So I busted my head from a bad fall and i'm sidelined for a while. Looking for tips on how to avoid this situation again. Anyway, here's what happened or skip to the bottom if you don't want the long narrative.


Had my trainer kite for almost a year and finally bought a new 5.6 twister. Took it out 2-3 times in real light winds so i could get used to flying 4 line handles as opposed to a 3 line bar. Light, to the point where i had trouble just keeping it in the air. Then a real windy day comes along and I'm all excited to try out my new toy, finally get some air time. Now the wind forcast said the average wind speed was at the kite's maximum suggested flying range with gusts above it. but I decide I'll go out and see if I can handle it anyway. Mistake #1

So I get to the park, flying solo and quickly realize its too much wind to handle. I can't bring it to zenith without getting dragged, so I start just butt sliding since I can't stand with the kite. and even like this, walking back up wind to ride again was a struggle. So i contemplate if I should stay or pack it up, I decided to stay. Mistake #2

So after a while, the wind dies down a little and I can actually get the kite to zenith and stand up. So I fool around a bit and when a gust comes I get lofted a little bit a couple times, so I'm thinking alright, totally worth coming out for.

Then I get lifted slightly and instead of the gentle glide down, I'm sort of staying at the same height (not very high) and I think should I just let go or hang on and ride this long glide? I was a little worried since I expected to be going down at this point, but it was maybe a foot off the ground. I decided to hang on. Mistake #3

So then I hear a rush of wind and half a second later i am gaining altitude and speed and I'm just thinking oh crap. Very quickly I think, should I let go and face the dangers of a straight down fall from too high (probaly busted ankle or knee) or hang on and deal with too much forward momentum? I decided to hang on and I'm trying to redirect the kite overhead, but the wind is blowing hard and I do a horrible job of it. Its at like 45 degrees from the top and to the left by the time I hit the ground. I'm thinking I need to tuck and roll or something, but by this point I'm kind of panicked and simply try to just stick the landing like its a regular controlled landing, but I'm going in way too fast and whip forward hitting my head. I don't think I let go until after I hit the ground either.

I felt pretty ok considering what happened for a moment. Then my memory gets fuzzy I was definitely very confused for like 15 -20 minutes after that. I managed to call a friend to come pick me up but I was told i was rambling and making little sense. Didn't go to the doctor since I got a new job and health benefits havn't kicked in yet, but I'm prtty sure I got a concussion with the way I was so confused.



This whole time I have been wondering if I make a good decision in deciding to hang on instead of letting go and taking a straight down drop? I'm not really sure how high I was. High enough that is was scary, but it was hard to judge since I was focused on trying to control the kite and I'm not used to looking down on the gorund. So anyway at what height would you guys say it starts to be a bad decision to let go?

and if I have a landing where I am "coming in hot" how should I take it? I imagine its best to let go of the handles just before touching down, right? but what would work, rolling like you see people doing when they jump out of a moving car? Riding it out on your knees like skaters do on a ramp? landing on your butt like a wrestler takes a jump? hanging on but putting your legs back so you get superman dragged and prevent your head from slamming down?

All i know is you want a low center of gravity so you don't whip your head to the ground. In the mean time, I'll be buying a helmet. For that matter what kind of helmet is used for kiting? I was going to get a skateboard type helmet unless something else works better.

I got to the 2nd paragraph and stopped reading. If you have to ask such a question, you don't deserve an answer, but I will give you one anyway.
This is an extreme sport, people have been badly hurt and will pay the price for the rest of there lives. Some have been killed.
How can I play Russian Roulette so I don't kill myself?
So if you have to ask the question, don't fly kites.

You should ALWAYS release handles if your get lofted unexpectedly .
the twister is a bad ass kite. it can get angry.
even i got careless once and fooled around with a 7.7 sqm twister in wrong conditions. i made a few controlled pendulum jumps, just for fun. but at the onset of the last one, a gust came across and the twister lofted me like an elevator. i immediately released the handles and that saved me. i had a rather hard landing, but i could roll off on the ground and got away just scared.

as such unexpected lofts could happen to everyone (thermal updrafts; dust devils in hot summer !!) maybe we all should practice the

PLF :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parachute_landing_fall




and.. always wear a helmet, especially if the wind is blowing..

