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About this blog

My personal observations

Entries in this blog

21/02/2010 Blackheath

David Ellison was up from Devon this morning so we planned a 10:00am start. At 9:45am driving towards the Blackwall Tunnel the rain was getting heavier and the skies lowering. Happily the forecast for early rain with brighter conditions following was completely correct. By 10:05am the downpour had eased and the sky was brightening from the south. Six fliers convened to run through some basics as well as the 'Burst Felix and Brenda' combo. The there was also an 'e*** axis' thing. My head is sti

Felix

Felix

18/12/2011 Blackheath

The forecast sunny day did not materialise after a large 'shower cloud' drifted across London, north of the river in the main, mid morning. Switched from Vented Race to Full Sail Race and back to Vented Race as the peripheral affects of the shower passed through. With four fliers plan A and even plan B got a look in as well as some free form flying which at one point evolved into a very good rendition of the rolling ball. The leading kite has to be the one rotating down to LE down from the ver

Felix

Felix

29/05/2018 After Scarborough

The drive north on the Friday before the holiday weekend took about six and a half hours.  We followed a weather system and eventually encountered some rain. There was time for a look around the town before heading to the local YHA.  We noticed that the castle was enveloped in the low cloud. Saturday started with a much higher cloud base which remained a moody presence for much of the day.  The brisk northerly breeze was not warm but it was mostly consistent. JMH Mid vents worked

Felix

Felix

02/09/2018 briefly Lytham St Annes

Travelled to Kendal on Friday and on Saturday walked out of Sedburgh up Winder on a circular route.  Later in the day travelled up the River Brathay valley and over the Wrynose Pass.  The cyclists that we saw at the top of the pass travelling in the opposite direction looked very excited to be heading downhill… It was a brief re-introduction to me of Cumbria. On Sunday we stopped off at Lytham St. Annes to see the event in action before heading back to London. We are all set for

Felix

Felix

29/01/2012 Blackheath

The construction next to the Olympic stadium was shrouded in the low lying cloud as we drove towards Blackheath this morning as were the towers at Canary Wharf. On the Heath wet grass meant bound lines after the initial winding out. Always a puzzle, that one, especially to 'beginners'! <grins> It's not so funny when it happens in the middle of complex team wraps... A lazy Zen day, in the best sense, as in flying the Zen kites following or 'ad hoc' without the need for rehearsal. Rolling

Felix

Felix

05/08/2018 Blackheath

After last weekend’s respite we were back to high summer today.  Intermittent light breeze from the SE generally but switching 90 degrees to either side.  No sign of the swifts which is what I would have expected… Zens and CRs again but I set up some 15 inch clipless handles on a new set of lines.  The increased brake provided felt very ‘familiar’ so walking ‘fast’ downwind in a very light or no wind situation was now ‘possible’ with the larger sail.  I can now see that limiting the ‘forwar

Felix

Felix

03/03/2019

The weather for the 10th March still does not look promising.  We didn’t even try today given the rain and wind! All set for Aarhus, Wednesday.  The prospect of so many unique kites to fly is a bit exciting.  A whole new chapter, even. Felix

Felix

Felix

15/03/2020 Blackheath

Another breezy day, 15-30mph SSW, mostly cloudy but with the odd flash of sun and blue sky. RSS sails were comfortable and today, even with only three fliers there were some called moves. We put together the JMH Flare Kite 1986 as it is almost the last kite to have a page set up on the site.  (Once done I will start on the Rev designs.) The wind was outside the comfort zone but it was useful to try adjusting the bias that appeared in the stronger gusts.  The adjustment required is

Felix

Felix

05/04/2020

12-22mph SSE with clear blue sky would have been a perfect flying day so that is one day down to the lock down, rather than the weather. I did do my normal weekday 10 miles on the bike, except, of course, going around Victoria Park rather than through it!  There were quite a lot of cyclists and runners in the parts of the ride where I do not usually see anyone at all. I had thought that I might do some Tetraeder building today but did not quite get to it! On the web site I ended u

Felix

Felix

11/05/2020

Website distraction yesterday in a good way.  I had found some details of the two kites that were raffled in aid of the Bristol Kite Festival 2009.  They were in the original JMH design from 1991 but in the 1.5 format, one yellow, one blue. After a bit of further research I found some images by Laura Berg from Long Beach WSIKF 2009 and Laura was able to send me higher resolution versions for the web site. It was good to pin down that episode and to be reminded that Rich Comrass who Jak

Felix

Felix

21/06/2020 Blackheath

Another week of weather watching and once again we have been fortunate that early rain moved away to a drying breeze which was strong enough for our needs. Ironically, when I arrived on site there was a bit of a long lull in the breeze, sufficient to set up a full sail 1.5.  I had been expecting to use a full vent and so it proved after a third flier arrived on site and set up a full sail.  We quickly changed to full vent with green race and had some subtle no calls interaction. Then,

Felix

Felix

24/06/2018 Blackheath

The final full weekend in June was another light wind day, thermaling around the compass. Just a bit of high level cloud mixing with con trails kept the full intensity of the sun at bay.  I have done a bit more work on the ‘not tent/sun shade’ so that is all set for Tramore. Zens with green race today along with a Robertshaw with black race.  We were on 120ft lines but mindful that we may need 100ft sets next weekend.  Nothing called today but I did take the opportunity to use the soun

Felix

Felix

03/11/2019 Blackheath

Our regular field was being cleared of firework debris and crowd barriers so Martin had set up to the east of the road. Zens with green race again and a south westerly breeze meant that we were not looking into the sun today. Clear blue sky above to start but a bank of low cloud loomed from the west.  I had hoped to test fly the two Eddy kites in ‘sunny’ conditions and  that almost happened.  The first one that I put up seemed fine at first but then it became apparent that it did have

