Jump to content

andelscott

Forum Member
  • Posts

    494
  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    1

Posts posted by andelscott

  1. Maybe we could use a simple "clapometer" Felix ;-)

    After all it is the spectators that teams are trying to entertain.

    :clap;:clap;:clap;:clap;:clap;:clap;:clap;:clap;:clap;:clap;

    Ah yes - it could become the American Idol / X-Factor of kite flying where popularity and charisma wins out over technical prowess (in many cases).

    Even so - there is a particular skill in selecting a music track that acts like a flypaper for an audience, a routine that adds the "ooo" and "aaahhh" factors, as well as the precision in positions and transitions [for any (given) wind conditions]. I'd say that these should *all" be recognised when 'scoring' an entry.

    After all, the more that an audience sees, the more difficult it becomes to impress them just performing sterile 'figures'.

  2. If we start a "Complete Guide About everything Revolution and How to Do It Safely", who is going to carry the can if something is missed.

    At the risk of going OT (okay, so here we go anyway)...

    If it is a Wiki - created and maintained by "the community" then any member of "the community" can fill in the gap (subject to any moderation). I vote for a Wiki. Oh, you didn't ask for a vote? :blink:

  3. I'll be interested to read how the Novice Class multi-line comps go this year - not long to go now? It's clear to me that the assumption that all quad-line flyers "graduated" from dual-line (and therefore could not be classified as novices) was fundamentally flawed. Likewise, it's my understanding that some pretty experienced flyers also compete in novice categories for other disciplines anyway.

    No doubt that I would class as an outright Novice in competition, but (for me) life is just too short to commit limited fly time to solitary routine figures, when there is otherwise an opportunity for sociable flying in team / group learning situations.

    Team, for me, promotes the desire / aspiration for precision, but it's a less isolated way of progressing. I'm sure teams do 'compete' - informally - where two or three are performing at a festival: comparing their music choices, the routine, accuracy, etc.

    Please keep us informed on the new (quad-line) competition classes and how they are for both competitors and - equally important - visitors / audience.

  4. Welldone Choccy,welcome to the nonestick club.

    Well done Choccy!

    But I thought there was something satisfying with the *ping, whizz* as the line catches and releases on the old rings (amplified by the alphabet bead on the bottom line of course). Your loss, I'm afraid. :devil:

  5. Golden rule when boarding a plane, up stairs turn left (1st Class B) )

    Trivia, why do we all get on planes from the left ?

    Erm - if you're on an A320 (or similar), turn left and you're driving it......

    As for the contact stand (airbridge) and remote stand boarding - does it have any relevance that we board from the port side of the aircraft? Maybe just coincidence.

    Bon voyage.

    @ TFS - look forward to seeing the new routine in due course. Do you call from the other side when flying in France? :)

  6. Love the airstream. But that is a rather poor imitation of a mini I am afraid. Different shape, different engine, different cabin, no wood frame on the clubman.......

    Ah the clubman - I always thought it was the poor relation to the Morris 1000 Traveller (another wood-trimmed estate / shooting-brake). After all, what's the point in having that length if you cannot get two double basses in the back? :P

  7. Hi, not sure if anyone has asked this B4, did a search for Headphones with no luck.

    I am looking to get some replacement headphones for my player. Anyone got any good suggestions?

    For in-house / bus / plane my vote is for the Bose. They're expensive but very comfortable (I prefer the older cupped/enclosed version, rather than those that sit on the ear). You can get cheapie noise-cancelling headphones from various sources, but in my experience they're not as good.

    For kite flying, the light weight of decent in-ear solution suits me better - also, as Jeff says - I don't want to spend too much on something that can easily get lost or damaged. A good fit can exclude external sound pretty effectively, so I didn't think a noise cancelling model was needed (might be good if you're in a howling wind I guess). I picked up a JVC set at the recent "fire-sale" when Zavvi closed down - but the more expensive Shure and Sennheiser ear-pieces have very good reports too (some are designed for use as professional in-ear monitoring). The JVC set have soft maleable ear 'plugs' to fit better and get better acoustic isolation as a result.

