5 replies to this topic

[bartman]

As I progress this learning curve there are many things left to learn, but one that I have not been able to figure out thus far should be simple yet I am not getting it. I have watched a number of youtube videos to ensure this is possible and it appears to work so I'm missing an element.

When I fly out to an edge and turn the kite upright I want to make a straight line up near the edge. First thng is that the kite turns quite slow to the point that it feels like it will stall. Second is on the flight up it is drifting towards the centre of the window. If I try to do this from a vertical hover start at the edge I still will get a lot of drift to the middle.

Now, I figured that perhaps this is not something that really works at the very edge and it is hard to tell from videos if the pilot is at the edge or in from it so first question is, am I wrong that this is doable and should I not be attempting this at the very edge?

Second, I figured that perhaps the drift to centre meant I needed to either give it a hard side slide into the right (if I was on the right edge) or a lot of forward if trying to do this as a vertical hover sliding up. Doing this helped a bit, but still not enough to hold it. Would this be correct thinking and I am just not able to give it enough thrust in the direction I need?

Third, maybe this is just an optical illusion created by the arc the kite can fly in with a set of lines of a fixed length and this is excactly like it should look?

I hope I am explaining this so it makes sense. Think of flying a big square in the sky and keeping the lines perfectly straight on the verticals.

Thanks.

Bart

[Watty]

Well, remember what the kite is experiencing at the edge of the window. When your kite is all the way out on one side, the angle that the wind is hitting the kite is much different than if you are flying in the center of the window. To compensate for this, you can simply move away from the kite more when flying at the edge of the window. It is possible.

[bartman]

Okay, so am I right in thinking I need to give it forward control when trying to take it up vertical and right control when trying to take it up LE forward in addition to walking back to add power? Or is it strictly a power issue at those extremes?

I watched a couple more videos last night and it seems to me that the very edges of the window aren't really used that much during that routine, but it is hard to tell from a little video for sure and usually not square on perspective. In fact it seems that most routines do not do a lot of very edge work. Is this a fair assumption?

Bart

[Jonesey]

Okay, so am I right in thinking I need to give it forward control when trying to take it up vertical and right control when trying to take it up LE forward in addition to walking back to add power? Or is it strictly a power issue at those extremes?

I watched a couple more videos last night and it seems to me that the very edges of the window aren't really used that much during that routine, but it is hard to tell from a little video for sure and usually not square on perspective. In fact it seems that most routines do not do a lot of very edge work. Is this a fair assumption?

Bart

Bart ...

And you are also right that if you take it to the extremes of the window you are describing a semi circle so if you are trying to fly, say, a square ... it must fit within the semi-circle .. if you start outside the square the kite has to 'drift' inwards....

Having said all that its always harder trying to do any manoeuvre at the extremes of the window especially in lighter airs so as per the norm ... practice practice practice

[bartman]

Bart ...

And you are also right that if you take it to the extremes of the window you are describing a semi circle so if you are trying to fly, say, a square ... it must fit within the semi-circle .. if you start outside the square the kite has to 'drift' inwards....

Having said all that its always harder trying to do any manoeuvre at the extremes of the window especially in lighter airs so as per the norm ... practice practice practice

Okay, then I have it in my head. I was thinking the extremes really are the outside of the arc so the "drift" wasn't so much drift as just following the arc. When I try a smaller square (that does fit in the semi-circle) all appears as it should so it's all good. I didn't want to beat my head on this trying to understand the dynamics. Thanks.

Bart