Kite Lines - Vol.2 No. 1 - KiteLife

Quarterly Journalof the American Kitefliers AssociationCopyright © Verve Enterprises, Inc . 1978Reproduction in any form, in whole or in part,is strictly prohibited without prior writtenconsent of the publisher .The American Kitefliers Association is a worldwideorganization devoted to the advancementof kiteflying . Its quarterly magazine, Kite Lines,is published by Verve Enterprises, Inc ., for AKAwith editorial and business office at 7106 Campfield Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21207, USAtelephone : (301) 484-6287 . This journal is onfile in the libraries of the National Air andSpace Museum, Smithsonian ; the NationalGeographic ; the National Oceanic andAtmospheric Sciences Administration ; and theUniversity of Notre Dame Library's Sports andGames Research Collection .Founder : Robert M . IngrahamPublisher-Editor: Valerie GovigArt Director: Weston PhippsCirculation and Reader Services : Judith FaecherPublishing Consultant : Douglas BoyntonBritish Correspondents : Ron Moulton and CliveC . O . Rawlinson .Typography: Head CompositionPrinting: Collins Lithographing and Printing CoEditorial Advisorv Panel Ray Holland, Jr .Guy D . Aydlett A . Pete lanuzziWilliam R . Bigge Robert M . IngrahamLt . Col . Bevan Brown Domina C . JalbertWyatt Brummitt Nat KobitzWood EllisArthur KurlePaul Edward Garber Curtis Marshall, M .D .Melvin GovigRobert S . PriceEdwin L . Grauel John F . Van GilderGary HinzeWill YolenActive Chapters of AKA are based in Baltimore ;Seattle ; Rochester and Utica, NY ; Hawaii ; Cleveland, OH ; Florence, SC ; San Diego, CA ; BeulahCO ; Australia and New Zealand . Ties are maintained with other groups also, national and international .Memberships and subscriptions : One year (4 issues)$6 ; two years (8 issues), $11 ; three years (12issues), $15 . Subscription rates include membershipin AKA at no additional cost . Single copies@ $1 .50 are available from the publisher or finekite shops throughout the U .S . Postage outsideU .S ., $1 per year additional . Special air mailrate for foreign mailings, $5 per year additional .Subscriptions always begin with the next issue,unless current issue is specified . Back issues areavailable for $2 ($2 .50 outside U .S .) .Change of Address : Attach or copy mailing labelin letter, giving new address . If mailing label iswrong, please correct it .Advertising rate sheet and information is availableon request .Contributions and correspondence are alwaysinvited . Enthusiasts who contemplate sendingsubstantial material should request ourguidelines for writers and photographers .Contributions used become the property of KiteLines . Return of unsolicited material cannot beguaranteed unless accompanied by ample stampand envelope, self-addressed . Accuracy of contentsof Kite Lines is the responsibility of individualcontributors. Diverse views presented inKite Lines are not necessarily those of the editoror of the American Kitefliers Association .Closing Dates for advertising, articles and newsare Jan . 1 for Spring, Apr. 1 for Summer, July 1for Fall and Oct . 1 for Winter .Postmaster : Second class postage paid at Baltimore,Maryland . If undeliverable, please sendaddress change Form 3579 to Kite Lines, 7106Campfield Road, Baltimore, MD 21207.Volume 2, Number 1, Spring-Summer 1978Death of the Rotoki Inventor/ 38By Guy D . Aydlett .Brummitt's Blasphemies Rebuked/Ultimate Questions/ 39By Guy D . Aydlett . How the great rotor kite has been profaned -andsome other well-spun yarns .Towards a Taxonomy of Kites/Ultimate Questions/ 40Story and sketches by John Spendlove . A grand design for analysis of kiteclassifications. Perhaps likely to be controversial, these divisions seem sureto influence kite semantics for years to come . Charted with charm on aspecial poster pull-out .New American Tradition : Kite Festivals!/ 44By Valerie Govig. A useful compendium of guidelines for kite festivalorganizers, served with the salt of personal opinion . Also included is asmall essay on "The Longevity Factor."Figure Kiting/ 57By Welka D . (Red) Braswell . A competition pattern for dual-linecontrol kites .L'Introduction au Cerf-Volant Club de France/ 60Story and Photographs by David M . Checkley. A stylish day kiting at thePolygon in the Bois de Vincennes, near Paris .New Department : AKA News/ 64Announcement of AKA's First National Meeting/ 64AKA at Work in Washington/64Three Issues for Kiteflying Presented for the Nationwide RecreationPlan, by Wood Ellis .Safety Council Report, by Wood Ellis, with an Interim Safety Code,a matrix of categories for safety standards and a referendum onsafety and AKA procedures .Kite Safety in the Headlines/ 70Directory of Kite Clubs/ 71Complete and up-to-date information on kite organizations andtheir publications as Kite Lines knows them throughout the world .Letter from the Editor/ 9Letters/ 10Design Workshop/ 14Plans for some competition caliber kites, including -The Rogallo Corner Kite, by Ed Grauel, and The Craftsmanship ofLincoln Chang, by John Hartsook .What's New : Kites, Books, Sundries/ 21The Flexifoil reviewed by Curtis Marshall ; Professor Waldorf's Box Kiteand Wind Mill Kites reviewed by Mel Govig ; and book review by GaryJ . Hinze of Why Kites Fly .Kite Calendar/ 32Flying with the Old Pro/ 68By Bob Ingraham .Classifieds/ 79Swap Shop/ 79New Department : Directory of Outlets/ 80A butterfly on the breeze - in the great tradition ofChina's kites, kept alive through the artistry of J . C . Young .This craftsman, however, has been quick to adapt olddesigns to new techniques and materials, while workingfrom memory alone . Mr. Young moved from Taiwan toSeattle where he was photographed by an admiringfellow kiter, John F . Van Gilder. (Story on page 18 .)

My letter to you this issue will not bea tidily contained essay . Rather it willsprawl weed-like in the form of a seriesof answers to questions you may have,in order of probable importance :1 . Why is Spring and Summer combinedin one issue? Because it became veryhard on our advertisers to have adsdelayed past the time intended . Weput them all in this one, extra-fatissue so none would have to wait . Asmost of you have probably noticed,scheduling has been our worst problemin this first year . The lag reallyoccurred last summer and we simplyhave not caught up . There are so manyreasons for this it would take pages toexplain and I'm sure no one reallywants to know . We are confident, however,that the systems are now in placefor smoother and timelier productionhenceforth .2 . Does this issue count as one ortwo quarters in my term of membership?One! You don't lose an issue! Yourterm has been automatically extendedfor one quarter .3 . Where is that AKA BibliographyI've been expecting? It's in the works andwill be out between this issue and next .4 . Do I get a membership card? Yes!You will get it shortly .5 . What's this issue all about? We leftout a few of our regular departmentsthis time in order to bring you thisSpecial Issue devoted to kite festivals .We have had so many requests for informationabout them that we decidedto give this difficult subject a trial run .If this issue is well received we may dosomething similar in the future . Please,will you send me your reactions as aguide to planning future issues aroundkite festivals?Speaking of kite festivals, you'll notethere is a new one planned for September16-the Ocean City, MD, GrandNational . It's of interest that the longhoped-for,now-a-reality nationalmeeting of the American KitefliersAssociation has been scheduled to precedethis event, making it convenientfor kitefliers to enjoy two great gettogethersin one weekend trip . I urgeyou to mark your calendars now andstart making your plans to attend themeeting on the morning of September15 . See page 76 for further informationabout the meeting, and pages 78-79for a rundown on the Grand National .Complete information about the meetingwill be mailed separately to allmembers soon, but do plan now to bewith us for this exciting double billon the Eastern Shore!

A FRIEND IN ENGLANDThe caravan was packed, the weatherlooked set fine for a fortnight in Cornwalland my wife was busy checking off the listof items we needed to take . That list getslonger every year and now it includes theparaphernalia of my son Ian's new interest- kites!The list was ticked off : two reels, sparenylon line, the Dunford and Peter Powelldirigibles, 12-foot rip-stop delta, eight-footdouble Conyne, double sail roller, semiflexiblesoarer and a plastic sled . All thehome-made kites came from details inDavid Pelham's The Penguin Book of Kites .This book, together with TV publicity forthe Peter Powell kite, has helped to createa revival of kiting in this country .Time for a quiet smoke before the "off" ;the delay being well rewarded, for therestood the postmistress carrying a mysteriousbrown parcel with U .S .A . stampsfiveback copies of Kite Tales . There was afeast of reading indeed should the weatherprove wet. It did . Never mind, there wereall those magazines just waiting to be read .What a mine of interest they proved to be .We can give a couple of hints for deltaconstructions by way of adding our twocentsworth (tuppence worth in England) :A few inches of strong nylon line passedround the spine during construction andbrought out on the top where the spreaderbar crosses, can secure a rubber bandthrough which the spreader is threaded .This allows the spreader to move butretains it under elastic tension during asudden gust and prevents breakage at themost vulnerable point, the center of thespreader.The second tip concerns getting thecenter of gravity right . We temporarilypinned the spreader anchoring tapes inplace and flew in a very light wind . If thekite floats down while remaining horizontalall is well . For a tail-heavy attitude thespreader is moved slightly forward andback if the nose dips .Finally, while on deltas, what aboutthose fringes and flaps that appear on somedesigns? They obviously add drag, whichsends the kite down-wind, but does anyincrease in stability improve the flyingcharacteristics?Attempts to fly from cliff tops at CapeCornwall with the roller and doubleConyne convinced us of something we havelong suspected . There is a great deal ofturbulence associated with hills and clifftops that can make launching difficult ifnot downright impossible .Confirmation came a few days later whenwe flew the delta in a five mile-per-hourwind in the middle of Woon GumpasCommon, a large flat open area near St .Just . We had easy launches and flights assteady as a rock, and-something I'vealways wanted to see-the kite disappearinginto cloud to reappear with a flashof sunlight on red nylon .We met a young man flying a new PeterPowell stunter kite on Porthleven beach afew days later. Our offer to help was gladlyaccepted . The kite flew like the seagullsabove with slow, smooth turns .The beaches were full of dirigibles, mostof them blatant copies of the Peter Powelldesign, and all had one thing in common .None flew like the original!The obligatory visit to the famous portof St . Ives was well rewarded . The librarywas selling off surplus books, and therewas Hart's An Historical Survey of Kites for50 pence (about 35() .Nice to see your constructional articlesare still in the good old fashioned feetand inches . Here in the U .K . we are halfway to metrication . Literally, since thescrews in one of our local hardware storesare Whitworth and all the nuts have metricthreads .Time to put away the magazines, however,for holidays and kiteflying, like allgood things, must come to an end .The long journey home was relieved byday-dreaming of all those kites yet to bemade, as well as finishing the radiocontrolledcamera for aerial photographyfrom a kite .The post waiting for us at home includedthe usual pile of bills, but there at thebottom was yet another brown envelopewith U .S .A . stamps-yes, the first copy ofKite Lines. I suppose the caravan unpackingcan wait awhile ; we have to get our prioritiesright!If any readers are taking a holiday inthe U .K . this summer and find themselvesanywhere near the Midlands, please callin for a chat and, weather permitting, aspot of kiteflying at our local site . If theweather turns foul-well there's alwaysthe pub at the bottom of the hill! Give usa ring first on Sedgley 70162 . The postaladdress is 19 Denise Drive, Bilston, WestMidlands, WV14 9LG, England .In the meantime we would welcomeletters from any enthusiasts . Tight lines,as the anglers say .Jim WhitehouseWest Midlands, EnglandFORMULAS FOR KITE REEL PRESSUREMy brother and I both liked the Fall issue,but the article on reels left out one importantpoint : when line is allowed to spin offthe end of a spool, it gets a twist in it . Thiscan cause tangles or breaks . The KiteFactory's Skeiner and many oriental reelsget around this by winding loops alternatelyclockwise and counterclockwise sothe twists cancel, but they are more difficultto handle .I have mastered the crook-of-the-armmethod, but I am not familiar with the twohandedorbital motion . (It was not explainedin the article .)I can keep a light kite in the air byspinning the line in at about five milesper hour, but for heavier kites I get someoneto pull the line in hand-over-handwhile I spin the reel . Sometimes I shove a%x12" dowel through a spool of monofilament. If in a big hurry to go somewhere,I can attach my geared hand drill to theend for fast winding. I have had 15-lb .mono crush a solid pine spool .A three-inch wide, 3 4 diameter spoolwith 1000 feet of line under four pounds oftension will experience a pressure of 964psi .The formulas are n=½ π r, T= nS andP=T/wr where 1 is the length of the line ininches, r is the radius of the spool in inches,n is the number of windings (which maybe rounded off to a whole number), S isthe tension in the line in pounds, T is thetension in the windings in pounds, w isthe width of the spool in inches and P isthe resulting pressure on the surface ofthe spool in pounds per square inch . Inthe derivation I have neglected the thicknessof the windings . It is usually smallcompared with the diameter, so the erroris small .Gary J . HinzeSan Jose, CATHOSE INSTRUMENTAL BOXESAs a professional meteorologist, I havelong been interested in the historical roleplayed by kites in early atmospheric research. I am particularly interested inlearning more about the kite-related researchconducted by the Weather Bureaustation at Blue Hill, MA, and would welcomethe opportunity to correspond orconverse with anyone who worked with theWeather Bureau kite network during theperiod spanning 1899-1933 . Are thereany AKA members who can help me?Bruce Springer, Capt ., USAF95-106 Hiikua PlaceMililani, HI 96789TWO-LINE KITE FISHING?The Fall 1977 edition of Kite Lines has alot of class . I liked Wayne Baldwin'sarticle on the island native kite fisherman .It would seem practical to fish fromtwo-string guided kites . The fishermancould draw a spinning lure from side toside in the manner of trolling . He could

wind his catch in with the kite if he constructeda two-reel winder of the typeused on the Garber Target Kites of WorldWar 11. 1 constructed one of scrap lumberthat works quite well . Of course, dwellersof small islands can always provide themselveswith an off-shore breeze with a shorttrip the leeward side of the island . Wecontinent-bound folks aren't always solucky.Neil ThorburnSan Jose, CAA FAN LETTERThe Fall 1977 issue of your magazinearrived today, and I must tell you it waswell worth waiting for . All the articleswere excellent, but I was especially impressedby the first-class layout and typography.Evidently you have a fine artdirector in Weston Phipps .Congratulations on your fine publication.George CohenAthens, OHKITE PEN PALS SOUGHTI would like to correspond with fellow kiteenthusiasts in the States, Canada, theCaribbean and Latin America .I'm in my early forties, with a wife andtwo children under school age . Currentlybetween jobs ("redundant") in aircraftengineering, I have been kiting most daysfor nearly a year now . 1 build my ownkites and do some designing too .Having some knowledge of musicalinstrument electric pick-ups, I have designeda special transducer to enable meto record the noises made by the kite andits tow line during flight . The range ofsounds and quality can be beautiful at times .John D . Green77, Rainbow AvenueHackenthorpeSheffield, S12 4AR, EnglandI arrived home from work and there wasKite Lines . Nobody saw me for the rest ofthe evening ; even my favorite TV programswere given a miss . May I complimentyou on a fantastic publication . Ifound each and every page interesting .I would like to hear from other "addicts"in the States and other parts of the world .Kiteflying is still regarded here fairlymuch as kid's stuff, but it is slowly changing. I feel this is mainly due to severalnew kites available on the market here .Two of them are stunters, one a diamondone a delta . They both perform well andare a common sight on a good day . Anotheris a Bell tetrahedral available in twosizes . More often than not when Dad takeshis kids kiteflying it's Dad who ends upholding the line and poor junior has toamuse himself in some other way .Here in New Zealand we have plenty ofwide open space still and there alwaysseems to be some sort of breeze . I live justup from one of the beaches on the AucklandHarbor so I have that when the tideis out and an adjacent playing field if thetide is in .Since buying Pelham's Penguin Book ofKites I've made a few of the kites whichhave caused a lot of interest . At the momentI'm in the middle of getting a parafoiltogether. I've had a few of the "ethnic"kites up and also a parawing and varioussleds . By the way, it's really great to haveEd Grauel in Design Workshop . An outriggerkite (Spring 1977 Kite Lines) is onmy list of musts .I can't get over the availability of readymadesand equipment you have in yourpart of the world . Here in New Zealandwe have to improvise in most cases but wedo get flying .Kenneth Beale18 Rodney RoadNorthcote PointAuckland 9, New Zealand

