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About this blog

My personal observations

Entries in this blog

23/10/2016 Blackheath

Arrived soon after 11:00am today. Some sunshine provided ‘just enough’ warmth to contend with a chilly easterly breeze which was about 7 mph when we arrived but more like 14 mph when we packed up. Mostly mid vents with race rods. We really should sort out a team set of this sail as it really does become very useful at a certain wind speed <grins> Nothing called today, just lots of close flying based on trusting the other fliers to keep it smooth and not to try and ‘show off’. Felix

Felix

Felix

09/08/2020 Blackheath

It was hot on Blackheath as forecast but the NE or E breeze held up most of the time so we had a good starting session with full sail 1.5 Revs. I had decided that any other kites flown should be simple to put together or even requiring no frame at all as in the parafoils. Having prepared a new spreader for the JMH 1987 Delta I obviously was hoping for the right conditions after the previous spreader break at launch. I might have been a bit overcautious today but we set the kite on

Felix

Felix in Decs Sunday

2012 events, provisional list

Oh well, another year! <grins> Nothing is confirmed, as yet. 1st January 2012 12-16/04/2012 Berck-Plage, France 21/04-29/05/2012 Cervia, Italy 05-07/05/2012 Weymouth 26-27/05/2012 Exmouth 25-27/08/2012 Portsmouth Margate

Felix

Felix

14/07/2013 Blackheath

Blackheath was in full on summer mode today. The recently cut grass is brown but the plantain seed heads have carried on growing to provide plenty of snagging opportunities. The forecast suggested light winds and it was 0-6+ mph predominately from the NW but with big swings either side. It was another opportunity to test drive the Diamond spars but, while the spars are great, flying directly into the sun without sunglasses makes appreciation of the ‘top of the window’ capabilities a bit diffi

Felix

Felix

18/09/2016 After Dieppe

Good to be back in Dieppe after a long absence. Arrived Friday 9th September c2:00pm and went directly to the site which was still being constructed… We went for a walk around the town and then back at the tent found that supper was arranged for that evening on site. It was pretty much a one kite event over the eight days flying. Full 1.5 sails with Diamond leading edge with the uprights switching between Diamond and Green Race. It was only on our last day, Saturday 17th that we switched to

Felix

Felix

After Miami Beach 9/12/2013

Thursday to Sunday we did get out on the beach in the morning. On Thursday we set up close to the water opposite our hotel c8:30 and having switched to the shorter line sets started to fly the the full vented 4 wrap iQuad training kites in the smooth onshore breeze. Rich Comras arrived at about 9:30 and while he was setting up his kite the lifeguard who had recently arrived told him that from 10:00 we would not be able to fly at that location but that there was an area to the north where the b

Felix

Felix

13/01/2013 After Shipley

We had a great afternoon on Saturday mostly flying 12 (full 1.5 Race Rods) and getting up to speed with some of the 'familiar' team moves in the larger format. It was a bit muddy as in the attached image. Occasionally we came up against the limitations of 'in-line' flying and we did switch to grid for a while. I think that ease of movement on the ground in transition from one scheme to the other will help in developing the larger team format. Saturday evening we found the local Indian and Br

Felix

Felix

10/11/2013 Blackheath

It was a sunny November day, the NW breeze was reasonably consistent and the temperature may have reached 12c which was somewhat higher than expected. The occasional small cloud obscuring the sun introduced a clear chill but there were only a few… The sun was, of course, almost directly in our field of vision! No hiding place available so we were sometimes dazzled! Standard vented with green race worked today except for the odd lull where the mid-vented sail might have been more appropriate. (

Felix

Felix

24/11/2013 Blackheath

It has been an intense week in anticipation of Thursday’s HMRC inspection which was a gruelling four hour meeting. Glad to set off for Blackheath today for a head clearing moment! c11:00am arrival and Martin and Maggie were changing to full sails with race rods. The breeze occasionally dropped off or peaked but most of the time it was good for team flying. There were a few brief bright moments but soon after 1:00pm a light shower arrived as we were packing up… I shuffled some kites in prepa

Felix

Felix

21/12/2014 Blackheath

It was gusting over 30mph today from the west, mostly cloudy but dry with some brighter spells. Xtra vents with green race worked well with the occasional lulls and gusts. Only two fliers today so nothing called and we did not last very long as the wind chill got through. The Blackwall Tunnel was backed up to Sun in the Sands roundabout so I took the long route home today. Must be Christmas shopping at Stratford generating extra traffic! Felix

Felix

Felix

24/02/2013 Blackheath

The prospects were a bit grim. North easterly breeze, snow flurries and all that. As with last week the re-instated football pitch was in use and ML opted to set up to the east of the road as the NE breeze was not obstructed in any way. We've flown on this field before (notably on one snowy AGM winter weekend) but it does feel strange being a bit lower than the rest of the heath. Full vented with Race/3 Wrap worked OK today and in the short free form fly we did see some great rolling intera

Felix

Felix

25/09/2016 Blackheath

A bit late arriving on Blackheath today but we were then six up so Ashley called plenty of fast paced team moves. Green race in vented sails almost covered the lulls and occasionally felt overpowered as the gusts blew through. No actual showers but quite a lot of stately cumulus clouds ‘marching’ by. The plantain heads were occasionally troublesome. Maybe the site will be mown before Autumn sets in properly… We switched spars in the team kites post Dieppe and contemplated the Zen project on

Felix

Felix

24/03/2013 Blackheath

Late March gloom with an overnight dusting of snow did not present any real obstacle in getting to Blackheath today but the wind chill on site made it feel colder than any other flying day this winter. Full vented with green race for me again was over stressed on a couple of occasions even with extra brake. My kite and others with different frames were landed safely to ride out the squalls. Conversationally it was decided that free flying as we have been 'practicing' recently does not really

