Power Kite Forum

Please explain

Hardrock - 17-4-2010 at 08:47 AM

Can someone explain this? Why does PL recommend 29 1/2" pigtails on the 19m?

pt_Varc.jpg - 17kB

acampbell - 17-4-2010 at 09:09 AM

Remember the wing tips are not square but sweep back towards the trailing edge, so your front pigtails have to be longer to "square up" the line connections. When we were chatting the other day and talking about longer pigtails with extra knots, that would be for the Trailing Edge, not the leading edge; sorry if I was not clear. Longer pigtails were common on the Scorpions, but someone else with more Venom time can comment if they are useful here to lower the AoA in light winds..

PHREERIDER - 17-4-2010 at 09:11 AM

equal line terminus from bar,

angle of spar with wind load

it the difference from front to back (use the "PL" printed cells as a level flight line for the tip when laid out on the ground )

macboy - 17-4-2010 at 11:09 AM

And don't worry about being too precise - you know how much variance even the trim strap gives - there's wiggle room. When I started flying Arcs I'd actually choke up on the front lines by about 6 inches to get the feel for the kite at low power. As long as both fronts are the same and both rears are the same you can experiment. The guide is a good starting point. I remember the first time I saw the front pigtails on the Phantom - they are quite long.

Hardrock - 17-4-2010 at 01:19 PM

Starting to understand it better now.

Thanks

Hardrock - 17-4-2010 at 06:40 PM

I made them long and tied on at the 29" knot but no bananas. Rear lines too tight. working back with knots I'm probably around 18" now and it flew pretty good there, just not enough wind to do the check at the Z.

Looks like I'll need a steady 10mph or so to really see.

How soon should the kite stall and start to drop when the bar is pulled in fully? Is this a slow reaction or wind dependent? Have a lot to learn and seems IMO pulling in to stall would power it up first.

Also, if your at the Z and a gust makes it start to over shoot, would you pull in for the stall or turn it to get it back?

I know I'm asking a lot of things I'll soon learn one way or the other. But if you vets have time, its nice to know what to expect from the kite and that helps tweak it a little.

BeamerBob - 17-4-2010 at 11:15 PM

Hardrock, the kite needs to be fully powered for the stall to work. It will kind of wrinkle up a bit and start to back down within a 3-5 seconds unless you are overpowered. If the kite is sitting still up high then just pulling in on the bar isn't going to create a bunch of power, but should initiate the stall. Remember that pulling in on the bar has somewhat the same effect as putting brakes on a fixed bridle kite that appreciates a little brake tension. Not the same but you get the idea. If the kite is about to overshoot, yes you can pull the bar in to "stall" the kite just a bit and get it to drift back into the window, or yes you can turn it to keep the kite pointed in a direction that is good for flight. I use both techniques from time to time depending on how fast things are going wrong. Just keep flying it and an arc will end up as your go to kite to have fun with. Still be careful though. That kite loves to lift when you swing it across the zenith.

macboy - 17-4-2010 at 11:28 PM

I think, given their nature, that arcs don't overfly too badly if at all unless the wind is really dirty and it starts to shoot forward in a gust and carries momentum as the wind shuts off. Lord knows I've had it happen far too many times but in the right winds you should almost be able to disconnect the rear lines and it'll just fly at zenith.

Maybe I'm oversimplifying and over exaggerating.......but still - you will become very comfortable with this thing. They really are amazing and let you get away with lots of things that other kites won't.

Hardrock - 18-4-2010 at 06:42 AM

Already at the point of not wanting to fly anything else. LOL

It was over shooting but makes perfect sense now that I've read your replys.

The gust would get it to the Z so also giving it momentum to over shoot. Then if I tried the stall + no wind it would stall way back down. I should have been flying it back as the wind wasn't really there.

So I think I have the pigtail knots in the right place.

Now for a little wind today.

Thanks.

tridude - 18-4-2010 at 07:33 AM

you need to get that 19 down here and get you on the water.........................body drags, water relaunch, then board starts........................Sullivans is calling and waiting.......................dont forget sunscreen...................................:eureka::eureka:

tridude - 18-4-2010 at 07:37 AM

I re rigged 13 and 19M Venoms and used the same chart................................If your rear leaders or depower line/strap are out of tolerance in the tescali bar set up thread your gonna have issues.........................check your bar setup to the parameters in the same thread.....................................

Hardrock - 18-4-2010 at 06:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by tridude
you need to get that 19 down here and get you on the water.........................body drags, water relaunch, then board starts........................Sullivans is calling and waiting.......................dont forget sunscreen...................................:eureka::eureka:


I've been thinking on that real hard Tridude. I'm off next Saturday and not again until the weekend of JIBE, (as I know of)

Kamikuza - 18-4-2010 at 08:43 PM

Don't think - go!