24 replies to this topic

[bartman]

Well, it' been a while since my last post about the inverted hover. I was rather discouraged after reading the number of hours most of you devote to learning these things. I knew it wasn't possible for me and even if it were standing out in a field by myself was not my idea of fun or social contact.

I pretty much had made up my mind to save myself some grief and just sell both Revs next spring and get out of this hobby which was turning more into frustration than fun. They both sat against the wall pretty much from the middle of July until last weekend.

In a last ditch attempt to make something of this before taking a bath selling them for far less than I paid I decided to post a local online ad to see if there were any other Rev fliers in this city that would come out and fly. I know one person out of town, but want someone in the city not 30 minutes away and seldom in the city and not out flying much anyway. I do not care of driving much distance to fly with the price of gas what it is here now. Didn't hold out much hope, I'd tried the ad before.

Well, someone phoned. He doesn't own a kite though of any kind and had no idea what a Rev kite was or anything else, but had been looking for a hobby, I guess, and saw "sport kite" in the ad header so decided to call. What the heck, at least someone called showing some interest so I figure that perhaps he isn't a kite flyer now, but he might be one so I offer to give him a little demo this past Saturday. The wind was so-so which is "normal" for here - up and down 0 to 25 kph, but at least some wind so I could show him the kite. Sort of the blind leading the blind you might say, but he was impressed so traded email addresses and I sent him some info including this site. Don't want to push him to being turned off. Let it sit. Then Sunday he calls again and asks if I would be going out Sunday. There was more wind yesterday. I had planned to paint inside the house, but quickly threw that idea aside and grabbed the vented "B" and said "10 minutes at the high school."

He got there before me and this time I showed him how to set things up. He still would not take the handles so I flew while he asked questions and prompted him a few more times to fly which he still would not do.

It was at this time that for the first time, there was a moment of clairty for me. I was so busy listening to his questions and answering and watching the kite in the air that I totally forgot about where my hands were and what they were doing and I wasn't also focusing on the lines and which way they were twisted. It was the kite and my mind distracted away from the control. In that moment I realized that I was doing things with the kite that I had never, or seldom have been able to do before. Low to the ground passes (without hitting the ground), rock solid hovers even with the wicked wind gusts, reverse launch up to 10 feet before she'd want to roll over, short inverted hovers and even a modest inverted side slide.

I gotta buy this guy a REV! Too bad this is all happening so late in the season for me. I figure if I'm lucky there might be another month of good weather for this year then it's done until next spring. I have to figure out a way to keep him interested through our long winters. If I can then come next spring this won't be a solo activity anymore and that will mean a lot more flying and a lot more practice. It will be good. In the meantime I'm happy to let him use my kites (I said next flight he has to take the controls at least for a little while) and if I end up with a broken spar or two then it is a small price to pay to start something here. If two Revs can be in the air then maybe it will attract someone else and soon there will be three then four. There are people here, in the city, that do own Rev's, yet they never answer the call.

Anyway, had to rave on about this because for the first time in a long time this felt like what I felt this hobby should be. I have to get out this week by myself now so I can see if I can get into that zone without someone distracting me. Then if all goes well perhaps next weekend I'll get him doing some basic flight and see if he gets really hooked!

Bart

edited to fix some spelling

[KYT ADIK]

Congrats!! Sounds like the your well on your way!! Good Luck!!

[Baloo]

So have you thought of a name for your new team yet then?????

I am pleased things are making sense for you. Only wish they did for me.

Wish there were folks for me to fly with round here. Also I work most weekends when others are flying.

All we need to do is enjoy the time we spend flying. I know I do.

[Kitelife]

What an awesome post, I'm so happy for you Bart!

[quaa714]

Hey Bart,
where are you located?

[bartman]

Yes, this was an 11th hour save or at least a short stay of execution. I was prepared to sell them. If his interest level remains then I'll be keeping them for a while yet.