Here are some competition caliber kites :the Corner Kite, honored at the 1977 SmithsonianKite Carnival, and Lincoln Chang'skites, prize winners many years at theOahu Kite Contest.THE ROGALLOCORNER KITEBy Ed GrauelIf you have been searching for a kiteto make that is quite novel in appearanceyet flies well, this may be it-theCorner Kite . Francis Rogallo inventedthis kite for use as a radar reflector,then allowed it to gather dust in thePatent Office until his family's enterprise,Rogallo Flexikites, started producingit commercially. Kite buffs mayobtain an original for $30 from RogalloFlexikites, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949 . Orif you wish to make your own, KiteLines is privileged to present theinstructions, with "Rog's" kind consent .Actually the Corner Kite is a two-cellbox kite with four rigid side vanesemanating from the center of the kiterather than formed into squares-inother words, a cross (+) rather than abox (#) . Interestingly, the kite iseasier to construct than the customarybox and requires only four pieces ofmaterial 23 inches square . Plastic orTyvek ® can be used, but lightweightrip-stop nylon is recommended becauseit permits firmer sleeves for themast and spreader sticks . Avoid mixingdifferent materials for the cover or thetwo cells because variation in porositywill result in poor flying performance .MATERIALS• 4 pieces of 23 "-square coveringmaterial-nylon rip-stop, plastic orTyvek (larger by % " on each side toallow for hems if necessary)• One center mast stick, % " dia . x 67 "long (2 sticks 33% " may be joined bytubing, such as brass, about 4" long)• 8 spreader sticks, % "dia . x 23" long• Guy lines and flying line : braidedpolyester, about 30-lb . recommended• Miscellaneous : 8 each grommets andcurtain hooks (or extra pocket fabric)TOOLS• Sewing machine (or a deft hand withneedle and thread)• Drill (optional - see story)INSTRUCTIONS1 . Mark a 1" wide sleeve diagonallyon each of the 4 fabric cover sections(see Figure 3) .2. Join the 2 cover sections togetherby placing one on top of the second sothe diagonals are aligned and sew 2rows of stitching, forming a diagonalchannel or sleeve, which will form thecenter of the 4 vanes of the cell andreceive the central mast .3 . Repeat the same sewing procedurefor the remaining 2 cover sections .4 . Sew pockets or attach grommets tothe vane tips . To explain : The cornersof the vanes must be extended to buildthis kite . Rogallo uses neat cloth pocketsfor this purpose . I have found thatthe grommet-curtain hook system iseasier to make and use (see Figure 4) .I put grommets in the vane tips whichaccept the spreader sticks fitted withcurtain hooks . If pockets are used, theymust be placed on each side of each ofthe open corners, making 8 pocketsfor each cell, or 16 pockets for the 2cells . If grommets are used, only oneper corner is required since the hookscan go into one eyelet from both sides .5 . Insert the center mast . To explain :The center mast which connects the twocells is 67" long . I use two %" dia .dowels, each 33Y2 "long, which slip intoa piece of brass tubing 4" long, andwhich acts as a connector at the centerof the kite . Insert the center mast intothe open ends of the diagonal sleeveson each cell . I drill a hole in each ofthe mast sections near the open ends ofthe sleeves and by means of needleand thread tie the cells to the mast tokeep the cover sections from slippingup the mast . Rogallo puts eyelets nearthe inner ends of each open sleeveand ties the two cells together in thecenter with cord . (see Figure 1) .6 . Insert 8 spreader sticks % "dia . x 23"long into the small side pockets, or thegrommets as the case may be, to openup the vanes and give them rigidity .7 . Now tie the supporting guy linesdiagonally from vane tip to vane tipand repeat this process in the oppositedirection on the other side of the kite(see Figure 2) . The guy lines should betied snugly, but not made so tight asto distort the configuration of the cells .8 . The flying line goes directly to anyone of the 8 grommets holding thespreaders, omitting the necessity for abridle .FLYINGYour Corner Kite should now be readyfor airing. If it has been made carefullyand the two cells are in good alignmentand the center mast straight, it shouldtake off from your hand in an 8 mileper-hourwind and fly steadily andreliably as long as the wind staysunder 20 to 22 miles per hour. If youwant to attach a 14" drogue at thebottom of the center mast, the kiteshould take a maximum wind of 30miles per hour.VARIATIONSI hear the question arising-whatabout a single-cell Corner? This versionwill fly very well if bridled differently.While the double-cell CornerKite flies on the principle of a box kiteflown flat to the wind, the single-cellCorner flies on the principle of a boxangled to the wind (see Figure 5) .To fly the single-cell version, use atwo-leg bridle attached to the top andbottom of the center mast, just longenough to clear the spreaders, but notlong enough to slip outside the vanetips on either side . An equal-sidedthree-point bridle attached at the topof the two adjacent horizontal cornerscould also be used . In my tests, thesingle-cell Corner had a wind range of7 to 20 miles per hour using a 14-inchdrogue, and attained an unusual angleof elevation of 60 degrees .

Drawings s how traditional Rokakku, center. flankedby two Lincoln Chang modifications.THE CRAFTSMANSHIPOF LINCOLN CHANGBy John H . HartsookDuring a visit to Hawaii last year Ihad the pleasure of meeting the lateLincoln Chang . He was kind enoughto share many kiteflying sessions withme and divulge some of his "tradesecrets," acquired over many yearsof building, flying and experimentingwith kites . His favorite kite was theJapanese Rokkaku, but he also builtother oriental kites . following traditionalChinese, Korean and Philippinedesigns .You could be sure to find him everySaturday and Sunday morning inKapiolani Park, a wide expanse ofpalm-fringed, grassy fields just acrossLincoln Chang shows his craft to an admirer.the road from Waikiki Beach . Youmight also find some of the membersof the Hawaiian chapter of AKA, suchas Warren Zane, Wayne Baldwin orJohn Osaki, who looked upon Lincolnas their mentor .You won't see any deltas in KapiolaniPark . With trade winds usuallyfrom 18 to 20 knots, this is fresh tostrong wind country. Although on theleeward side of Oahu, the winds inthe park have not lost much of theirstrength rushing over the spine ofmountains, spilling most of theirmoisture on the way . While the northern,or windward, side of the island isoften cloudy, the leeward side enjoyssunshine most of the time . It is akiteflier's paradise-if you like wind,that is . Strong construction, strongmaterials, strong lines are a must .Lincoln developed certain modificationsto improve the Japanese Rokkaku,the design of which, he claimed, hasnot been altered for 300 years . It hasalways traditionally been made byprofessional kite makers, who havehanded down their secrets within thefamily from generation to generation,much like Italian violin makers .The most important modification,he felt, was to lead the outline abovethe top spar from the top of the mastto points halfway between the centerand the ends of the spar . In the traditionaldesign the outline is carriedto the ends of the spar. This modificationallows the spar to assume a compoundcurve, bending downward aswell as backward, and facilitating theforming of pockets which providestability. Another modification is theshortening of the lower spar, whileyet another is the alteration of theoutline of the bottom by the additionof spreaders forming an inverted Vlashed to the mast and lower spar. Theaccompanying diagrams show thetraditional Rokkaku and two LincolnChang kites, from which I took thedimensions .The masts of those two kites are ofwhole stalk bamboo and the spars ofsplit sections . The two spars arebowed . The mast and spars must be asstiff as possible, consistent with lightweight, so that there is limited flexingwith changing wind pressure . Theouter portions of the upper spar,however, are free to bend downward .Lincoln covered his kites withtransparent synthetics, such as Mylar ®or "Brown-in-Bag," and decoratedthem with traditional faces of Japanesewarrior heroes, using acrylic paintapplied with a brush after carefullycleaning the plastic surface with soapand water. The transparency of theplastic gives the colors a stainedglasswindow effect against the sky,enhanced by broad black outlinesseparating the colors . The covering iscut into three horizontal panels attachedto the mast, spars and stringperimeter with contact cement, andoverlapping along the spars .The diagrams also indicate thebridling points, at the circles . Thebridle leg attached to the center ofthe mast of the larger kite is to keepit from assuming a concave curve instrong wind . The smaller of the twokites, Lincoln explained, does not needthe additional bridle leg because themast is relatively stiffer. A loop ofline is tied to the stick at each bridlepoint and the bridle legs are then attachedto these loops with a tiller hitch,making quick adjustments easy .For flying line, Lincoln used 100-lb .test braided Dacron ® polyester. Hisreels were flat wooden frames, for conveniencein storing the line, not forretrieving ; he preferred to walk downhis kite .All of those who were privileged toknow Lincoln Chang will join with mein saying in memoriam : "Aloha oe!" 0

This page, top, J . C . Young with his Chinesehawk kite . The back, working side showshinges at the wing roots that allow the kite tosimply fold, center. Below, in flight, the hawk'stail hinges, making the body/fuselage veryshort and producing a lifelike, wing-flappingmotion . Opposite, top, Young's seven-footChinese phoenix bird of bamboo, nylon andMylar" sprayed with florescent paint . In thebackground is a Jack Van Gilder 50-deltatrain . Opposite, center J . C . Young with hisChinese dragon, distinguished from a centipedeby its four legs, horse-like head and17 disks rather than the 60 or so for somecentipedes.IN SEATTLE, J .C. YOUNG CREATESPhotographs by John F . Van GilderThe soft winds of Seattle, WA, are notlike the strong ones of Taiwan, so inmaking his kites J .C . Young says, "Ihave switched to paper." In semiretirementin Seattle for about twoyears, after a career in government inTaiwan, he still wears the coat, tie andhat uniform of his former job . Butwhere his kites are concerned he definitelyhas adapted .J .C . Young has only been makinghis own kites since about 1973 . Hesimply remembered how it was donefrom his childhood and started makingthem again. He now numbers morethan 10 designs in his collection ofintricate, perfectly balanced creations-including a dragonfly, serpent, goldfish,star, centipede, butterfly, dragonand phoenix bird .While expertly assembling one of hisfavorites, the butterfly, he remarks,"You need the same part of bamboo foreach side so that the kite is perfectlybalanced . If it's not right, you'll neverget it back in one piece ."He sends the kite up on 30-lb . testfishing line with a jerk of his arm . In1977, Young entered the Seafair competitionheld on Elliott Bay, entering a60-section centipede . Of the fourcentipedes entered, his was the onlyone that got off the ground . "The trickis in the center line," he says. "If it'sright, one pull will get it up ."Born in Yunnan province, J .C .Young's father became a general in thearmy of Chiang Kai-Shek . His fatherliked to fly kites but let his subordinatesmake them for J .C . and hisbrothers . J .C . fled to Taiwan with hisfamily in 1949 at the time of the Communisttakeover. While still there,where two of his six children still live,Young and a friend constructed hismost ambitious effort . Working two tothree hours daily for a month, theybuilt a 120-disk centipede measuring250 feet in length . They won a firstplace prize with it .Now Young is living in Washingtonstate, where he is a member of theWashington Kitefliers Association . Hisbutterfly kite was designed on a bet .He asked his friends who were makingthis type of kite why they didn't makeit so that it would break down forportability. They said it couldn't bedone. So Young made one-and wonthe bet (see cover and this page) .The kite on our cover: J .C. Young's butterflybeing removed in five parts from its case,which measures 36 by 20 inches.

J .C . Young is now a familiar figureat WKA flies, where he provides anexample of that odd blend of behaviorso characteristic of kitefliers-competitionand relaxation . He spendshours creating his kites and then takespains with the proper manipulation ofthe line -yet he muses : "I enjoy myselfkiteflying and it gives me peace ofmind . An old Chinese philosophy saysthat when you're fishing, you're alwayslooking down . But when kiteflyingyou're looking up ." One might observethat Chinese sayings are as good asChinese kites. J .V.G./V.G .The two lower wings are inserted intoaluminum tube sections. The antennae arespring steel wound with bright-colored yarn.The top pair of wings are inserted next. Sparslock to the body with rubber bands (notebanding below wrist watch) . The eyes rotate .Assembled! Total elapsed time : six minutes.This view shows the back of the butterfly . (Thefront of the kite may be seen on our cover.)

