That's impressive john. Just doing some quick math, I'm probably just over 100 miles with them. 60% with the 7m, 30% with 5m, and 10% split between 2.5 and 4.

That's one well behaved kite. I'm impressed. My wife hates tangled lines and would probably be real happy skating or skiing with one of those.

That's one well behaved kite. I'm impressed. My wife hates tangled lines and would probably be real happy skating or skiing with one of those.

Hey, John... what the latest update on the comp?... just curious

Was hoping we'd be good to go by now but it's taking longer than we thought. I'd love to say a couple weeks but I've said that already and we all hate it when we're waiting for something and keep getting told 'it'll be two weeks'. I'm really chomping at the bit myself and if I could speed things up I would.

I'm also waiting for Aus Post to deliver me some NS3's as well - in previous years, it took 9 days from Germany to me. The competition kite took over a month to get here and the current NS3's are well over a month and are yet to arrive. Sigh.....the waiting game..... not my favorite.

Only 9 days?!?!? We US guys have to wait 3 to 7 week!!!!... Thanks to our ultra speedy and highly efficient government run customs dept.

Maybe you and I will get ours at the same time... Mine shipped out Friday. :wee:

That's good Spencer. Should be between 2-3 weeks from when it shipped. I think John just got really lucky the last time. I talked to Iain (IMK) and he said his took around 4-5 weeks just like us. FYI - they usually require a signature so if your not home they will leave a note to pick it up at usps. At least that's how 2 of my 3 orders were. It's always a surprise.

Sweetness,... might be just in tome for my first post-broken foot flight!!! Truly ushering in the era of NASAs!!!

BTW... anybody wanna buy a Reactor????

Glad they shipped Spencer!!

What's the top end look like on these kites?

Whenever I got enough wind to keep my HQ NPW up in the air it was usually something like 20+mph gusts with ~5mph lulls. I'm wondering how much better the NS3s will handle conditions like this. I imagine having some kind of depower will be a major improvement (even if I only use it as a safety). Mostly I want to know that these kites aren't going to be ripped apart if I take them in winds with some major gusts.

I'm currently considering getting a 4.0m for when we get stormy weather with 20-30mph gusts and an 8.5m for when there's very little wind and I'm just desperate to get out.

30mph with a 4m? Yikes, I wouldn't like to do that. The most I've flown the 4m in is about 22 knots and that was getting a little out of my comfort zone. I'd be thinking more like the 2.5m - which I tend to grab now instead of my Access XT 4m. These things are all about the low end - I can park and ride with the buggy in about 10knots with the 4m - I can't do that with any of my 4m foils. When I've rode side by side with same size low aspect foils, the NS2's have been better in the low end with the foils performing better in the top end. In 20 - 30 knots, I'm usually flying the 1.5m NS2. These things are really grunty and park and ride at relatively slow speeds, they don't really increase in power as much as a foil as the wind increases.

The quality seems A1 to me and I can't see them being ripped apart - I've not had any problems whatsoever in that dept.

For the wind ranges your considering, a 4m or 5m LEI could be a better choice? I've seen Rob Lukin leave me behind with his 4m Airush LEI in 14 knots when I was flying my 5m Frenzy. I've seen him with the same kite in 35knots posting almost 90kph - that's one hell of a versatile kite.

Mind you, for the price of the NS3's, it could certainly be worth trying a 2.5m or 3.2m. The 4m would be too much in 20+knots methinks.

There are two reasons I'm looking at NS3s for these winds rather than something like an LEI.

First, I absolutely don't have the space to fly with regular length lines. I was planning on flying either off the handles, off 5m lines, or off 9m lines. The only reason I'm even trying to fly kites here is because the alternative is to not fly kites at all.

Second, my wind is really variable. While the gusts can go as high as 30 mph there are often lulls down to ~5mph with the average wind speed being somewhere in-between. Previously I'd been flying in these conditions with my 6.0m HQ NPW5 and while severely overpowered at times I never felt like I was in danger since the kite killers always took away most of the power. So long as the 4m NS3 doesn't pull significantly harder than my old NPW (and the safety works at least as well) I'm not worried about the power.

If I were to step down to a 2.5m I worry that I'd spend 90% of the time with the kite on the ground and 10% properly powered. I'd much rather have the kite in the air 90% of the time even if I'm significantly overpowered 25% of the time.

What I am worried about is actually damaging the kite in these conditions. I trust myself to know when I'm in danger, but I have no idea what these kites can withstand.

Assuming that they are built as well as the nasa star 2, which I'm sure they are, you won't have anything to worry about. If you hit the safety, the only annoyance you will have is the occasional bridle tangle (much lessened if you have Steffens lines with knot sleeves). I've flown them in some pretty gusty conditions where my full weight and buggy weight get dragged hard sideways. They might punish you if you are grossly overpowered but the stitching and fabric will hold just fine. I'm no light weight and I use them on gravel and asphalt and I kite way more often than I should.

