Date:	Wed, 17 Aug 1994 04:53:23 -1000
From:	andrewh@holly.harvard.edu (Andrew Hawken)
Message-Id: <32t893$hko@beta.qmw.ac.uk>
Organization: Queen Mary & Westfield College, London, UK
Subject: David Davidson

I should start off by saying that I have no connection with David Davidson,
business or otherwise, other than that he sometimes flys the same hill as
me, and I like his kites.


David designs and builds an unusual variety of quad lined kites.  They
have a semi-circular leading edge, and spars which flare outwards from
the leading to the trailing edge.  The trailing edge  shapes vary
>From kite to kite, but are generally "bat like".  He has been
advertising the "Swift", which I told he looks more like a bat, in
the Kitelines recently if you want a picture.

These kites handle a bit strangely.  Straight line tracking is superb.
Put the kite on a run, and the ends of the LE, and the twin spine spars
all line up, the sail develops a billow in (presumably) the right place,
and the kite goes off like a rocket, and pulls hard into the bargin.   If
you relax the tension in the rear lines then the shape goes back to the 
semi-circle, the kite slows, and can be made to spin almost without
loosing height.  Smooth turns and figure 8's etc are quite easy, but I
have yet to master flying backwards with these kites.  (David does it
quite well of course!) I ought to point out that I am not an 
experienced quad flyer, and have not spent a huge amount of time 
with Davids kites either.

The real thing about Davids kites are the beauty of them.  He is selling
plain and paneled kites, but if you meet him, get him to dig out
some of his own ones.  A comet rushing around a planet (not Jupiter!)
with a sparkling tail behind it, a fire breathing dragon, the sun.
Many many themes.  I don't know if I influenced his commercial 
decisions, but I told him that his Henry Ford coloured Swift
was not exciting, and that it looked more like a bat than a swift.
(I guess I am from the wrong generation) and he now has a bat
design for sale.  I don't know the correct terminology for the construction
of the kites.  The designs are simply made from sewing a huge number
of panels together (church window?/stained glass?) rather than
appliqued.  The effect with the sun behind them is stunning, and the
large surface area has allowed him to achieve things that I have only
ever seen on single liners before (but then I have led a sheltered life!)

He is also keen to let you try them.  My first ever quad experiences
were with his comet.  He gave me some first lessons in quad flying.
They did not help much because I had too much fear of what I would
do to his kite, and, after rising up, spinning uncontrollably one 
way or the other, sure enough, I did crunch a spar.  He put the kite
away, got out another one (this time with a fibreglass frame) and 
carried on the lesson.  A good attitude.  Once when he expected me, 
he brought his whole bone-yard including his two liners.  Some unexpected
designs, including a kite with a "king pin" holding the sail off the spine.

I am going to try to get some photos of his kites into the archive at
Hawaii, as soon as I can get myself organised with him/me and a camera.
Until them, he flies at Stockley Park nr. Heathrow (UK), and has been
doing the festival rounds.  His own kites are easy to spot!  I would
be interested to hear a serious quad-line flyers opinion of their 
flight characteristics.

--

____________________________Andrew Hawken______________________________
          "However many ways there may be of being alive,
     it is certain that there are vastly more ways of being dead"
                                                                R Dawkins.
	Home  :	0895 420110		QMW   :	071 975 5542
	AIIT  :	0494 677045		Email :	A.Hawken@QMW.AC.UK


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