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Kite Trains
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Subject: Kite Trains
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From: andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie)
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Date: Thu, 28 Apr 1994 06:14:05 GMT
uspehmev@ibmmail.COM writes:
>And definitely don't try a six pack of
>Hawaiian Team kites like Anthony Crisafulli (I believe I saw a
>picture of him flying 17) unless you have a good body anchor or have
>tied them to a four by four. (Same goes for 8 foot or larger flexis)
Sorry Mark, I won't let that pass. This is a common missunderstanding
about power flying.
Do *NOT* anchor powerful stunt kites or stunt-kite-stacks to the ground.
It is ABSOLUTELY NOT safe. People get killed an maimed trying. Eg:
UK: One flexifoil. Strong wind. Line anchored through belt/harness to position
behind flier. Flier does power-dive followed by ground pass. Compressive
load on fliers leg means thet he cannot move to follow path of kite. Leg snaps.
Germany: Power kiter flying with anchor. Anchor fails. Flier catapulted into
tree. Flier killed.
USA: (Detail sketchy) flier airbourne on the line tension with stack of
flexies. Loss of control. Flexies smash into ground. Flier likewise.
On the other hand, I have not yet found the upper limit for the amount of
kite that you can fly without an anchor. I've flown a dozen or so 10'
Flexifoils, a 15m^2 Peel and a 20m^2 parachute.
Andrew
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