43 replies to this topic

[Bazzer]

How many does it take to be a "Mega-Fly"?

Seems that in the past several years, we have lines of 12-16 Rev fliers. Not planned, it just seems to happen. Sometimes on an hourly basis.

I'll be #7 Jim!

[stroke survivor]

My task of the day....making more line sets



Two years ago, shoulder to shoulder..I think we had about 30 before I pulled up the west boundary to make more room. But in a qrid formation.... ??
The fields are either 360 x 360 or 400 x 400...I can't remember.

Just wondered how many would be able to use the field (protected) at once, otherwise out to the open area!!

[RevWizard]

Come see me Exile. I'll get you inverted flying in 30 mins.
Just do what I say and stop thinking is all I ask.
Offer stands for anyone else there also with problems with inverted flight.

I absolutely agree that "Stop thinking" is the best advise.

[AldenMiler]

Exile, make it up to WSIKF for as long as you can. You will be a much better flier when you leave and have a blast getting to that level.

On top of that you will meet a bunch of nutty kite fliers.


-Alden

[Exile]

Come see me Exile. I'll get you inverted flying in 30 mins.
Just do what I say and stop thinking is all I ask.
Offer stands for anyone else there also with problems with inverted flight.

I absolutely agree that "Stop thinking" is the best advise.

Exile, make it up to WSIKF for as long as you can. You will be a much better flier when you leave and have a blast getting to that level.
On top of that you will meet a bunch of nutty kite fliers.
-Alden

Don't think.... Got it.. I'm pretty sure that I can manage that. I think.. Oh wait!! I'm supposed to stop thinking.. wait.. ok.. lost......

Nutty Fliers?? Can't wait!!

[mousieo]

Just remember when you fly with Bazzer... * Keep yer BlOODY HANDS DOWN!* .. hahhaah I still remember him saying that to me.. can you tell? lol good advice though. thanks Bazz

[bartman]

Come see me Exile. I'll get you inverted flying in 30 mins.
Just do what I say and stop thinking is all I ask.
Offer stands for anyone else there also with problems with inverted flight.

What about inverted climbing or backing up at an angle? Got the magic pill for that? If you do, I'm in line.

Bart

[stroke survivor]

What about inverted climbing or backing up at an angle? Got the magic pill for that? If you do, I'm in line.

Bart

Magic Pill??!! ROFL!!!

[Felix Mottram]

Don't think.... Got it.. I'm pretty sure that I can manage that. I think.. Oh wait!! I'm supposed to stop thinking.. wait.. ok.. lost......

Nutty Fliers?? Can't wait!!

Maybe more brakes...

Felix

[stroke survivor]

Exile had only the stock leaders at the informal clinic!! He was given the line to make new ones, that should help things along!!

[Felix Mottram]

Aye, nothing scheduled or official this year... It's all casual, we'll do some big flies, but only as we have the folks to do it... Lots of mega flies though.

Honestly, I want to see Europe break the new record (64) so we can take it up another level from that, I think it's good for everyone that way.

I doubt that we will do it this year. There are more than 64 experienced fliers in Europe. Getting them all in one place at the same time is the issue.

I think that everyone knows that 100 fliers, or maybe even 108 is possible. We just need some means to get them together.

Then we need to get the kites made in all the configurations of sails and spars.

Then we need the venue....

I could go on <grins>

Felix

[Felix Mottram]

Exile had only the stock leaders at the informal clinic!! He was given the line to make new ones, that should help things along!!

That's good! It is difficult to explain exactly why more brake makes inverted flying 'easier' or why more brake makes low wind flying 'easier' but both instances are of course related. Occasionally the opportunity arises to persuade an 'experienced' flier to 'make the changes' especially if they normally fly 'individual' rather than 'team'.

Felix

[SkyPuppet]

the issue is.. I don't know how to do most of the maneuver. And anything inverted, is out of the question. can't even do an inverted hover yet, let alone slides. even an upright slide! LOL!.

