Tried flying my 5m ACE on Friday in unpredictable low winds and it was a bust. I think I only got mabye 10 minutes of time with it actually in the air, the rest of the time I spent messing with it and untangling lines and trying to relaunch it. I ended up just packing it in early. Anybody have any suggestions on launching and flying in low winds?

The ace should go up in about 5mph winds. You may have to work it to keep it in the air, but it should fly. Used to be with the Ace you had to put an extra knot on your power lead on your handles about 3 inches or so from the outer knot you would normally attach your lines. This accomplished two things. First it would keep your handles more upright in your hand and taking line pressure off your fingers. It would also give less backline tension, allowing the kite to get more power. If you have extra knots on your brake leads on the kite, move the lines down to the next knot. Also reducling rear line tension. Make sure your brakes still work efficiently after making these changes.

My 1st guess is you had a combination of bad location and possibly lack of flying skills?

Are you a complete beginer ?

What was the location like ? Obstacles upwind or down?
Wind will be extremely rough for about 7 - 10 times the height downwind from that object.

Yes, I find my 5m Ace is tough to handle in shifty , variable winds. It is prone to rushing ahead in the window on a gust + collapsing . Turn it or hit the brakes a bit when this happens to avoid overfly.

Did you have your brake lines set proper ?
It should fly for you in clean winds at 5mph. If you are a beginer don't take it out in too strong of winds until you are the master of the kite. It will serve up punishment big !

I did tie extra knots in my flying handle lines so I could fly it in lower winds. My brakes lines actually had no tension at all. The little time I did have it in the air I was turning it pulling on my power lines alone.

Bladerunner no I am not a complete beginner I have flown my Ace several times as well as flying other 5m kites. The location I am flying in right now is desert no obstacles or anything around me to disrupt the wind like trees or tall buildings or anything of the sorts. Hoowever I do agree with you on the rushing ahead and the Ace flying overflying me I have already discovered how much that can suck once. I have also taken it out in stronger winds and found how much I have had to adjust the lines so I could get it to fly comfortable. I believe the max on a 5m is around 15mph winds. I tried that once and will not do it again. I have taken it out in 8-10mph and had quite a blast with it.

+1 for 5m ace in 5 mph, and also for the need for smooth winds, esp. at first. Yes it flies better with loose brakes, I keep mine the loosest of any of my kites. I keep just enough tension to land it, and i have to tighten up if the winds pass 15. It does respond to brake use, and you'll find as your skills increase that you'll be able to fly in more wind. My smooth winds are right off the ocean though, much better than anything off the land, no matter how smooth it is. Being able to keep it away from the edge is the key to success, and brakes are key to that.

@jacqueline's low wind question: not responding, the irrelevant commercial link in your sig, and the question itself, give you away.

reported.

Man I missed the link on that one lol. I was a little confused by the question. Good catch.