John Holgate - 4-10-2009 at 05:54 PM
Got my mitts on the 3m Hornet that's part of the Extreme Kites Demo scheme. Within minutes of flying this kite I really loved it. I've read through
the advertising that Peter Lynn puts out with the kite and I have to say that it does exactly what they say it does. It's great to fly from the front
lines, a light touch on the brakes can slow it down and put it back in the power zone when buggying. Reverse launching is an absolute cinch - you can
almost fly it straight up backwards. It's a really nice balance between the power lines and brakes - the best I've used to date. (I've been mostly
flying Beamers, Imps and an Access XC)
It's also really gentle and smooth in it's gust handling and power delivery. Really predictable and not scary at all. It's difficult to make it
luff and it will sit nicely at the edges of the window.
It has very little lift - not the kite for trying to jump with, but I'm trying to keep my bum firmly on the ground!!
The 3m has got bags of power for the buggy once the wind gets to 20km/hr ish. The bag is well thought out with heaps of spare room. Handles are ok,
but need a little bit of extra padding where the power line exits the handle (it's just a bit of 4/5mm spectra which is a little hard on the pinkies)
The sail itself seems as well made as any other - bridles are stitched and sleeved.
It is a bit more expensive than some of it's competition (in Australia) but I would have to say the gentle and forgiving nature of this kite in gusty
conditions makes it worth the extra dollars to my way of thinking.
If I could only have one kite to static fly and buggy with, the Hornet 3m would be it.
Really impressed. - John.
John Holgate - 10-10-2009 at 09:54 PM
And just in case you'd like to see the Hornet 3m in action as a buggy engine.....
Taking the Hornet 3m for a fly/buggy