http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oveLq6j4JUw&feature=relat...

I'm not sure if redirecting would have even helped, but man.. what a drop. :o

That guy is luck he isn't dead. Assuming he isn't dead. Someone ought to post this vid up in every "what kite for jumping" first post that shows up on this forum.

im speechless

i dont know how to just post the pic so ill link you guys to another forum......................

http://www.kitingireland.com/forum/index.php?topic=2730.0

I was going to post the link, but I didn't want to get in trouble :/

Supposedly the guy suffered a broken pelvis and a punctured lung.

I saw that earlier on Flexi. That has got to be one of the worst loftings I've seen. Anyone know what the wind speeds were he was out in.

Think it would have made much of a difference in the outcome if he hadn't let go of the handles? He was coming in hot either way but that was a brutal pouding into the ground.

That was incredibly brutal, it's easy to forget how dangerous kites can be. I've only been really high like that a few times, but I was on a depower. I can't imagine how scary that is on handles. Newbies should have to watch this video before they purchase their first kite

Ahhhhhg that looks realllllly painful, hope he's ok

OUCH!!!:o

The highest I have ever made it on my Pansh was about 15ft. Landings with my 8m suck from that height since re-directs are non existent.

My opinion only....but I find it is much harder to re direct on handles than with a bar.

BTW, the Youtube vid looks like it says 10 m/s which is the equivalent of 22 MPH.

omfg! Dude! That was the worst ive ever seen... he rag-dolled when he hit the ground, thats actually hard to watch after you've seen it once... damn!

You can hear the wind pick up right before the jump as well. I can't imagine getting that high on a 5m kite. I've never been more than about 12 feet high. I can't imagine anything improving by letting go of the handles once you are up in the air though unless you are about to be dragged over a cliff. No object is as immovable as the ground rushing up at you, so I say hang on and ride it out.

wow! pretty scary!! thats why im not a big fan of pendulum jumping esp in high winds.......had he been lofted with the kite directly overhead,he may have had a better chance--also a more stable kite such as a blade may have saved his butt as well,if he could re-direct--although one would have to wonder if a blade would have lifted him even higher--all noobs should watch this vid,esp those that want to jump

How high do you think he was at the apex or the jump? I can't believe how fast he shot up. I agree that hanging on and trying to ride it out would be the way to go once you've already been lofted, but I'm sure the instinct is to let go.

Glad to hear that the guy is okay. Very very lucky.

I guess 35-40 feet high.

:o Wonder if the guy still kites.

I say that you defiantly ride it out on the handles. ALL the way down. The only reason to let go is if he thought he could loose some of the forward momentum that the kite is providing. Otherwise riding the kite down is going to be more forgiving than gravity. Remember, the kite is providing some lift while you are on your way down.

in his shoes, i wouldve let go 5-10 ft up... time tells ya when you are going for a ride... i'd take a hard 8 ft fall, over that noise...

Ive been on the painfull end of a gust... i decided to ride it out, i didnt get near that height, but it was still WAY beyond my ability...my heel was black and blue for 6 weeks. Now if i feel that same nasty/violent tug when i go into a jump, i bail, and i havent had a jumping injury since...

experience can can be a b**ch to earn sometimes

Quote:

Originally posted by Drewculous in his shoes, i wouldve let go 5-10 ft up... time tells ya when you are going for a ride... i'd take a hard 8 ft fall, over that noise...

Easy to say, but if you check the vid it took him less than a second to go from the ground to about 30 feet up. I don't think that he had any chance to react at all.

Also, he really did hold on until he was almost to the ground. He was coming down really fast and I don't think the kite was providing any float at that point.

I think that he "handled it" about as well as anyone could have and that the only way this one could have been avoided would have been to recognize the gusty conditions and pack it up.

he had a chance to let go,but it was taking him up smoothly at first and when he was about 5 ft-it shot him up and that was it......no reason to let go for that first part--obviously when the gust hit and he was violently lofted,it was too late

Kinda reminds me of one of my worst kiting experiences, coming down fast when I am off balance and my feet are not under me.

You just know it's gonna hurt.

Can you imagine being on a depower, it couldve been much higher. It seems that Erick ecks super jump isn't that so out of the ordinary anymore. I've seen like 4 videos like this the last 6 months. Kites are getting better and some people are careless. Although a rouge gust can hAppen to anyone. Fly safe!

thats why safety has to be stressed ALL the time,even though people get sick of hearing about it---its just too darn easy to feel you are in a comfort zone and to let your guard down and usually thats when something is going to happen.........

My ace 5m did a similar thing to me once last year. I was hanging out 4 ft off the ground and then a good gust hit and I was 12ft off the ground. My kite pretzeled at that point and left me to free fall from there. Not much material in a 5m to let you back down softly from 12 ft let alone where this guy was at! I sold my ace 5 and 8 m kites. I miss my 5m, but I will never forget that day. The lift was so quick I didn't have time to react, and on the way down I came down so hard and fast no time to react either. I didn't get to fly for 3 1/2 months after that one.

Very foolish, i knew when i heard the wind increse via the audio that he was going to fly. I hope he recovered quickly though.
This is why you must know exactly what your doing in high winds, always be aware of the wind speeds as gust like that will hit you when you least expect.
Now im a jumpjunkie but i never wish to go that high or even out in those types of winds.

Theres a very thin line between fun and stupidity and taking a pansh 5 out in those winds is crossing it.