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Jim Foster

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Posts posted by Jim Foster

  2. One remembrance of 9-11

    in Videos/Photos

    Posted

    Along with posting here this morning, I also sent a similar message to friends and family, including members of our Airstream club. Here is a chilling response from one of those members. These folks live in the Netherlands, but joined our Airstream unit when on a visit to the US many years ago, and have remained members. (the name of our Airstream unit is "El Camino Real") I'm sure that it will be OK with Peter if I pass this along here as well.

    Peter wrote:

    Dear Lynn and Jim,

    A message from your fellow Airstream members from the Netherlands. I read your email with special interest and seeing the flags in your nice YouTube movie brings back memories. It happened that we were in New York on September 11th 2001 with plans to visit the WTC that particular morning. We were never in close vicinity of the towers when disaster struck but did get part of the dust cloud over us. One of the things that struck me - things you never saw in any disaster movie - was the number of papers that were flying through the air. A piece of paper scorched around the edge but still intact in the center landed right besides me. I picked it up and took it home. It is an insurance related paper somewhere from the seventies. Here at home, I keep it in a plastic cover. Every once in a while, and especially around 9-11, I open it, take a breath, and smell what New York was like in these dreadful days. For both my wife and me, the days around 9-11 are always emotional and we appreciate having the luck of starting a family a year after.

    Feel free to pass this on to other El Camino Real members.

    Regards,

    Peter and Michaja Wever

    The Netherlands

  3. One remembrance of 9-11

    in Videos/Photos

    Posted

    Some of you have heard me relate this story, and have seen this video slide show. It will be new to others.

    On September 11, 2008 Lynn and I were attending a four day Airstream Club rally in Malibu, California. There was nothing planned for that afternoon so we decided to go to the park across the highway from Pepperdine University and fly our Revs for an hour or so. As we came over the rise, and Pepperdine came into view, we saw the entire front lawn covered with American Flags, one for each person who perished on 9-11-01.

    Well, there was nothing to do but get out our patriotic Revs and fly on the lawn at Pepperdine.

    Lynn and I took photos of each other, me flying on that lawn, and Lynn flying across the highway at the park. When we returned to the Airstream gathering I made a quick slide show for the group. Some time later I posted it on You Tube. Some of you may recognize the last photo in the slide show, as it was used in the 2010 AKA calendar for the July photo.

    Never forget.

    Jim

  7. New to Rev flying

    in New to Rev Flying?

    Posted

    Hi all, just saying hello!

    I'm in North Wales, UK and just visited the spectacular kite festival in Portsmouth. Couldn't miss the Revs B) or Ben!

    Off to Bristol tomorrow just to get another fix.

    Fancy a B series Pro but maybe I need to learn to fly a basic model first!

    Regards

    Len

    Len

    Welcome to the Rev family.

    Where in North Wales are you located?

  8. WSIKF 2011

    in Upcoming Events

    Posted

    Honestly, I'd much rather walk the entire wooden boardwalk to get back there then slog along in that deep sand from field C.

    I can't see them giving up B as they use it for ascensions and comp stuff, but, we shall see!

    As for everything else, ya, what JB said :D

    The four Mass Ascensions they have every year for the four different styles of kites are on A. The Cody Fly, scheduled for B, ended up on A where it has always been. The competitions on B were short and poorly attended. Those events could be moved to C, or if they must use B, they could be scheduled in the middle of the day and the Rev fliers could take a brake for lunch, more sun screen and use the little brown buildings.

    Big kites on the north of Bolstad, field A with demos, comps and Mass Ascensions, and field B with the sky full of Revs all week would be a spectacular spectator attraction, and wonderful for the vendors, who work their butts off and can certainly use the business. Spreading an event, which seems to get smaller each year, out down the beach makes no sense to me. For me, it's all about kites in the sky, and giving spectators and potential new fliers a really big show.

    I really don't have much faith that this will happen. I hope I am wrong.

    But, no matter how it goes, we have already made our reservations for next year and plan to fly something, somewhere, all day, every day, just as always.

    Cheers, Jim

  10. WSIKF 2011

    in Upcoming Events

    Posted

    I am so envious :sly: I won't be there for another year. Save me a spot for next year as I hope to have a Truck & 5th Wheel by that time :)

    Say Hi to Cass & Carol. Have not seen them since last year in June at Lincoln City.

    Are you two going to be in Crescent City over Labor Day?? Andy & I can't wait to do some more Team Fly with the Master B)

    Brett

    CC is a question mark for us this year. (We hate question marks.) Won't know for another week or so if we need to be home in Walnut Grove at that time.

  11. WSIKF 2011

    in Upcoming Events

    Posted

    Wow, looks like we have definitely been moved up the beach... Out with "C", in with "Revolution". :)

    WSIKFmap2011.gif

    We got to Long Beach this afternoon and had a great day flying with Carol and Cass Pittman, John Farrell, Tom King and Jerry Rollins.