Just what I was looking to hear! Now I just need a day or two to justify buying these new kites instead of the Kitewing I was eyeing.

Ah, short lines....I was talking 20m lines and apparent wind kicking in. Short lines you can throw it straight over your head to kill power and it will be much less likely to lift you than a low aspect foil.

The only three things I've learned with short/no lines: was flying nicely powered with the 2.5m one day, and I swapped to the 4m straight from the bar....and couldn't even get going.

First time I flew the NS2's was on 6m lines and thought....meh...big deal. Then swapped to 20m lines and immediately thought Whoah!! that's more like it!!

Put the 2.5m on 6m lines on the claypan with the carbon buggy in 25 knots - had to work the kite like crazy to get going but when you get up to speed and apparent wind kicks in.....hang on!

Huge difference between 6m lines and 20m. In that case you'd probably need the 4m or 5.5m, but boy, if you get any speed up, they're gonna pull some. :D

There's a bit of vid of myself and Mark at Narrawong at the start of this vid, I think it would have been 15knots or thereabouts - I had just enough power to park and ride with the 3.2m in the buggy and Mark is comfortably cruising with the 5.5m straight off the bar. He was moving at one point too, I was doing 45kph ish and was struggling to catch up to him.

Today I called DHL and was able to get the USPS tracking # since it has been through customs... Just checked and my NS3s have arrived and departed the Atlanta USPS facility... Pretty sure wifey will be home to sign for the package tomorrow ... New kites tomorrow... Wuhoo!!!

:D

Jason, do you fly your NS2s off a carabiner on your Link Spreader bar?

No Spencer. I use the regular spreader hook.
You could though. You still need to attach the 3rd line like normal, but a carabiner will work on your D ring spreader. That makes an easier transition back to your foils.

Just with the carabiner, you won't be able to unhook on the fly and depower. You'll need to get very mindful of the yellow ball to operate the depower with the caribiner. The kite will still function as normal other than that. Some don't mind not unhooking the NASA Star, but I like to depower with the bar a bit while getting in and out of the buggy. Then just pull down, hook in, and whoosh! To each their own.

Remember I'm a big boy with a heavy VTT and extra wides on grass. I need a little more pop to get rolling, so a larger kite helps. That's why I depower a bit in setup.

JIBE will be a whole new learning experience with my NASAs. Almost like starting all over again with that smooth hard pack sand. Virtually no rolling resistance there!!

I don't foresee wanting to fly my FB foils hooked in any time again soon :o... Looks like I need a spreader bar

Quote: Originally posted by soliver

I don't foresee wanting to fly my FB foils hooked in any time again soon :o... Looks like I need a spreader bar

I was more so referring to switching back when using the AQR on the link spreader.

Nothing wrong with flying the Star 100% hooked in all the time. If things get squirrely, just give the yellow ball a tug to scrub the power. Its really just a personal preference on the depower operation. Letting the bar in and out vs. pulling the yellow ball in and out. It has the same effect.

Just my humble opinion.

I have been controlling speed and power by window placement and controlled fish tails. If that fails than I hit the main safety. I don't have to hit it that often, but it has saved me a couple times. The yellow ball works fine as long as your under control and just need to bleed some power, but if it gets sketchy you have to be careful because as soon as you let go, or accidentally let go of the yellow ball, BANG power on.

Good info which I'll need soon as wifey just texted that my NS3s are on the front porch... :wee:

Awesome. Waiting on your post tonight!!:D

I got home and had time to open the box and pull everything out before I had to leave again... I'll be home in a couple hours to inspect more closely ... I'll post some pics and comments for sure!

YEAH BUDDY!!!

So my brand spankin new 5.5m and 7m NASA Star 3s showed up today, and what they say is 100000% correct:... Extremely beautiful craftsmanship and build quality,... really well made stuff!!! The fabric reminds me of the same stuff that Ozone kites are made of.

Here's the whole shipment:



The 5.5m:



and the 7m:



I particularly like the color scheme on the 7m...

And boy howdy are they BIG :o ... that book shelf in the background is about 9.5 feet long end to end.

I'm SUPER excited and a little anxious to try them out. The weather looks like poo next week, but I'll give them a go ASAP.

OH, and here's a helpful tip I was emailing Sean about earlier: after the shipment leaves Germany and gets into the hands of US customs, you can kinda lose tracking on the shipment, but if you call the 1-800 number for DHL customer service and give them the DHL tracking #, they will give you the USPS tracking # to keep a watch out for delivery!!!

Did you get the depower or street bar and what length lineset?

I got the standard depower bar set up with the 20m line set... I'll be primarily buggying, but am thinking about getting some inline skates or maybe a longboard.

Once my 8.6m RII sells I'll order a 4m and probably get another bar with some 5m lines, and hopefully some used inline skates on CL.

Excellent!! I hope the weather cooperates for you. Mine are now a month overdue - I think one of the customs guys must have taken them on holiday with him!

Most excellent!
Your gonna love em'!