Team name? Yeah, I don't think I'll spend any time on that just yet! If you have any time to fly I'm sure you will improve. I just did not enjoy it much as a solo activity and my time was so limited as it was that it just wasn't productive. Much easier to remain positive with more than one person in the field.

I'm in middle of no where southern Saskatchewan Canada where the winds go from gale force to nothing in the blink of eye and are never clean. Suitable for the professionals, difficult for beginners.

Bart

[Watty]

I have gusty swirly wind where I live as well. It may seem like you aren't doing too great in those winds, but it is amazing practice. The day you go to the coast for a kite festival and get out a rev, you will be amazed by how good you actually are.

[bartman]

That may be so, however for all practical purposes the wind is what it is here and here is where I will be flying so making it look good in these winds is what is important, frustrating as it gets most times. I doubt I will be at a coast for a kite festival ever to even know what a clean breeze feels like.

I've seen 8 different IQuad members fly here in the last two years so I know this ugly wind can be usable and still look good. I won't have the hours to get that far, but hopefully to a point where it looks half-assed decent to the average person!

Bart

[Watty]

I'm glad you found someone to share the frustrations with. It makes things much easier I'm sure.

[Sailor99]

Really glad something clicked for you. There is a really important point in what you describe, and I mean really important. It is easy to over-analyse learning and end up just confusing yourself. This is particularly the case with the rev I believe - there is just not the time to think before it has all gone horribly wrong, and of course trying to fly and think at the same time is nearly impossible as you are trying to think in 4 dimensions (including timing). Like you say, just do it!

[Revkitedancer]

Yes, just do it. And why don't you have time? Those kites can be in your closet till you need them. In 5 years you will be 5 years older whether you can fly any better or not.

You can call them your special occasion kites. (they won't go bad in the closet)

Don't try to concquer it, enjoy it.

BB Penny

[Aerochic]

I totally hear your frustration, Bart. I was at that point myself until things started to just ~Click~. Ironically they started to click when I launched the Rev and decided to just see where it would go on it's own... when I relax and go with the flow, stuff I've learned from others and from the forum starts to make sense.

I can back up what Watty says about flying at the Coast. When I was on vacation and had those sweet coastal winds, it was like pure magic, best fly of my life.



Btw, Do you have a set of Race Rods? They will help you immensely for sloppy variable winds.

[Kitezen]

I have gusty swirly wind where I live as well. It may seem like you aren't doing too great in those winds, but it is amazing practice. The day you go to the coast for a kite festival and get out a rev, you will be amazed by how good you actually are.

I live near Harrisburg PA. the land of squirrly winds. When I do get to the beach to fly my Rev. it's like I do things I only dream of in Pa. So you are right, poor wind makes good fliers.

[bartman]

Sailor99 - yes, I agree totally that thinking about it is a big mistake as is the overcontrol which I've always struggled with. As I was talking to the guy I was telling him how the control adjustment is like a steering wheel. When you drive you always make little corrections, but don't think about it. I know it is supposed to work the same way with the handles, but can never do it. I guess while I was busy talking and listening I just reacted to what I felt for feedback and was hardly moving them at all.

Kite Dancer - free time? Between work and overtime at work, taking care of house and yard and just general day to day things that need to be done there isn't much time left. Since flying has been a 99% solo activity for me I wasn't happy with it. I've been trying to find social outlets not retreating from them. If this guy has a lasting interest it would get me flying more which would translate into flying better and the sport could build from there. Remains to be seen yet if it has captured his interest fully. Only time will tell.

Aerochic - no race rods. I do not really understand their purpose, but haven't really looked into them either. How do they help sloppy wind?

I'll just never get to a coast to experience a clean wind so to me it has no practical use. It's like learning to drive a car during an icy winter. You can drive better in summer, but if you only live where there is snow it doesn't make much difference. I can only think of it in terms of dealing with the winds we do get here and doing my best. If I can get to a point where I can manage most of the "technical" stuff and it looks planned and not by accident then I will think I have accomplished something good.