Exile, the upright lateral slide was a difficult skill for me to learn, far more difficult than getting a good inverted slide. Don't get down on yourself, not over these skills or any of the others!
I bet by the next time you get to meet up with the many other Rev flyers for a clinic, impromptu or otherwise, you'll be tearin' up the sky

[Jim Foster]

Exile

I got my inverted hover instruction from Ron Despojado some years ago in San Diego. Here's what he told me, and it worked well for me.

Invert your kite on the ground.

Do an easy inverted launch to about two feet and stop.

Hold that position until you are just about to loose it, and drop back to the ground inverted.

Repeat this, holding a little longer each time.

If/when you become frustrated,stop and relax for a while.

Resume and repeat.

Keep doing the above and soon you will gain the "muscle memory" needed to maintain an inverted hover.

After you are able to maintain the inverted hover, then try sliding a few feet to one side and then back to the other.

After you are able to maintain the inverted hover, slowly climb inverted.

Once you can do the above, and stop and fly backwards in a horizontal line, you will be able to fly backwards and inverted to most any place in the "window".

Slowly, one step at a time.

As JB always says, "Own your hover". That is about the most important thing in team or group rev flying

Now, take a deep breath, relax, and go do it.

Have fun.

[Felix Mottram]

Exile

<snip>

Now, take a deep breath, relax, and go do it.

Have fun.

Slowly...

Don't rush!

It will all magically happen just like with Bart.

There is a moment when you are told 'just do it' and you can! That's when you have stopped thinking. I remember the situation with Alan Nagao at Berck 20 years ago...

Felix

[bartman]

I got it by flying up then turning over and coming straight down all the while apply more and more brake until it stopped in the air. First time was about 5 seconds before I over controlled it and it started to wobble and come down, but each try after got better and better to the point of doing it now without even thinking about it. Ah, there's that thinking part again!

Bart

[goestoeleven]

You know, I was going to go with the "don't think" thought, but then I thought better of it. ;-)

I suggest you think about flying a lot - just not when you are on the field. Once you are on the field, just fly. For me, I can watch the videos, and read the the GREAT advice here on the forum, but it boils down to one thing for every skill - get out and fly. As much as possible. The skills will come if you just get in the hours on the handles. Then, all of a sudden, you'll be flying with others & following their lead . . . and some move you thought was impossible for you will just happen. Or you'll be flying by yourself, and all of a sudden you'll have an "aha" moment and something you've never done before will be there for you.

Hope to meet y'all at WSIKF - and get to fly in groups - mega fly or no mega fly.Although . . ..

I doubt that we will do it this year.
Felix

Felix seems to think the record won't happen in Europe this year. Cough. Hint hint.

[Exile]

Thats ok, we don't need Eur. to break the record, just so we can break it again. Lets just Kick up the bar on our own. Kinda shine 'em on you know?

[Scott_of_melnsct]

the issue is.. I don't know how to do most of the maneuver. And anything inverted, is out of the question. can't even do an inverted hover yet, let alone slides. even an upright slide! LOL!.

Sliding is easier than hovering. The phrase "own thy hover" is not a joke. Lot's of us can hover, but most of us don't truly "own" it. As Bart said you will grow leaps and bounds when you get around a bunch of other flyers for a few days. You won't fly in every fly, but when you do get in there. Nearly everybody there will be happy to help you, and just pushing your limits is often the best help they can give.

[Felix Mottram]

Thats ok, we don't need Eur. to break the record, just so we can break it again. Lets just Kick up the bar on our own. Kinda shine 'em on you know?

The 64 grid was achieved with a little help from Europe. <grins>

The idea was conceived here as well, a long time ago...

The first tentative grid of 36 fliers was flown in Uchinada, Japan in Spring 2008.

Records in numbers may be less interesting than the possible moves achieved. Portsmouth 2008 was way ahead of Long Beach 2010 in this respect in developmental terms although the light wind moving grid was a significant gain at Long Beach. Long Beach was radically spaced out for the 64. Portsmouth and Bristol 2008 were shoulder to shoulder by comparison. On the other hand Portsmouth and Bristol 2008 had a massive advantage in the proportion of experienced team fliers involved.

Felix