Learning how to fly

Buggying by June for sure. I think I saw the mythical green flash at sunset, or was that an orb.

Assuming you have no sailing experience, it might be a good excersie the next time you're out with the kite to walk or jog in a crosswind direction, as if you were in a buggy.
You'll notice that walking slightly into the wind takes more effort and slows your progress and walking a little downwind takes less effort but risks stalling the kite.

Find the optimum position.

To turn around and head back from where you started, slowly rasie the kite until it's above your head and do a U turn initially in the downwind direction ( don't stop walking). Then quickly strightern up to a crosswind direction whilst slowly lowering the kite back down into the power.

Yes..thanks RedSky...tried it walking along crosswind and turned and walked back...felt like I was doing my first proper pre-buggy lesson especially now I've got used to the hornet a bit. I'll practice that every time I go out flying. It took a bit of thinking to do and I'll have to work to find the optimum position but it's a learning curve and one I'm happy to be on.

As for the green flash!...No, I dont know what it was either..Im a fan of the "so-called comedian" Bob Mortimer and he does an observational comedy routine about having a brass hand (which, in observational comedy terms is pretty rare)..so, in that spirit:

"have you ever noticed, HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED when your'e out flying your kite and your mate is taking a video on his phone, and his BRASS HAND reflects the sun and shines onto the camera...have you ever noticed that? Have you?


orb...ORB...I gotta get those headphones on and go flying!..Thanks for the tips RedSky..muchos appreciatos

Been enjoying Bob's guest appearances on Would I Lie to You. Easily the funniest guy on there. There's a fine line between genius and insanity which describes him best I think. Not heard of the brass hand thing, so I you tubed it, and sure enough a brass hand. One particular story has him trying to keep 5kg of Jambon cool in his hotel room, wtf!

Learning how to fly


Update :Got the 3m Hornet last week to compliment the 6m and been out with it 3 days in a row...too windy to fly today though. I flew on grass for the very first time on Saturday. Only ever flown on sand at the beach so it was new experience and quite a different one. Grass playing fields are a lot more "sticky" than sand arent they ..I very cleverly (not) didnt change into my slippy shoes I keep for beach scudding and instead kept on my quite new, super-grippy mountain boots.
Fortunately the wind wasn't high enough for me to actually face-plant but I did end up doing that running about thing I see on youtube sometimes. Fields are a lot more lumpy and bumpy though and the chances of twisting an ankle or knee seem a lot higher than on sand so I'm going to approach a field with a lot more caution in future
As a beginner flyer I am very happy now as I have the 6m for winds up to around 12mph and then the 3m for anything over that.

grass scudding

Quote: Originally posted by Tao-flyer

Thanks for the post tomdiving..yeah, not worth trying it on grass then,esp as I'm not that far behind you in the age stakes and I don't bounce nearly as well as I did when younger. Think I'll keep the field for the sports kite.

Get off your feet and get a buggy.

Hmm,,,,buggy...now there's a good idea

Oh Yes

So, big day for me today..first time in a buggy..out flying this morning and by chance met up with some great buggy guys at the local beach,bought a flexi-foil buggy and had some great on the spot tuition this afternoon( I had the permit and insurance a cpl of weeks ago in preparation for May)..managed to trundle up and down the beach a few times using the 3m ..went backwards once but do we need to mention that?..had a great first experience , lightish onshore breeze...I know I have much to learn but never thought when I woke up this morning that by the afternoon I would be having my first buggy ride and bringing one home with me.
It didn't take so long afterall

Nice one Paul.
Yeah, take it easy and take it slow. Learning the wind is the most important thing. Avoid gusts and anonymous clouds,... anonymous?...you know what I mean. Avoid incoming squalls and fly well within the kites wind range. Fly in clean onshore breezes if you can ( not offshore ) otherwise kite go bye bye and get the wind forecast before planning a trip to your spot. I use https://www.xcweather.co.uk/GB/forecast XC as do real world pilots. Avoid the red arrows!

Basically the secret to enjoying the sport long term is in becoming a good meteorologist, obviously without that Michael Fish moment,
...and get some video. We thrive on videos here and quickly become depressed if we're not entertained.

Hey Paul, I agree, don't abandon the static flying altogether, way too much fun to be had there. Keeps you fit. You're blessed to have the beach so close. I'm an hour and a half from my local.
Avoiding offshore winds applies mainly to those riding on the water as there's the very real risk of being dragged out to sea. The only worry you have flying a foil on the beach, is if you let go of your kite it might end up in the shipping lane. Kite killers will retain your kite but there's always the chance during set-up or while handing the kite over to someone else that you'll lose it. Using a tube kite in an offshore has the potential to drag you into the sea and drown you. At least with onshore wind there's the chance the kite is stopped.

If I can offer one other piece of advice, and that is, don't allow yourself to become distracted while flying. Keep your focus on the kite. It really only takes a split second for things to go south. The kite is always watching you, waiting, biding it's time for you to look at your watch or reach down for a drink, then it will punish you. :D

found the pictures by the story.
hold on: from december 2004 ( i'm getting old, really old..)


it looks like a 4m2 buit is the Libre Vampir 8.0


XXl-size window

Yes that looks seriously awesome Jantie,it must have looked mesmerising as it moved across the window,thanks for digging out the pics

I see that you are flying it de-power..could an 8m kite like that with 50m lines be flown static with FB? If not, can you still make it skim the sand and do loops like with a FB?

Quote: Originally posted by Tao-flyer

Yes that looks seriously awesome Jantie,it must have looked mesmerising as it moved across the window,thanks for digging out the pics I see that you are flying it de-power..could an 8m kite like that with 50m lines be flown static with FB? If not, can you still make it skim the sand and do loops like with a FB?

I flew and still fly only with handles...