18 replies to this topic

[fai2]

Hi Guys

Im back again with another question , can someone please tell me how to hold my hands and keep my Rev straight when inverted
lm now flying my new SLE and l just brought a SUL next its a B . lm realy mastering all the moves and have been putting alot of time into practising.

l took a little vid of my self and just watched my hand movments to see if l could see what l was doing wrong but lm not realy sure .

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=sFXAWMJ1af4 l see some of you use weights would this help me ..

l have now been flying for 4 weeks and have clocked up 46 hrs .
Another question what size and length lines should l use on my SUL ..

marce

Edited by fai2, 21 February 2010 - 01:37 PM.

[Watty]

Here's a photo of me holding one of Ben's revs inverted. The picture is high enough resolution that you ought to be able to see how my hands are.



I think the way that I hold my hands in an inverted hover is very similar to most people, but there is no Rule or anything. Some people may do it differently and I'm sure I do depending on the wind, or if I'm preparing to do something else, or what have you.

Just watched your YouTube video, and I would say you are doing well. The hover that you did in the video there was quite level, and fairly steady, which is good. As long as you can still do that, I don't think it really matters where your hands are.

I do have a few suggestions though based on what I saw. Your handles look like the shorty 9 inch handles. You may want to try out some 13 inch or 15 inch handles and see what you like. Most people fly on 13" when flying a rev 1.5.

Another thing is to try adding pigtails to your handles. What this means is to add about 4 inches (my personal recommendation, but these lengths can vary) of bridle line to the top of the handles, and 2 inches of bridle line to the bottoms of the handles. Then, tie knots in these lines every 3/4 of an inches (could be 1/2, 1 or whatever) on both the top and bottom. You can then use these knots to make adjustments to the line. I would suggest adding some more brake (pulling the bottom lines in a bit) to center your self. I notice that when you are flying inverted, your wrists are curved back really far, which is uncomfortable (at least for me). So if you pull the brakes in a bit, you won't have to flex your wrists as far, but you will have to pull your wrists back more to fly forward.

Edited by Watty, 21 February 2010 - 02:58 PM.

[Felix Mottram]

Here's a photo of me holding one of Ben's revs inverted. The picture is high enough resolution that you ought to be able to see how my hands are.



I think the way that I hold my hands in an inverted hover is very similar to most people, but there is no Rule or anything. Some people may do it differently and I'm sure I do depending on the wind, or if I'm preparing to do something else, or what have you.

Hi Watty,

Horridzontal... Arms low!

Cool, thanks for the picture.

Felix

[kitefantex]

Great, I've been trying to fly inverted for more than 20 seconds. Last time out I tried to put the handles flat and it works for a while so I need more practice now. Thanks guys and gals for all I learned on the forum.

[fai2]

Hi Guys

Im back again with another question , can someone please tell me how to hold my hands and keep my Rev straight when inverted
lm now flying my new SLE and l just brought a SUL next its a B . lm realy mastering all the moves and have been putting alot of time into practising.

l took a little vid of my self and just watched my hand movments to see if l could see what l was doing wrong but lm not realy sure .

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=sFXAWMJ1af4 l see some of you use weights would this help me ..

l have now been flying for 4 weeks and have clocked up 46 hrs .
Another question what size and length lines should l use on my SUL ..

marce

Thanks guys l made some new handles , 13 inches ,l have also made some 15 inchers as well will use them from now on cheers .

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Edited by fai2, 21 February 2010 - 03:43 PM.

[Love2fly]

Hi fai2-

What Watty suggested is really important. Make the top leaders longer than the bottoms; you can add at least 6 inches to the top with knots about every inch. The knots allow you to adjust how much drive or forward you have. In higher winds, especially, you'll want to let out a bit on the top. iQuad flies with the tops out quite about (a lot of reverse) which makes inverted stops and flight somewhat easier. Bear in mind, you'll find your comfort zone and what works for you in time. There is no absolute of how long the top leaders should be. Generally, the bottom leaders only need to be 2-3 inches long with three or four knots.

Generally speaking, most pilots have their handles in an "A" shape. Pretty much just like the letter. It's a comfortable wrist position with little strain and a good, almost neutral position to move between inputs.