What's New:Kites, Books, SundriesREALLY NEW : THE FLEXIFOILThere is no Ultimate Kite . For some,the ideal is a kite so stable it appearspainted on the sky . For others, moreaggressive, a very "active" kite is thegoal . Some are pleased only by a fighterkite and some only by elaboratelyconstructed box kites . I find myselfdrawn to any kite which representsa departure from the usual-a kitewhich shows originality and shoutsdefiance at the "tried and true ." I hadheard of and had seen pictures of theFlexifoil, designed in England by RayMerry and Andrew Jones, but was notimpressed until I saw an actual sample .I was first intrigued and, in the spaceof a few minutes, fascinated . Thus, Iwas pleased at the opportunity toreview the Flexifoil for Kite Lines .The design of this kite is, at firstglance, relatively simple, i.e ., a 23-inch by 68-inch nylon wing, filled,like a Parafoil, by the ram of the air .Closer consideration, however, showsthat it is not merely a Parafoil withoutfins, but rather a different aerodynamicentity with the center of lift very nearthe leading edge so that the ventralfins, so vital to the Jalbert Parafoil,would play no role on this kite . Thefact that the center of lift coincidessimultaneously with the center ofgravity (i .e ., the cross-bar) and thebridle point makes the weight of thesingle cross-bar of little importance,provided it is within reason . The ventsacross the leading edge are coveredwith cloth mesh which tends to maintainthe geometric stability of the openings. There are ten "cells" with noopenings through the airfoil septa .This seems to me to approach the minimumnumber of cells and I would behappier with 15 or 20 which would benarrower, but this would significantlyincrease the labor of construction .The materials used are relatively>straightforward : rip-stop nylon for the;ail with a single cross-bar, a doubletapered fiberglass tube . This cross-bars lides into a tunnel of cloth along theleading edge just below the line ofthe vents and appears to be two fishingrodsegments which separate at thecenter. A soft rubber grommet at eachtip allows one to attach the flying lineswhich then pass through metal ringsattached to each end of the cloth tunnel .This mode of line attachment providessome give, so as not to overstretchthe sail during moments of increasedwind speed . In addition, the directionof pull causes the halves of the crossbarto be forced together during flight .The sewing is adequate, but notelaborate . The airfoil sections are nothemmed prior to assembly but thenthere is little stress at such locations .There is more than adequate reinforcementat those locations where significantstress occurs .The "control bar" furnished with thekite is a three-foot 7/8-inch dia . hardwooddowel notched deeply at each endto act as a bobbin upon which thecontrol lines are wound . Although thiscould be improved upon, it is adequateand fulfills the requirements withoutincreasing the cost . The kite comes withdual 225-foot twisted nylon controllines which are usable to begin with butwill need replacing after much use .The Flexifoil's remarkable abilityto withstand high impact crashes stemsinherently from the basic design . Thesingle rigid unit in the structure canreadily flex and so in itself is almostimmune to fracture . The remainder ofthe kite, being soft, can only be injuredby something akin to a barbed wirefence or a bonfire . The soft rubbercross-bar grommets did not remain intheir appointed places for me, so Ireplaced them with solid nylon cupsdrilled crosswise to permit anchorageof the flying lines .From the point of view of portability,the Flexifoil is fine - an importantconsideration for anyone who wishesto travel cum kite . The sail, cross-bar,flying lines and line control bar fitneatly into the included 39-inch by 2Y2 -inch rip-stop bag . The entire packageweighs in at a scant 18 ounces . I travelextensively and always take along afew kites . Although many of my largerkites have a wing spread of up to 18feet, I will only build a kite whichcan break down to fit into a three-footbag . Thus, the Flexifoil satisfies mytraveling requirements, as well as thoseof commercial airlines which take a dimview of any kite which will not fitbeneath the seat or which, when packaged,is longer than three feet .Aesthetically, the commercial Flexifoilfor me leaves something to bedesired . Proportions are not as pleasingas they might be and the single colortends to hide eye-pleasing movementsand attractive contours which mightotherwise be revealed in flight . However,when I thought about it I cameto the conclusion that any real artisticendeavor would most likely call forsome unpleasant increase in what isalready an intimidating U .S . importwould likeprice of about $76 . But Ito see the drabness broken up by a fewcircles, or a giant pair of ruby lips,or perhaps even a moire patterncreated by the interplay of top andThe Flexifoil : a different aerodynamic entity, sure to father a series of new kites in turn .

What's Newbottom designs .If one holds the kite by one end ofthe cross-bar, swings it through theair to inflate it and then releases it,the wing glides admirably . This at theoutset suggests the likelihood that itmay under certain circumstances,overfly at the zenith or glide upwindduring momentary lulls, producingunmanageable slack line . This characteristicmust be kept in mind whenflying this type of kite . The instructionsprovided with the Flexifoil are explicitand helpful .We finally come to the moment offlight . The Flexifoil, in a word, isdifferent! It is not a light wind kite,but requires a moderate breeze of morethan five knots . The person who walksthe kite out to the end of the linewants to aid by giving the kite a slightupward toss to get it started . This justdoes not work ; the kite simply divesto the earth . It will, however, takeoff very nicely on its own from eitherearth or hand if it is first well inflatedfrom the ambient wind . Thereafter, aslight tug on the lines will shift thewing to a tail-down position and upshe goes . During the vertical portionof the ascent there is a strong drag anda marked arching of the cross-bar aswell as of the entire kite . But whenthe zenith is approached, it floats, unlikeits Parafoil relative, with almostno lift . However, if a strong wind hitsit and so pulls it somewhat downwind,the lift can become noteworthy . It isat this time, when heavily bowed, thatthe kite demonstrates its least endearingtrait-it performs a flappingmotion, about four per second . Duringthis activity, control becomes somewhatless than precise . However, undermost conditions, a tilted control barwill initiate a turn, a power dive, or ahorizontal sweep, accompanied bysufficient increase in drag and lift tolet the flier know that he indeed hasa live one on the line . With littleeffort, the kite can be made to performthe usual stunting actions, includinga reasonably fast hedge-hopping justabove the ground, but the success ofsuch a maneuver is dependent uponthe degree of ground turbulence,especially when the winds are light .A cross-wind can collapse the cellsand make recovery difficult if notimpossible .The kite itself is not heavy, althoughits mass is distributed evenly along itssix-foot width and this, in itself, providessome rotational inertia whensnap turns are attempted . Also onemust accept the inertia of the trappedair which can be best appreciated whenthe kite with its load of air dives tothe ground . Thus, the Flexifoil is notas responsive as some other more compactand lighter designs of two-stringkites, but then too, speed of responseis not the only yardstick with which tomeasure a controllable kite . Further,the Flexifoil has definite advantagesof its own, such as smooth recoverability.Finally, I would not comparethe Flexifoil only to stunters but tothe whole genera of kites, in whichcompany it more than holds its own .Also the ease with which the kite canbe rigged to fly in multiples will endearit to man\, .In much the same manner by whichRogallo's Flexikite or Jalbert's Parafoilgave rise to whole families of kitedesigns, so the Flexifoil, in its generation,most surely will father a seriesof new kites . The do-it-yourself kiterswill be undeterred by the constructionrequirements which are in fact simplerthan those of the Parafoil . In general,it appears that the basic design is quite

What's Newforgiving and that modest errors ofdimensions and assembly will haverelatively little effect on the performance. I tend to doubt that garbagebagplastic versions will appear ; theeffort of creating a construction ofthis complexity would be hard tojustify with materials which could bedestroyed in one crash .For whom is this kite suitable" Iwould think that anyone of averageweight and 12 years of age or olderwho has average hand-eve coordinationcould enjoy this kite . As testimonyto the pleasure one can achieve fromflying this kite, let me state that ithas succeeded in rekindling an activeflying interest in a number of myfriends who previously had becomesomewhat jaded with exposure torepetitive kite designs and the predictablesureness of their own flyingskills . The combination of the uniquecharacteristics found in this designwill assure it a place in the collectionof the serious kiteflier for many yearsto come .C . M .PROFESSOR WALDOF'S BOX KITEThis arresting, crystal-like kite, namedProfessor Waldof's Box Kite, is difficultto describe . It's a hexagonal box withtwin concentric hexagonal cells . Thecenter cells dynamically suspended bysix rip-stop nylon vanes, are the basisof the kite's strength and stability . Thesix upright sticks are stretched by sixspreader sticks which support the kite'swings . Pretied bracing strings hold theassembled kite rigid . Completed size is27% " high by 27% " wide with 13% "wings at the six angles .The designer's signature on this kiteis obvious . Nothing about it justhappened . Even the materials areplanned with an attention to detail thattestifies to the sophisticated mind of itsinventor, Peter Waldron . For instance,all the nylon pieces, including cells,wings and tubes for sticks, are cut fromnine-inch wide strips of rip-stop, avery well-planned use of either 45-or 54-inch material . The kite leavesyou with the feeling that you couldrediscover the Professor's careful planningone piece at a time and still haveone more surprise .The kite's main attribute is theremarkable stability and lift of itsstrange shape . It is twice as wide asit is high . The high aspect ratio makesit very responsive to changes of winddirection . It flies almost like an Eddykite insofar as its wind-seeking characteris concerned .It would be easy to underestimate thestrength of line needed for this kitebecause of the relatively small overallsize . But don't attempt to fly ProfessorWaldof's kite on less than 40- or 50-lb .test line . It has nearly 30 square feet oflifting surface, approximately theequivalent of a five-by-six-foot rectangularkite . Such a special kite (at sucha special price-about $65) should notbe lost because of being flown on inadequateline .We encountered no problems withthe assembly . The step-by-step instructionsadd their own pleasure, unfoldingslowly the imaginative designof this beautiful sky sculpture .M .G ./T.L.M .WIND MILL KITESThere's a new kid on the block and helooks pretty impressive from the "treetested"models that were sent to KiteLines for testing . Warren Berger andhis wife Sara have started business as

What's NewWind Mill Kites in Louisa, VA .. Accordingto Warren, he has been interestedin kites for a year and a half, andhas applied his learning and machinist'sskill to devise some truly new kites .We tested four kites from Wind Mill .All are constructed of one-mil Mylar")and birch dowels . Three of the four aresled variations . All the kites carry veryattractive printed designs by artistSteven Fisher. Prices run from $8 to $13 .50.The Wind Mill Sled, true to itsAllison origins, was a better-thanaveragesled, but we most enjoyed theWinged Sled, a very high aspect designwith two added keels attached tothe kite along the sticks ; it is 24 inchestall and 48 inches wide . More importantthan what it is, is what it does : itflies in the manner of a Parafoil or aFlare, except that the Winged Sledrequires no tail or drogue . Parafoilfans will be pleased with the high angleand lift of this little wonder .Code : P=Portability ; AT=Assembly Time ; ED=Estimated Durability ; EWS=Estimated Wind Speed(min .-max . mph) ; AF=Angle of Flight ; SL=Skill Level : N=Novice, I=Intermediate, S=SkilledRatings : P=Poor, F=Fair, G=Good, VG-Very Good, E=ExcellentThe Hooded Cobra is the WingedSled with keels slightly modified andlong tail added . While the kite has avery novel appearance and flies well ingood breezes, the cobra tail decreasesthe efficiency of the kite and makes itfly at a much lower angle .The last kite from Wind Mill isradically-one might say courageously-unusual; a six-foot wingspandelta bird with maximum chord measureof only one foot . The SoaringWing is quite well balanced by meansof very original treatment of thespreader bar and keel . During firstassembly, I had my doubts about thisone but it did fly well and reachedan angle of 85 degrees without overflying. I would not recommend thiskite for the beginner because of thetricky launch presented by so highan aspect ratio . But keen kiters may enjoythis kite's strong personality . Thekeel on our Soaring Wing had to berepaired ; a little reinforcement alongthe first six inches of the keel in advanceof flying is recommended as apreventive ounce for kitefliers .M.G ./R .K .Reels Follow-UBy Mel Govig, assisted by A . Pete lanuzziQUICKSILVER'S FIREBIRDThe Firebird is basically a Mylarfighter kite with a dramatic Phoenixprint and 18 feet of tapered Mylar tailin two "tongues" of fire red . It flieslike a fighter tamed ; although it can bemade to maneuver with exaggeratedline action, its natural tendency istoward stable flight. My sample flewwell in light winds, but in winds above15 knots the Firebird went into long,uncontrolled loops .The designer may have hoped tocapture maneuverability and stabilityin the same kite - a valiant attempt atan impossible ideal . The kite succeeds,however, as an especially attractivedesign and a good flier in light winds .It's well-made and reasonable at $8 .M . G .Just after the Fall 1977 Kite Lines wasout with a major article on reels, somenew models came on the market, sowe are looking at them now . We willreview some more reels in the nextissue with a Data Chart to summarizethe new models .NEW SPOOLS FROM SHANTIShanti established itself with Indiantypespools made with chipboard enddiscs that were just a little rough forlight-weight line, so we were glad tosee the new wooden versions fromShanti . The Oak Spool, about $3, andthe Super Spool, about $4, both include500 feet of line .Shantis are no different in designfrom other Indian-type spools andhave the advantages and disadvantagesof the type . Their cores are largerthan some, smaller than others . Thetwo new reels are practically identicalin appearance when loaded with theirline . But the Oak Spool has a heavycardboard core while the Super Spoolhas a solid hardwood core .The line furnished with the spoolswe tested was a very good hardfinishednylon of about 20-poundbreaking strength, a good choice forone-line maneuverable kites or otherlight models .Both spools are finished with highquality lacquer. Their primary differenceis weight . The Oak Spool isvery much like any Indian reel inweight and ease of winding . The solidcore of the Super Spool gives it a lotmore momentum in quick wind-insand also has a lifetime guarantee . Idoubt whether the average kitefliercould ever crush the core of the OakSpool . I doubt whether any flier couldcrush the Super Spool, except perhapsby leaving it in the path of a car.A NEW KOREAN REELThe Magic Kite Reel is not magic butit is a reel worth having at $8 .Made of heavy cast vinyl, the weightof the reel and its size make it a veryfast reel-in for small fighter kites . Ittakes some practice to guide the line tothe center of the reel and to reel fastenough to make a fighter kite maneuver,but I think the practice shouldbe well rewarded in useful fightingtechniques . With no practice at all, Iwas able to make the Quicksilver Firebirdperform very well in winds over15 knots . It was possible, just withreel cranking, to stall, dive and recoverthis slow fighter/fast cobra . I'm convincedthat a little practice would makethe Magic Kite Reel an ideal choice forhandling Korean, tissue Indian orMylar fighter kites .I found the reel should be used ateye level, to bring it into the action