Quote:

Originally posted by dannyaq So I busted my head from a bad fall and i'm sidelined for a while. Looking for tips on how to avoid this situation again. Anyway, here's what happened or skip to the bottom if you don't want the long narrative. Had my trainer kite for almost a year and finally bought a new 5.6 twister. Took it out 2-3 times in real light winds so i could get used to flying 4 line handles as opposed to a 3 line bar. Light, to the point where i had trouble just keeping it in the air. Then a real windy day comes along and I'm all excited to try out my new toy, finally get some air time. Now the wind forcast said the average wind speed was at the kite's maximum suggested flying range with gusts above it. but I decide I'll go out and see if I can handle it anyway. Mistake #1 So I get to the park, flying solo and quickly realize its too much wind to handle. I can't bring it to zenith without getting dragged, so I start just butt sliding since I can't stand with the kite. and even like this, walking back up wind to ride again was a struggle. So i contemplate if I should stay or pack it up, I decided to stay. Mistake #2 So after a while, the wind dies down a little and I can actually get the kite to zenith and stand up. So I fool around a bit and when a gust comes I get lofted a little bit a couple times, so I'm thinking alright, totally worth coming out for. Then I get lifted slightly and instead of the gentle glide down, I'm sort of staying at the same height (not very high) and I think should I just let go or hang on and ride this long glide? I was a little worried since I expected to be going down at this point, but it was maybe a foot off the ground. I decided to hang on. Mistake #3 So then I hear a rush of wind and half a second later i am gaining altitude and speed and I'm just thinking oh crap. Very quickly I think, should I let go and face the dangers of a straight down fall from too high (probaly busted ankle or knee) or hang on and deal with too much forward momentum? I decided to hang on and I'm trying to redirect the kite overhead, but the wind is blowing hard and I do a horrible job of it. Its at like 45 degrees from the top and to the left by the time I hit the ground. I'm thinking I need to tuck and roll or something, but by this point I'm kind of panicked and simply try to just stick the landing like its a regular controlled landing, but I'm going in way too fast and whip forward hitting my head. I don't think I let go until after I hit the ground either. I felt pretty ok considering what happened for a moment. Then my memory gets fuzzy I was definitely very confused for like 15 -20 minutes after that. I managed to call a friend to come pick me up but I was told i was rambling and making little sense. Didn't go to the doctor since I got a new job and health benefits havn't kicked in yet, but I'm prtty sure I got a concussion with the way I was so confused. This whole time I have been wondering if I make a good decision in deciding to hang on instead of letting go and taking a straight down drop? I'm not really sure how high I was. High enough that is was scary, but it was hard to judge since I was focused on trying to control the kite and I'm not used to looking down on the gorund. So anyway at what height would you guys say it starts to be a bad decision to let go? and if I have a landing where I am "coming in hot" how should I take it? I imagine its best to let go of the handles just before touching down, right? but what would work, rolling like you see people doing when they jump out of a moving car? Riding it out on your knees like skaters do on a ramp? landing on your butt like a wrestler takes a jump? hanging on but putting your legs back so you get superman dragged and prevent your head from slamming down? All i know is you want a low center of gravity so you don't whip your head to the ground. In the mean time, I'll be buying a helmet. For that matter what kind of helmet is used for kiting? I was going to get a skateboard type helmet unless something else works better.

First buy a fecking helmet!
Any kite shop will sell you good one!
And fecking wear it!
See if you can find some local kiters that you can fly with.
Practise using your killers ever time you fly the kite it will
become second nature!
If you think wind is to gusty or to strong go home don't take
Risk it's better to fly another day!
I'm not putting down on you !
Just don't want to hear that another guy got hurt very bad or kill!

Quote:

