The team (6) flew to Potsdam on Friday.
It was a great weekend, celebrating the 20 years since The Decs first visit to Berlin and our meeting with Jørgen Møller Hansen.
We flew with Team4Fun in difficult low wind conditions but the weather was gloriously sunny so everyone was happy.
Felix
Arrived on site Saturday morning c9:30am to find the arenas not staked but vehicles parked as anchors in the SLK area. With the wind in the NE this arena is narrow and with inflatable structures for kids on the North side our traditional location was not viable. I have to question whether these inflatable structures are appropriate at a kite festival given the impact that they can have on low altitude kite flying? Large cabanas and tents around arena boundaries are detrimental to the flying c
It is a long time since I have flown a Rev2. I set up the Race framed one kindly loaned to me by Baloo on my c50ft 90lb lines. I also set up the Red-Orange-Yellow Sedgwick prototype which I have been re-building with contemporary fittings. Jade lent me his 50ft lines!
Both kites felt 'very' light but responded fantastically well to 'long arm' input. The prototype has a deeper V but I would be hard pushed to describe differences in handling. Slo-mo was very interesting, I think that I would
A great weekend which included getting the 16 JMH kites (8 x 1.5 and 8 x 1) in flight with help from The Flying Squad and Sailor. (Thanks again J)
I hope that images will be available somewhere eventually.
There was limited space off arena during the festival after the special provision last year but we did manage to get some time between the funfair and the road to begin to put together the obligatory 'new move' sequence for the weekend. This was refined on Monday morning in the more friendl
A glorious summers day with a rising southerly breeze and mostly clear skies, apart from vapour trails and some semblances of lenticular clouds.
10mph plus so JB 1.5 vented from the outset. Jade, Jacob, Ashley and I worked through some of the Decs routine stuff. Prior to Jacob's arrival we flew 'ad-hoc' with some great 'present and response' moves occupying the full window, mostly without repetition. I think that this is great 'training' for team flying as the pilots must observe the full wi
After our visit to 'Humber Woodland of Remembrance' on Friday I realised that although 120ft lines were OK on that occasion it might very well be useful to have shorter sets available for tighter spaces in the future. It is a long time since I flew on short lines. The Decs were flying on 125ft lines prior to the 2008 events.
I ran out a c50ft set today using some fat sleeving that I had obviously prepared years ago and never got around to using. (The fat sleeving will be replaced as soon as
A light wind day with news of the [Edit, no capitalisation] Zen to contemplate.
Parallel multiple diamonds with Jade and Ashley came about almost spontaneously. I can envisage some moves being generated from 'not organised' interactive flying but as with 'the grid' a certain level of capability is required. We did manage to lock up the three kites at right angles at one point. Careful with those lines, even in light wind.
Back to the Zen I'm thinking that even though JB has said 'Also, for
Light to start but a Three Kite day on Blackheath, Standard, Mid and Vented. I was intent on noting handle position and can confirm 'palm down' with minimal grip. The line pressure holds the handles against the fingers... I am very conscious of enabling a full pull past legs at thigh/knee level and making an effort to avoid 'body blocking' such moves. I have also found that the archery stance, one leg forward, one back, is good for anticipating movement on the ground. Be prepared to be mobi
After Dunstable last weekend, yet another windy Blackheath. Ashley and Jade followed into some slo-mo flying without issue.
I will have to figure out how to loosen up after the concentrated effort in order to avoid fatigue. It is a bit like remembering to breathe in the mega fly...
Felix
Windy on Blackheath, 12-18 mph today. Flying the 1.5 full vented trying to figure l/r arm transitions. Keeping the handle set in a forward flight mode I was finding some 'long' movements to maintain altitude with a precise stop without wobble. I wonder how anyone else can describe this 'snap' stop?
Felix
PS Please support Bristol 2009.... See the top of the thread at the following URL!
http://www.revkites.com/forum/index.php?sh...amp;#entry54311
It was a great weekend on the Northern Area Playing Fields at Washington, Tyne and Wear. We flew eight and joined with Flying Squad/FLIC (Stephen, Susan/Ben, Caroline) and Mike Mossman for a 'mini' Mega Fly using the JMH Rev 1s and 1.5s with one of Mike's custom 1.5s.
I hope that some images will be posted soon.
Today on Blackheath we got close to going head to head with the Rev 1 and Rev 1.5's. Next weekend, at Washington, Tyne and Wear we may have the opportunity to fly a mixed mega-team. The Decs should be 8 and with a few extra hands I am hoping that we can put up 12 - 16 of the JMH sails with appropriate sparing.
Slo-mo with the 1.5 is key to this...
Looking forward to the trip north again!
Felix
A gentle workout with the Rev 1s with standard spars was a pleasure after last weekend working away from home. There was a breeze for some of the time on Blackheath and Jacob called moves that may have defeated the oldies last weekend.
As an alternative the 1.5 with Race spars felt very responsive, similar to a 15 inch tissue and bamboo fighter kite!
