http://www.wimp.com/speedriding/


Love to know what size kite this is.

It stopped too soon.
I'd love to know how he got off that last spot after wiping out with 1 ski, 50 meters to a cliff and the lines wrapped around everything.

That is a normal parachute.

Quote: Originally posted by doneski

It stopped too soon. I'd love to know how he got off that last spot after wiping out with 1 ski, 50 meters to a cliff and the lines wrapped around everything.

Ditto that

-Brian, I think the speed wings are something like 4-5m. Certainly doesn't look much more than that.

Yeahhh...4-5 m. My point. I got kites that size. Hmmmnnnn..?

These are quite different though!

The set up has hand controlled AoA adjustment pulls.....to get lift or descend or stay on ground...

:dunno:?..but seems so.

I LOVE THIS USE FOR A KITE!

Though we all have kites in this range, our bridles are not as beefy and speed kites have a much higher glide ratio. Its tempting but I'm not throwing myself over any cliff with only my bego to save me.

Am I missing something about this being a kite and not a parachute? I've flown a parachute a bit and that looks just like a regular parachute, probably 160sqft. The 'AoA' lines are the brake lines, just the same as on our kites. I've seen this mountain diving with skis and a chute a number of times. I will say the dynamics of hanging from the chute make flying it much different than kites. You can do 360 spins and generate massive speed! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80bEoJhbbXo

It may very well be a "parachute" but companies that make them (Gin, Ozone, etc.) market them specifically as "speed wings" or "speed gliders". Likely very similar or the same as the "parachute" in the video you posted but I couldn't tell you for certain as I don't do either - I just know of these "speed wings" since they are made by the same companies that make the kites I fly.

From Gin's site...

"What is Speedflying / Speedriding?


Speedflying, a new flying concept Speedflying is flying fast downhill.

The concept has evolved from speedriding, the fast mountain descent under a speedglider launched on skis. For the past few years, Gin Gliders has been the leading innovator in speedriding. Now comes the first Gin Gliders speedglider launchable by foot: the Bobcat.


Speedgliders are not scaled-down, mini-paragliders, like our "Yeti 19" paraglider. Speedgliders are adapted to fly with a low glide ratio, stability and speed.

There are 5 important elements in speedglider design:

> Pitch stability

> Angle of attack control

> Variable glide ratio

> Wide speed range control

> Compact shape

These 5 elements enable the adaption of speedgliders to their specific uses, and the safe practice of speedriding and speedflying.

Let’s play in the air...

There is a flying machine to suit every taste: paragliders, mini-paragliders and now, speedgliders…"

hmm, it seems that the kite people are getting into the parachute world with these "speed kites". They have been parachute skiing for years. I stopped skydiving int 2005 and they had been doing the mountain skiing for years before then. This is a regular parachute. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srbide6Mwn8