials: sail
Spars
Wind Range:
Span:
Height:
Type: Delta
I bought this kite for my wife. It is quite fast and pulls more than
you would expect for it's size. I don't like it very much, because
it's too easy to pull out the sky, the shape is too full to dump wind
and I can't get it to do any ground work to speak of.
3.11 Swallowtail - DRAFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
je...@syrinx.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) 14 Sep 92 20:42:14 GMT
Manufacturer: Fizz Sport Kites
Materials: sail
Spars
Wind Range:
Span:
Height:
Type: Delta
I got to fly (finally!) Benson's new Swallowtail. Ooh! Nifty!
Instead of the normal dart keel, this kite has two little sailettes
(;-) extending down from the t-fitting, like the tail of an angelfish
(or Joel Scholtz' Neptune). Benson is far more sensible about his
tail than Scholtz. On the Neptune, the tail is kept taut by a piece
of fiberglass that curves by the sail. While this works, it distorts
the sail by the spine. Benson simply has what amounts to leading edge
pockets that meet at the t-fitting, and the swallowtails are held out
by graphite spars (held in place with the obligatory bungee). All
this is stuck onto a kite that looks an awful lot like a Phantom, in
terms of size, geometry, and construction.
So how does it fly? Well, the Swallowtail seems to take a bit more
wind, but once it's in the air is shockingly reminiscient of the
Phantom. It sounds just like a Phantom and has the same solid feel
through turns. The big differences seem to be that it turns an awful
lot faster (though nothing like the High Profile, Benson's other new
kite) and it skates beautifully.
While not an overly radical kite (certainly more than the Phantom
though), this kite needs the now ever-present piece of monofilament
strung along the bottom--the double tails just provide too many places
for your bridles to get snagged.
Jeffrey C. Burka
3.12 Benson Wasp - DRAFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
and...@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) Thu, 14 Jan 93 06:40:59 EST
Manufacturer: Fizz Sport Kites
Materials: sail
Spars
Wind Range:
Span:
Height:
Type:
This kite is damn good fun. It's so small that it will hardly fly on
most days, but give it a gale and it's off. I've never found the
upper limit to it's wind range, but it's so fast it's silly. I reckon
than in a good wind, it turns at the rate of about 3 revs per second!
The challenge is to control it. I have broken the spine several times
due to my inability to steer it away from the ground (yes - it really
can be *that* difficult to control - I and another experienced flier
have hit the ground so hard that the spine has not merely broken but
shattered as if it had exploded while merely trying to regain
control). Control is made all the more difficult by it's ability to
dump wind in the middle of the window, leaving it to tumble out of the
sky for a second or do before catching it's breath and whizzing off
whichever way it happens to be pointing. This kite went out of
production because people didn't want to pay the price of a 3/4 kite
(most of the money in a kite is labour) for something smaller than
most toy kites, because it doesn't look like good value. It's a
shame, bacause it's worth every penny.
3.13 Wizard - DRAFT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
luc...@emx.cc.utexas.edu (Light-Bearer) 22 Mar 93 20:19:50 GMT
Manufacturer:
Materials: sail
Spars
Wind Range:
Span:
Height:
Type:
This is a 3/4 delta with more finesse than the NSE. This kite is my
ultralite 3/4 (I have the graphite sparred version). It cuts clean
corners and will hold a clean line. It will also stall, and holds the
edge quite well. I would avoid high winds, though, as the sail
material seems to be 1/2oz ripstop. (Is this true folks?) One caution:
every glued part on my Wizard has come loose, so be ready with the
Super Glue. I recommend this kite for someone who can only have one
3/4 and wants a good all around kite.
4.0 Estimating Wind Speed
=====================================================================
Paul Kalowski <Spac...@Kuhub.Cc.Ukans.Edu> May 1993
Avg. Wind speed Avg. Wind speed
(mph) (m/s) What to look for
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
0 0 Smoke straight up
1 - 3 0.5 - 1.5 Wind direction just
shown by smoke
4 - 7 2 - 3 Leaves rustle, wind
felt on face, flags
flap lazily.
8 - 12 3.5 - 5 Leaves and small twigs
in constant motion;
flags extended.
13 - 18 6 - 8 Raises dust and loose paper;
small branches move.
19 - 24 8.5 - 10.5 Branches and small trees sway;
wavelets from on inland waters
25 - 31 11 - 14 Large branches move; whistling
in phone and electric wires.
32 - 38 14.5 - 17 Whole trees in motion.
Powerkiters dream.
38+ 17+ Your SO's shirt flies off.
--
Simo.S...@csc.fi STACK Finland