I've been thinking about the coming weekend escape with kites in hand and remembered how the SA did the "swirly wind" dance on me when I had it parked on the ground and was chatting with Bladerunner and how I'll likely have a bit of a bridle mess to clean up before I fly it again although it looked OK as I packed up. Then I saw the other post from Flying G about replacement bridles and it really reaffirmed something I'd forgotten...because I take it for granted.....about the Arcs.

No bridles.

I've been thinking a lot about the old quiver as I wait for wind...even had half a thought of looking around for a 12m Speed and starting a cull one way or another. Then the "what will you never sell" post came up. Then the PL windsock. Then thoughts of no bridles.

I love my Arcs. I think I'll likely be forever a PL pilot with an SA in the trunk for those days that even Peter himself would understand why I'm not flying the Arcs.

Here's to good winds!

Well said.

I swear I was one breath away from putting my Venom on handles today, just so I could get it out of my room and into the air where it belongs. Alas, my better judgement kicked in. Probably a good thing. :D:D:D I should have it flying by this weekend... thanks to everyone who donated. I can't even begin to tell how much it helps and the difference it makes. I'll do my best to pay it forward.

Holy crap Seanny, got busy with work and never got back to you. Did you get everything you needed? The offer still stands.

Heck yes I did! You guys are the greatest I opened my U2U messenger one day and had like four new messages of people asking if they could send me some stuff. It's almost overwhelming. This forum is like my second family. Such a fantastic and generous group of people. I can't ever thank anyone enough. I should have most of the stuff in by Friday... I have 2 chicken loops, 2 bars, and a trim strap on the way. Freakin' fantastic :wee: I will use it all and use it well!

Another +1 for those who have feline pets, that think bridle lines are just sitting there waiting for them to treat them like a ball of yarn. The reality of it all is that you just can't beat simple.

@Seanny: if the itch gets to be too much, you should be able to more or less fly that thing with handles. Just in case you haven't watched this before, if you have forgive me

I can't see the vid because I'm in school and Youtube is blocked... cool right? I'll watch it when I get home But the wind is supposed to be blowing about 25 mph when I get home, not sure what the gust will be... I can assure you I will NOT be attempting the 13m Venom on handles today :singing:

simple yes but no bottom end.........................SA anyday!!

do PL arcs have inlets. you would think the air would seep out over time.

one day i will buy one, just dont see the need right now.

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Originally posted by Houston AirHead do PL arcs have inlets. you would think the air would seep out over time. one day i will buy one, just dont see the need right now.

Depending on the model there are 2-5 inlets on the leading edge. They keep the inflation high though leakage rate is quite low. Once the kite is in the air and full you don't have to think about inflation 'til it's time to pack the kite.

Philip

Hear hear!

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Originally posted by tridude simple yes but no bottom end.........................SA anyday!!

yep the Achilles's heel of the arcs.... With the light winds I usually get progression is slow!

I love the arcs and speed 2 that I have. One could only imagine the possibilities if they created a kite that had the best of both...super duper stable amazing law defying low wind performance and the ability to tie it to your bumper while you have a pee break and enjoy a beverage. But that is more than likely asking for too much and we may never see a kite with those kinda abilities in one package. Taking stability out for performance and vice versa.

Never say never! When I was a lad, color TV was all but a myth. :wee:

Never say never! When I was a lad, color TV was all but a myth

haha. that is the case for me! you will find that venom really likes 25mph. it may drag you 20 feet on your first launch but once ion the air, you won't hagve any problems with it. I always have and probably always will stand just a few degrees upwind from the kite where the instructions say 45 degrees. in high winds i sometimes get a good slide but mostly just a few feet. tube kiters think i am out of control

you know... flysurfer made the viron. the viron in fact is sort of a cross between arcs and bridled kites. in fact, the earliest proto / inspiration so to say for the viron is / seems to be the arc delta kite from reinart:

http://www.rein-art.eu/Portfolio/category/kitedesign/



chances are good that we one day will see an arc kite with a minimal bridle, that still has autozenit (depends on the mass distribution and amount of reflex in the profile -- hm - brings to mind the adaptive profile peter lynn himself was working on), needs no prefill (improved air inlets, bridle helps also for empty launcing), maybe even does not need those foldable sticks anymore, and is better in light winds than today's arcs.

