Pre-empting a thread hijack by bringing this over here:

From Macboy:
Loving the Access but still have much to learn about it. I've found that I've got to get used to two things - the control (or lack of control) offered through the depower bar compared to handles, and the sliding action of the bar which had me powering up without realizing it - not that it mattered but still.....

I was out with it for about 30 minutes today and got a good out and back run but right in the middle I had a little wrestling match with it as she decided to yank me sideways ; ) Almost made me cry for the Brooza instead but I figure I better learn this thing. Sure seems powerful and far more agile than I expected. There's no "off switch" like the brakes on handles afford so it's a bit intimidating but I'm making out okay. Only pulled the primary release once : )

From Krumly:
A local kiting instructor says"kind of like in life, if your in trouble, letting go a bit helps." He was referring to the beginner's tendency to pull the bar in when they felt overpowered, rather than let it out. Could also refer ultimately to "pull the safety" too, I suppose.

Never flown an Access before. Can you set the trimmer such that when totally sheeted in the kite will backstall, and totally sheeted out, it totally depowers (front stalls, or at most just pulls to support it's own weight at the zenith)?

On the out-run I stopped some insanity to catch my breath which is when she pulled me over sideways. It was at this point I thought about the cam-cleat trimmer and I had it all the way out (making the AoA greater if I understand correctly). Once I got back to my feet and under control I pulled it all the way in and the resulting runs were much more manageable. This, despite the travel of the cam cleat being only about 12 inches. I don't think it could go from backstalling to fully depowered.

Depower is a bit odd in that when the kite is in the power zone pulling the bar in actually slows the kites speed down ( brakes on ) and you are getting less pull. When it is in the power zone and you depower it speeds up and creates more pull ( brakes off) as it rushes to the edge

It is at the edge of the window that pulling the bar and trim strap in reduces power due to the angle.

Probably when you got yanked you pushed the bar out thinking depower but the kite sped up creating power instead as it flew in the power zone? I find it hard to accept that you totally depower ( bar out ) to launch as well but it is the same idea.
Hope that makes sense !

To a point I agree with you, Snowbird -

I flew a Turbo Diesel 2 for the first time on Monday. That kite had so much range in the depower, it could go from backstalled/backing down with bar in, to dropping out of the sky when depowered (I can already hear the Arc afficionados saying a kite shouldn't do that...).

I could also depower that kite quickly while rolling right thru the powerzone, and the pull dropped off immediately. I was amazed. I got to thinking about it a bit more from an aerodynamics standpoint and it makes sense: All wings (and 2d foil sections) have an optimal lift/drag ratio at a specific angle of attack where you get the "most pull for the least penalty." If you go above that angle, drag increases greatly with little increase in lift. Go below that optimum angle, drag stays about the same but lift drops quickly.

It's that low region I think the TD2, and some foils sheeted out, get to so you don't feel much acceleration and the kite doesn't pull too hard even zipping through the zone. A lot of foils start to loose pressure and luff sheeted out that far, so maybe that limits their depower a bit.

It also makes sense a kite won't launch powered. At that point, there is no forward motion. The wing is seeing an angle of attack of in excess of 90 degrees and is essentially being "wedged" to the ground. You need to bring the nose forward enough that positive pressure on the bottom of the kite has some upward component, while maybe getting some bit of lift from low pressure on the top surface right behind the leading edge.

Macboy - sounds like you're figuring out the trim strap pretty quick. Can you let the trim strap out on the Access at the zenith enough to get the kite to frontstall, or is it autostable? Never flown one, so I'm just curious. I generally like to trim my kites to just backstall with the bar pulled in close, then have a comfortable cruising range ( seems like most kites I have that is 3-5" travel) where my arms 'feel right'. The trim strap lets you keep that arm range and depower range the same in different wind strengths.

krumly

Hey All

I use inflatables a fair bit, more than I fly foils anyway. Anyway I've used the Turbo 2 a lot (using a buddies) and it is an amazing kite, huge wind range. Through a lot of experiance and trying to coax more power and wind range out of the kites by shorteningthe rear lines I've experianced this backstalling when fully sheeted in. This is oversheeting and the rear lines are to short and drag created by the kite pulls it backwards. Lengthen the back lines until this doesn't happen to get max power out of the kite.
Hope this helps a bit.

John.