I have a cabrinha 09 switchblade with ids. This is my first LEI kite. I plan to test it first on land. The control system is supposed to fully depower the kite if you let go of the bar while hooked in. Can I just stake the chicken loop and setup the kite at the side of the window and then go back to the bar, hook in and self launch? What about placing a sandbag on one edge of the kite? Any other suggestions for self launch on land?

Jason

Search youtube for kite self launch. Serval vids including sandbags.

This is by far my favorite technique:




Simply set up downwind of the kite, then walk with tension on the lines around the kite until you are upwind. I usually continue walking around until the kite is in the middle of the window. If there is enough wind to fly properly, all you have to do is pull on one side of the bar and the kite will flip over on its own and you are good to go!

Hey

As long as there is nothing on the ground (sticks and sharp things) Jovers method is the easiest.
You can hook the chicken loop to something solid (I use the bumper of my truck) and simply set up 90 degrees to the wind and flip the kite over. The kite will sit there with very little pull until you grab the bar.
The second method is a little easier on the kite because it doesn't drag on the ground as much. Just make sure whatever you hook the chicken loop into is solid enough.
The switchblade is an awesome kite. Very user friendly, safe and you will never outgrow it.

John

There's a Cabrinha tech tip for self-launching ... I'll see if I can find it. It's the same but a little different

you can reverse launch like above or I just put the kite upwind and setup my lines down wind (sot the bar is setup backwards. then I walk up wind so the kite flips into the wind. For whatever reasons my google power are weak tonight. Here's a crappy video of this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGZI7lBWaME