simplicity is nice no question.......................

when you go FSer you must be keen to the fact that the bridals can be overwhelming at first but with time they become second nature. Also keep in mind the tuning required. You are piloting a wing with alot of technology built in. They require maintenance and periodic tuning. With 20 plus years in the aircraft maintenance field, I enjoy tuning/tweaking for performance. My only issue was the chicken loop prior to the infinity bar however upgrades with an Iron Heart CL, issue over..................

keeping an SA2/S2 in the trunk except for skunk days is a shame.........................great kites with alot of range. I have seen a vid with some sort of proto arc and a 19mP4 working hard in the back ground BUT the P4, SA material or not, is not a low wind engine i.e. the SA2. Ive flown the P4 19 and has nowhere near the low and upwind ability....................

so if you have or looking to purchase a FSer good call but learn the kite, and go fly it, not talk about it, and dont leave it in the trunk.......................

Quote:

Originally posted by tridude simplicity is nice no question....................... when you go FSer you must be keen to the fact that the bridals can be overwhelming at first but with time they become second nature. Also keep in mind the tuning required. You are piloting a wing with alot of technology built in. They require maintenance and periodic tuning. With 20 plus years in the aircraft maintenance field, I enjoy tuning/tweaking for performance. My only issue was the chicken loop prior to the infinity bar however upgrades with an Iron Heart CL, issue over.................. keeping an SA2/S2 in the trunk except for skunk days is a shame.........................great kites with alot of range. I have seen a vid with some sort of proto arc and a 19mP4 working hard in the back ground BUT the P4, SA material or not, is not a low wind engine i.e. the SA2. Ive flown the P4 19 and has nowhere near the low and upwind ability.................... so if you have or looking to purchase a FSer good call but learn the kite, and go fly it, not talk about it, and dont leave it in the trunk.......................

I'm definitely guilty here... I've only gone kiting half a dozen times in the past three months. Last year I went out kiting in -40c, but this year I can't bring myself to do it. Working in it is enough. The bridal really looked like a mess the first few times I setup the speed2 for flight. Even scarier for me was packing, I didn't want to make everything a mess. Tomorrow is really going to be a great day to play with it. I'm going out early and not coming back in till its dark (or till the wife is losing her mind looking after the kids) I really can't wait to take it to the lake this summer, nice open space to cruise on the atb, and I'll be able to get up and riding on the water sooner which hopefully means I'll progress faster. The super low wind stuff though definitely requires a certain amount of kite skills that I haven't quite got down.

I wasnt speaking directly to you Shaggs.......................40 below, cant even imagine that.................hope you have a great snow sesh this weekend and look forward to the review regardless of what you flew..........................

I owed a 5.7 Peter Lynn Waterfoil as my first traction kite. That was a bridle nightmare as an intro kite but I got used to it.

With the flysurfer you get a procedure down with winding up the lines and unwinding them so you can keep the lines connected to the bar. I make sure that the twist of the right and left lines are sorted out before I unwind the lines from the bar. Never put the bar in with the bridles. When you do get a tangle of the bridle be patient and look for loops and untagle them first then everything will come loose with ease. Don't be tempted to put any tension on the lines then you will tighten a knot. I check the action of the pulleys every time before launching to make sure it is ready to take off.

It is nice contrast when I get out the phantom and have only the 4 lines to deal with. Different tools for difiierent conditions for me. I use the Pulse on water and the phantom on land. I would like to try a bigger Arc out on the water some time.

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Originally posted by AD72 I would like to try a bigger Arc out on the water some time.

I know a guy that has a 15m Syn you could borrow.

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Originally posted by tridude I wasnt speaking directly to you Shaggs.......................40 below, cant even imagine that.................hope you have a great snow sesh this weekend and look forward to the review regardless of what you flew..........................

I didn't think that you were directing it to me. I was just trying to keep the convo going.

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Originally posted by BeamerBob Quote: Originally posted by AD72 I would like to try a bigger Arc out on the water some time. I know a guy that has a 15m Syn you could borrow.

I was hoping you would say that.

Arcs are definitely the best for making inland gusty wind kiteable.
I was just at the local schoolyard buggyin. Out on the water it is much smoother and there is far more room for error. I was spoiled in Baja.