Felix

Felix

31/05/2020 Blackheath

So next weekend we can fly six kites together providing we keep 2 meters apart.  Unlikely that there will actually be six of us but at least it is now allowed. Today was full on blue sky, just the odd clouds off towards the horizon and plenty of swifts to keep us company in the air above.  A fairly steady easterly breeze meant that full vent 1.5s were just about comfortable most of the time with green race frames. Having had recent experience of the JMH Della Porta kites and some succe

Felix

Felix

08/04/2018 Blackheath

The rain/drizzle almost stopped for a while but there was little or no breeze so we did not really get any flying today. Rowan persevered walking and running 360s… I ran out a set of 150ft lines and briefly flew a Zen using longer handles.  Typically I needed a small increment of extra forward, much less than the leaders offered. The new sails have arrived in the UK.  I hope that delivery will be as advised on Tuesday.  I will then have to shuffle the team kit box ahead of our dep

Felix

Felix

02/07/2018 After Tramore, Ireland

It was a really delightful weekend in Ireland…  The local aviation authority had designated kite flying permission up to 500 feet between midday and 5:00pm.  So that is basically what we did. On Saturday the breeze was initially consistent from the SE but became minimal later.  We kept the show on the road flying the Not Zens.  A PA system was provided and we eventually found the audio connection and set about mirroring our recent Blackheath ‘method’ of running a medley of the teams familia

Felix

Felix

22/01/2012 Blackheath

Watching the weather forecasts during the week it appeared likely that mega vented sails would be needed today. As often is the case on a windy day the median may have been about 15 mph but the gusts were probably much in excess of 30 mph. So having set up the standard vented with 4 wrap initially it was not much of a surprise to find that really the mega vented sail was the more comfortable option even if the standard vented was still flyable. We ended up flying a four person team with two re

Felix

Felix

26/04/2020

So, that is the sixth week with no flying.  Berck would have completed and Cervia would be well underway! Further work on the website through the week so there are now 29 event pages and 25 kite and banner pages.  I have set up an entry page with a copy of the introduction page from about 1992 along with the storyboard I prepared in February 2020.  The index has been reduced to five headings, some of them toggling with context. The good news this week is that JC has located the Blue (U

Felix

Felix

14/06/2020 Blackheath

I had been watching the weather forecasts all week and was hopeful for a settled steady southerly breeze with some brightness.  We got the breeze but actually had some good sunshine as well. I set up a full sail 1.5 with race rods and was just about airborne when Martin arrived.  I was then able to collect the additional kit from the car. My plan was to see how many of the JMH  Rhombus shaped kites 1985 we could put up.  We have flown up to three sets previously.  I had undertaken quit

Felix

Felix

07/10/2018 Blackheath

Sunshine to start and with a light northerly breeze we were flying into the sun.  Zens with green race to begin with… We then set up the two four stacks and ‘everyone’ took them for a spin.  I managed to get a couple of photos as well!  High cloud had moved in by this time. As the wind was occasionally dropping down I decided to join the stacks and try the longer handles on the full rig.  Forward flight was really not happening when the handles were on full forwards.  I will be interes

Felix

Felix

21/11/2010 Blackheath

More worm casts underfoot with a northerly breeze and low cloud never quite breaking to brighten the scene. Martin lined us up with the church spire as the centre of the window and two lamp posts as the edge of the frame. Having started with Race Rods and the full 1.5 sail there came a point where the Standard Race Rods were looking stressed but the Green ones that I was using were still holding up. We switched to full vented and Standard Race Rods, always a treat! We flew parallel - vertical

Felix

Felix

27/11/2011 Blackheath

The forecast was for a slight front clearing to the south east at the beginning of the day. At 9:00am it was grey and wet but within a short time the cloud cover began to break up and by 10:00 driving towards Blackheath past the Olympic stadium the sun was dazzling! A further bank of cloud with a few spots of rain cleared to an almost completely blue sky but with a serious leaf blowing breeze we were at the comfortable limit of the standard vented 1.5 with 4 wrap spars. If we all had the Mega V

Felix

Felix

19/08/2018 Blackheath

Cloudy with a mostly brisk SW breeze so we were on full vent 1.5s with race rods.  We used the RSS kites in Scarborough but apart from that the last time we flew full vented appears to have been in Cervia… Nothing called, just a relaxed fly.  Jade joined us for the first time in a number of years. We expect to be at Blackheath next weekend but will be travelling the following weekend with a brief visit to Lytham St. Annes a possibility.  Dieppe follows taking the next two weekends.  It

Felix

Felix

25/09/2011 after Margate

Margate proved that sometimes the sun can shine on the last weekend in September. We had two glorious days... The forecast southerly breeze arrived on Saturday morning after a brief time when the 'land sea breeze' (northerly) had the upper hand. A good day followed, albeit somewhat turbulent. We were using the Rev 1 sails and our standard 3 wrap spars with a 4 wrap centre. Imagina performed on Saturday and Sunday and I think that I will be able to put some video from Saturday on You Tube at so

Felix

Felix

26/12/2011 Blackheath

A quiet last fly in 2011. Full vented with green race rods handled the occasional stronger gusts just fine. In the lulls moving on the ground was not too energetic. One year we rotated face to face pairs in the arena at Berck. Not something to be taken lightly in a formal demonstration. Today we tried the 'not touching' version rolling across the window. Sliding transitions are 'a state of mind' rather than explicit control. The flier has to see the picture and demand that the kite complies! &l

Felix

Felix

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