I bought a Flysurfer Pulse II 3 months ago, and recently tried to fly it, with no luck. Today, I had 14-18 mph winds, and I flew it, but got dragged down my buddie's airstrip about 60-80'. What I noticed when flying it, is that the depower is reversed. To power it up, I had to let out the bar, to depower it I had to pull the bar in. Seems totally #@%$#!eyed to me. I have tried to fly this kite about 4 times, today being the first "success". What is wrong? I have the bridle plan, but I cannot figure out where the bridle hookup is wrong. HELP!

Make sure the bar lines are connected to the rear of a depower kite and that the center lines going through the bar connect to the front of the kite. If your bridle configuration is in fact correct, then consult this thread for info on depower kite flying characteristics:
http://www.powerkiteforum.com/viewthread.php?tid=24681

ID the backstall point. go from there to add or subtract.

front is all stretched out it seems. mixer check(just to see), but my advice is to move it to the heavy setting and leave it.

kite should turn faster when depowered and not backstall in powered position.

thats a good start .

Like Phree says, it sounds to me like it's heavily back stalling. Check your line Lengths and add pig tails to the rear lines to make them equal. Then check the mixer. Heres some videos to watch. Its really not that hard.
http://westfellas.co.uk/2011/06/roi-something-for-you-the-mi...

What size pulse is it? In 14-18mph winds you could be well underpowered depending on the size which means letting the bar out would speed the kite up and pulling it in would backstall it.

I found the pulse to be finicky. I bought mine brand new and it would backstall like a bego and then explode full of power in the center of the window with incredible speed. I just never got use to how to fly it and could never figure out how to jump with it. I sold it to a FS kiter and he loved it as is. No lines were stretched, my mixer test was perfect but the kite was still too quirky for me with way to much on / off power.

B Roc has an excellent point. size and wind speed ! you really have to get you head around where the unit will work.

PULSE2 have a fairly narrow sweet spot ... and can get out of "THE FUN" range before you know it.

without experience u could be frustrated trying to get it to flow.

starting out you are gonna want the backstall so it won't collapse and as you get "FS HANDS" ( i just made that #@%$#! up) you can really trim it down to speed it up and realize a mountain of power and HOLY CRAP! air and float. and even a little out of range can be down right frightening because the controls all but disappear. smaller units have a little more range but still....FS Hands just make it look easy.

size ?

wind ?

The kite is 8.5M It was a pretty gusty day, going from 8mph to 18 in 3 seconds, with variable direction. However, when the kite was flying, there was plenty of pull, enough to drag me down the runway.

8.5 ? sure its a pulse 2?

well anyway first, conditions pretty much suck . steady smooth 20kts + and things would be much better ...but if its your first go at depower/FS that could be a rough beating and not for "trying to figure things out". you will feel OUT control mostly and prolly alot of overflys.

unit will fly in light air 10 or so, but you have to be trimmed for that to make it work , which means deep window flying with alot of action, not too much park and ride ...and BTW what are you piloting?

Any time the wind speed is doubling (8-18) makes it very difficult to judge kite performance as the kite becomes punchy or stalls.

8-18 is around the sweet spot for my 10m (6-11 is the sweet spot for my 14m) so you are on the underpowered side with an 8.5 in those conditions if you are around 150#s or over.

My kite is actually 8M, not 8.5M. I weigh about 180lbs. Even though the wind was gusty and variable, at times it would be steady, and that's when I figured out that pulling in on the power depowered it. Steering seemed to work ok, albeit a bit slow. Anyways' by the time I figured that out, the wind started to drop, so I let out on the bar, and up she came. Next thing big gust snaps me off my feet, and as I am tumbling down the airstrip, I am pulling in the bar as far as it will go, never thinking to pull the safety release! No injuries, just sore today. It seemed the only way to launch the kite was by pulling on the center lines (not the safety release), and not touching the outer lines until it was halfway up. Anyway's, I will try to check the bridle setup. Earlier, I was kiting my Paraglider, and I gotta say that the Paraglider seems much easier to control than the Pulse II. I also have a Flexifoil Rage 3.5, and it flies like a dream.

Pulling on the center lines is often common to launch a kite. More common for a semi-closed kite like the Pulse, even more common in low winds.

If the winds are dropping the bar should be all the way out to maximize airspeed and reduce drag.

If you are hit by a gust, the last thing you want to do is pull the bar in as that creates more power for lift.

Sounds to me like the kite was working as its supposed to but your understanding of depower may be a little reversed.

Well, The problem is that letting the bar out actually powered the kite up, and pulling the bar in depowered it. That's why when I was yanked off my feet, I struggled to get the bar in my hands again, and ended up pulling just one side of the bar to try and depower it. Of course I should have pulled the safety release, however, the problem remains. Letting go of the bar actually powers it up! Pulling it in, and it basically sagged out of the sky.

I agree . You have things backwards or confused on your side not the kite side.

