Hey i posted a while back and got an Apex 7.5m Kite after my 3.5 trainer. I have taken it out several times, and i'm still alive! Got maybe 20-30 hours of flight time on it.

I am learning to lay the kite out and get it up solo, move it around the sky, doing some small jumps with it and pinning it to one side then the other. Most of the time i've been just letting it drag me accross the grass.

I want to eventualy combine this with my land board. Just in no hurry yet~

I was wondering if there is any other good manuvers that a new kiter needs to learn. OR bad habbits that i should avoid. I'm sure i have a few bad habbits now and don't know about them.

I was trying to do some more jumps and the like but what is the best way to bring the kite into the power zone? The wind here is slow and i have to bring the kite really low to get any pull out of it. So i been kind of experimenting with different paterns of flight for slow winds.

Also looping the kite in soft winds is easy and generates a good little pull. Should i avoid trying this in stronger winds at all?

If your just going to post "go take a class", Thanks I have heard it enough. I not trying to piss you off but i am doing it this way and taking it slow. If you don't agree i respect that, but please respect my choice.

Thanks for the help~
Your friendly noob Spikes =)

Spikes-
seems like you are approaching it with a realistic approach. The one main thing i would say is that you need to realize that a depower kite does not "work" the same when flying it static vs movement. I have seen many folks who will try to jump static by bring the kite into the power zone then shooting it up straight through the power to zenith- this will cause a lot of forward movement and is really a bad technique. to a search on pendulum jumping to get a better approach to jumping static. it will address the redirect and if done properly will give you lift with minimal forward pull.
the apex is a great first depower but I am pretty certain that by flying it static you are creating bad habits that will make it harder once you do get on the board so try flying it on the board. If when you try you are getting pulled on your face a lot point the board more downwind and if the kite lines are loosing tension you need to edge into the wind more (usually a less likely problem) As for looping it is a great way to generate more power and i do it regularly in light winds to get moving
hope this helps
scott

Its definately sensible to take a cautious approach to kitesports!

However sometimes its difficult to improve if you don't push yourself or have someone to push you along a bit. Static flying a depower foil is probably counter productive as its meant to work while in motion as Flyguy mentioned.

I would get on your landboard right away and start doing gentle runs in a windspeed you are comfortable with to get the feeling of steering the board.
Then build up the windspeed a bit.
Then start learning to stop by carving upwind and edging hard with your heels.
Then start trying to get the board to slide by getting your weight off the kite and pushing out with your back leg.
Finally start trying to turn those slides into turns by redirecting your kite.

That should keep you going for another 20-30 hours!

If you have time on a trainer kite aswell you are more than ready.

Avoid the superman position at all costs…after that fly as much as possible…don’t rule out the HQ for the landboard fly it in higher winds and get good and comfy..I think you will get motion w/ that first and may initially prefer it over the dp like I did on the board….or I could be wrong..have fun

Thanks everyone!

That pendulum jumping sounds a lot better than what i was trying to do. I think i was trying it the way you said... it wasnt working very well and seemed dangerous.

I'll try and get on my board tomorrow, winds are forcasted to be between 5 and 7mph with 9 mph gusts.

As for superman, yes i've seen some videos of people doing that. i lean way back on the kite, and if i feel a tug i kind of sit into it... Also should practice going for the emergency releases more frequently.

7.5m might seem like a huge kite at the moment but it will become your high wind kite and is designed to perform best in winds much stronger than 5-9mph. In low winds it will not perform as designed.

Jumping with that size kite won't happen until the winds are in the upper teens. I suggest you put off jumping until you are comfortable flying the kite blind in those winds. I find jumping with my 7m kite is scary because I need to do it in such strong winds. I am far more comfortable with my larger kites and slightly less wind speed.

As folks have suggested your best bet is to get on the board and riding now. That is what you are best geared up for.

Another tip for avoiding going over the top of the board : The more I feel pull the smaller I make myself and harder I lean back. Bend your knees, drop your butt and push out with your feet.

When you get moving avoid sending the kite back past 12 , behind you. You get used to flying both sides of the window static and need to stick to one side when in motion.

It's tough figuring things out on your own. Keep on asking questions. It's nice to help somebody responsible progress safely.

Work on loops and down turns when flying static . As well as flying blind.