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Where there is Thunder


Winged V

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Ran up go the hill after work to get some flight time with a Rev, got there and of course the wind died to nothing till I got my bag open. My no wind skills are pretty much none existent with a Rev so tied on my dual line Vanishing Point for a while then heard thunder,checked the map on my phone and storm popped up a little ways off. Yeah well no wind and I really wanted to fly my Rev and being on the highest point around probably was not a good idea .

Rolled up my Two lines packed up,rain started on the way to my car and saw 4 lightning bolts out in the distance, timing is everything then as I stepped on to the parking lot

BANG AND SIZZEL.... Lightning struck on the kite field within 100 feet of where I was set up !

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If you had still been their you might have been the lightning rod. Even a near strike can shock you. One time in a heavy storm I was on a motorcycle when a bolt struck an embankment about twenty feet away. I got a shock through my wet glove that was on the clutch lever & felt it in my left boot that was down shifting at the same time. I'm a bit more respectful these days. If I hear thunder it's time to pack up. I have also been on a horse when a bolt hit about one hundred feet away, yee! haa!

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V, it sounds like you're lucky to be alive. Had you been standing in that field, let alone flying, you might not be here to report it to us.

I have twice experienced what I wouldn't call a close call, but something odd. Flying under a clear sky with storms approaching in the distance but no thunder, I have heard an odd buzzing sound coming from the handles. It's not like wind induced vibration in the strings. It has a totally different character. Both times I grounded the kite immediately and dropped the handles. I never felt any odd sensations or noticed anything else unusual while packing up.

My suspicion is that there may be enough static charge far in advance of a storm to charge up the kite and lines relative to the ground. I have no desire to investigate it any more closely. :wacko:

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Check-out info on "St. Elmos's Fire"... I've experienced it personally, while flying my Rev, and it isn't something you want to fool around with.

I posted my experience here:

http://www.revkites.com/forum/topic/4093-shocking-experience/?hl=%2Belmos+%2Bfire#entry69879

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Check-out info on "St. Elmos's Fire"... I've experienced it personally, while flying my Rev, and it isn't something you want to fool around with.

 

I posted my experience here:

http://www.revkites.com/forum/topic/4093-shocking-experience/?hl=%2Belmos+%2Bfire#entry69879

That does sound similar to what I experienced, albeit more intense. I never felt anything and never saw any sparks, just that electric buzzing sound from the handless. It was brightly sunny, so I might have missed small sparks. It was still a sobering experience.

I want to reiterate that there was no visible lightning, no audible thunder, and no overcast. The only threatening clouds were far off on the horizon, though it did eventually storm on both occasions. Apparently that's close enough.

The Kitelife link in that thread seems to be broken.

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