One other suggestion: I give this advice quite a bit... a la Paul LeMasters.... (thanks babe!) Here goes:

As with every input that we learn to control these beauties, there's muscle memory involved to successfully learning a move. As you are learning the inverted hover, pick a point on the horizon, maybe a foot or two off the ground. Now, raise your kite up in the inverted position and hover it there for as long as you can. As you gain control, hold it for five minutes; trying to hold it as still as possible. After you get really comfortable at that level, raise it up another foot or two and hold it there. Continue doing this all the way up the window. I promise you your inverted hover will improve greatly from this. I hover at all points up and down the window as one of the drills I do for practice. Where you're flying in the window (from side to side) and wind speed are also factors.

Have fun and good luck.

Edited by Love2fly, 21 February 2010 - 03:59 PM.

[Love2fly]

Hi fai2-

I just saw your photos of your longer handles. You probably should move your hands down a bit on the handles.

Like so:




This will give you slightly less drive, but will make inverted flight a bit easier!


Enjoy-

[REVflyer]

some folks grip all the way at the top, with their thumbs above the handle as opposed to stuck against the side wall of the tube.

notice the lengths of my leaders,.. I want it to go almost all the way across the gap between the two attachment points.

[quaa714]

some folks grip all the way at the top, with their thumbs above the handle as opposed to stuck against the side wall of the tube.

notice the lengths of my leaders,.. I want it to go almost all the way across the gap between the two attachment points.

One of my favorite pictures:excl:

[Jeepster]

One of my favorite pictures:excl:

Mine too Rich ... sure would be easier for Paul to fly his kites if he'd wear his prescription glasses though! Or, use shorter lines.

Cheers,
Tom

Edited by Jeepster, 23 February 2010 - 05:03 PM.

[REVflyer]

We're off topic, ...
Watty's correct though, his photo illustration shows the proper position, low, close together, relaxed
and
as his reverse movement of handles approaches
a male sensitive area he spreads the outer portion (bottoms of the handles) away and keeps the tops near each other.
This is not a lesson to be taken lightly gentlemen!

As for fun photos I love this one, taken by Don Stark at a Winery in Virginia several years ago (at least before the B-series was introduced HA!)


this photo shows a kite that the Zen has effectively replaced
(the infamous 1point6 no-sew, a design modification by kitesquid '99)


you can see again how the handles' bottoms are rotated away from the jewels when inverted, or in this case
when flailing!

[Bazzer]

If you fly the kite with one hand you can hold hands with anyone you like.
Thats how Stevie De got started flying one handed.
He needed comforting from the scary kite and needed someone to hold his hand.
Now of course he isn't scared of the kites, does not need someone to hold his hand, and so he can fly two at once.
But he still likes it every now and again.
Old habits die hard and all that!

Sorry did I misunderstand the topic...ooops

Edited by Bazzer, 24 February 2010 - 08:50 AM.

[Felix Mottram]

<snip>
Sorry did I misunderstand the topic...ooops

Hi Bazzer,

For further potential misinterpretation I suggest the following exercise. Take a pair of rev handles without lines connected and holding them horizontally, one in each hand, with arms straight down, see how far you can rotate the handles in a clockwise and anticlockwise direction. I get close on 360 degrees. While this rotation may not all be useful when Rev Flying it may facilitate a range of control that is not available when the handles are held vertically 'in front of' the flier. <grins>

Felix

[fai2]

Hi Guys l have just been offerd a new new Rev 1,5 with out the spars for 175.00 canadian is this a good score ..
cheers m

[RevWizard]

Hi Guys l have just been offerd a new new Rev 1,5 with out the spars for 175.00 canadian is this a good score ..
cheers m

What else does it not have? Lines? Handles? Bag? etc?

[fai2]

What else does it not have? Lines? Handles? Bag? etc?

Hi
No lines , spar , or bag just the sail and bridle .. he did want 250.00 for the sail and spars but it was going to cost 70 .00 NZ to send here..
so l just asked if l could buy the sail only and he said 175.00 Candian plus postage

cheers m

Edited by fai2, 27 February 2010 - 12:28 PM.

[fai2]

What else does it not have? Lines? Handles? Bag? etc?

Hi John , l must say l love your WEB site , nice work ..

[RevWizard]

Hi
No lines , spar , or bag just the sail and bridle .. he did want 250.00 for the sail and spars but it was going to cost 70 .00 NZ to send here..
so l just asked if l could buy the sail only and he said 175.00 Candian plus postage

cheers m

I wouldn't waste the money on it, if it is sail only with bridle for that price.

[fai2]

I wouldn't waste the money on it, if it is sail only with bridle for that price.

Thanks john , the Rev has only been flowen 2 times and the person who owns it has had to give up flying dew to health problems .