Alright fellow kiters...
I have flown the PL V2 Arc for a little over a year now. Got the self launch down pat and flying is a breeze.. but landing by yourself seems to be impossible. I am usually out with the UND Snow Kite Club so there is usually someone around to lend a hand for landing. However, I am looking for input to get this thing on the ground when your by yourself. Pulling the kite killer when its near the edge of the wind window and letting it spin a million times till it hits the ground doesn't seem like too good of an option IMO.
I know there are some PL pros out there that have this down to a science, any tips or suggestions would be great!
Thanks guys, Fly on!

If the winds are too high to full extend the trim strap and stall it down low before you flag it, then you can go to zenith and pull the flag safety. Have the flag line on the lower side of the kite if you can and it should just lay down with no more than a roll. Walk up your flag line and secure the kite.

Carl has a demo on stall-landing an ARC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3MtHy-v3ZE

In higher winds when solo, the only other real way is to dump to safety. Yeah, it's always a train wreck

and this....

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

Concerning the advanced way, anchoring off to something and walking down a bottom line: Instead, I would think attaching a small line to pull on one bar end, just enough to get it to come down on the edge (but not loop or crash), would be great. Just walk down to it and grab the kite. I'll have to try it when we get some strong winds (ha, san diego...)

BeamerBob, the way my safety line is attached is onto one of the top lines which is the same as the power line I think? I am wondering if I should try to rework my safety so its on one of the break lines like carl has in his videos? Also I'm thinking I probably shouldn't be walking on my lines with my ski boots in the winter.. Sorry I should have mentioned I am working with ski boots this time of year. Angus I saw that second video yesterday when I was looking, it looks super slick. Have you tried it out? I am wondering what I could use to secure the kite into the ground as the ground is frozen this time of year. You would definitely want something stout to hold her.

geokite are you thinking of having a small rope tied to the bar then tie that to something that would bring the kite down or having a small rope tied to the line then run that down the line instead of using your hand? If your thinking of just the rope to the bar I feel like it would be difficult to set it the right amount to where it would get it down without under or overdoing it. A small line, something non abrasive, to run down the line would be a good alternative instead of using your hand as we all know what a line under tension is capable of.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HzkLAwLMfY

also landing the charger. about 3mins 10

Quote:

Originally posted by helimontana21 Angus I saw that second video yesterday when I was looking, it looks super slick. Have you tried it out? I am wondering what I could use to secure the kite into the ground as the ground is frozen this time of year. You would definitely want something stout to hold her.

Now we have a big log the size of a telephone pole we can use as an anchor - until the next storm takes it away.

I always wear sailing gloves so no worry with the lines

Carl it looks like you were pulling on the break lines when you were stalling the kite... or do you just have the kite fully powered up then pull the depower all the way in till the kite stalls? I could be wrong but I would figure this works only in the lower winds? As always thanks for the input guys.

the charger is a differant animal. even when fully powered it doesnt always stall when the bar is pulled in fully. so what i do is grab the rear lines about float level then unhook, im then basically taking all the tension off the front lines and the kite back stalls. i very rarely ask anybody to land my kites any more and use this technic in most wind speeds. the only differance in strong winds is you have to do it pretty quickly but the technic is the same.

ps dont try this unless you feel comfortable doing it. and as always light winds first.!!!

heli, I have a bar set up each way and either way is fine. I've had good and bad landings with front and back line safety. Don't go to any trouble to change it either way.

I guess I have never purposely stalled the kite. Just to make sure I have things clear, if I have the trim tab all the way out and pull in on the power bar, it should be enough to stall it down into the wind window? Once its down in the wind window I pull the kite killer and it flags out. You make it look super easy

That is correct. If you do like Carl did you get more pull on the back lines in order to stall the kite. When I said walk up your flag line earlier, I didn't mean for you to walk on it but to walk towards the kite while keeping tension on the flag line. It's not as hard as it seems.

Carltb Method +1 ... although what I do is sheet in and fly it down the edge of the window ... as the kite stalls and slips backwards into the power zone, I let go the bar and run upwind of the kite. Usually get zero tangles and can relaunch right away. Leash to something like a board then run down the line to secure the kite.

HOWEVER ... in the nukin' winds I took the Synergy's out in last time, I got an assisted landing - after careful education of the helper

<Hijack>

Carl, you destroy at Red Dead Redemption :o...

</Hijack>

Good vids though.

Cheers,
Seanny

lol. :~)
my games at the moment are RDD and ASSASINS CREED BROTHERHOOD!! loving both!!

Quote:

Originally posted by Kamikuza Carltb Method +1 ... I let go the bar and run upwind of the kite.

I assume you mean run "downwind"?

Thanks Guys, looks like I just need to get out there and play with it a bit, maybe tangle a few lines in the process

For assisted landings, as soon as your helper grabs one end of the kite, run or ski towards the kite to let it flag out. That avoids pulling the safety. (or have them walk to you).

Also, if you are stalling the kite to the edge of the wind window but it will not fall far enough down for someone to grab, have them back up a few yards and run towards them. Your speed will counter the wind speed and the kite should fall.

Oooh new Assassin's Creed out finally? Sweet!

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob Quote: Originally posted by Kamikuza Carltb Method +1 ... I let go the bar and run upwind of the kite. I assume you mean run "downwind"?

I don't think I do the kite tends to power up if it goes to far into the power zone so I drop the bar when it's stalled back to about 45 degrees to the wind, then run to get myself upwind of it to stop it rolling directly downwind, tangling the lines ... "run" being an optimistic term - more like a fast waddle :D

Quote:

Originally posted by helimontana21 I guess I have never purposely stalled the kite. Just to make sure I have things clear, if I have the trim tab all the way out and pull in on the power bar, it should be enough to stall it down into the wind window? Once its down in the wind window I pull the kite killer and it flags out. You make it look super easy

You've got it. It really works well. Learn to control the kite in stall while it is still near the zenith. Practice moving it down slowly.

One variation I do on Carl's method it to not pull the hat to flag out the kite. Instead I use one of the self-landing handles. The velcro on them can be tight so make sure you unhitch it first before you power up the kite.

The order then goes like this:

1) unhook the donkey dick
2) unhook the velcro on the back line you want to flag with
3) power up
4) back the kite down
5) tip the kite 'til the landing line is down
6) grab the self-landing handle
7) unhook the bar and let it slide down the flag line
8) walk down the kite
9) anchor the kite
10) reset the bar

By the 3rd time it was easy. Thank you Carl!

Watch for complex twists in the lines as you reset the bar. About 1/2 of the time I get one but they're pretty easy to see and fix from the bar.

Philip

Quote:

Originally posted by Kamikuza Oooh new Assassin's Creed out finally? Sweet! Quote: Originally posted by BeamerBob Quote: Originally posted by Kamikuza Carltb Method +1 ... I let go the bar and run upwind of the kite. I assume you mean run "downwind"? I don't think I do the kite tends to power up if it goes to far into the power zone so I drop the bar when it's stalled back to about 45 degrees to the wind, then run to get myself upwind of it to stop it rolling directly downwind, tangling the lines ... "run" being an optimistic term - more like a fast waddle :D

Ahh, semantics. You are doing what I was visualizing. Well except for the waddling part! :saint:

Philip what are the self landing handles? I've got the zero 4 bar so I am wondering if they didn't come along till the later models?

The 04 bar doesn't have those. They are tabs where the rear lines attach to the bar end leaders that let the bar slide along the rear lines if you hold them. The rear line safety hooks into one of them for your primary safety.