What's Newand reduce the chances of winding offthe end . Each Magic Kite Reel comes ina box printed with good instructions .About two years ago, I had theopportunity to use Lee's four-armKorean-type reel . This reel is made ofbeautifully finished hardwood with along handle that tucks under the armHOT AIRWhy Kites Fly : The Story of the Wind atWork, by Don Dwiggins (ChildrensPress, Chicago, 1976), 25 pages of text,color pictures, short bibliography,$6 .60 .This book is supposed to introduceyoung readers to aerodynamics interms of why kites fly. Basic principlesare to be clearly and simply explainedwith easy-to-understand diagrams . Abrief history of how kiteflying led tothe invention of the airplane is included .The aerodynamic force on a kite isfirst explained as a Newtonian reactionto the air which is deflected downwardby the inclined wings . This theoryoverlooks the fact that the air risesupward some distance ahead of thewing as well as flowing downwardbehind it . ¹ ² The forces calculated fromthe Newtonian impact theory do notagree at all with those measured on aflat plate in a wind tunnel. ³ Althoughthe force of the air on the wing is equaland opposite to the force of the wingon the air, this does not explain theorigin of the pattern of flow whichproduces the force .Later the aerodynamic force on acurved wing is explained with thefamous Bernoulli theorem . Unfortunately,this theorem is part of theclassical theory of ideal fluids . Anothertheorem from this mathematicaltheory, known as D'Alembert's paradox,proves that neither lift nor dragis possible in an ideal fluid. 4 ThusBernoulli's theorem can't possiblyexplain aerodynamic lift in real,viscous fluids like air .The correct explanation of the aerodynamicforce, discovered in the late1800's, is not mentioned . 5The book implies that a flat kite ispushed upward solely by the impactof air on its lower surface . Actuallythe mechanism of fluid flow is thesame for flat and cambered airfoils .Most of the lift on a flat airfoil is duefor extra leverage . At the time I usedthe reel, I flew one of Lee's bird kites,which did not suggest the reel's truepotential, as a fighter kite would have . Ibelieve that the Lee reel, which sellsfor $30, would perform with fightersas well or better than the Magic Reel .Neither of these reels is intended formule-hauling a hard-pulling kite .Korean reels are the extension of theBooksBy Gary J .Hinzeto the decrease of pressure over thetop surface. 6The forces acting on a kite in equilibriumare discussed and illustratedby a diagram . The text is unclear andappears to conflict with the diagram .The diagram is incorrect, showing amathematically and physically impossiblearrangement of forces . 7The topic of balance of forces leadsto a discussion of bridling . It is statedthat the string should be attached tothe kite's center of pressure . This islocated by placing a finger behind thekite so that the wind holds the kitesteadily against the finger. The reviewertried this method several yearsago and found that it does not work .There is a large range of positionsfor which the wind will hold the kiteagainst the finger. There is no singlecenter of pressure location ; it varieswith attack angle . The bridle pointdoes not coincide with the pressurecenter, but will be somewhere ahead ofit . A kite may fly with any of severalbridle locations, but the exact determinationof the optimum locationrequires a detailed knowledge of thekite's aerodynamic and physical characteristics.Several other aerodynamic subjectsare discussed, but the treatment is nobetter. The whole subject of stabilitygets one short paragraph comparing akite's tail with an airplane's tailfin .The brief history section is so oversimplifiedthat it misrepresents theactual events. The Wright brothersdid not simply add a small engine toa box kite, 8This book is a compilation of thefolklore of kite aeronautics . The readergets a confused, inadequate and inaccurateaccount of the subject . Ayoung reader will eventually have tounlearn what he has read . It is unfortunatethat the author didn't spendmore time researching the subject,as this is the only book publishedhands of the flier for flying fighterkites . If you can master the reel it couldsave a lot of lost and tangled line forfliers who are used to dumping the linein piles at their feet . Also the artistryof a practiced user of the Korean reelis something to behold . I've witnessedit twice, once in real life and once inmovie scenes of Tom Joe . Both times Isaw skills that reminded me I still haveplenty to learn about kiteflying .exclusively on kite aeronautics . In theauthor's favor I can say only that histreatment isn't much worse than thatgiven elsewhere .'John J . Montgomery, "Discussion onthe various papers on soaring flight,"Proceedings of the Conference on AerialNavigation, Aug . 1-4, 1893, pp . 247-249 ;reprinted in Aeronautics, Vol . 1, No . 10,July 1894, pp . 127-128 ; reprinted in ArthurDunning Spearman, John Joseph Montgomery,Father of Basic Flying, Universityof Santa Clara, 1967 and 1977, pp . 185-186 .² Frederick W . Lanchester, "The soaringof birds and the possibilities of mechanicalflight," unpublished paper read beforethe Birmingham National History andPhilosophical Society on June 19, 1894 .This formed the basis for his Aerodynamics(1907) and Aerodonetics (1908), p ub . b yConstable and Company, London .3L. Prandtl and O .G . Tietjens, AppliedHydro- and Aeromechanics, McGraw-HillBook Co ., Inc ., New York, 1934 ; Doverreprint, 1957, arts . 54 and 55, pp . 86-88 .4 S . Goldstein (ed .), Modern Developmentsin Fluid Dynamics, 2 vols ., Clarendon Press,Oxford, 1938 ; Dover reprint, 1965, vol .1, art . 7, pp . 21-26 .5Sir Oliver Graham Sutton, Mastery of theAir, Basic Books, New York, 1965 . Apopular account of aerodynamics . Chapter4 explains the modern Lanchester-Prandtltheory of lift .6Sir Horace Lamb, Hydrodynamics, CambridgeUniversity Press, 6th ed ., 1932 ;Dover reprint, 1945, art . 370, pp . 678-680 .Kites fly efficiently at attack angles of5-10° and stall at angles of 15-20° .7Charles F . Marvin, "Kite experimentsat the Weather Bureau," Monthly WeatherReview, Vol . 24, Nos . 4-7, April-July, 1896,pp . 113-123, 156-166, 199-206 and 238-255 .The system of forces is discussed on pp .156-162 and 242-244 .8Marvin W . McFarland (ed .), The Papersof Wilbur and Orville Wright, 2 vols ., Mc-Graw-Hill, New York, 1953 . Vol 1 describesthe Wrights' experiments with kites,gliders and the first powered planes . Italso contains their 1901 wind tunnelmeasurements on flat and curved surfaces .0

June(June-July), 286th Annual Naruto Giant KiteFestival (Tokushima Prefecture), on HirotoBeach, Okazaki District, Japan3International Kite Fighting Championships,Redondo Beach Pier, flying over thewater, Redondo Beach, CA . $5 entry fee ;invitational due to limited space . Write or callin advance . Sponsor and contact : SunshineKite Co . (c/o Randy Joe) . 233-B Fisherman'sWharf, Redondo Beach CA 90277, tel : (213)372-03086(June 6-11), 300th Annual Iris Festival andShirone Giant Kite Festival (Niigata Prefecture),on banks of Nakanokuchi River,10Vic's Fighter Kite Contest, with 25' tails, southof Redondo Pier, Redondo Beach, CA . Sponsorand contact: Sunshine Kite Co . (c/o RandyJoe), 233-B Fisherman's Wharf, RedondoBeach, CA 90277, tel : (213) 372-0308 .International Kite Festival, Scheveningenbeach (The Hague), Netherlands, Sponsor andcontact : Gerard van der Loo, Vlieger-OP,Rijswijkseweg 74, 2516 EH Den Haag, Holland,tel : 070-882250 .A super-size Jalbert Parafoil gives a brief lift to young cargo at the Harpers Ferry (WV) Ft - : ,2nd Annual Back to the Hills Kite Fly, noncompetitive,Kendall Hills, Cuyahoga ValleyNational Recreation Area . Akron . OH . Sponsorand contact : Ohio Society for the Elevationof Kites (c/o Tom Rask, President), 2687E . 128th St ., Cleveland . OH 44120, tel : (216)791-6563 .(Late June Saturday), 2nd Annual Inn onthe Park Kite Festival, $1 admission fee,E .T . Seton Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada .Sponsor and contact : Inn on the Park (c/oSharyn Thomas), 1100 Eglinton Ave . E .,Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3C 1 H8, tel :(416) 444-2561 .Blackheath Kite Association Kite Rally atBlackheath (London) . Contact : D . White, Hon .Secretary, 234 Plumstead High St ., Plumstead,England SE 18 1J L .253rd Annual Great Waltham Kite Festival, noncompetitive,The Playing Field, Great Waltham,Nr. Chelmsford, Essex, England . Promoted bythe Festival Committee and organized by theEssex Kite Group . Contact : Essex Kite Group(c/o Clive C . O . Rawlinson), The Croft, HoweSt ., Gt . Waltham, Chelmsford, Essex, England .Kite Festival at Stanford Hall, Lutterworth,Leicestershire, England . Organized by JimWhitehouse, 19, Denise Drive, Bilston, WestMidlands, WV14 9LG, England .(Late June or early July Sunday), HarpersFerry Family Kite Fly, non-competitive,Harpers Ferry Caverns grounds, HarpersFerry, WV. Contact : Maryland Kite Society,P. O . Box 10467, Baltimore, MD 21209, tel :(301)484-4861 .

Karl Schmid of Westminster, MD, right, poises his tetrahedral fortake-off at Nags Head, NC . Low winds let Karl and his kite down .JulyKite-Nic, non-competitive, on the beach southof the Redondo Pier, Redondo Beach . CA .Sponsor and contact : Sunshine Kite Co .(c/o Randy Joe), 233-B Fisherman's Wharf,Redondo Beach, CA 90277, tel : (213)372-030844th Annual Kite Flying Festival, recreationfield, Ocean City, NJ . Sponsor : Ocean CityRecreation Dept . Contact : Ocean City PublicRelations Dept . (c/o Mark Soifer), Box 174,Ocean City, NJ 08226, tel : (609) 399-6111 .92nd Annual Lake Erie Islands Kite Festival,Commodore Perry Monument, Put-In Bay,OH . Sponsor and contact : Ohio Society forthe Elevation of Kites (c/o Tom Rask, President),2687 E 128th St ., Cleveland, OH 44120,tel : (216) 791-6563 .There's lots to see at Seattle's kite events, as Jeri and DarrenPrewitt find, "sittin' on the tailgate, watchin' all the kites go high ."157th Annual Galleon Esplanade Kite Contest,on field north of Galleon Esplanade, NagsHead, NC . Sponsor and contact : The GalleonEsplanade (c/o Kay Culpepper), P . 0 . Box 67,Nags Head, NC 27959, tel : (919) 441-55053rd Annual Port of Seattle/Seafair Kite Contest,at Myrtle Edwards Waterfront Park,Seattle, WA . Sponsors : Port of Seattle andSeafair. Contact: Washington Kitefliers Associa- tion, c/o Pacific Science Center, 200 SecondAve . N , Seattle ., WA 98109, tel : John F. VanGilder, (206) 938-0550 .16(Tentative date), 7th Annual St. John's KiteFestival, non-competitive, on ConfederationHill overlooking city and ocean, St . Johns,Newfoundland, Canada . Sponsor and contact :Memorial University Extension Service, 21King's Bridge Rd ., St. Johns, Newfoundland,Canada, tel : (709) 753-1200, ext . 3484 .225th Annual Summer Festival, non-competitive,on the beach near the Venice Pier, Venice,CA Sponsor and contact : Let's Fly a Kite(c/o Gloria Lugo), Fisherman's Village, 13763Fiji Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90291, tel : (213)822-2561 .296th Annual Seafair/Capitol Hill Chamber ofCommerce Kite Festival, Volunteer Park,Seattle, WA . Contact : Washington KitefliersAssociation, c/o Pacific Science Center . 200Second Ave. N ., Seattle, WA 98109, tel : JohnF Van Gilder, (206) 938-0550 .

CALENDAR. Continued from page 33August6Team Kite Fighting Tournament with lessonsfrom an expert ; preregistration and $5 entryfee, which includes cutting line, are requiredon the beach south of the Redondo Pier,Redondo Beach, CA . Sponsor and contact :Sunshine Kite Co . (c/o Randy Joe), 233-BFisherman's Wharf . Redondo Beach, CA90277, tel : (213) 372-0308,133rd Annual Cleveland Games Kite-In,ConventionCenter Mall, Cleveland, OH . Sponsorand contact : Ohio Society for the Elevation ofKites (c/o Tom Rask, President), 2687 E .128th St ., Cleveland, OH 44120, tel : (216)791-6563 .3rd Annual Kite-Nic, non-competitive, SkiBeach on Mission Bay, San Diego, CA . Sponsorand contact : San Diego Kite Club (c/oVic Heredia), P. O . Box 3248, San Diego,CA 92103, tel : (714) 239-1992194th Annual Cape Cod Kite Festival, noncompetitive,Race Point Beach (NationalSeashore), Provincetown, MA . Sponsor andcontact : Outermost Kites (c/o Gabriel Dix),P. O . Box 1032, Provincetown, MA 02657,tel : (617) 487-3766 .205th Annual Sunny Sunday Kite Fly,.:noncompetitive,Inner Harbor . Baltimore, MDSponsor Downtown Coordinating Committee. Contact : Maryland Kite Society, P. O .Box 10467, Baltimore, MD 21209, tel : (301)4R4-4R ;1262nd Annual Bikes, Kites and BluegrassDay, Rockford Park, Wilmington, DE . Sponsor: Delaware Kite Club, Contact : Floyd S.Cornelison, Jr., M .D ., Suite 14, ProfessionalBldg ., Augustine Cut-Off, Wilmington, DE19803, tel : (302) 654-8351 .2nd Annual Utica Kite Flight Festival-Thon,Utica, NY . Sponsor and contact : Utica Chapterof AKA (c/o Betty Devins), 1038 Albany St .,Utica, NY 13501, tel : (315) 733-3343 .

27Canadian National Exhibition Kite Festival,Bandshell, Exhibition Place, Toronto, Ontario,Canada, $1 entry fee for entire exhibition . Writein advance for entry form . Contact : Ken Lewis,c/o Sports Dept ., Canadian National Exhibition,Exhibition Place, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaM6K 3C3, tel : (416) 366-7551SeptemberZ(September 2, 3, 4), Eighth Convergence ofthe New Jersey Section, International KitefliersAssociation, Tel Aviv, Israel, TestimonialDinner Award . Contact : A . Alan Leveen, 1stNational State Bldg ., Suite 508, 241 MainSt ., Hackensack, NJ 07601 .102nd Annual Kite Get-Together, non-competiive. Edgewater Park, Cleveland, OH . Sponsorand contact : Ohio Society for the Elevationof Kites (c/o Tom Rask, President), 2687E . 128th St ., Cleveland, OH 44120, tel : (216)791-6563 .Opposite page, top : The New York City KiteFestival takes grand advantage of October .Bottom, the Venice Pier Kite Festivals areheld each year in California . These noncompetitivebeach bashes attract suchstellar kites as the Tom Vant Sant centipedeshown here .This page, below : Stunters make the sceneat Truro, Cornwall, England, in September .7(Tentative date),2nd Annual Truro KiteFestival, Royal Farm, Kenwyn, Truro, Cornwall,England . Contact : John Sweetman, Mah-Jong, Forge Way, Shortlanesend, Truro,Cornwall, England TR4 9DB .211st National Meeting, American KitefliersAssociation, Ocean City, MD . Contact AKA,7106 Campfield Road, Baltimore, MD 21207 .tel' (301) 484-6287 .22Ocean City Grand National Kite Festival, withhundreds of dollars in prizes, on beach at 2ndSt ., Ocean City, MD . Sponsor and contactOcean City Chamber of Commerce, DeptFlight, Rt . 1, Box 310-A . Ocean City, MD21842, tel : (301) 484-4861301st Annual Rubber City International KiteFly, non-competitive, University of Akron .Jackson Field, Akron, OH . Sponsor : StudentArt League, University of Akron Contact, ChrisMeyer, Art Dept_ . University of Akron, Akron,OH 44325, tel : (216) 375-7348 .October(Oct . 1 or 8), 6th Annual San Francisco KiteFestival, with $1000 for largest kite ., other bigprizes, polo field , Golden Gate Park, SanFrancisco, CA . Also, in preceding week . IndoorKiteflying Competition, lobby of HyattRegency Hotel, San Francisco, CA . Sponsors :Come Fly a Kite, Inc ., Anchor Steam Beer,KFRC Radio . Contact : Ron Young, Solutions,507 Howard St ., San Francisco, CA 94105,tel : (415) 495-0100 .Fall Fly and Meeting, Maryland Kite Society,Burtonsville, MD Contact : Maryland KiteSociety (c/o Robert S . Price, Executive Secretary),P. 0 . Box 10467, Baltimore, MD 21209,tel : (301) 421-9620 .84th Annual New York City Kite Festival,Sheepmeadow, Central Park, New York City,NY, Sponsor and contact : Go Fly a Kite, Inc .(c/o Andrea Bahadur), 1434 Third Ave, NewYork, NY 10028, tel : (212) 988-8885Autumn British Kite Flying Association Rally,Old Warden Aerodrome . Nr. Biggleswade,Bedfordshire, England, Contact : Ron Moulton,B .K .F.A ., P. 0 . Box 35 Bridge St ., HemelHempstead, Herts ., England HP1 1EE .28Fall Kite Festival, non-competitive, on thebeach near the Venice Pier, Venice, CA .Sponsor and contact : Let's Fly a Kite (c/oGloria Lugo), Fisherman's Village, 13763Fiji Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90291 . tel : (213)822-2561 .296th Annual Windsor Hills Fall Kite Fly, Crimeaarea, Leakin Park, Baltimore, MD Sponsor :Windsor Hills Neighbors, Inc . Contact : BruceL. Godfrey, 4202 Prince George Rd ., Baltimore,MD 21216, tel : (301) 542-7562 .NovemberTodos Santos, All Saints Day or the Dayof the Dead, Santiago de Secatepequez,Guatemala, traditional day of kiteflying overhillside graves to release the souls of the dead .72nd Annual Yachats Kite Festival, on beachat Yachats, OR . Sponsor : Yachats Chamber ofCommerce . Contact : Mike Stone, P. 0 . Box522, Yachats, OR 97498, tel : (503) 547-3360 .

