Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1993 05:52:03 -1000 From: gtt_grif@pat.uwe.ac.uk (GTT Griffith) Message-Id: <1993Jun30.155203.8636@pat.uwe.ac.uk> Organization: University of the West of England, Bristol Subject: 6' Rocket, flying capabilities I have posted to this group before, and I am now fairly convinced that I want to do some form of Power Kiting, but at the moment all I have to fly is a 6foot span rocket deltawing thingy. Now this says that it is good in low winds, but either this is crap, or I am. I was trying at the weekend, admittedly the wind was a little bit haphazzard, but in the main it was a fairly moderate wind. (The hay was drying beautifully anyway) But I really only had limited success. I would wait for the wind to pick up, pull the kite into the air, and then I was trying to advance my skills in manoeuvers. However, I noticed several things about this kite that really irritated me. 1) You would sometimes find that although the wind seemed to be strong enough, this retched kite would just hang there, and no amount of coaxing would make it do anything other than drop to the ground 2) When the wind was decent, I sometimes found that when I flew to the edge of the window, (trying these stalls that have been so prevalent on the net recently) I would often find that if I wanted to correct the stall and continue flying, it was all too easy for a short but sharp pull on one string to cause the kite to turn turtle, getting the string caught on the tip of one wing, and causing the kite to spiral to the ground. (Pleeeese don't say don't pull so hard, as anything more gentle had no effect, it was either stall or crash!) 3) Sometimes in moderately gentle winds, the responce of the kite was apalling. Pulling on the cords just seemed to have no effect. If the kite was heading left slowly, a slow pull on the right cable seemed only to change the angle of the kite, but not the direction of flight. The only compensating factor that comes out of this is that it is a very responsive kite in stronger winds, but I had hoped that it would do as it says on the packaging (and what the man in the shop says) In actual fact, I find it quite a frustrating kite to fly. The only thing in its favour, is that it can be launched fairly easily on your own. Can anyone suggest anything that I can do? At the moment my only solution is going to be to save up for a 10ft Flexifoil, but that is going to cost me! Thanks in advance George Griffith FM Research Unit Fac. Built Environment UWE Bristol Bristol BS16 1QY Tel. +44-272-656261, xt3215 Fax +44-272-763895 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1993 08:23:53 -1000 From: reich@cod.nosc.mil (Ronald S. Reich) Message-Id: <9307021823.AA08039@cod.nosc.mil> Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: Re: 6' Rocket, flying capabilities Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1993 15:52:03 GMT From: gtt_grif@pat.uwe.ac.uk (GTT Griffith) Subject: 6' Rocket, flying capabilities Lots of stuff deleted: >Can anyone suggest anything that I can do? At the moment my only >solution is going to be to save up for a 10ft Flexifoil, but that >is going to cost me! Hi George, From your description it appears that the bridle is set very high. (closer to the nose than it should be by about 2 inches) In your home or anyplace out of any wind, hold the kite in front of you suspended by the bridle flyline attachment points. I suspect the you will notice that the highest point of the kite is the nose. Thats not good. Adjust the attachment points such that the nose is just a little bit lower than the rest of the kite. An alternative to this is to go to your flying field, set the kite up and then move the bridle pick points down about 2 inches. Try to fly the kite. It might not even lift off the ground at this setting. If it does and climbs to the top of the wind window then move the clip down another 1/2 inch. Continue this testing and adjusting until the kite is difficult to get off the ground. Then move the pick point 1/4 inch toward the nose. Launch the kite and stand fast as you see how far up it will climb be for it stalls. Make small adjustments (1/8 inch) at a time until the kite will climb on its own to an angle of about 80 to 85 degrees. (almost straight overhead). At that setting the bridle should be adjusted for proper flight. Let us know what happens, Ron Reich = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 2 Jul 1993 07:28:00 -1000 From: Darrin.Skinner@ebay.sun.com (Darrin Skinner) Message-Id: <9307021728.AA07937@stuntkite.EBay.Sun.COM> Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: Re: 6' Rocket, flying capabilities gtt_grif@pat.uwe.ac.uk (GTT Griffith) writes: -] From kites-request@das.harvard.edu Fri Jul 2 09:25:18 1993 -] To: kites@das.harvard.edu -] Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1993 15:52:03 GMT -] From: gtt_grif@pat.uwe.ac.uk (GTT Griffith) -] Organization: University of the West of England, Bristol -] Sender: kites-request@das.harvard.edu -] Subject: 6' Rocket, flying capabilities -] Content-Length: 2668 -] -] ... However, I noticed -] several things about this kite that really irritated me. -] -] 1) You would sometimes find that although the wind seemed to be strong -] enough, this retched kite would just hang there, and no amount of -] coaxing would make it do anything other than drop to the ground -] This sounds like your bridal point is way too low. Try moving the point where your fly line attaches to the bridal (lines on the kite) up toward the nose. Try advancing it in 1/4 inch (or local equivalent) increments. If the kite starts "nosing over" and doing an imitation of a hang-glider, then you have gone too far UP. You will need to fine tune the proper placement and the placement MAY change with the wind (usually not more than 1/2 inch). -] 2) When the wind was decent, I sometimes found that when I flew to -] the edge of the window, (trying these stalls that have been so -] prevalent on the net recently) I would often find that if I wanted to -] correct the stall and continue flying, it was all too easy for a -] short but sharp pull on one string to cause the kite to turn turtle, -] getting the string caught on the tip of one wing, and causing the kite -] to spiral to the ground. (Pleeeese don't say don't pull so hard, as -] anything more gentle had no effect, it was either stall or crash!) -] Yes, it sounds like your birdal point is really low. -] 3) Sometimes in moderately gentle winds, the responce of the kite -] was apalling. Pulling on the cords just seemed to have no effect. -] If the kite was heading left slowly, a slow pull on the right cable -] seemed only to change the angle of the kite, but not the direction -] of flight. -] Yep, still sounding like a low bridal point. -] The only compensating factor that comes out of this is that it is a -] very responsive kite in stronger winds, but I had hoped that it would -] do as it says on the packaging (and what the man in the shop says) -] In actual fact, I find it quite a frustrating kite to fly. The only -] thing in its favour, is that it can be launched fairly easily on your -] own. -] This is NOT consistant with a low bridal point. Usually it is quite hard to launch when the point is as low as I think yours is. Well, if moving the point up does not work... move it down (what do I know?!). -] Can anyone suggest anything that I can do? At the moment my only -] solution is going to be to save up for a 10ft Flexifoil, but that -] is going to cost me! -] -] Thanks in advance -] -] George Griffith -] Darrin speaking for Darrin and not anyone not named Darrin = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =