Finally got a chance to put the NPW9 10m to the buggy test. I was riding on grass. Winds were about 10mph, variable.

The kite was custom made by Susan. (Thanks Susan!)

In general, the kite performed well. Thumbs up!

In my opinion here are the pros and cons compared to a typical foil with two skins.
--The NPW is only one skin, which makes it much lighter. This is an advantage because it can fly in lighter winds and doesn't need to be inflated by the wind as a kite with two skins.
--It handles gusts better.
--It does not have as wide a window as a foil, which limits your direction of travel. However, it is well behaved when traveling down wind
--One can buggy more directly down wind. (That's a pro or con, depending on where you're trying to go!)
--It is slower when traveling cross wind. However I haven't got the chance to take it all out in a longer run (on the beach for example)

This is definitely a good tool to have in the quiver.

Not sure I agree about the window statement. It may be the way I have mine set up, I can do most anything with mine as with most of my foils. Never did the down winder thing, was alwas able to up wind without any problems. Best part is when everyone is sitting around waiting for wind Im out with the 15m and having a blast. Someday when I have nothing to do Im going to try them out on 200 foot lines. Should be able to buggy in zero wind with the 8 or 10m on looooong lines.
I do like the blue red colors, and Susan does makea good kite.

By the way, where in Wa. are you?

Quote:

Not sure I agree about the window statement.

Do you find that Sue's NPWs have a wider window than the Nasa Star 2s?

I know the NS2's have a much narrower window than an equivalent foil. but with enough power, they certainly go upwind as well.

Quote:

Not sure I agree about the window statement.

Do you find that Sue's NPWs have a wider window than the Nasa Star 2s?

I know the NS2's have a much narrower window than an equivalent foil. but with enough power, they certainly go upwind as well.

I do. I have a full set of the nasa stars and all the goodies that come with them. The down side is the are set as they come and Susans kites are able to be flown with the brakes. Which gives you the ability to under power the kite or over power it.
I fly them on PKD handles which gives me the ability to use the strop when flying and I have them set up to just shy of full power and I can turnon the power to 100% or let go of the handles and the kite flys by itself at about 85%. Put a bit of brake on and its turbo time. A bit more brake and the nose starts to flop which takes the kite a bit farther into the widow. Not as far as some race foils but farther than all the beamer type kites. I would rate Susans kites at the intermediate position and the nasa stars at beginner to intermediate position.
Both kites are great kites and they excell in there own rights. The nasa stars are much easier to fly as they are 2 lines, Susans kites are harder to find the sweet spot but when you do, hang on and try not to smile to much.

Thanks for the kind words guys. I do love my nasa wings.

Susan (npw goddess)

I'm in Pasco. We have a lot of wind here, but it's gusty inland wind.

Not close enough to the coast haha.

Quote: Originally posted by caleb

I'm in Pasco. We have a lot of wind here, but it's gusty inland wind. Not close enough to the coast haha.

Welcome to the KM4 club Caleb. Susan's NPWs are my go to kite in the erratic winds we get most of the time in CO.

I really enjoyed reading this post. I congratulate you for the terrific job you've made. Great stuff, just simply amazing!


http://www.primark-online.net/warm-yourself-with-a-pirmark-b...

okay. You have me thinking about Nasa Wings. I'm emailing Susan now.

Hi.

Are there any resources, for using nasa wings for snowkiting?
I cannot find much.
I fly foils. Hq matrixx 15m, Hq neo 11m, hq montana 9.5, pansh blade 7m (with Hq bar)

I easily go uphill.
Is it possible to go uphill with nasa wings?
Do you have any resources, videos etc, specially for snowkitting?

I am interested in the Npw's / ns2 mostly for snowkiting.

There is nothing peculiar about kite skiing that would make it different from other means of locomotion. Uphill or not what counts is the DOT (direction of travel) component of force versus drag – higher going uphill so more kite needed. I’ve been using NS2s on ice and snow 80% of time now (over 100 days) and I am trying to figure out why I need the remaining dozen of “better” and much more expensive kites since the remaining 20 % of time I use them just for the sake of variety and to keep myself warm in really cold temperatures – they require more work. I can’t see anything inherent in the Nasas design that should make their window narrower than other FBs. I believe now more than ever that if that is the case then it is the effect of bridling for power rather than the direction of pull what I consider to be the wrong approach. AFTER adjusting the AOA and the trailing edge pull I find NS2’s window to be the same as other FBs but that remains to be confirmed by measurements. Wind Propulsion Institute has the setup ready for an accurate measurements of angles but it is a long wait for the conditions stable enough and with the right intensity to make meaningful comparisons. It would not surprise me if NS2s are a little slower in outright speed runs due to low AR but so far I haven’t had conditions consistent enough to collaborate that either with an acceptable level of accuracy.