DEATH OF THEROTOKI INVENTORWe have recently learned with muchregret that Stanley E . Albertson, Jr. .former AKA member and the inventorof Rotoki, an ingenious form of rotorkite, died at the age of 61 in Dearborn .MI, on October 19, 1977 . He was bornin Detroit on September 24, 1916 .In common with many other AKAmembers, Mr. Albertson as a youthenjoyed building and flying conventionalkites . His dedication to thedesign and the flying of kites persisteddespite the demands of his automotiveengineering vocation-of-maturity inLivonia. MI . His creative urge todevelop a unique concept in kiteflyingcompelled him to devote many sparetimehours to researching, developing,testing, patenting and ultimately offeringhis brain-child, Rotoki, as a commerciallyavailable manufactured product. Two patents involving Rotoki,3,026,073 and 3,255 .985, are on file inthe United States Patent Office .Rotoki was incorporated about 1960and lasted as a happy family "cottageindustry" venture for about six orStanley E . Albertson, Jr., inventor of the Rotoki,, in the family fabrication facility in the 1960's .seven years .Surviving specimens of Rotoki aremuch prized by their owners not onlyfor their rarity but because the kiterepresents a distinctive developmenteffortin the rotor kite genus .Knowing of my great interest in thehistory and development of rotor kites,William V . Gill more, Mr . Albertson'sstepson, reported the news of theinventor's death to me .Guy D . Aydlett

Ultimate Questions:Studies, Theories, TestsBRUMMITT'SBLASPHEMIESREBUKEDBy Guy D . AydlettAs an erstwhile keit flein companion ofgenial Wyatt Brummitt (I have moved450 miles south of his former residencein Rochester, NY), I am proud of hiseffort titled : "Kite Categories : Can WeDivide and Conquer?" in the first issueof Keit Leins, Spring 1977 .Please note that I said : " . . . Proud ofhis effort"! Joyfully, I am joining thosewho may become a host of throwers offlack (and throwers of more disagreeablestuffs) and at least shall attempt totingle his line- scarred knuckles with afriendly rap or two . . .I am proud of Auld Reynard for hisoutright temerity in throwing hismotley gage of kite categories in theteeth of philistines who have their ownstubborn opinions on how kites shouldbe classified .One blackguard that I know insistsWyatt played eeny-meeny-miney-mowith his selection ; that his paradigmwas the rattled horseman, immortalizedin our literature, who : " . . .Mounted his horse and galloped madlyin all directions ."But I suspect Wyatt of sneakilytrolling a line attached to an enticinglure of discord, slyly reasoning thathe'd provoke spirited rebuttal, hangings-in-effigyand threats of mayhemfrom one extreme faction -and enticebouquets, prime steaks and bottles ofScotch from the other .Since I prefer to control my bloodpressure on one hand, and selfishly,thriftily enjoy the good things (hic!)with the other, I shall weasel through amiddle course, nit-picking ratherthan launching the more traditional"slings and arrows ."One flagrant collop of heresy wasWyatt's persistent use of uncouth wordssuch as (r----y) and (r----ies) in hisdiscussion of rotor kites . Could theybut know of his fall from grace, pioneersMagnus, Flettner, Tietjens,Prandtl, Thom, et al would centrifugethemselves into whirling, atom-bustingtizzies!As a matter of significant interest,Capt. Hornbeam Thatch and BeauforceStringfellow disdainfully refrainfrom entertaining any further discussionof Wyatt's "street language ."The curious case of Braidy Lyons isstill green in their memories :That gullible young AKA memberfrom Short Pump, VA, read Wyatt'sarticle, took the nomenclatureseriously, gathered together his entirefugal of rotor kites, and hitch-hikedall the way to Charlottesville (courtingthe hazards of John-Boy Country enroute) to attend an announced meetingof a civic group called "R----y", whosemotto is "Service ." It was an honestmistake ; the young lout had been misledinto believing he was making apilgrimage to fly kites with otherrotor-craft aficionados! He wascourteously received, enrolled as amember, and fined $50 for being lateto the meeting . Before he escaped,he was fined another $100 for clutteringthe cloakroom with empty telephonewirereels-another victim of thetyranny of words .I implore Wyatt, Ed, Bob, and otheroffenders to curb their improper language; their young disciples could goout in the world and suffer incalculableharm .As to the greatness of Signor Bernoulli'scontributions to the arcaneryof fluid mechanics, there is not oneiota of disagreement here ; but Wyattshort-circuits Herr Flettner bydenying him the greater share of theglory for researching, calculating,and reducing rotor-lift phenomena topractice . Let me cite you a parable :Oom and Ooma, pre-Neanderthalspouses, contrived to fabricate a crudecrosscut saw from flints, varmints'teeth, wood saplings and the sinews ofthe tough ooragnak beast . They saweda slice from a hardwood log, inventedthe wheel, and as a spin-off, discoveredpi . As the result of their genius, theyare honored to this day for being principallyresponsible for the developmentof both the Model T and Mrs .Faucher's Fancy Frozen FarkleberryPi's .Back to Wyatt's article : He states :. . Further to complicate things, theautogyro's rotating blades are, themselves,perfect Bernoulli airfoils ." (!) If undergraduateaeronautical engineers readthat one, I'll be surprised if Kite Lines isnot crammed full of opportunistic adstouting elementary correspondencecourses in fluid mechanics .And he left out a basic kite type(among others)-the viscous drag kite!Spiders know all about it :Aranea diadema, a little garden spider,was born in our beech tree last spring .He thought the tree was his mother .He learned to spin, to set nets, and hewaxed in health and size because ofhis diligence . But one day he got thewanderlust . On that same day, a localcontractor and I stood by the beechtree and idly watched "Ara" as wediscussed the prospective constructionof a pool house . The little spider payedout a length of new-spun filamentwhich wavered downwind a meter ortwo before it began to rise in a mildthermal . Eventually it passed over ourheads and rapidly went up! Spellbound,we ceased talking and watchedAra, the resourceful, spin out more andmore line as his "kite" continued torise . At a critical moment, the littlerascal quit spinning, seized the line,loosened his grasp on the beech tree(his "mother") and FLEW over ourheads to finally disappear from sightas he went up and away towards PineyMountain . "Why, that little son-of-abeech!"exclaimed the contractor(who'd never heard of viscous drag) .Yes, indeed . . . Wyatt, would youclassify Ara's Phase I as kiting? PhaseII as hang gliding?Undoubtedly other AKA memberseven now are deluging our spritelyeditor with reams of letters detailingsimilar gospel-truth phenomena withthe aim of augmenting Author Brummitt'sCategories . I hope she publishestheir stories . 0Editor's Note : One such story followsin the form of a poster because theauthor expressed his ideas in artworkas well as words. We are pleased topresent this unusual bonus and arecontemplating making the poster availableseparately. Readers and kite retailersare invited to request the posterand response will dictate its availabilityand price . Announcement of the poster'savailability will be made in the nextissue of Kite Lines .AND NOW: To safely remove yourbonus poster underneath, carefully unbendstaples, pull out pages, then pushdown staples.

An "Ultimate Questions" feature of Kite Lines. quart erly journal of the American Kitefliers AssociationBy John Spendlove"Taxonomy" (more properly"taxonomy," a form seldomused) is the science ofclassification. The word isused for systematic classifications,as of plants and animals .Can one order kites on so regular abasis?Pelham in his Penguin Book ofKites' lists "seven generic groups" :flat, box, compound, sled, Parafoiland delta . In an article in the first issueof Kite Lines, Wyatt Brummitt givesan extended list, for, although heomits "compound" and substitutes"parawing" for "delta," he adds"rotary." He notes, however, thatthe modification of any one type underthe influence of others means thatclassification is tricky, and gettingtrickier .Is taxonomy, in fact, a good idea?Briefly, "if necessary." One who simplyenjoys flying a kite from time to timewould find it pointless, whereas onemore closely interested might thinkit worthwhile. A retailer, for example,may list his stock categorically, forthe benefit of mail-order clients . Anyenthusiast may find classificationeither of intrinsic interest, or usefulfor reference.A system based upon exemplarsappears to fail because of the manyvariants and compounds available,as Brummitt says. It was reflectionon a question raised by him whichgave rise to my own analysis . He asks,"Does a flat two-sticker become abowed kite when the counteractingforces of wind and tether drive backthe wing tips?" The manner in whichI avoid having to answer this questionwill be seen to be fundamental to thesystem I propose. I suggest that, detailbeing required, a more analyticalmethod is of use, and submit theattached plan for consideration .Approximately seven main points,listed below, are needed to describemany kites. Cellular and compoundforms often require more detail ; apossible way of beginning to supplythis is put forward later.1 . Basic characteristics : threegroups -Stable : kites inherently stablewithout any form of tail. Anythingfrom a Cody War Kite to a sled .Stabilizing: those becoming stableas necessary. The term coversfighters, and, although it may alsodescribe other kites, I suggest thatit be reserved for fighters alone, asthe only type requiring controlledinstability.Stabilizable: Kites inherentlyunstable, needing external stabilization. This is usually some form oftail ; but the Flexifoil comes into thiscategory, stability being effected withthe control lines . Most other twin-linestunters are modified stable kites .2. Details of any necessary externalstabilization.3. Whether a stunter (dirigible) ornot.4 . Some details of frame, if any .5 . Certain details of design .6 . Further design details.7 . Bridling.See the plan for details. It shouldbe noted that not all choices aremutually exclusive; thus a kite maybe both dihedral and plane in respectto different sets of wings, or both airfoiland plane. The Lamson Aerocurve(Pelham, p . 45) is an example of thelatter case .It is possible by using this methodto classify kites which fall betweentwo categories if the type-derived .system is used . A Flexifoil, for example,is anomalous if classed as a Parafoil,for a "pure" Parafoil has no spar.Putting it in the class "airfoil" avoidsthis pitfall. Similarly, the distinctionmade between "bowed" and "bowing"means that Brummitt's question,referred to above, does not have to beanswered . This is not merely evasionof the issue. There seems to be thisimplicit proposition behind thequestion : that such kites must beeither plane or else bowed . With allrespect to Brummitt, I disagree . Thedistinction put forward above is real,and decreases ambiguity .At this point, it may be useful toclarify my term "partly-framed" . Byit I mean a kite which, like the sled,has some framework, but which stillrequires something other than theframe (namely wind pressure) to keepthe kite in shape . The term should notbe extended, however, to include kitessuch as Russell Hall's (Pelham,p. 211), on the ground that the windshapes the mainsail . The term "setting(negative) dihedral" covers such acase.Here are three specimen analyses .1 . An Arch Top: A plane framedkeelless stabilizable static kite, flown,with a string-and-bows tail, from atwo-leg bridle.2 . A Delta : A static framed settingnegative-dihedralventrally-keeledstable kite, bridled directly to the keel.3. A Flexifoil: A stabilizable twinline-dirigiblepartly-framed 10-stopped-cell inverse-bowing doublesurfacewind-inflated airfoil kite,bridled directly to each end of a sparbelow the leading edge .It will be seen that the analysesare not specific, in the technical sense .Shape and most construction detailsare omitted, for example. Thus theArch Top analysis could equally wellapply to a "classic" diamond or to aIozenge kite .I use the word "analysis" deliberately,for, although "description" isless technical, its use would obscuretry point. This is : the fact that the firstanalysis applies equally well to threedesigns shows that they are indeed ofa class. The details are sufficientlyaccurate for this purpose . Totalaccuracy entails complete description,and complete description would bespecific rather than general. As I seeit individual description serves adifferent purpose from that of generalclassification, and classification is ofnecessity a form of shorthand .There is obvious clumsiness . TheFlexifoil analysis is hardly poetic.Since, however, classification attemptsto provide the maximum necessarydetail in the least space possible,technical jargon is inevitable . If it isused more in a written than in an oralmedium, the clumsiness may be less ofa defect than it appears -I hope!The matter becomes less easy tohandle when box kites and compoundsare studied. The "Notes on CellularConfigurations" and "On CompoundCellular Forms" appended are anattempt to fill this gap, at least in part .I suggest that "cellular" and "cells"be used to mean open cells, unlessthe stopped variety' are specified ;this makes for a marginal decreasein jargon . Similarly a keel is perhapsbest considered ventral unlessspecified as dorsal .The "Notes," then, apply to boxkites, and here they are fairly successful,even with extraordinary configurations. They can be used to analyze(just!) Lecornu's unusual cellular kite,depicted in the foreground of a photographin Pelham (p . 68) . An importantproviso is that tetrahedral forms arenot included . I guess that, if someonesays, "I've made a 16-cell tetra," wecan all visualize the kite. However, tryanalyzing Dr. Bell's "Oionos" (Pelham,p. 64 bottom right, p . 65 lower) . Itmay not literally defy description, butit certainly defies mine . Perhaps anexpert in this field can come up witha method of analysis for such forms.Winged compounds offer so manypossibilities that I fear classificationmay be so complex as to be oflittle value. Nevertheless, the notesappended on the subject are a beginning,and may stimulate others toconsider the matter more successfully.I make a distinction between fins,vanes and wings . The accompanyingdefinitions will, I trust, clarify thedistinction .The question of how extensions areadded to the cells comes up next,and, lastly, their shapes. The "Noteson Addition of Extensions" and on"Shapes of Extensions" provide anattempt to deal with at least some ofthe possibilities. I need hardly saythat not all are covered . I incline tothe view that, while any compoundmay be described individually, thereare so many extant (let alone possible)that classification is well-nigh unattainable. Pelham, it is true, suggests"compound" as a category in itself ;but this is so general as to be unsuitablefor detailed analysis. Can his"Bat" and a Conyne really be heldto be of a single class?Here are some trial analyses . Threeare given for box kites, then three forcompounds, and finally, for the record,an attempted analysis of the Lecornucellular kite mentioned above .1. Basic Box Kite (Pelham, p. 188) :A stable framed cellular kite, of theform 1 dia post 1 ; flown from a twolegbridle .2. Blue Hill Meteorological BoxKite (Pelham, p . 179) : A stable staticframed cellular kite, of the form 1 post(1 se super 1); flown from a line directlyattached to the leading edge .3. Bell's Mufti celled TriangularBox Kite (Pelham, lower p . 192) : Astable static framed cellular kite, ofthe form triangular, 1 inverted tangentin 1 post ditto ; flown from a two-legbridle .4 . Early Cody Compound Kite(Pelham, page 187) : A stable staticframed cellular compound kite. Theform is a plane hexagon, of greaterspan than length, both dorsally andventrally keeled in two places, post acellular form, 1 dia se ad 1, radiallyvaned as split lozenges; flown from afour-leg bridle .5 . Prof. Waldof's Box Kite (seesketch): A stable static framed cellularcompound kite, of the form dia hexagonal,1 vertically radial in 1 postditto, radially vaned as a series ofsplit lozenges ; flown from a two-legbridle .6 . French Signal Kite ( Pelham,p. 198): A stable static framed compoundcellular kite, of the form triangularthree-astern, horizontallyvaned as a split lozenge ; flown froma three-leg bridle .7. Lecornu cellular form (Pelham,p . 68, foreground of photograph) :A stable static framed cellular kite, ofthe form (1 se ad 1) se super (se ad fourabreast), se super ditto inverted, thewhole being dia tangent in 1 . Bridlingnot clear from the photograph ; theaccompanying sketch seems toindicate a three-leg bridle, two legsbeing attached to the ends of thelower leading edge, the other to themidpoint of the elevation .The use of jargon is again evident . Itshould be noted that analysis of a rearstructure precedes that of a forwardsection. Some analyses are less successfulthan others; for example, thatof the early Cody, no . 4, strikes me asless than ideal . I think analysis no . 7 -the Lecornu -is accurate enough, butit looks pretty baffling . In it, and also inno. 2, 1 have used brackets in describingthe cellular format. I am notcertain that it is necessary with theLecornu ; I can best clarify the reasonin respect to no . 2 . 1 post (1 se super1) is a single cell behind two, of whichone is on top of the other. If the bracketswere omitted, it could be read as (1post 1) se super 1 . That would mean avery different form, the altogetherless likely one sketched at the end of"Notes on Cellular Configurations, 2 ."The limitation of the system proposedis shown by my being unable toanalyze, for example, the Cody WarKite . Since its fore and aft extensionsare connected, are they to be consideredas vanes or wings rather thanas fins? What is one to do with thefact that the upper forward extensionsare longer than the others? If one takesthe circumcircle of elevation to bethat of a single cell, which is myintention, they are wings. Since, bymy definition, it is span rather thanchord which classifies a wing, doesthat mean that the rear extensions aremerely part of the wings, by virtueof the connecting sweep of material?Even a double Conyne, a simpleenough compound in all conscience,occasions some difficulty. Analysisseems plain enough; it is "a stablestatic framed compound cellular kite,of the form 1 ad 1 post ditto, thecellular columns connected by ahorizontal interface and the wholehorizontally waned or winged as asplit diamond ." The problem is inthe phrase italicized . Since thedimensions of the cells sort vanesfrom wings, different proportions ofcell used will make one Conyne typevaned and another winged. Supposethe extensions are of 18-inch span,and the cells of 12-inch span by 18-inch for the other two sides. In thiscase, construction of the oircumcircleshows the extensions to be vanes. If,however, the longer sides of the cellelevation are only 15-inch, the extensionsare wings . Such fine distinctionmay well be a disadvantage . Thisdemonstrates how hard it is to find amidpoint between over-nice categorizationon the one hand, and too vaguea classification on the other .Reference is made in the analysesabove to "split lozenges" and a "splitdiamond." These terms refer to theshape of extensions, and five of themost common are shown in the Noteson this subject. Their limited application,however, shows that rethinkingmay be valuable .Pelham's book gives plans foraround 100 kites, and contains picturesof perhaps 40 more designs . Despitemy owning a mere fraction of thisnumber, I have at least three notincluded in Pelham and can think ofothers I have seen or heard of elsewhere.No doubt my experience willbe that of most readers .The analytical system given willnot describe all the kites cited byPelham; how much less will it analyzeevery kite there is . Still, it providesa way around some anomalies of thegeneric method of classification, andI hope it may be of use, if only as ajumping-off point for more completetreatment .JOHN SPENDLOVE lives in Preston,northwest England, and over the pasttwo years has gradually become moreinterested in kites . He has acquired19 kites by purchase and 35 by construction.Among his home-builtmodels are a 12-inch Russell Hall ("nogood," he admits) and an eight-footmodified Eddy.TOWARDS A TAXONOMY OF KITES-MAIN PLAN :NOTES ON CELLULAR CONSTRUCTIONNOTES ON COMPOUND CELLULAR FORMS-ADDITION OF EXTENSIONS :NOTES ON COMPOUNDCELLULAR FORMS-SHAPES OF EXTENSIONS :DEFINITIONS OF FINS, VANES AND WINGS :