    If you really cannot live with in-ear types, light-weight and low profile would be preferable as you don't want them to come flying off just as you are moving around on the field when both hands are committed to the kite.

    Just my £0.02

  8. 1. Have you found Rev flying relieves tension, worries and cluttered thoughts?

    I think this may well apply once the basic range of skills have been acquired. I recall there was always a certain stress or tension when trying to master the basic control from the outset in the absence of any local Sage or Rev Guru to provide words of wisdom. Likewise when team flying for the first time and trying to avoid the creation of a great ball of string.....

    Yes - I know - "tension is bad", "breathe",.... :blue_wow:

  9. Thanks Everyone,

    Looks like we/I will be getting a set of i2i - they take an mp3 player and then transmit to any number of other i2i's in the area. Take normal headphones so can used noise cancelling to block out any other sound

    Hi Simon

    Good luck with this set up. The UK "licensed" version (i.e. license-exempt requirements) will have a CE mark and they can transmit something around 50 nanowatts. [Range of approx 8 metres / 26 feet.] US specification is slightly different (it will have a FCC mark), mostly in terms of the channels on offer, as the power levels are pretty similar. I've tried a similar unit and although the range - on paper - is adequate, coverage is a bit variable and clothes and metallic bits may make reception a bit 'noisy'. Most units are designed for use in-car - more like contact-less wiring, with close proximity of transmitter and receiver.

  10. Hi Just wanted to say on here, so everyone knows what a good job Keith & Bob (and Carlsberg - tag line Probably the best kite flyer in the World) did when we had some fun and had a little mega fly today.

    Okay - so can I please clarify that I've now lost the title "fair weather flyer" having missed this outing but participated in the snow, rain, cold and rising damp? FWIW: Sunday morning ended for me at 04:00.... :blink:

    Glad that it was a great day.

  11. Many of the events are called by nicknames (ie: TI, KP7, Wildwood, Ocean City, etc....) which means little or nothing to newbies unless we research, research, and research for location, exact dates, and actual event details.

    I agree. Even more so on a global forum where the first part is to correctly guess the country of origin.

    I just wish there was a (UK) kite festival in the Welsh town of [take a deep breath now]:

    Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch - now that would make an entry in any calendar!

  12. Maybe it's time to raise the cost on the entry level stuff to accomodate a pretty package.

    I'm no expert, but the real problem is enticing the new flyer. If the kite package price point is out of line with competing goodies (regardless of their relative performance), then it will be difficult to sell.

    IMHO, there are two clearly segmented markets:

    • the connoisseurs who know exactly which kite they want (and it probably isn't an EXP anyway);
    • the casual purchaser and entry-level pilot - dipping a toe in the water.

    The old hands will be pretty much happy with anything - if the kite is great, they'd even make or buy a bag to keep it safe if that was required. But a sleeve / bag of some sort is typically expected in a package. There is a little less price sensitivity for this group too.

    For the entry-level and casual purchaser the package must look great and the price must be good to stand out from the crowd. But I'm not convinced that a handle on the bag would be a value-enhancing differentiator anyway, so that has to be "low hangin' fruit".

  13. So here's what I pose to the Family do you as

    a group feel I would be letting you down if I went back to the old draw string or even a fold over plain bag?

    I quite like the design of the bag with handle and pockets, but sitting back: I don't use the pockets (apart from leaving the 20th anniversary sticker there - so it's more of a "if found, please return to.... " window), nor the handle as the kite tends to be tucked under my arm whilst unwinding the lines. (The lines are carded but left attached to handles, as for many other respondents).

    So - my vote is for plain fold-over bag, no handle, no pockets. If the heavier bag material is used, a couple of lateral elasticated or bungee straps around the circumference might permit the carded line with handles to be slipped in and held securely. (May need a note in the instructions to help new users) Probably more useful to the EXP owner than the multiple-Rev owner where lines are not dedicated to one kite.

    Do run the costings. The heavier kite bag gives a nice quality feel and may be a market differentiator but ultimately this isn't the reason that users buy the package.

×
×
  • Create New...