545 replies to this topic

[Dean750]

I'll take the bottom in the turbulance. I'm used to that rough

Bart

Hey Bart, since you've made the decision to go along instead of riding in the trunk, your already progressing. Grid is much easier than riding in the trunk.
Everyone will do just fine with the list of peeps already. I'm hoping I can make it. So many of the people I've been wanting to meet for so long, all in one place. This year if I make it I refuse to get sick and go home. I'll yak all weekend long on the line with handles in my hands if need be. I'll wear a horse feed bag or if we're luck if my weekness is the problem is that it'll be a little damp and everyone is in rain gear.
So I know it's going to hurt later, but I'm crossing and keeping my fingers, toes and anything else I can get to cross crossed.

Hope to meet and fly with all ya all at WSIKF,

Dean

[Kitelife]

Just looking over the tide charts for Long Beach...

Low tide
Thu, Aug 19 - 4:12pm
Fri, Aug 20 - 5:18pm
Sat, Aug 21 - 6:14pm

High tide
Thu, Aug 19 - 10:49am
Fri, Aug 20 - 11:45am
Sat, Aug 21 - 12:31pm

Based on that info, I'm loosely planning to use this schedule:

Date : Staging : Attempt
Thu, Aug 19 : 1:30pm : 2:00pm
Fri, Aug 20 : 2:30pm : 3:00pm
Sat, Aug 21 : 3:00pm : 3:30pm

[Kitelife]

Also, I've just updated the first post in this topic with PDFs outlining how the 10x10 grid works, and how to position within your column.

[Kitelife]

Just added a map with our tentative field layout, bathroom locations and other useful notes.

[quaa714]

Great work on the preliminary layouts so far!!!!!!!
They look great!!!!

[manny]

Now I never flew in a grid and your positioning seems confusing to me. Should not be the position of the either the pilots or the kites reversed? Right now pilot #10 has a very short line and pilot #1 a very very long line. other than that: John you have way too much time . Great job!

Edited by manny, 02 April 2010 - 05:52 PM.

[Kitelife]

All the same length lines Manny.

The diagram shows the bodies as viewed from above, the kites are as from the flier's perspective.

when viewing the grid of kites from the side, the bottom row is further downwind than the top row.

Good videos and more info here...

http://www.kitelife....71/revisions71/

[Love2fly]

Hi Johnny-

Awesome work/organization! There's no doubt that this will make the process smoother and quicker.

For those that haven't seen or flown in the grid, definitely check out the videos. Certainly, if things aren't "clicking" from what you've read and watched, feel free to ask it here. It will make sense real quick as it is just staggered columns of pilots; while the Revs are placed straight columns.

[Kitelife]

Thanks Laura, I just laid out the plan to have everything organized at WSIKF...

Credit is due to John M for putting the diagrams together, and to Felix for coming up with the grid concept itself.

[Kitelife]

I've just added four YouTube videos of grid work to the first post in this topic as well.

[Kitelife]

I'd like to point out that grid flying is very much about frames of reference...

Look peripherally at your column, get used to seeing that dark line of kites up and down...

Peripherally look across the sky at your row, get a sense for that dark line of kites, more or less the same altitude from right to left...

Using these up/down and left/right references, you more or less have your position.

==

The trick is not to watch the whole thing at once, keep your awareness pared down slightly, to your row, your column, your group (4 pack, 6 pack, etc), and your space.

I'd say the #1 biggest issue is not identifying row and column, but more so, preserving enough space between each row and column for it to be clearly visible.

Another trick is to familiarize yourself with the color/paneling/etc of your neighboring kites...

Since we'll be running color-coded columns (by way of assignment), you'll have mostly the same people around you on each attempt.

==

Try all that with the videos in the first post of this topic.

Pick a kite somewhere in the middle of the grid and imagine you're flying it, track it, experiment with tunnel vision, with watching only the row, watching only the column, etc, changing your frames of reference each time you watch the footage... Then after a few such experiments, try opening your field of awareness to include several references at once.

Really, it is FAR easier than it looks... Yes, some basic skills are required, but not much... It's mostly about speed control, not "taking off", nothing happens that fast except bursts.

When in doubt, wait a second, let everything move around you, and your next step will often become evident as kites move around you...

Even in the videos, you see quite a few folks doing exactly that... It's par for the course.

[manny]

The trick is not to watch the whole thing at once, keep your awareness pared down slightly, to your row, your column, your group (4 pack, 6 pack, etc), and your space.

So, what if I want to see the whole thing? This reminds me of this Garrison Keillor story where they wanted to build this human flag for 4th of July. You know, guys dressed up in red, white and blue and arranged appropriately. Well they never got this darn thing completed because someone always snug out to run up to the second floor to look at it. Do we get to sneak out for a bit to look at it too???????????????

[Kitelife]

This thing is so big, you literally can't see it all as a flier... The one price we pay for being the people who make it happen.

Remember, paring down your awareness is just part of the training, it should become fairly automatic after a bit so you can look around some.

It's so damned big though, you literally have to get behind it by 500-1000 feet in order to really see the big picture.

==

There is always video to look at afterward.

[terry w]

this is going to be way to much fun : probably so much fun it might be illegal
i love this stuff !!!!
can't wait

[Felix Mottram]

this is going to be way to much fun <snip> : probably so much fun it might be illegal
i love this stuff !!!!
can't wait

It will be fun...

In 2008 we had no precedent!

Felix

[Kitelife]

I've added a few more names... Ray and Carol Bechard, more WindBenders from Canada, as well as the other three Detroit Windjammers (George, Michael and James).

Some of the folks have other commitments on the main festival field at times, mass ascensions, demos, competition, etc, so we'll take what we can get on the day(s) of.

[Kitelife]

Alright, as of right now, we're just 38 fliers short of 100...

I expect 1-5 more to confirm from the UK if all goes well...

There should be 10-15 "walk on" fliers that we pick up at the event who aren't in the forum or Facebook loops...

There *might* be one or more teams joining us from Asia, but are 100% unconfirmed as of this moment.

Plus however many US fliers who DO read the forums but are just waiting to see if they can schedule/afford the event.

There will also be a small article in the next issue of AKA's Kiting magazine, courtesy of David Hathaway.

I'd say we're doing pretty well, keep spreading the word!

==

FYI, I've spoken with Jane Holeman (primary WSIKF organizer) and they will be giving us a designated field set up... We might need to modify it a little, but we have support.

Also, we will be listed in the event program... Schedule and info.

[bartman]

Oh God, I am feeling the pressure already....

I'll need to go out again tomorrow and hover.

Bart

[Kitelife]

ROFL Bart!!!

Also, I've had a couple of inquires about "where will I be in the grid"...

Just FYI, nothing is set yet, still adding names, I'll send out assignments 90 days prior to the event so everyone knows who their team (column) is.

[Love2fly]

Oh God, I am feeling the pressure already....

I'll need to go out again tomorrow and hover.

Bart

Hi Bart-

Don't forget to breathe!

I promise you, you are going to be VERY pleasantly surprised as to how well you do. Just relax and enjoy it. As has been stated several times here, there will be smaller grid action so that folks can get a feel for it. If you can hover your kite in all directions, you're basically ready.

While you're flying alone, you might want to pick various spots and try hovering next to them. Then, face the opposite way and hover there. You can move forward, keeping that horizontal line and then back it up to where you started. If you just practice that, you will gain muscle memory that will help you, even if you're wind up with a bit of sensory overload from the big event.

You've got lots of time to practice and I'm willing to bet that you will!

Take care and breathe!