Bart

[Aerochic]

The Race Rods are pretty remarkable things because they're ultra light weight and yet flexible and strong. The flex allows them to work in a wide number of wind conditions. This is great for smoothing out the bumps when the wind goes wonky on you. It's kind of a few rods wrapped up into one. Saves you from having to change your rods out too often.

I'm sorry to see that you're kind of away from the other Canadian fliers. There are some really excellent folk up there. Maybe if you foster an interest in your new found friend, you'll have someone to learn and fly right along with you. Flying is definitely more fun with others.

[REVflyer]

the best kite club in america (for 2008 anyway) is the Richmond Air Force.

They began as single individual who continued to return to the same flying field over and over again. Eventually others joined him and the club grew. Everyone learned from each other and now they are a force of nature. The RAF field is famous nationwide,... it's one of the most demanding locations to fly called "Dory Park" or the no-wind capitol of the USA. Nevertheless it hold one of the eastern USA's largest attendance kite festivals, based upon the number of competitors.

It all started with one guy, Charles (Stoney) Stonestreet.

You can make a difference in your own town as well. Heck, eventually you will prefer your local conditions 'cause you'll have so many hours of flying in those conditions.

The guy who only flies in smooth 8 mph off of the pacific ocean is severely handicapped in demanding conditions. You will learn faster flying where it's tough, then so thoroughly enjoy the smooth beach wind it will seem like heaven.

I just returned from five days of beach flying in Ocean City MD, using the vented Rev 1.5 the entire time, sometimes with two leading edges inserted into the sleeve! Those days of perfect conditions translated into a much improved score at the AKA Nationals in masters multi-line ballet. Even to the point where my fellow competitors commented on my improvements. I have been a quad-head since '93, flying at least ten hours per week ever since being introduced to them.

You can make a difference for others and enjoy the journey yourself along the way, . . . stick it out and keep sharing!

[bartman]

Well, I'll look into the race rods for next year if things look favorable for continuing. I do have a vented and standard B-series so I usually do not have to spend a lot of time switching rods, just switch out kites. I may consider buying a second set of lines though so I can continue to fly one of them while the "new guy" uses the other one. Eventually, he'll need to buy his own if I can get him hooked. I'll need to get that IQuad video ordered and use that!

Yes, this is really the middle of no where for population density and kite flyers. We have a kite festival one weekend a year where everyone digs out their kites or buys a new one then after it's all over they pack 'em back into the closet. It's sad really. Even if I only flew 3 times this spring I would still hold the lead for having a kite in the air the most! I'd like to see that change. I hope REVflyer's story could be true here on some level. I think even two Revs playing follow the leader would get some attention. A real club would be cool. There is one "in name only" for the kite festival here and that's it.

Bart

[Aerochic]

I hope REVflyer's story could be true here on some level. I think even two Revs playing follow the leader would get some attention. A real club would be cool. There is one "in name only" for the kite festival here and that's it.

Even ONE Rev attracts attention. That's what I've found. I'm pretty much a solo Rev flier in my neck of the woods. Your comment about the Kite Club in name only might as well describe my local "group". I can totally relate.

[bartman]

I'm not sure if that is true here. To this point, when I did try to fly more by myself I've had one, "Cool" as someone walked by and that was it. No actual spectators. Years ago when I had a Rev I I worked hard on getting a simple spin out of it. When it finally did I was quite pleased with myself, but a couple people who were sitting on a vehicle nearby burst out in laughter. I guess they thought it was an out of control mess!

Bart

[Dean750]

You fly kites for you and you alone. I've spent the majority of my kiting life flying alone. The thing that kept me going as I now know was flying to music. Not porpously trying to do one thing till I get it. Learning has been frustrating at times. But I've found that when I'm flying in a way to be part of the music cool things always seem to happen. I'm more relaxed and stuff just happens.
Don't get me wrong, flying with others is awsome, but it can be just as fun by yourself.

Dean