KITE FESTIVALS!By Valerie GovigEnjoy a sunny sky full of brillant aeromechanismsover a crowd of jubilant fliers . Orsuffer a spectacle of tangled lines and janglednerves . You can experience a kite festival to fiteither or both of these descriptions. Which kindyou have in your area depends on severalvariables . This article will try to unravel them .Because festivals bring to the sport of kiting itsmain portion of public attention, these occasionscannot be dismissed out of hand. There's excitementin the air at the 80 or so annual U .S . andCanadian kite festivals known to Kite Lines . Thenumber of festivals is up about 10% from last year .In addition, the trend in kite festivals is to schedulethem throughout the calendar ; they are no longerregarded as exclusively a springtime thing . Allthis is good news for kitefliers .However, kite festivals are fiendishly difficult toorganize . That is why so many are done poorly andso few are done well . The reasons for this aremultiple, but one is that the literature and cultureattached to kiting are pitifully underdeveloped (ascompared, for example, to baseball) . Every kitefestival organizer invents his or her own game .An additional reason lies in the nature of kiteflyingitself, a pursuit that uniquely combinesdiverse disciplines in art, aerodynamics, handcrafts,sport and flying skills, all demonstratedunder capricious outdoor conditions . Also thejudging of the kite and the kiteflier is combined,mixing the sportsman and his or her gear togetheras in no other sport .Another reason kite festivals are difficult toproduce is that it takes a lot of personnel andplanning in combination with the right physicalfactors and a degree of luck to do the job - andthese are often scarce or at best hard to control .Yet at the heart of most kite events there isusually much good will. With this article as astarting reference, we can hope to see that spiritmove with more direction . As kite festivals growand become sophisticated enough to satisy today'snew breed of kiting enthusiast, the mutual benefitscan be far-reaching indeed .WHY A KITE FESTIVAL?Most kite festivals (about 70% ) are competitive .It is very American to turn everything into acontest, and kiteflying is no exception . It is clearthat for many kitefliers there is nothing like thethrill of the chase . Some enthusiasts plan mostof their vacations and leisure hours aroundmaking kites, practicing kiteflying and hitting thetop tournaments . There are certain personalitytypes who thrive on recognition and competition .Rather than resist these traits, a kite festivalcan be an opportunity to channel them and atthe same time accomplish several other objectives .The motivations of the organizers bear scrutiny .Here are some which I've heard voiced :Reasons for Conducting Kite Festivals1 . To promote the sport of kiting and advancethe state-of-the-art in kites .2. To enjoy and exhilarate in kites (not alwaysa simple thing) .3. To create good feelings among people aboutthemselves and their community .4. To provide a good learning opportunity forparticipants .S. To promote community image and/or tourismfor an area, park, resort or town .6 . To add extra color to an existing eventor festival .7 . To raise money, as for a charity .8. To give the kiddies something to do in March(the Cub Scout imperative) .9 . To make the sponsors look good (the Jayceesimperative) .10 . To fill out the dead spot on the recreationcalendar between basketball and baseball (thiswas stated once, straight-faced, by a recreationdirector ) .There are probably other reasons for conductinga kite festival, and it is well to ponder thembecause a clear idea of the ends is necessary inarranging the means . Incidentally, my listing ofreasons in descending order from admirable todubious is intentional, but wholly personal . Reasonnumber one, for example, is in my mind whollyself-justified, a rationale unto itself. But someoneelse might regard learning or social health oreconomic benefit as first for him. Differing valuesare natural and make life interesting ; but since intoday's wilderness of institutionalized pressuresthere are few voices crying out for "kiting forkiting's sake," I feel a special duty to (ah, yes,Ohio*) elevate kites .WHAT QUALITY OF KITE FESTIVAL?Whatever the motivations of the organizers, the"best possible kite festival" is subject to communitylimitations . Where and when can you hold theevent? How well can you succeed in enlistingothers to carry out plans? It is very importantto consider your community's resources and needs .What will be best in your area? What qualitiesshould you seek in a kite festival? An event canbe fairly judged only in relation to its goals .Nevertheless, as something of a connoisseur ofthese things, I'm recklessly presenting a list ofqualities that I look for in a kite festival, thoughI know it is a purely personal list . Also some of thecharacteristics result from the realization ofothers . I have ordered the traits by their importanceas I see them, and I fully expect - andwelcome - disagreements .The encouragement of innovation is the markof a top drawer kite festival. Here's anexample : Lt. Col . Bevan H . Brown with his"Revolution-airy" kite featuring carvings ofPaul Revere and his men rigged to whirlabout the Old North Church as the kiteflies. Note the 13 spokes .Traits of a Good Kite Festival1 . Encouragement of innovation in kite makingand flying2 . Spectacularity of kites3 . Competence of judges4 . Adequacy of facilities :a . open space, free of hazardsb . public address systemc. lavatoriesd . good turfe. foodf. parkingg. kite hospitalS* Wind and weather (averaged over severalyears)6 . Quality of organization and judging system7 . Character, atmosphere, attractiveness ofsetting8 . Flexibility and/or appeal to kitefliers onall levels9 . Number of kites flown and number of kitefliersparticipating

THE LONGEVITY FACTOR :a small essayWhat is the life expectancy of a kite festival? Fromour observations, one thing is sure - they oftenoutlive any one generation . 11. is interesting to lookaround America and see how many really old kitefestivals there are - oldies but goodies, of course .As with wine and intellect . mere aging is not aguarantee of quality in kite festivals . It is neverthelessa trait that deserves high respect . Anyonewho has ever directed even one kite festival willknow that . The second and third years are aparticular challenge to maintain the momentum .During subsequent years a foundation of habitsand expectations should develop among enoughpeople to carry a festival forward, perhaps indefinitely.But because this continued desire cannotever be taken for granted, any kite festival that crecurs annually is praiseworthy .IT- some ways it is more difficult to perpetuate akite festival than to create one afresh . The media,for example, having heard your story before, willsend a second-string reporter who may stifle ayawn while asking what's new at the old annualkite festival . Well, everything is always new!Kite festivals depend not only on weather but oninterested people creating kites for days or weeksbeforehand . Festival news releases may state thatthere will be beautiful kites, unusual kites, hundredsof kites - but the remarks are an act offaith . How can the organizers really know? Thekites are not a reality until the participants comeforth with them . Attracting those participantseach year is another challenge, for which themedia must recognize a share of responsibility .Another hazard of time is attrition amongvolunteers . Some may come to feel they have doneenough over an arbitrary number of years or thatthey are unappreciated or not vitally necessary .Offsetting these negative effects are the positivevalues of experience and improved smoothness ofoperation . Of course, the desire to improve willbring changes in formula which may cause temporaryupsets along the way .In sum, a community that can maintain a kitefestival for many years should be saluted . TheHonor Rollof United States Kite Festivalsat least $S years oldKiwanis Kite TournamentSac City, IowaJacksonville Kite TournamentJacksonville, FloridaLong Beach International Kite Festival-Long Beach, CaliforniaZilker Paris Kite TournamentAustin, TexasHistory has repeated itself many times sincethis 1937 picture of the Long Beach (CA)Kite Festival, then in its 11th ; year . PresidentRoosevelt was popular ; he had just won hissecond election .following Honor Roll is an attempt to do that .Kite lines will update and rerun this list fromtime to time in appreciation for the committeesthat conduct these annual kite festivals . (But justin case any of them become unduly self-impressed,we remind them of Japan's amazingly resilient kitefestivals, beginning with the Hamamatsu KiteFestival, approximately 403, years old! The accompanyingHonor Roll is presented with greathumility .VGThe 50-year-old-Zilker Park Kite Tournamentin Austin, TX, on its 8th year in 1936, Texas'sCentennial year. Ten-year-old Charles Gorinwon the medal for "Unique Kite ."Carmel Kite FestivalCarmel . CaliforniaOcean Beach Kite Festival and ParadeSan Diego . California