    We are confused.

    The Festival Map here on this thread shows the Rev field as being Field C

    I am looking at the Festival Map in the 2011 Official Program, and it shows the Rev field as D.

    Which is it? Since nothing seems to be scheduled for C, that must be it.

    John? Anybody?

  12. WSIKF 2011

    in Upcoming Events

    Posted

    I remember, thanks!

    But, an all wheel drive "hover round" would be the way to go, maybe with an extra seat on the back. Someone could fly off the back seat all the way down main street...

    -Alden

    Alden

    I don't know that they will let you run an ATV on the Bike/Walking path. Perhaps, but I doubt it.

  14. Mega-Fly at WSIKF 2011?

    in Upcoming Events

    Posted

    Exile

    I got my inverted hover instruction from Ron Despojado some years ago in San Diego. Here's what he told me, and it worked well for me.

    Invert your kite on the ground.

    Do an easy inverted launch to about two feet and stop.

    Hold that position until you are just about to loose it, and drop back to the ground inverted.

    Repeat this, holding a little longer each time.

    If/when you become frustrated,stop and relax for a while.

    Resume and repeat.

    Keep doing the above and soon you will gain the "muscle memory" needed to maintain an inverted hover.

    After you are able to maintain the inverted hover, then try sliding a few feet to one side and then back to the other.

    After you are able to maintain the inverted hover, slowly climb inverted.

    Once you can do the above, and stop and fly backwards in a horizontal line, you will be able to fly backwards and inverted to most any place in the "window".

    Slowly, one step at a time.

    As JB always says, "Own your hover". That is about the most important thing in team or group rev flying

    Now, take a deep breath, relax, and go do it.

    Have fun.

  16. Give up the internet? I'm gonna guess more Rev Flyers would take this offer...

    in Open Topic

    Posted

    I have made permanent changes in my life that depend on the internet. I would have to remake them in such a way that I could do without the internet.

    At this point, I'm not sure I'm willing to do that. For any amount of money. Certainly not for some amount that wouldn't even cover my utility bill.

    I must go along with Pete.

    We are retired, and take to the road much of the time. The internet has allowed us things like automatic bill pay for utilities, e-mail to keep in touch with family and friends as well as a host of other benefits that free us to do and to go.

    For us, the internet started as a toy and has become a great tool.

  18. Cartwheels across the window?

    in Flying Techniques

    Posted

    Personally I find the cartwheel(bicycle) is easier to fly then the moonwalk.

    True, however the moonwalk looks so cool. Always brings comments from folks watching.

    I don't think I want to touch the tips while doing the moonwalk as it would cause the kite to stop for the tip touch, taking away from the fluid motion that looks so nice.

  20. Cartwheels across the window?

    in Flying Techniques

    Posted

    Question

    Is the cartwheel a tumble like a wheel rolling in the direction the kite is moving, or rolling in the opposite direction the kite is moving?

    In the diagram John posted, the kite is rolling in the direction it is moving. If this is a "cartwheel", what is the other move called where the kite is rotating in the opposite direction of flight?

  21. Cartwheels across the window?

    in Flying Techniques

    Posted

    Just got back from flying. We have a soccer field near which is moat always empty and a nice Delta breeze.

    Lynn is catching on the the cartwheel fast. We were able to do them together a couple of times in both directions quite nicely. We only do one slowly, near the center of the window. After we get that, we'll go for two together.

    Looks pretty cool with a pair. Neat move.

  22. Cartwheels across the window?

    in Flying Techniques

    Posted

    Hi Jim,

    "Very Slowly" is 'it' as far as I am concerned.

    The component parts or transitions need to be assembled 'slowly'.

    There is no rush of course as it may take some of us 20 years or more to learn. I'm still learning and enjoying every minute of it. Others may claim an instant fix but I like "slowly".

    Felix

    Felix

    Some of us may not have those twenty years. :confused!:

    When Lynn and I went flying yesterday I tried to break down exactly what I was doing to do the cartwheel. It's such a fluid motion that I find it hard to break down. I think Watty's way is most likely the best. Lynn had never done the cartwheel, but I had her doing is in just a few minutes. Not by any means perfect, but she was getting it.

    Bart

    You might want to work on your reverse flight before you get to crazy into the cartwheel, as one side of the kite is flying in reverse the whole time.

  23. Cartwheels across the window?

    in Flying Techniques

    Posted

    The way I learned to do this is to fly forwards across the wind window, then about half way through, I spin 180 degrees and continue flying, but now in reverse. I kept doing this and every once and a while adding another spin. Eventually you will get it to where you will cartwheel all across the window.

    I think Watty has it.

    Another way is to turn 1/4 turn at a time as you slide across the window, making only one complete turn. Once you have that going, add 1/4 turn each pass. All done very slowly.

    There is no one, sure, easy way. I think the most important thing is to not try to do too much all at once. Break it into small bites, you know, the way you eat an Elephant.

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