Power Kite Forum

Accidents

nebur - 26-4-2004 at 11:09 PM

I have seen many photos in which people jump a great altitude with the help of the power kite. Everything that goes up, needs to go do. What are the most common falling injures and accidents present in power kiting? Do the knees suffer any kind of injury or over hit even when the landing is correct?

Scoopy - 27-4-2004 at 05:59 AM

When done right, nothing hits but the feet. What you get is a parachute effect from the kite so you do not land as hard as you would think. The real danger in kite-jumping (some may disagree) is jumping with a sub-5m kite in high winds. smaller kites seem to drop you more quicly than larger kites, and also the wind is more gusty when its high speed (which you need for a small kite to get you airborne) So if you stick to larger kites in lower winds, you are much better off than using a small kite in high winds. Common injuries are broken bones everywhere. I have heard of many many broken ankles, even some knees, and hips. I personally have sprained my ankle, and tore a ligament in my knee. It just goes with the territory. Kite jumping is an extreme sport that is dangerous. But so is moto cross, car racing, extreme mountain biking....... blah blah blah..... etc. Anyway, keep your head, use a large kite in lower winds, and ALWAYS wear pads and a helmet. (And if your like me, a knee and ankle brace too :) )

KYTE SLINGER - 27-4-2004 at 12:14 PM

Scoopy; don't forget about sometimes getting a 2nd boost when in the air, I thought I show off to some tourest and jump but when I was in the air I got a 2nd lift and allmost ended up in some trees:wow:

Scoopy - 28-4-2004 at 10:45 AM

So far I have been fortunate enough to never have had a second boost.

Scary stuff though.

Scoop

2nd lift

BK - 21-5-2004 at 02:25 PM

Thers a good clip of 2nd lift on the site below

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/timhammond/jump/Tims%20Big%20...

Post by Floatingfatman

BK

RMV - 22-5-2004 at 04:28 AM

:o
Let's hope that Tim is OK, as the landing did not seem to glorious.

2nd lift

BK - 22-5-2004 at 09:38 AM

Yeh he did come down rather fast, but I suspect is was due to panic, since (if you watch it real close) he looks like he was descending, then got hoyked up another 6 feet or so past his original height!!!
It was his decision. He said the buildings were rapidly approaching, so he chose to apply the brakes. In normal circumstances, we know that would have meant a very quick fall.

With him still coming down relatively gently (IE he survived the landing intact), it just shows how overpowered he was to still have some lift with the brakes applied.

BK

Stug - 22-5-2004 at 01:03 PM

it depends on what type of jump you are doing

on a pendulum it is usually knees then arms and head if u do land badly but with a pendulum u are up long enough to adjust yourself to land on your feet

RMV - 23-5-2004 at 01:03 PM

For information purposes, it would be interesting to know what was the wind condition for that particular day, and which kite and it's configuration he was flying.
I am glad to know that even seeing a rough landing, he is OK.
Not only he will have something to tell his granchildren, but he will be able to show them too.

conditions

BK - 23-5-2004 at 01:29 PM

I believe it was 20mph windspeed
and the kite was a 8.5m Blade III

:o:o

BK

Incredible video

gunkie - 27-8-2004 at 05:45 AM

I'm new to this forum and relatively new to traction kiting and have not read the posting guidelines (like I read DVD/VCR instructions too :)). So I hope my post is in bounds.

Incredible and eductional video and I'm glad the gentleman survived in good order. Now that I have a used Flexifoil Balde II 7.8m on the way to me, I'll be sure to take it out in very light wind conditions at first.

Thanks for sharing.

Hardy_uk - 27-8-2004 at 06:22 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by gunkie
I'm new to this forum and relatively new to traction kiting

I have a used Flexifoil Balde II 7.8m on the way to me, I'll be sure to take it out in very light wind conditions at first.


Buddy.. To put it simply.. YOUR NUTS :)

7.8m kite if you new is asking for pain... I've been flying for about a year now. Took my Blade III 4.9m out a couple of days ago (not in partiularly strong winds) and was up in the air flying before i even knew it!!! :D

Watchout... They bite!

Hardy-UK

gunkie - 27-8-2004 at 07:38 AM

I've been flying for a few (2+) years now and just had a 4.0m2 foil out in 25 MPH winds last week. Experience is relative.

I do appreciate the feedback and I will be very careful... at least initially :)

TangledStrings - 29-8-2004 at 08:41 AM

Sweet jump!! Was that all arm, or was he locked into the harness??? and did he walk away with a brown butt???

bondcw - 31-8-2004 at 07:47 AM

Back to the original question I got jumping for the first time last weekend and ended up with bruises on my kness and backside (not to mention a stained pair of trousers) but hey all good things come at a price...:D

bondcw - 14-9-2004 at 12:46 AM

And I sawa nasty this weekend too. At Weston they have wooden vollards to separate the kiters from the general public, which is commendable, but with the wind gusting to about 30mph some poor b*gger got dragged into them at what looked (and sounded) like a fair lick . He was alright but will be seriously thinking about going out in winds like that again (so will I):o