NBK (R) $$$ --------------------------------------------------------------------- Sam Rouse March 1992 Manufacturer: Skyward Kites Materials: Sail 3/4 oz. ripstop AFC .2400 graphite Wind Range: 4-30 mph (2-13 m/s) Span: 8'6" (260 cm) Height: 3'6" (107 cm) Type: Delta,relatively high aspect ratio Flight Review: "This may be the kite that I have had the most fun with. It is completely impractical for precision, most ballet, or team flying IMHO, but the qualities that render it useless for those activities are what I find make it fun to fly. It is very fast and can turn almost within its own wingspan. It has a lot of oversteer and in a tight turn will spin air out of the sail causing it to stall and lose altitude, making it very easy to land and do other active groundwork maneuvers. I keep the bridle adusted back to maintain the flight characteristics I like, which means good pull in stronger wind but a smaller than average wind window. The more wind you have the more fun it is to fly; though the manufacturer recommends an upper limit of somewhere around 22 mph (10 m/s) , I've had it in much higher with no bad effects (other than raising the low end due to sail stretch). I have to admit that this is the one kite in my bag that I'm willing to thrash (my mud kite), and it takes it well - the only thing that has ever broken is a wingtip arrow nock, while learning tipstands on frozen turf."- Sam Rouse, March 1993 Construction Review: "I have to give a mixed review here. There are some innovative features, such as 4 standoffs and a 7-point bridling system. Seams are double folded and stitched (no raw edges showing); small holes are grommeted. Other areas are lacking. The vinyls are too thin-walled and didn't fit the rods well (I had to build up the rod tips with shrink tubing and superglue to keep them from falling out). My sail had a stitching error in which a seam had been ripped and re-sewn. The ferrule that connects the lower spreaders at the keel is glued to one of the spreaders, so must be worked through a hole in the vinyl where they connect (difficult, especially when it's cold; provides no positive centering - you have to eyeball it each time). I don't care for the way the standoffs are attached to the sail - a complicated and inelegant scheme involving mini arrow nocks, vinyl sleeves, heavy Dacron line and glue (invites entanglement with flight lines). I also must note, though, that mine is over 3 years old; I expect the manufacturer has corrected most if not all of these problems by now. Also, if the prices are still as low as I expect, considering the all- graphite construction (and it IS a really fun kite) I think it's a good value, especially if you don't mind doing a little customizing." - Sam Rouse, March 1993