Power Kite Forum

npw for tight spots?

airin - 6-10-2009 at 02:18 PM

I just wondered what you guys who buggy thought of using the nasa power wing for when you come upon a tight spot that just begs for ride in the bug.

I flew this single skin kite a couple times this past weekend and actually used it to start learning the basics during my first few buggy runs. But other than that I am just speculating on how much use it would get if it was in a buggy maniac's kite bag.

I can see how, on short lines, it might be handy for some parking lot type runs or on soccer fields where space for a regular foil on 25 metre lines might be limited.

Lemme know what you think.

thanks,
Erin

kitemaker4 - 6-10-2009 at 02:59 PM

Just to let you know that is all I fly now.

Susan (npw goddess)

lad - 6-10-2009 at 03:17 PM

...start watching at 1:50

airin - 6-10-2009 at 03:30 PM

That's it lad, just want I was thinking of...that flying in the parking lot with the npw! Excellent! Thanks for posting the link to that vid.

Yeah Susan, you know it, I'm going to be getting one....still need to know what size to start with.

If I only had one - what size would be most versatile? I know you can't get a one-size-does-it-all but what would work best in, say, mid range winds to strong'ish winds?

kitemaker4 - 6-10-2009 at 03:44 PM

Quote:
If I only had one - what size would be most versatile? I know you can't get a one-size-does-it-all but what would work best in, say, mid range winds to strong'ish winds?


I fly my npw9 3.4 a lot of the time.

Susan (npw goddess)

sp4cem0nkey - 6-10-2009 at 03:46 PM

I assume that is 3.4 meters. What does the 9 mean? What length lines do you fly with, Susan?

kitejumper - 6-10-2009 at 04:13 PM

ive flown my npw9 11 meter on the bridles,not in strong winds though......

airin - 6-10-2009 at 04:55 PM

Do they usually come with lines and handles?

Yeah 3.4 does sound like a good size.

I'm wondering what the 9 means as well.

kitemaker4 - 6-10-2009 at 04:58 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by sp4cem0nkey What length lines do you fly with, Susan?


With a nasa wing any line lenght will do are attach the bridles to the handles.

Susan (npw goddess)

kitemaker4 - 6-10-2009 at 05:01 PM

What does the 9 mean?

There are two different models of nasa wings. The first is the npw5. It is made with 3 panels and 36 bridle lines.

The second is the npw9. It is made up of 5 panels and 48 bridle lines. By far the npw9 out preforms the npw5 and that is what I make now.

Susan (npw goddess)

Bladerunner - 6-10-2009 at 05:02 PM

Invento / Hq no longer seem to make the ones like we flew but mine came with 23m ( not the short ones I had on it ) and handles . Rip' can get expensive ones from Europe.

Susan custom makes them so I'm sure she can make it RTF for you but Rip' can probably set you up if she can't ?

The one you have for learning seems a good size around here NPW 5 - 4.6?m

kitemaker4 - 6-10-2009 at 05:02 PM

Do they usually come with lines and handles?

Lines and handles are extra and I can make some up.

Susan (npw goddess)

sp4cem0nkey - 6-10-2009 at 05:03 PM

Just out of curiosity, what would it cost to have a 3.4m npw9 made for me?

Bladerunner - 6-10-2009 at 05:04 PM

Airin has my Sister kite to your NPW 5 Rainbow design right now Susan. What size is that ?

kitemaker4 - 6-10-2009 at 05:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by sp4cem0nkey
Just out of curiosity, what would it cost to have a 3.4m npw9 made for me?


u2u sent

Susan (npw goddess)

kitemaker4 - 6-10-2009 at 05:12 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bladerunner
Airin has my Sister kite to your NPW 5 Rainbow design right now Susan. What size is that ?


Not sure about what kite you are talking about. To determine the size of a nasa wing you need to measure the center panel from top to bottom in metric.

Susan (npw goddess)

airin - 7-10-2009 at 08:54 AM

Bladerunner's npw5 is a 4.8.

Jaymz - 7-10-2009 at 10:02 PM

The Invento/HQ NPW5 4.8 was my first kite 13 months ago. It still puts a big smile on my face whenever I fly it. Can't wait to try it with the buggy in the right (steady) winds...maybe shorten the lines and hit a parking lot soon. The 4.8 pulls like a freight train static.
Seeing alot of NPW interest here lately :thumbup:

revpaul - 8-10-2009 at 09:42 AM

hi airin,
i have 4 NPWs (first version i believe). only unrolled my largest one, 4.8m, a few times (on bridle and on lines) to test staticly and give newbies a go (static).

++ very, very smooth/non jerky pull.
++ very bomb proof (give kite to newbie with a quick demo/instruction and leave him/her alone to discover. owner does not have to worry about newbie exploding kite.)

*i put some 25m lines on the 4.8m and buggied with it (inland).
-- pull (as smooth as it was) was very, very perpendicular to buggy (kite sat more in middle of window and not at the front edge). i soon felt muscles in my side that i don't normally feel.
--i found it very difficult, to the point of not fun at all, to get any upwind reach.

i'd like to hears other opinons on upwind performance of the NPW
Paul

kitemaker4 - 8-10-2009 at 10:05 AM

You can go upwind with nasa wings. You have to remember that nasa wings need tension on the brake lines at all times. Depending on which model you have (npw5 has 36 bridle lines and 3 panels and the npw9 has 48 bridle lines and 5 panes) you get better upwind capabilities with the npw9. The npw9 is all around a better kite then the npw5.