Originally posted by alasdair macleod Quote: Originally posted by dannyaq So I busted my head from a bad fall and i'm sidelined for a while. Looking for tips on how to avoid this situation again. Anyway, here's what happened or skip to the bottom if you don't want the long narrative. Had my trainer kite for almost a year and finally bought a new 5.6 twister. Took it out 2-3 times in real light winds so i could get used to flying 4 line handles as opposed to a 3 line bar. Light, to the point where i had trouble just keeping it in the air. Then a real windy day comes along and I'm all excited to try out my new toy, finally get some air time. Now the wind forcast said the average wind speed was at the kite's maximum suggested flying range with gusts above it. but I decide I'll go out and see if I can handle it anyway. Mistake #1 So I get to the park, flying solo and quickly realize its too much wind to handle. I can't bring it to zenith without getting dragged, so I start just butt sliding since I can't stand with the kite. and even like this, walking back up wind to ride again was a struggle. So i contemplate if I should stay or pack it up, I decided to stay. Mistake #2 So after a while, the wind dies down a little and I can actually get the kite to zenith and stand up. So I fool around a bit and when a gust comes I get lofted a little bit a couple times, so I'm thinking alright, totally worth coming out for. Then I get lifted slightly and instead of the gentle glide down, I'm sort of staying at the same height (not very high) and I think should I just let go or hang on and ride this long glide? I was a little worried since I expected to be going down at this point, but it was maybe a foot off the ground. I decided to hang on. Mistake #3 So then I hear a rush of wind and half a second later i am gaining altitude and speed and I'm just thinking oh crap. Very quickly I think, should I let go and face the dangers of a straight down fall from too high (probaly busted ankle or knee) or hang on and deal with too much forward momentum? I decided to hang on and I'm trying to redirect the kite overhead, but the wind is blowing hard and I do a horrible job of it. Its at like 45 degrees from the top and to the left by the time I hit the ground. I'm thinking I need to tuck and roll or something, but by this point I'm kind of panicked and simply try to just stick the landing like its a regular controlled landing, but I'm going in way too fast and whip forward hitting my head. I don't think I let go until after I hit the ground either. I felt pretty ok considering what happened for a moment. Then my memory gets fuzzy I was definitely very confused for like 15 -20 minutes after that. I managed to call a friend to come pick me up but I was told i was rambling and making little sense. Didn't go to the doctor since I got a new job and health benefits havn't kicked in yet, but I'm prtty sure I got a concussion with the way I was so confused. This whole time I have been wondering if I make a good decision in deciding to hang on instead of letting go and taking a straight down drop? I'm not really sure how high I was. High enough that is was scary, but it was hard to judge since I was focused on trying to control the kite and I'm not used to looking down on the gorund. So anyway at what height would you guys say it starts to be a bad decision to let go? and if I have a landing where I am "coming in hot" how should I take it? I imagine its best to let go of the handles just before touching down, right? but what would work, rolling like you see people doing when they jump out of a moving car? Riding it out on your knees like skaters do on a ramp? landing on your butt like a wrestler takes a jump? hanging on but putting your legs back so you get superman dragged and prevent your head from slamming down? All i know is you want a low center of gravity so you don't whip your head to the ground. In the mean time, I'll be buying a helmet. For that matter what kind of helmet is used for kiting? I was going to get a skateboard type helmet unless something else works better. First buy a fecking helmet! Any kite shop will sell you good one! And fecking wear it! See if you can find some local kiters that you can fly with. Practise using your killers ever time you fly the kite it will become second nature! If you think wind is to gusty or to strong go home don't take Risk it's better to fly another day! I'm not putting down on you ! Just don't want to hear that another guy got hurt very bad or kill!

What Alasdair said!
You should already have a helmet. Protective gear first! These ain't stunt kites. It's a POWER kite. It can develop more power than you can handle,it just takes the right wind. Don't get yer feelins hurt by what Jeff said.He might be havin a bad pain day.( He was nearly killed by a 2.4 Combat and a full face helmet.) Yes kiting is EXTREME ,you can be seriously injured and /or killed.( I had to have a shoulder rebuilt.)
If I was lofted higher than I felt safe to drop,I'm gonna fly that kite baby! Landing... Hopefully tuck and roll,but would depend on what kind of lofting i.e. straight up or being propelled superman style at speed!

welcome to the best place on the web for help and info about POWERKITING

Have fun,Be safe WG:saint:

yes big kid, I realize it is an extreme sport which is why I asked about safety procedures. I made a stupid mistake, but I'm not dumb enough to think I will always fly perfectly and nothing unexpected will ever happen again. When learning how to skateboard, I was taught how to slide down the ramp on my knees in case I don't land on my board. My friend teaching me didn't assume i would never make a mistake. Safety equipment is worn because it is assumed there is a chance of falling. So why is it stupid to ask how to fall if I should do things like wear a helmet and assume there could be bad falls at some point?

Quote:

Originally posted by dannyaq yes big kid, I realize it is an extreme sport which is why I asked about safety procedures. I made a stupid mistake, but I'm not dumb enough to think I will always fly perfectly and nothing unexpected will ever happen again. When learning how to skateboard, I was taught how to slide down the ramp on my knees in case I don't land on my board. My friend teaching me didn't assume i would never make a mistake. Safety equipment is worn because it is assumed there is a chance of falling. So why is it stupid to ask how to fall if I should do things like wear a helmet and assume there could be bad falls at some point?

If, what I said pissed you off or you took offense to it, GOOD. Unless you are superman or God has granted you 9 lives, at some point you will get hurt because you were unable to respond quick enough or you didn't think, or you we not able to get to the quick release fast enough. Not everything is reparable.
I watch a guy the other day get lofted by his kite through a 10 foot gap between 2 motor homes and after he finally pulled the release, had traveled 248 feet.(I went out and measured the marks in the ground, just now). This guy is very experienced and knows what to do. Things could have been much worse, as it was a few days earlier.
I just get nasty when I think of a newbie getting in over his head. It may be my concern for the sport or your health or it could be the Morphine and the other 8 drugs I take every day to maintain a level of life that I will never again achieve, that you take for granted.

Get with someone who knows the sport, take it slow, use the correct equipment, expect the worst, and hope for the best. And know that at some point the worst will happen, but I hope not.
Enjoy the sport, but most of all, use your head and get good insurance.

