Low wind – skraidymas dvistropiais
John Barresi apie skraidymo mazame vejyje technika:
http://www.kitelife.com/magazine/issue39/lightwind39/content.php
Now to touch on one of the most challenging aspects of kite flying, light or non-existent wind! With lighter kites than we’ve ever had before, the only thing that stands in the way of flying are a few straightforward techniques and a bit of practice.
This article is targeted more so towards the beginner or intermediate flier that is looking to find their comfortability in any wind speed, but anyone might find something of use here.
I started flying in Berkeley California, where the winds average 15-20 mph during the summer and then plummet to 0-3 for a good portion of the winter months… Being a full-fledged kite addict and still learning, I still spent nearly every day at the park running around with my kite trying to make it fly at a time when they weren’t making things as light weight as they do today.
As a competitor, I’ve found the time spent flying in light wind conditions to be invaluable, providing me with the utmost confidence in extremely light winds… Sometimes even exciting me to “push the envelope”, enjoy the opportunity, and to rise to the challenge.
Ultra lights don’t quite have the same momentum when you do tricks however, so I’ll sometimes push that extra bit on a standard or mid-weight kite just to get the handling that I’m looking for… For personal use, I generally prefer kites that have a deeper sail, giving them more surface area for the same frame weight, thus more lift.
Regardless, the actual flying techniques are essentially the same in 0-3 mph conditions…
Launching
While it may seem like the simplest aspect, the launch is often an indicator of the technique you’ll be using in the air…
If you do the usual pump back and release, you’ll give the kite a great launch into the sky and promptly take away all the lift you’ve generated upon letting your hands back out in quick fashion.
Or, if you just start walking back as if there’s enough wind, the kite will generally not initiate sufficient lift to gain forward drive… The kite hesitates, floats, and just might go with luck.
My preferred method in any wind condition is to launch affirmatively with a swift pull back past my hips, and walk backwards while my hands are slowly letting out… This gives lift, doesn’t jolt or stall the kite, and allows me to keep tension on the lines.
Staying in the air
Tension on the lines, key to the whole endeavor… Once launched, I keep a fingertip on each of the lines and press against them using my fingers as sensors.
As the kite is headed in any semi-upward direction, I keep tension on the lines, perhaps moving back slightly to enhance the pressure… As the kite reaches the upper region of the sky, I’ll maintain the pressure through my turn until the kite is headed downward at which point I can relax my arms and move toward the kite with body and hands.
Again, this is the key to everything… Without rushing or exaggerating the motion, keep the lines just taut enough to hold onto your lift, and try to give on the lines only when the kite is pointed downward or you’re looking to stall.
Another technique you can apply is to give the kite a little extra tension through any turn (particularly sharp ones), giving the tension back on the downward swoop.
Gaining ground
Now, you’ve got the kite to stay in the air, but you look up and find you’ve wandered 100 feet back on your field and you’re running out of room…
Use the tension or taut lines to get the kite to the top of your wind window, all the way through your turn at the top until the nose is pointing downward. At this point start moving forward and giving slack to the lines (both equally)… Do it gently at first, you’ll notice the nose of the kite will tend to float out away from you and the tail will start to point towards you.
This position allows the kite to slide down the wind away from you, presenting more surface area to the wind it’s pressing against and slowing it’s descent.
After a few tries, you should be able to gage the amount of slack or forward running you can do before the kite flips and loses it’s orientation… When done properly, you can gain 100 feet of field back in a single jog!
Keeping your ground
Now you know how to keep wind in the sails, and get your ground back… How do we tie it all together dynamically so that you can stay within the same relative area of your field at all times?
The best visualization that I can provide is rowing a boat…
Fly the kite straight up about 30 feet while applying tension and moving back a few feet…
Then, keep tension while you turn downward and take a few steps on the way down only once your nose is pointed straight at the ground…
Apply tension just before you start to turn back straight upwards, and keep the lines taut while you’re headed back up…
Fly the kite straight up about 30 feet while applying tension and moving back a few feet…
Then, keep tension while you turn downward and take a few steps on the way down only once your nose is pointed straight at the ground…
Apply tension just before you start to turn back straight upwards, and keep the lines taut while you’re headed back up…
Repeat as needed.
While that may seem like an overly simple thing to do in the sky, it incorporates the basic components:
Managing your field
Keeping the kite in the air
Another way this can be done is by flying an infinity 8 using the same techniques… See animation below…………
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via Kitelife Magazine – Issue 39 (Nov/Dec 2004): Milking the Breeze.