Innovation on display : Michel Berard of LeCerf-Volant Club de France attends a BritishKite Flying Association rally in London with alarge double triangle box kite with topsailand bridle spreader bar .The inventive Vincent Brown at 15 years in1976 holds his registration card in mouthand his space ship kite in hand .10. Prizes given (prestige, size and appropriateness)11 . Community benefit12. Longevity13 . Number of spectators14 . Media attentionWHEN A KITE FESTIVAL?March is a typical time to hold a new kitefestival in the U .S. Long-established events areapt to be held later in the year . The reason forthis is that organizers learn from experience .Except in the South, March is not a month forreliable weather . Of course, March can have theoccasional lovely day, but it should be overallpattern that you're looking for, to get the bestodds . Kiteflying is a very weather-dependentactivity - not only for the kites but even more forthe people who fly them . The best advice you canfollow is to study your local weather . Use weatherdepartment statistics, consult local farmers andtalk to kitefliers who have flown for several yearsin your area . Don't be bound by tradition . Be openminded. Consider one of fall's wonderful days .Just what kind of weather should you seek?First of all, avoid cold. People just won't comeout in it, or if some real enthusiasts do theywon't enjoy it as they should . Second, avoidtypically rainy seasons . It is true that you can -and should - have a rain date, but it is alwaysbetter not to have to use it. Lack of rain is notreally ideal in itself, though; for our perfectday we want sunshine! Third, after cold and rainthe next most disastrous weather is excessive,kite-crushing winds, followed by, fourth, no wind,the next worst condition . On a windless day youcan at least use high starts and running launches(it's sad but you'll survive) . Water-side locationsmay offer some insurance against no wind .(Incidentally, I have never heard of a kite festivalfailing from too hot weather unless it was accompaniedby no wind .) In sum, finding the bestweather in your area for a kite day is a matter ofbalance of probabilities. It would indeed be achallenge for a computer programmer .Besides weather, consider setting your date(and rain date, too) to avoid conflict with othercommunity events . For example, don't hold yourkite festival on the opening day of baseball .Watch out, too, for religious holidays which fall atdifferent times on the calendar each year .You may feel that community acceptance willbe stronger in the traditional spring, or inconnection with a regular main event alreadyestablished in your area, such as the Mardi Grasin New Orleans or the Seafair in Seattle . Thereverse of that logic may apply, however . Forexample, Baltimore's Preakness Festival has sucha long list of associated activities that the MarylandKite Society avoids holding its festival thenbecause its publicity would be drowned in the seaof attractions . For them, using a different weekendgives them a sporting chance in the media race .The main thing to avoid, though, in setting a kitefestival date, is running in competition withanother kite festival! Tread lightly if your areaalready has an important, well-established kiteevent. It may be better to help improve an existingfestival than spread the interest too thin bystarting another one . A single big, well-run kitefestival is usually more valuable than severallittle ones .On the other hand, there is not much conflictbetween kite events if they vary in style,atmosphere and ambition level . In an activecommunity such as Seattle, for instance, it ispossible to have three or more big events a year,well separated in time, and surround them withinformal kite flies every week . That isn't toomuch . It is only when big festivals collide, withtheir heavy commitments of planning, fund-raising,personnel and publicity, that good feelings aredamaged. Much depends on the local talent pool .Organizers need a nice sense of just how far theycan go to avoid abuse of good will on the onehand - and neglect of enthusiasm on the other .In my post at the helm of AKA, I note withpleasure that kite events nationally and regionallyare well scattered across the calendar. Whetherby accident or design, this circumstance allowsthe kite travelers among us -and there areseveral - to run a circuit each year with theirlatest kites .In naming the day for a kite festival, alwaysset a rain date, and include it in all publicity .Theoretically, a no-wind date would-be good, too,but it may be difficult for people to guesstimatewhether it is windy enough or not. If you canpersuade a local radio station to confirm yourweather decision on the air, and you feel yourcommunity can respond to this, you have the bestsituation . The commonest choice for a rain date isthe following week, same time and place . This givesyou a better shot at improved weather . However,large events that attract contestants from greatdistances should have a next-day rain datewhenever possible, for it's less disruptive tovisitors and stands a better chance of retainingthem . Any time you use a rain date, though, thecommittee must verify every personnel andequipment assignment to be sure each will appearas expected.A final consideration in selection of a date islead time . To plan a casual, simple event, fourweeks' time can be enough, but larger events takemore time, at least two to four months . For majorinternational festivals, a year is the very minimumtime necessary for planning . Much depends, ofA major kite event like the Long BeachInternational Kite Festival makes plans ayear or more in advance . This enables distantvisitors, such as members of the Japan KiteAssociation, to attend . Here a representativeof the Association brings a special kite, abumblebee with buzzer .course, on the number of planners and the timeeach has to devote to the cause . Also a longestablishedevent will be much easier to run thana brand-new one . A good kite festival, though,will never rest on its laurels . Shortly after eachfestival there should be a meeting for review ofthe past event and for setting the gears in motionfor the next one . Action a year in advance maybe essential for such matters as securing substantialsponsorship or reserving a popular fieldor park .One last point, to answer the question of howmuch time to allow for the day : three hours isabout the minimum and four or five hours isnormal. Setting up the field beforehand and clearingit afterwards should be figured into theplanning for field reservation purposes .WHERE A KITE FESTIVAL?A kite event can be held in almost any community,but if you're starting from scratch you can adjustyour plans to fit the population . I would like tosee more urban areas holding kite festivals, for Iam positive there are closet kitefliers everywherejust waiting for the stimulus of a big event to

show their surprising talents. However, cities areoften very short of open space, and you need a lotof it for a kite festival. The larger the event themore space is necessary. For a big city festivalyou should not consider an area of less than fiveclear acres . Even a neighborhood festival willneed two clear acres as an absolute minimum.(You'd be surprised at how tangled the lines canbecome in a seemingly ample space .)In a major metropolitan area, there are sure tobe a few kite buffs, so that a degree of sophisticationin planning may be possible from the beginning. For a small town, you should expect fewerand less original kites . In any setting, however,you will find that an annually repeated contestgradually becomes a real force for the developmentof kite making and flying .After determining size of field in relation topopulation, you should seek a site in a good windpattern (fly a few kites there first to see), withno trees, wires, antennas or tall buildings inthe way and without heavy traffic nearby. Goodturf is important, too, not only for aesthetics butfor safety ; people (regrettably) often run backwardswhile kiteflying, a practice which turnsbushes or ground depressions into treacherousobstacles . Check also to be sure the field isn'tin the path of an air traffic pattern so theFederal Aviation Administration will be cooperativewhen you call them later. It's helpful if the field isnear easy-to-find highways or landmarks for theconvenience of visitors . A central location may beimportant . Lavatories and parking should beadequate . Electricity may be wanted for a publicaddress system (an important element and muchsuperior to voice guns), and perhaps also forcooking food . Scenic quality and character of thesite should be considered, too, as rewarding tokitefliers and photographers alike .WHAT'S FIRST ABOUT A KITE FESTIVAL?Approach your kite day by marshaling all the kitefliersyou can find in your community . If a kiteclub or AKA chapter is already active in yourarea, consider yourself lucky . If not, look around ;talk to the recreation department, the local newspaperand/or the library to find kitefliers - orpeople with related interests : arts, crafts, modelairplanes, science, weather. Check appropriateschools, colleges and/or industries for instructorsand professionals in sculpture, aerodynamics andso on . Consider appealing to kitefliers through yourlocal newspapers . Once you have your kitefliersand potential kitefliers identified, call a meetingand have a brainstorming session . This group willbe the nucleus of your committee and will help asjudges and other personnel in advance of thefestival and on the field that day .One of the first tasks of the committee will beto draw up a budget and find a source of funds . Akite day can be self-supporting, but there isrisk involved . For example, if food and kite salesbooths are set up at the field, the profit fromthese can support the event's expenses . Theexpenses, though, must be paid in advance, andcloudy weather may produce smaller crowds andlower profits one year. A recreation council is thekind of organization that can absorb these risks .Individuals should not. However, the council mayor may not be a help with the added manpowerthat is needed at booths for a self-supportingfestival . Will your band of kite enthusiasts want tospend the day aslosh in mustard or soda popinstead of flying kites?Alternatively, the local recreation departmentmay be able to handle outright subsidy for theevent. In many cases the committee will have towork with recreation professionals when requestinguse of a field or equipment, such as tables andchairs and public address system . Professionalrecreation directors can be an enormous help -or more drag than a heavy kite tail . In any case,they will seldom know much about kites . Myadvice : don't count them out, for they may learnfast, but don't depend on them for everythingeither.Besides recreation bureaus, civic clubs such asthe Lions may be willing to foot the costs outrightor at least handle the manpower and risk elementsfor a self-supporting day. Different arrangementsare used in various communities . A tourist promotionbureau or a large business might underwritethe festival for public relations benefit . Manyradio stations (e . g., WIND in Chicago and KYTEin San Antonio) sponsor kite festivals, a strikingcoincidence that I have never understood .Another scheme for funding is that used by theCommittee for the Better Use of Air in Boston, MA .The Committee undertakes balls, auctions and suchto raise funds for the Great Boston Kite Festival -much in the manner of society groups raisingfunds for the symphony or art museum .A desperation solution is to charge entry feesto the kitefliers at the festival. I am opposed tothis because I feel that the kites people bringare their tickets . Flying should be free, especiallyfor children. In any case, entry fees, unlessexorbitant, usually will not begin to coverexpenses .Sponsorship rightly conceived is more than afinancial transaction . It is involvement andassistance in planning and running the day - anexpanded energy base. It represents commitmentand is not to be lightly accepted . Although a coreof kite buffs should be the technicians for thefestival (and will, incidentally, be a convenientbuffer for the sponsor in any disputes over prizes),the right sponsor can do a great deal for a kitefestival . Often the sponsor will have a completepublicity studio, for example . The initial planningshould start with the assumption that, barringfiasco, the kite festival will be an annual eventand the relationship of sponsor and volunteerswill be ongoing . Thus, the first year involves anextra step, searching for a sponsor, that in subsequentyears may not have to be repeated .Incidentally, it is best to have a single sponsor .One, two or at most three names is all you canexpect the media to mention, if that, and a longlist of sponsors dilutes the value of each nameon the list .HOW MUCH A KITE FESTIVAL?All planning starts with some kind of budget,and that certainly includes kite festivals ; youwill need to have concrete figures to recruit asponsor . Here is a rough guide to an inexpensivelocal kite festival, based on a crowd of 500 to1000 people (including spectators as well asparticipants) :ExpensesPrizes, trophies, ribbons $70Publicity: circulars, news releases 90Field supplies : registration cards, certificates ofparticipation, kite hospital supplies,judges' information, clipboards, etc 60$220DonationsPublic address system, publicity, artwork, photography(not every committee might be so lucky)Receipts (if self-supporting)Food sales profits $160Kite sales profits 60$220This is a modest budget (the Maryland Kite Festivalcosts between $500 and $1500) and for a largeaffair could be increased in all aspects, notnecessarily proportionally, for every budget is asindividual as communities and people are . Thebudget given is mainly a reminder list of thekinds of expenses to expect if you are startingfrom scratch.WHAT STYLE OF KITE FESTIVAL?Kite festivals presently in operation seem to fallinto five general types : (1) noncompetitive ; (2)comprehensive judging ; (3) field events ; (4) maneuverablekite contests ; and (5) kite fighting .Many factors affect the choice made by theorganizers . Field, facilities, personnel supportand - especially - the local kiting population aresome of the factors . All plans the committee makesdepend on the style initiated for the day .The five types of kite days listed are notnecessarily mutually exclusive . Combinations arepossible, but of course a more complicated festivalmakes more demands on the organizers . Each stylehas different advantages and disadvantages .A noncompetitive kite day, planned just forfun and with no judging, can be very successful .The Venice Pier Kite Festivals in California,organized by Gloria Lugo each season, are outstandingexamples of the good noncompetitivefly. Although the only real expense is publicity,this becomes more important when there is littleor nothing spent for prizes . Gloria works hard forcoverage, and the event has become well-knownand well-loved as a social and sharing event forkitefliers in and near the area . A noncompetitivefestival needs little headwork for advance planning,but much legwork for publicity as a compensatingattraction .You can modify a noncompetitive format byintroducing frivolous prizes or humorous ribbonsor certificates . For this you need a number ofhosts/hostesses or observers (we won't call themjudges) to roam about the field and be sociableand quick-witted in recognizing interesting kitesand kitefliers . This is essentially the patternfollowed by the Great Boston Kite Festival, anaffair that is so huge and unstructured thatcareful deliberations are abandoned in favor of"awards" made on a casual basis by strollingcommittee members ; the "winners" are announcedlater by public address . A popular embellishmentof this format calls on the kitefliers themselvesto name their own awards . Wild stories can comefrom this routine, resulting in such awards as"Most Creative Tangle," "Longest Rescue Run,""Best Swimming Kite" (if near water), "The

The Venice Pier Kite Festivals are held eachyear very successfully with "no rules, nofees, no judging ." Sponsored by the Let'sFly a Kite shop in Marina del Rey, CA, theday attracts a spectacular train of multicolorEddys by Bill Everett and Eva Creek .Charlie Brown Award for Best Fed Tree," etc .The imagination of people given such an opportunityis inexhaustible .A very simple routine that works well is to havethe observers personally hand out ribbons on thespot to nearly all kites of any distinction - infact to nearly all kites! These ribbons may beprinted whimsically with such exclamations asWow, Fantastic, Super, Smashing, Outasight, etc .In every case where I've seen them used, theseribbons have been received with delight - andeven saved from year to year. I recommendthis system for organizers lacking in one ormore of the critical basics, such as expertise,funds, personnel or lead time . This kind of eventoffers nearly effortless fun and will not promisemore than it can deliver. Its drawback, like thatof any noncompetitive festival, is that it cannever be taken seriously or become a whollysatisfying event intellectually.Comprehensive judging usually won't have theshortcomings of the noncompetitive event ; it willhave its own disadvantages . The emphasis of thissystem is on kites made by their fliers.For this style of day, the contestants registerand then carry their kites with their registrationscorecards past a round of judges who specializeand score points on different aspects of kites . (Analternative and less flexible arrangement calls forsending the judges past the assembled kites .) Thelast judging is for flight performance . After thekites are flown, the scores are totalled, giving arelatively objective, analytical overall score . Comparisonsare made between total scores of all kiteswithin an age division, so the more age classes youhave the more ribbons and prizes you can give .More age groupings and more awards are alwaysbetter. Also, youngsters do not compete with olderentrants (a basic principle in any competition) .The highest score achieved in overall judgingshould earn the best and biggest prizes or trophiesyou have to offer. In my experience, comprehensivejudging is the fairest way to judge kites, and itis smoother than other ways, too . I might ventureso far as to say that, in principle and especiallyfor owner-made kites, it is the method of choice .It is also easy to set up on the field, physically,as well as satisfying, psychically .The categories of judging and the apportioningof points relate to the kite qualities the organizerswant to encourage or reward . Some committeeshave copied the system of the annual Kite Carnival