We hope to post details regarding 'fund raising' for Bristol 2009 within the next 24 hours.
Last weekend I composed an entry and then managed to delete it when in preview mode. Next weekend I have to work Saturday and Sunday so will miss the Blackheath event.
The 'topic' last weekend was about getting fliers to 'commit' to the discipline of the Mega Team, especially the more experienced fliers who may become impatient with the less accomplished. All 'a bit moral' so maybe best left in the imagination...
Light and variable on Blackheath today. After a light shower the breeze settle
I installed a Race Rod frame in the Rev 1 today for the first time with one of the new sails. I set up one of the other new sails for comparison on a standard centre and UL remainder. The Race frame felt good but I could not make a definitive statement comparing the two at this stage. <grins>
I installed the Race leading edge in the Blast today for the first time. Having heard anecdotes about the frame I treated it very gently at first but soon found that the kite could be thrown aroun
A great blustery, showery weekend. Jade and Ashley stood in for absent fliers to very good effect.
A new compound move, inevitably to be called 'the Rougham' took shape based on Jacobs sketches that he had left at work. He left a few other things lying around over the weekend and paid the price... <grins>
A neat impromptu 12 grid mega fly almost rounded off the event. If they had kept the music rolling we would probably still be there but there was a final arena spot to fit in...
It
Side sliding a circle with 3 kites was today's spontaneous target.
Initially I wanted to describe the rolling ball but that was a little too ambitious for Jade and ATM (Ashley).
Surprisingly, the expected handle transitions are not actually required which is counter intuitive. Lock the handle positions and it seems that the kite will circle. (OK there may be some subtle inflexion involved) Crossing other lines does however confuse the issue somewhat.
I'm using the clip less handles and hav
If you are standing on the beach at Weymouth looking out to sea the horizon is dominated on the left by White Nothe. (A big chalk headland) To the left of the coastguard cottages on the tip of the headland there is a dip in the profile and then there is a small building, a mere blip at this distance. It was there that I first flew the cloth and aluminium tube box kite which was part of the kit provided to aircrew in the RAF cWW2! The view of Weymouth Bay from up there is etched in my memory.
It seems that we first went to Berck in 1990.
The team congregated in Berck on Friday 24th April 2009 in a different configuration but fully enjoyed the space and hospitality that some of us remember all the way back to that first visit.
This weekend we had eight fliers. Three could be described as 'newcomers to the current team' even if two of them have flown with us before.
We sketched out some new manoeuvres on the ferry between Dover and Calais on Friday and they were duly extended on Fri
Glorious day, wind NE c10mph I think with plenty of sun. I am almost not jealous of everyone at Berck!
Flew the new Blast with SLE and muscle memory kicked in almost instantly. Having flown the Shockwave or Supersonic when flying individually for quite a few years it was great to fly a larger sail which corresponded so closely in configuration straight out of the bag. Treacle or slo-mo (call it what you will) felt totally familiar and with generous 'forward' on the carbon wrapped handles Lea
In a high wind the handle loading would be best (most comfortable) when the kite is neutral so there is no forward/backwards tendency.
In a light wind the handle loading would be best when the kite is square on to the direction of movement so that the maximum benefit can be derived from the pilot's input.
QED or something equally desperate...
Grey day with 3-4 mph maximum to start. A few drops of rain initially, gradually brightening with the mist lifting.
Flew with ATM and Jade alternating leading left and right. I called from the centre some of the time. It can work to a degree. ATM finally realised that I had maintained the three kites with crossed lines for a considerable length of time while the fliers moved in line and in parallel. Getting used to line contact can only be done for real.
Also tried to hang the kites (1.5B
Some good smooth wind today for 1.5s at Blackheath. Jacob coached some great 4 person repetitions (not practice, just piano scales) with Jade, ATM and I. Both of them, Jade and ATM, are getting the individual control but still learning the challenges of the team environment. There is only one position, for a team flier in the sky, which is the correct one... They were introduced to a number of the regular Decs routine elements.
Other news is that, in addition to Romney Johnstone re-joining t
Another light and variable wind day. No good for Berck training but we did put ATM 'in the middle' for some 3 kite repetitions. There is no point in giving a beginner the easy option.
Jade and I had earlier flown some 'treacle' moves in line and in parallel. I think that once fliers have grasped the concept, as Jade obviously has, there will be scope for interesting developments in team and mega-team flying.
At the end of play ATM had the misfortune to catch the leading edge of the staked k
Clock change weekend so an early start seemed appropriate given the forecast for gradually reducing wind speed.
3-5 mph translated to nothing really so it was a bit of a waiting game. Fly when you can and expect to respond to 90 or 180 degree shifts was the order of the day.
Jacob arrived around midday and we eventually put 4 wrap Rev 1s up. Caught a thermal under a Cumulus cloud at one point simultaneously with both kites on vertical lines. You have to be careful not to pull the kite ove
