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Developing Skill Sets


DWayne

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JB and others, how about using a Vented REV when doing inverted or reverse. The other day The Flying Squad were having a team practice in 35 MPH winds and it was easier to flying in reverse than forward.

I have always found it easier to fly backwards with a vented as it seems the air flow is better.

The classic two line infinty but flown with a Rev in reverse flight is a great practice.

Another thought, is about moving your hands down the handles, good for high wind, but also produces more reverse

Simon.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I first started flying Revs in the early '90s, but only did it a few times a year, usually at crowded kite festivals, where I could find room with short lines. I could fly a Rev, but was by no means very good at it.

Flying with the islandQuad (iSquad?) boys at Clover Point has really kicked my butt. I've been flying Revs nearly exclusively ever since early January and flying nearly every day. I spend a lot of time flying in reverse and getting my speed control down.

I've recently changed my grip from index fingers hooked around the top of the handle to just at the top of the foam.

Something I'm working on, but can't do yet is pivot turns in reverse; working from the ground up.

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Right on Steve, sounds like you've nearly found the zero point, where all control is balanced, allowing any motion. ;)

I hope you get to hang out with us in Long Beach on the 7th, 8th and 9th... Going to be lots of fun, and tons to learn.

Reverse pivot up, try strictly and firmly driving the lower wing's reverse to pivot the kite up... Then play with keeping the higher wing pinned.

It obviously gets more subtle than that, but there's the starting point, imho.

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Flying with the islandQuad (iSquad?) boys at Clover Point has really kicked my butt. I've been flying Revs nearly exclusively ever since early January and flying nearly every day. I spend a lot of time flying in reverse and getting my speed control down.

I can say beyond a single shadow of a doubt that flying the team thing with iQuad over the last nearly three years has done more for my flying than the previous 10 years combined.

And i'm not even close to being tired of it.

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Clover Point is a pretty small space- 120' lines just barely fit, with some wind directions.

There's no way we could have 5-7 dual liners flying in that space at the same time unless we all had thousands of hours of practise together.

Quads make it possible and I've gained a whole new appreciation for the Rev.

The civilians 'get it' too. Many times we get nice comments from the passersby who watch. I can't remember that ever happening when I did my dual line flippy/floppy stuff.

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  • 2 months later...
Try to keep the kite facing up (for starters, then eventually change to different possitions), and slide the kite around in a circle.

That's a fun one, I like doing those :)

I have not dare try it inverted yet :lol:

It would be the backwards inverted bit which would be very difficult for me ATM.

Any tips?

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Lately (since the EC Rev Clinic at least) I have been flying squares. I was told to fly a square slowly and stop at the corners to help improve my control. I can see the difference in my flying and it is nice.

I try different variations when I get bored. I still fly the square but I try things like flying the whole square inverted. Fly up on the left side in reverse, side slide at the top, down the right side and side slide again at the bottom. Or fly up the left side normally, turn to the right, fly across the top, make a 270 left hand rotation at the top right before descending slowly on the right side (this makes the lines clear themselves at the bottom right of the square). Face left at the bottom of the square and fly back to where you started. There are many variations of this and it can be quite fun!

-Alden

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Lately (since the EC Rev Clinic at least) I have been flying squares. I was told to fly a square slowly and stop at the corners to help improve my control. I can see the difference in my flying and it is nice.

I try different variations when I get bored. I still fly the square but I try things like flying the whole square inverted. Fly up on the left side in reverse, side slide at the top, down the right side and side slide again at the bottom. Or fly up the left side normally, turn to the right, fly across the top, make a 270 left hand rotation at the top right before descending slowly on the right side (this makes the lines clear themselves at the bottom right of the square). Face left at the bottom of the square and fly back to where you started. There are many variations of this and it can be quite fun!

-Alden

Thats sounds like a good exercise Alden..... will try that.. thanks

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It's a great exercise - you can do it with the kite vertical too - then slide up and down the sides. Then when you're feeling a bit braver try a diagonal square - a diamond if you will. And when you're feeling really fruity change it into a octagon which basically combines the square with the diamond in terms of flying directions. Before you know what you are doing you'll be flying MI17 - The Reverse Octagon! The top right is where it all goes to pot for me.

http://www.reeddesign.co.uk/iskcb/mi17.html

Another good one to work on, although a bit boring, is the lift - a slow and controlled reverse climb to about 90% of the wind window (if you can get there) with out wobbling then a slow and very controlled decent at the same speed as the climb. Its kind of fun to see how high you can get before it wobbles - walking forward slowly often helps (until you trip in a rabbit hole!).

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Good point watty - my hint was not terribly helpful!

Choccy - There is no particular thing to flying a slide circle inverted. Just make sure you have the inverted climb off to pat as it is the most difficult part of the SCI. Its back to "How do you eat an elephant". Break it down into bite size pieces you can work on. Inverted Climb & inverted side slide in this case. Get those perfect then just do a SCI

How about flying everything you normally do, but next time you go out just do it upside down for an hour? If you hit the ground a few times it's just the ground's fault for getting in the way.

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<snip>

I try different variations when I get bored. I still fly the square but I try things like flying the whole square inverted. Fly up on the left side in reverse, side slide at the top, down the right side and side slide again at the bottom. Or fly up the left side normally, turn to the right, fly across the top, make a 270 left hand rotation at the top right before descending slowly on the right side (this makes the lines clear themselves at the bottom right of the square). Face left at the bottom of the square and fly back to where you started. There are many variations of this and it can be quite fun!

-Alden

I have been flyin this pattern alot as well.... your right it is alot of fun.... i like to see how low I can get to the ground.. :kid_smartass: I think it's helping with my skills..... but I think my depth perception is off a little... due to the occasional slam to the ground...DOH! :kid_cussing:

:lol: ~~Steady Winds~~

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  • 3 years later...

I like flying various types of squares as well. I'm also working on triangles, i.e. flying an entire triangle inverted, etc.

Out of the compulsories' animations, anything with upright lateral slides is scary to me, including the Roman Ten. Also anything that requires reverse flight with smooth curves, like the Camel Back - I just got horizontal reverse flight mastered! Making those smooth curves looks like its going to take quite a bit of practice.

My favorites are the Arc Circle, Camel Back, Tip Pivots, Lollypop, The Felix, Reverse Octagon, and Bumps! I've almost got Bumps down, I look forward to nailing it and moving on to the other ones.

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