Quote:

Originally posted by dannyaq yes big kid, I realize it is an extreme sport which is why I asked about safety procedures. I made a stupid mistake, but I'm not dumb enough to think I will always fly perfectly and nothing unexpected will ever happen again. When learning how to skateboard, I was taught how to slide down the ramp on my knees in case I don't land on my board. My friend teaching me didn't assume i would never make a mistake. Safety equipment is worn because it is assumed there is a chance of falling. So why is it stupid to ask how to fall if I should do things like wear a helmet and assume there could be bad falls at some point?

Look this thread can go one of two ways
Backs go up and it becomes a slanging match or
You ask right questions don't take it too heart when the
Guys get a bit hard on you !
These guys have great wealth of info!:singing:

same with paragliding: a safe flying pilot will probably never pull the reserve parachute and will never hit the ground hard. nonetheless, good schools teach the parachute landing fall and also offer reserve parachute throwing courses.

here is a funny one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIuF_-t-kwA

another more:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWQvq-6dB9Y

and dozens more on youtube etc.

I wont slam ya, we all make mistakes... happens... all the safety precautions in the world wont help if everything goes wrong..... but EVERYTHING, rarely goes wrong....

on to your question tho,

if lofted straight up, let go. Land with "soft knees" (not locked legs), and on the ball of your foot, not your heel. You can probably do this up to 10' if you are a limber enough dude... ive hopped TONS of fences in my day, some 6, some 15', and i never did a five point roll. just bent knees will save ya 99% of the time... If your moving fast (hot landing) soft knees, and tuck and roll... 5 point landing if ya will... just dont roll into your lines, get out of the lines, and get the kite down.... cell phones are good to have on ya too

watch some parkour videos... not the wreck ones ... and watch how they land... its good info to have!!

helmets help, lol but ive seen stars with a proper bucket on my dome too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIgPMkGJ2v4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCV0k71OZRc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLydEwpx0cc&feature=relat...

I still think you're all mad, jumping with fixed-bridle kites :o

i LOVE my twister for jumping!

My biggest, best jumps have been on that kite... i may be a little mad.... but after a sweet jump on that bad boy, you cant get the grin off my face!!

Meh... I much prefer the paraglider rides I get from the Speeds when over-powered :D

Twister ~$350
Speed3 ~$2500

pretty stupid on your part but no worries because now you learned not to do it again....

first time out with my 5 Ace i got spanked as well. I didnt land on my head but still was hurtin.

ive always learned the hard way... so my best advice is to wear a helmet next time and dont go out in gusty conditions...


glad your ok,

Quote:

Originally posted by Drewculous Twister ~$350 Speed3 ~$2500

:moon: . eh?

nice one!

@ OP: I hope you come back to this site. it's obvious you have the bug. Good luck to you.

thanks for the advice. With kite killers attached to the wrists, I'd imagine the parachute fall landing would end up working nicely since it leaves room for the jerk on the wrists that comes after letting go. I know its not a blanket solution for any situation that might arise, but these techniques are useful to keep in mind. The landing on the toes part as well.

don't let bigkid get all pretentious with you. everyone #@%$#!s up with kites.

I got owwwwwned by a twister as well

hope ya learned your lesson

^^

Quote:

Originally posted by Drewculous Twister ~$350 Speed3 ~$2500

Broken limb - $25,000

meh, all kites can spank ya.... FS aren't the exception to the rule buddy

I challenge your Twister with my Flysurfer! Let's see how jumps and doesn't get spanked...

ohh buddy im dangerous (in a safe way :D ) with that wing!

if i can ever drag someone out to film me, i'll smoke your "floaty glider jumps" with sky high, hooj, epic, well... awesome jumps

shoulder surgery =$ 35,000 and still in pain every day...

VIDEO WAR!!!!! NO PHOTOSHOP $H!T!!!! TO BE DECIDED BY US!!!

KAMI vs. DREW Best jump/glide winner take all? Braggin rights?

Quote:

Originally posted by Drewculous ohh buddy im dangerous (in a safe way :D ) with that wing! if i can ever drag someone out to film me, i'll smoke your "floaty glider jumps" with sky high, hooj, epic, well... awesome jumps

I want a ticket!!!

I'm more interested in the landing than the jump :D which is why I'm willing to bet that I'll still be jumping when Drew is nursing his sore bits
Yes I'm a sissy... but I've already broken myself once, maybe twice :bigok:

Quote:

Originally posted by WELDNGOD KAMI vs. DREW Best jump/glide winner take all? Braggin rights?

I gotta see this

I'm with drew, FS is over-rated unless you're in a puff.
once yer blowin' kites is kites