Please explain what you think depower is and how it is accomplished.

Depower is a confusing term. Might be better to refer to adding break / back line input . Front lines , back lines. Speed = power .

Your kite wants to fly on the front lines and be turned + stall on the back lines. When it is flying through the window - bar out- depowered the kite speeds up and that rush of speed translates into power. Even though the bar is out the speed of the kite in the window is creating the pull. The same kite sitting at the edge of the window and flying on front lines- depowered will spill the wind and create minimal power.

Pull in the bar adding brake as the kite passes through the window adding back line or brake tension and it's speed will slow . The kite can stall and produce very little power. If that same kite is sitting at the edge and you pull in the bar you expose more canopy to the wind so feel more lift / pull. This really applies when you are in motion ! The one case where powering up by adding brake is most noticeable .


It gets confusing. I suggest, fly through the window with bar out . Pull the bar in at the edge to slow the kite + aid in turning.


I think your kite works fine it is just moving in and out of it's designed wind range ?

Mmmm. Got me thinking now, which is not always a good thing. I have always been under the assumption that pulling on the bar changes the trailing edge, creating more resistance to the wind, or creating more of a wing shape. Letting go of the bar would be like having 2 people holding a sheet in the wind, and letting go of the bottom of the sheet, thus allowing the sheet to luff.

TRUE at the edge of the window though.

But add in that speed = power !

I am pretty certain what you are feeling is the kite speeding through the window on the front lines because that is how it wants to fly. Even though the bar is out , while the kite is speeding along it's creating power . In depowered mode !

As I suggested try to Fly on front lines. The key is keeping tension on the front. Add brake input at the edge to turn + slow the kite. Keep it simple ! The rest will start to come with reflex.

the wind is certainly an issue.

a little trimming IN may help. what sounds like is going on...kite is up, bar gripped and ALL the way IN and the kite just kinda sits there not doing much of anything , THEN you let the bar OUT and it blast off(with speed and power).

in this case you are choking it and when you release it(letting the bar out), the air flows across it and fires up.

depower on the trim to about 2/3rds in. and maintain idle position by holding bar in. it should have positive tension thru the harness ...the bar in position makes it stay back from the edge and not overfly. slowly start to move the kite around IF you are static letting the bar out and give turning input should be much faster. as it turns and speeds up draw the bar in slow to find the sweet spot EVERYTIME.

BR is right about reflex, it will come be patient an recognize the simple inputs and effects.

Keep in mind too that the only way to really feel the impact of depowering a kite is while you are in motion (on a board, in a buggy, etc.). If you are flying static there really is no such thing as depower, only more or less rear line tension.

The best way to see how a depower works has already been described but I'll add, do it in motion. Meaning get on a board, and ride with the trim strap all the way out and then pull it in and see what happens. The kite will back stall and slow or drop out of the sky depending upon what you do with the strap and you will see the canopy change shape.

You can also do this by just pulling the bar in and out but the trim strap is offers a more dramatic example of the principle.

Keeping in mind that I am still static flying the Pulse, should I start with the trimmer all in or all out? Also, what is the best wind range for this 8M? I gotta' say, every time I have questions on this fantastic forum, I get great advice. Thanks for being so thoughtful with your replies. I really appreciate it.

Always trim for the conditions no matter if riding or flying static. I always tend to launch with the kite untrimmed as that prevents choking and then trim for conditions with the kite at the zenith and then the bar is used for fine tuning.

If flying in low conditions (best for learning) leave the kite untrimmed (100% power) but keep in mind, even in light winds, some kites like to be trimmed slightly on the strap. I think I'm generally around 80% full power in normal conditions and shorten the trim strap as the winds build. I'm only 100% untrimmed if I really need a bit more power to get upwind in light conditions and I have to work the kite without choking it.

The bottom line is that you are trying to apply the term depower to the kite and flying static when depower really only acts like depower in motion + when the kite sits at the edge of the window .

When flying the kite in lighter winds you create your own apparent wind by speeding the kite through the window on the front lines. You pull in the bar as it gets to the edge to add back line influence. Slowing and turning the kite. As I mentioned try and do this turning while keeping some tension on the front lines or it will stall / fall.

I start out with the trim strap pulled in about 80 - 90% . If there is enough wind for the kite to sit at the edge overhead ( if not you must keep the kite in motion ) I let the strap out to about 50 - 50 % . I pull in the bar and if it drops the kite back too easily I take it back. If it just falls back but not out of the sky I usually leave it at 50 - 50 or open it a bit more if I plan to jump / want max possible lift.

The hard thing to get your head around is that you shorten your strap ( depower ) in very low wind and flying static. This is effectively making the kite fly forward as fast as possible on the front lines. You do this to create your own apparent wind at the kite.

Next time out forget depower . Think front lines = fly forward , fly forward = speed, speed = power.

Back lines = brake input = kill speed , brake input kills speed but aids turning.