I have been flying nasa wings for four years now and I hope this helps.

Susan (npw goddess)

kitemaker4 - 8-10-2009 at 10:59 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by kitemaker4
You can go upwind with nasa wings. You have to remember that nasa wings need tension on the brake lines at all times. Depending on which model you have (npw5 has 36 bridle lines and 3 panels and the npw9 has 48 bridle lines and 5 panels) you get better upwind capabilities with the npw9. The npw9 is all around a better kite then the npw5.

I have been flying nasa wings for four years now and I hope this helps.

Susan (npw goddess)

lad - 8-10-2009 at 11:06 AM

Susan, is there any particular trick to NASA upwind? I couldn't manage much at the beach with a couple I tried.

One poster, Vegasboarder, at a kitewing forum, says to pull ONE brake line in the direction you are traveling.

Another post on a different kite forum vaguely says you need to sorta drive the kite down from a higher window position to go upwind.

kitemaker4 - 8-10-2009 at 12:03 PM

You need to have a lot of tension on the brake lines compared to a foil. If not enough tension the kite will just kind of flap around and not do well. Move you hands down the handle more towards the center and this will help with the brake tension. It takes some practice to get it right. I can go just about anywhere I want to with a nasa wing.

Susan (npw goddess)

lad - 8-10-2009 at 12:10 PM

It seemed to be a too-fine line between "enough brake tension" and "reverse flight" for me! :rolleyes: Maybe I just was too optimistic about how much I could travel in that particular upwind direction.

kitemaker4 - 8-10-2009 at 12:44 PM

Where are you located? Maybe there is someone in your area that can show the the finer points in flying a nasa wing.

Susan (npw goddess)

lad - 8-10-2009 at 02:16 PM

I'm Mid-Atlantic and flew a few at Wildwood. I can definitely see a "turbo effect" braking the HQ 4.8 - but not on the New Tech Thunderwing NPWs.

That Vegasboarder poster at www.wingsurferforum.co.uk talks about learning NPW secrets from some long time buggy guys in the desert.

He also mentions the best way to land and park them is offset on their sides - with the brakelines facing away - another tip I never heard elsewhere (PS, it works!)

Bladerunner - 8-10-2009 at 04:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by lad
It seemed to be a too-fine line between "enough brake tension" and "reverse flight" for me! :rolleyes: Maybe I just was too optimistic about how much I could travel in that particular upwind direction.


I think you said it all right there.
Upwind angles are much reduced, a struggle at times. At 1st we didn't think you could go upwind with them here either. I seem to get upwind best with the wing up high ? I hold the handle low like Susan suggests.

I say that if the foils and LEI's had never been invented I would think NPW's are great. They are great for some things even still. An NPW or 2 in the bag can save the day !

tdmc96 - 8-10-2009 at 07:40 PM

You guys have sparked my interest in NPW's again so, I'm going to have to buy a larger one so I can do some parking lot flying.

I flew my .8 NPW at NABX, on a wrench, off the bridle in very high winds.
My fingers started to turn blue when I tried to fly it with my fingers so the only thing I could find was a wrench.

airin - 8-10-2009 at 08:56 PM

Nice one tdmc96!

I'm skulking around town looking for some good parking lots for some npw flying this winter. Lemme know if you have any good spots to play with the wings out your way.

Bladerunner - 9-10-2009 at 06:30 AM

Airin and I hope to get some parking lot sessions in over the winter. Dirtslide and I started at it before He was injured.
We will post up on PKC with spots we find and days we head out.
So far , Silver City is best. Science world ( my original spot ) is as good as gone.

bobalooie57 - 9-10-2009 at 07:22 AM

Lad,buggymangp was the man to ask re flying the wing at WW, though my 4.8 was pulling me back and forth quite well at the high side of the beach, that is until i got in the'shadow' of the Madrid Hotel, and dropped my wing on your lady friend's head! opps, sorry...:(

lad - 9-10-2009 at 09:24 AM

I couldn't access this thread's 2nd page (bobalooie57's last post) until I added this comment! :puzzled:

I can sort'a hit upwind with the 4.8 - adding brakes definitely gives it that "turbo" effect. But angling the loose sail effectively (and not sending it backwards, like a Rev stunt kite) is an issue.

bobalooie57 - 9-10-2009 at 09:26 AM

seems to happen a lot on page changes, can't access until someone else posts after.

kitemaker4 - 10-10-2009 at 07:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by lad
I couldn't access this thread's 2nd page (bobalooie57's last post) until I added this comment! :puzzled:

I can sort'a hit upwind with the 4.8 - adding brakes definitely gives it that "turbo" effect. But angling the loose sail effectively (and not sending it backwards, like a Rev stunt kite) is an issue.


You just need more time with the kite and it will come.

Susan (npw goddess)

lad - 26-10-2009 at 09:41 AM

It's surprising how this well this guy is doing up against the treeline confined to such a small field. Then you'll see how long his lines are.

It gets pretty fun at the 4:00 mark :P


airin - 26-10-2009 at 11:36 AM

Yeah that's pretty interesting flying in such a tree bounded area.

Quite the pull generated by that wing, eh?!

How long would you guess those lines to be?

lad - 26-10-2009 at 11:45 AM

Would at least 20 meters sound right? I'm not too good at visual measures.

Notice too that he used only dual-lines!
He couldn't easily lay-down or de-turbo that nasawing if he wanted to.