Felix

Felix

10/03/2013 Blackheath

No sign of spring today. Low grey clouds, wind north easterly with light precipitation, not quite sleet! Full vented 1.5s, (my frame was green race) but it sometimes felt that the Xtra Vent would have been the warmer kite to fly given more movement on the ground. Once again a mix of uncalled free flying with called episodes thrown in occasionally. Of course it is easy to measure the capability to fly recognised moves but it can be much more interesting to improvise 'in the air' and find the

Felix

Felix

01/04/2012 Blackheath

A late start, something after 11:00am on the heath, no clock change excuse and the fuel gauge light came on as we came out of the Blackwell Tunnel. Note to self, must fill up before setting off for Berck... And..., then there was very little wind. Zens occasionally grouped for figures but otherwise taking up a lot of space in 360s. A family group stopped 'downwind' and some of the kids followed my kite. Afterwards I explained that I did not really approve of such activity. There is a significan

Felix

Felix

27/08/2012 After Portsmouth

Conditions on Saturday were much better than forecast so while there was rain at the beginning and the end of the day the winds did not get too high. Vented kites with 4 wrap were good for much of the day but we switched to 3 wrap later. The kites were packed wet at the end of the day but quickly dried on Sunday morning when we stayed with the same configuration but in sunny conditions for most of the day. Sunday's arena mega-fly was particularly successful with Jacob calling a 25 person team

Felix

Felix

04/05/2015 After Cervia

I travelled to Cervia on Wednesday 29th April arriving in time for some late afternoon flying. Four full days followed with varying conditions, the highlight day being Saturday 2nd May when the onshore breeze started early and firmed up sufficiently for a very well received arena performance towards the end of the afternoon. Along the way we entertained the local audience and ourselves at the north end of the festival site. The invited fliers from ‘up north’ contributed to this event as well

Felix

Felix

03/04/2011 Blackheath

After a late start last weekend due to the start of summertime we did better today and were rewarded with mild and sunny conditions with plenty of evidence of the greening of the trees in Greenwich Park. Standard 1.5 Sails with race rods, to start with (four fliers), and, for us (The Decs that is), the almost complete novelty of flying to music when not 'at a formal festival'. OK, it was only from a mobile phone in my pocket but it seemed fairly radical at the time. As conditions were on the

Felix

Felix

01/07/2012 Blackheath

"Race for Life" dominated Blackheath today with 10:30 and 14:30 events. The very limited parking usually available was obviously off limits so we resorted to pay and display in Greenwich Park given that parking restrictions are already in place around Victoria Park near the Olympic site, our usual fall-back site if Blackheath is not available. It is obvious that during the Olympics we will have to find a different venue for our weekly fly. The TFL site is suggesting that a 15 minute journey, fr

Felix

Felix

27/03/2011 Blackheath

Summertime started today so it was an 11:00am start on Blackheath with the first green tinge evident on some of the trees beyond the wall of Greenwich Park. High hazy cloud gave a 'summery' look to the scene but the easterly wind was not exactly warm. It was race rods and full 1.5 sails again. Some consideration in flying planning was given to the line-up of the team for the first three days of Berck which will not be one we have flown before. All being well we will have four fliers for Tuesday

Felix

Felix

10/04/2011 Blackheath

A quiet day on Blackheath in terms of the number of fliers and an easterly breeze that was a little above that was forecast earlier in the week. There was an opportunity for me to check lines and casually compare kites and spars. Today the full sail 1.5 JB Pro with green race rod against the mid vented version with standard race rods. Too many variables, I know, especially when longer handles were in the equation as well, but sometimes it is best not to be too serious. Some journeys take on an

Felix

Felix

Rev Blogs

So, never having Blogged before please let me try to understand what is expected. (apart from the last two!) I fly Revolution kites most weekends on Blackheath in SE London, sometimes with the team, The Decorators. There are anecdotes and observations relating to this and related matters which I may want to record for my own and potentially, (who knows) other's interest! I first posted (in 2007) on the Revolution Forum in respect of organising the Portsmouth/Bristol events in 2008. Occasiona

Felix

Felix

03/07/2016 Blackheath

A running/walking event was taking place on the Heath as in previous years so we used a slightly different pitch today, closer to the paid parking in Greenwich Park. The WSW breeze was mostly 7-8mph but quite often dropped away as is typical here in the summer. Diamond rods LE and Race verticals felt comfortable most of the time. Events on Saturday night meant that it was a limited line-up today but we expect some busier meetings ahead of the Beverley, event at the end of July. Felix

Felix

Felix

12/03/2017 Blackheath

The forecast for today was not good but the approaching front stalled during the morning so we did get to fly for a bit today. Very little air movement as we walked onto the heath at about 10:30am.  We decided to fly first and then check kit ahead of Berck.  Full sails with diamond rods got us into the sky but little else.  The kit check revealed almost all was in order.  Mostly green race leading edges in the vented kites.  Diamond leading edges in the full sails with black race upri

Felix

Felix

07/07/2013 Blackheath

So it was ‘Race for Life’ again on Blackheath today. Maggie phoned ahead having parked up in Greenwich Park at about 10:00am. I arrived a bit later having encountered a slow bus (108) in the Blackwell Tunnel. In the spirit of the day we flew pink kites but with a twist. The ‘Diamond Spars’ really are very good indeed. We used the iQuad training sails two SUL sails (pink and purple) and one Standard sail (pink/gray) and put them through their paces against a 2 wrap set. The weightless ‘glid

Felix

Felix

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