| 13. Slide Turns |
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Flight Legend:
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| Launch and fly kite upward.
Gradually pull one handle back causing a slight amount of sliding to the flight path. As
the kite curves off, apply some thumb pressure to the pull side which adds a turn on top
of the slide. The harder you pull the harder you slide, while the harder you rotate the
handle,-the harder you turn. This move has the effect of moving the center of rotation
away from the center of the kite, which is its natural point of rotation. For example, a
large radius, gradual turn is produced by a large pull with a slight handle rotation,
while a tight spin is produced using extreme handle rotation and little or no pulling. |
| 14. Instant Stop |
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Flight Legend:
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Fly full speed up then instantly
throw both controls into full reverse for a moment (thumbs rotated forward), to instantly
stop the kite. Quickly release the control handle pressure enough to stabilize the kite in
a hovering mode. Practice in all directions. Focus on complete motionlessness during stop
and hover phase. This manuver produces one of the most impressive REVOLUTION effects, the
famous "Dive .... Stop" . Fly full speed down toward the ground and at the last
second, when there is obviously no way out, slam on full brakes, stopping inches from the
ground in an inverted hover. |
| 15. Reverse Flight Up |
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Flight Legend:
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Start inverted on the ground.
Reverse both controls causing the kite to launch and fly upward in reverse. The most
common problem encountered is a tilting, swaying, or rocking motion caused by over
controlling and/or pulling. Also stopping and re-starting tend to cause instability
problems. First start from the ground, directly down wind. As the kite becomes unstable
during the reverse flight simply abort, and start again from the ground. Secondly,
practice the inverted hover (exer. #7) to improve sensitivity. Reverse up slowly and
smoothly to avoid wing flips.
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| 16. Inverted Side Slide |
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Flight Legend:
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Reverse launch and hover. Pull one
handle back causing the kite to slide in the opposite direction. Initially, start slowly
focusing on altitude, stability, and straight flight. Practice inverted hover (exer.#7) to
improve sensitivity. Note: This is one of the most technically difficult skills to develop
since it contains all three control methods while flying inverted!
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Go to series 6 of Advanced Flying Techniques!
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