Judging for Design at the Smithsonian KiteCarnival in 1976 . Here the standard holdscomplexity above originality, and a cannycontestant will build a kite with lots of sticks .on the Washington Monument grounds sponsoredby the Smithsonian Associates, National CapitalParks and DC Recreation Dept. and directedby the Historian Emeritus of the National Airand Space Museum, Paul Garber. Scores from1 to 10 are earned in Design, Ingenuity, Craftsmanship,Beauty, Take-Off, Climb, Angle ofFlight, Stability and Retrieval .The Maryland Kite Festival's version combinesDesign and Ingenuity into one category and hasonly three flight performance categories : Launch,Control and Retrieval. Also a Maryland departureis the number of points per category, 1 to 20 .The range needs to be sufficient for judges todifferentiate without mental blurring, whichcauses them to "round off' scores .The procedure for comprehensive judgingcalls for the contestants to go to the field in turn,giving their score-cards to the flight assistants .There is no penalty for requiring help with launch ;quite the contrary, the organizers will have plannedto have at least one flight assistant to helpeach flier individually. A panel of two or moreflight judges using flash cards will score on eachaspect of performance and the flight assistantwill record the points on the flier's card . Thisstructure encourages good quality in flight judging .There are other systems, and I grade them asfollows :Worst method : one judge observing several kitesat once ; next worst method : a number of judgesobserving several kites at once ; better method :one judge observing one kite ; best method ; anumber of judges observing one kite . If in usingthe "best" method the judges confer among themselves,the effect is for one judge to decide - andthe method slips back one level. All the judgesneed to work. This will minimize error andmaximize objectivity and expertise .Besides awards for overall points in each ageclass, many special awards can be given, butorganizers should introduce them with care,especially if the categories are judgmental. Havingmeasurable and objective standards will keepyou above criticism, though staying strictly withobjective areas may be unsatisfyingly timid . Forexample, almost every kite festival wants to namethe most beautiful kite . And it should ; but this isalso the aspect most apt to be criticized, sinceeveryone has a different concept of the beautiful .The Long Beach Kite Festival presents a Spectators'Choice award. It can be adopted to serve partlyas a means of offsetting this kind of criticism .What is a good list of special awards? Theanswer to that is another question : How manyawards can you really judge, fully and fairly?The Smithsonian offers a long string of 17 specialawards .The Maryland Kite Festival's list of specialawards is more limited, and half of them arestrictly objective : (1) largest kite (in any dimension,but square feet of lifting area has beenused some years) ; (2) best-flying three-inch orsmaller kite (vs . "smallest kite," which leadsto disputes over what constitutes "flying") ; (3)oldest flier ; (4) youngest flier ; (5) flier fromfarthest address ; (6) most ingenious kite breakdownand assembly ; (7) best advertising kite ;(8) wittiest kite ; (9) most beautiful kite ; (10)best asymmetric kite ; (11) highest average scoringfamily ; (12) spectators' choice .Awards numbered 6 through 10 require specialjudgment and recruiting of extra judges . Beautyis judged as part of the comprehensive scoring,so extra judging of it is unnecessary ; however,ties among high-scoring kites may have to bebroken . For this purpose, a brief description ofeach kite is written (and/or sketched) on eachregistration-score card so that the judges'memories can be easily jogged in making furtheraward decisions .The Smithsonian Kite Carnival has for manyyears awarded trophies to its numerous specialTo what lengths, indeed, can a tetrahedral kite go in competing for the Largest Kite award?At the WIND Radio kite festival in Chicago in 1977, this question was replaced with : Doesthis kite have any competition in the race for Most Spectacular Crash?category winners, but without involving extrajudging . Its system is simply to allow each kiteto register in a maximum of two of their specialcategories and award the kite as best for itscategory if it achieves the best comprehensivescore . There have been times when the kiteswith the best comprehensive scores were notthe best in their categories but selections havebeen monitored more closely in the last coupleof years . Organizers need to recognize theirresponsibility for making judgments on thequalities they purport to be rewarding . In otherwords, special categories must have specialcriteria and special judges .Field events, on a time-scheduled or heatsystem, are the basis of many kite festivals . Atypical format runs different categories of judgingat half-hour intervals, such as Largest Kite at11 :00 a .m ., Most Beautiful Kite at 11 :30, Altitudeat noon, and so on . This system is easier onthe organizers, since awards are disposed of inneat compartments, comfortably spaced over theday, instead of piled up at the end of the festival .Contestants accumulate less anxiety, too . For areally large crowd, this is a practical routineand of course it is the only way to handlecompetitions related to flying skills . However,heats have the disadvantage of being inflexible .Each kite is limited to a specific category. Adjustmentamong categories is not possible, and scoringon an overall basis is difficult . Achievement foryounger entrants is likely to be limited becauseage divisions are hard to observe when thenumber of kite categories is already extensive .Essentially what happens with heats is thatindividual attention is lost and curve grading willapply rather than absolute standards . Categoricalstatements are dangerous, but here is one :judging several kites at once reduces sensitivityin the judging. This applies to all aspects, butespecially to flight performance . If the festivalorganizers are concerned for recognition of flightquality in making awards, they will see thatperformance is judged one kite at a time . Ifscarcity of judges forces them to depart fromthis high standard, a simple qualifying time ofone to five minutes of flying is an option .Scheduled heats, though, are appropriate andnecessary for contests of skill, as in altitude,pulling power, kite "drag" races, reel-outs, reelins,duration, etc . Efforts of these kinds can bemost readily compared within prescribed timeframes . Also, field events like these are the onlymeaningful kinds of competition for fliers withcommercial kites . Even if purchased or receivedkites are permitted to enter comprehensivejudging, for design, craftsmanship and beautythey are likely to be discriminated against .Here a fundamental question arises : Shouldkite competitions be open to owner-made kitesonly or to commercial kites as well? The answerdepends on the general nature of the event -and on philosophy. Do you want to encouragepeople to come out at the last minute and flywhatever they have in a spontaneous way? Areyou primarily interested in furthering the stateof-the-artin kites and do you want to directyour resources mainly to that end? Will you beselling or giving away kites at the festival anddo you believe those who buy the kites should be

able to compete using them? Is your communityalready supportive of arts-and-crafts and aerodynamicenthusiasms? Is yours a well-established,well-funded event with a regular large crowd,or is it a new or small-town event seeking toattract maximum numbers, including novices?Let us suppose the committee's decision is topermit entry of commercial kites, yet the organizerswant to encourage home craftsmanship . Can acomprehensive judging system be open to allkites? Yes, and it is not as outrageously inappropriateas it might seem, especially for newfestivals, where not many handcrafted kites canbe expected .The committee must agree first that a kitein which the owner has vested personal craftingefforts can't be compared to any purchased orreceived kite . This is not because a purchasedkite is inferior (it may itself be handmade oreven beautifully machine-made) but simply thatfor purposes of a contest any kite made by theentrant is superior. On the basis of this assumption,the scores can either be graded by the judgesto favor owner-made kites or increased by amultiplier on the score card, such as doublethe score for "made with physical help of anotherperson" or triple for "made entirely by the flier."After a few years, when kite making has caughton in the community, the kite festival can separatecomprehensive judging to apply only to ownermadekites and hold some field events to caterto fliers of purchased kites .At the Jacksonville (FL) Kite Tourney of 1969(the event's 44th annual running), a finelycrafted model competes for Largest Kite . Ifit fails, will it have a chance for recognitionon craftsmanship? Multiple award opportunitiesare a feature of well- run contests.Sometimes field events are the choice fromthe beginning or will be the whole focus of aparticular festival . There are a number of contestsof skill you can run on the field . One ortwo of these are ideal for a Cub Scout day. A largeturnout may require running of elimination trialsand finals in each event category. Contrary toinformation in various kite books, there is nopoint in grouping entries by kite types for any ofthe field events with which I am familiar. Also,all ages normally compete together on these (withthe exceptions noted) . I have planned kite fieldevents locally and observed kite games at otherfestivals over several years and I think thefollowing are do-able activities . Doubtless thereare many others and I make no claim that thisbriefly annotated list is definitive .Some types of field events :Pulling (or lifting) Power, using a weightscale . The field judges may measure one of these :(1) simple pull ; or(2) pull compared to area ; or(3) pull compared to kite weight ; or(4) simple lift, calculated from pull and angleof flight ; or(5) lift compared to area ; or(6) lift compared to kite weight .Choice of method will depend on the fanciesof the field judges recruited to carry out thiscontest . The average contestant will not careas long as the standard is consistent .Messenger Event, a simple contest for kids .Issue slit cards or looped ribbons to the kiteflierswith their kites flying on a minimum linelength and instruct contestants to place thecards on the line at a signal . The first, second,third or more to have their "messages" reachtheir kites' towing points will be tapped by rovingobservers .Dropping for Accuracy . Organizers can mark thefield in a bullseye pattern and provide sacks offlour or other drops along with release mechanismsfor contestants to borrow.Duration (popularly and well dubbedEndurance), an event that varies with the wind .Unless you are encouraging contestants to go forthe world record (presently seven days and twohours), you should set a cut-off hour, such asmidnight . Workable rules set by the Galleon giftmall in Nags Head, NC, for its annual Julycontest provide for the flier to hold the kiteline throughout and to have a five minute breakeach hour. Running to maintain flight may ormay not be allowed, but is poor form in any case .Most Kites on One line . AKA proposed guidelinesstate that all kites must fly, must be approximatelythe same size and must be retrievedto count . This event consumes lots of space, timeand manpower and can result in severe tanglesand controversy. Better hold this on a separateday or impose a time limit on it .Climbing Speed Contest or Reel-Out, usingmeasured line to a specified length, such as 200feet. A test of flying skill and kite lift . Standardloaded reels may be loaned to entrants whilethey axe clocked by stopwatch. Maximum sizeof kite and angle of flight should be specifiedin the rules and contestants may be disqualifiedfor not rewinding all the line neatly on the reelafter the timing . Awards should be divided byage groups . (These suggestions are from thesystem developed by A . Pete Ianuzzi.)Kite Dash (not to be confused with the disfavoredpractice of running to get a kite up) .In gentle winds only, on a measured course (suchas 100 yards each way), fliers must have kitesout on a minimum length of line (say 200 feet)and run (or walk) with the wind, without takingin line, and back, against the wind, to the startingline . Groups in the same age class may competeor individuals may run against a stopwatch .Reel-In, a contest of reels and of talent withreels . Assistants help launch kites at a premeasureddistance and the contestant reels inthe line at his or her top speed . Tangled reelsmay cause disqualification . Age classes should beobserved . Groups may compete in heats orindividuals may race against a stopwatch .Triathlon, a three-part big event made up ofthree little ones, Climbing Speed, Kite Dash andReel-In . In this case, however, the borrowed reelused in the Climbing Speed event is used for theReel-In . Age classes apply . Heats of groups arebetter and more fun than individuals against time .Kite Assembly Contest, for use with small groupsof children in age divisions using identical unassembledtwo-stickers, cord and tape or glue .On signal, contestants start assembly . No physicalassistance is permitted except for launchingrelease, but plenty of verbal advice and encouragementmay be given . The winner is the first toassemble and fly his or her kite on at least 50feet of line (kite must fly, not dangle .) May bedone outdoors or indoors adjacent to a field .Drag Races . We have never done these, buthave speculated that we would do a cross-waterdrag by tying uniform sections of two-by-foursto kite lines at a specified distance from thekites . The winning kite would be the first to haulthe wood from one side of the harbor or pond tothe other .Though space does not permit exhaustive treatmentof kite games, perhaps we can explore themin future issues . Probably the most popular fieldjudging is for altitude . Though some sophisticatesdisdain it, others think it is the whole pointof kiteflying .Altitude . There are several creative ways ofmeasuring this . (It should not be necessary toAn altitude event conducted using a measuredheight. Sighting is done while a readingis taken of the angle. An additional readingis charted and trigonometric calculationsdetermine altitude. Left, Curtis Marshallsighting ; right, Rick Kinnaird, reading .mention that any self-respecting kite contestwill not confuse altitude with mere length ofline out . )Your festival resources and the number ofparticipants will determine whether judges usean observed height or a measured height . Abasic decision is whether to judge altitude withina specific time limit . If the time is short, say lessthan three minutes, you may in reality be judgingclimbing speed rather than unrestricted altitude .The easiest and quickest (not the best) wayto judge altitude is simply to "eyeball" the kitesat a scheduled time of day . The judges, in theirauthority, observe the kites and pronounce onethe highest . When you have one kite clearlyflying above the others this method is indisputable .If, however, you have several kites in contention

AKA SUGGESTED ALTITUDE CONTEST SCORING SHEETfor honors as the highest - and especially if thekites vary in size, thus throwing off depth perception- the judges may be hard put to namea single winner. An outside observer, perhapswith binoculars, is thus desirable for moreaccurate judging or as a buffer against disputeson the field . This outside observation requiresthe right situation, such as a nearby hill, tallbuilding or helicopter . At the Long Beach KiteFestival in California, a police helicopter cooperatesfor this purpose and lends a moment of drama• the day. The police radio a verbal descriptionof the highest kite to the beach below and thatkite wins .So far the altitude judging methods describeddepend on the contestants being in a certainplace at a certain time . If you want to freeyour event from this restriction or if you wish• undertake a more "scientific" approach, youcan measure the altitude of the kite entries. Thiscan be done with plenty of open space, goodturf and two competent people to take measurements. No consideration is given to amount ofline out, size of kite or any other factor ; eventhe age of the contestant is normally disregarded .This method was used at the Maryland KiteFestival in past years, before the site was changed• a field next to a hill . Bill Bigge, Mel Govigand Nat Kobitz worked it out. It contains nogreat mystery but so far as we know has neverbeen published before .This method for measuring altitude calls forobserving and recording the angle of elevationof the kite at two points, a measured distanceapart, in direct line to the kite . Taking thesetwo angles and the distance between the sightings,with trigonometric calculations the judges determinethe elevation of the kite above the line-ofsight,then add the height-to-eye of the observer(approximately five feet) to arrive at the actualaltitude of the kite . The sightings are done witha gravity level (available in a hardware store)attached to a straightedge or gun sight forgreater accuracy in alignment on the kite . Youcan also use a rangefinder, but only the expensiveones will work because the accurate rangerequired will always be over 500 feet . A rangefinderwill give you distance to the kite but youwill still have to measure one angle and calculatethe altitude. After the sighting judge locates andsights the kite to be judged, using the level, therecording judge reads and records the angle tothe nearest 1/10th degree under the column a(1) on the accompanying chart. Using a measuredline or premeasured pacing, the sighting judgemoves across the field in the direct line to thekite . The recorder will be sure he or she staysin a straight line . The recorder then enters thedistance in column B . The second angle is thensighted and recorded and the results enteredunder column a(2) . Calculations can be done ata later time if there is a press of other kitesto be judged, but the judges should check to seethat the data are entered in columns a(1),a(2) and B . Judges should note that if a kitechanges altitude during measurement a recheckis necessary. Also if the differential is smallbetween the first and second readings, the judgesshould extend the baseline . (A specific baselineis included in the chart's formula, but judgesmay use what works best .) Sightings should bemade at an angle of less than 60 degrees ifpossible to avoid the inaccuracy of high-anglesighting and calculation . About 30 to 45 degreesis best . No calculation is included for uneventerrain ; everyone takes a chance on this . Asfinal advice, we suggest that judges check theircalculations against reality from time to time byeyeing the kites. I've seen this method producestrange figures on occasion - one kite wasrecorded as flying underground - and when it doesthe judges must remeasure .Maneuverable kite contests are a new branchof kiting competition in America, grown out ofthe stunter kite phenomenon that began withPeter Powell's kites which were brought fromEngland in 1975 . The two-line control idea wasnot new (witness Paul Garber's highly controllableNavy Target Kite and reel used for gunnerypractice at sea in World War II), but the aggressivemarketing of good ready-to-fly equipmentto adults was new. The sport of stunting representsa new wave of kiting enthusiasm that is stillgoing strong . There are now at least 17 "imitation"Peter Powells, or variations of stunter kites,available commercially .Stunters must be handled with respect, for theyare very space-consuming and people-threateningas they dive and swoop over the terrain . Onlya festival with ample space and good crowdcontrol systems should incorporate a stuntingevent or demonstration into its program . Alsoonly good wind (10 miles per hour or more)can accommodate most stunter kites .Those provisos aside, stunter contests are certainlyfun . Development of competition standardsfor stunters, though, is even newer than thekites themselves . Probably the first formal U.S.attempt to score stunting techniques occurredin Ocean City, MD, on October 25, 1975 . I wasone of the judges and was impressed to findthat the system worked out by Bill Ochse ransmoothly. The essential features were : a backdropfor visual aid in comparing maneuvers, severaljudges, a point system, specified maneuvers andstandards for judging them .In the Ocean City model, six 16-foot stakeswere positioned downwind in a line about 100feet long and a streamer was attached acrossthe top of the stakes . This line of sight wasset 160 feet from the fliers' baseline and thekite flying lines were measured at 150-footlengths, assuring consistency and a visual yardstickfor comparison of kite maneuvers doneimmediately in front of the stakes . The exactmeasures are not as important as consistency .Three or more judges are needed, preferablypersons knowledgeable about the kites, and inOcean City four were used, one of whom wasPeter Powell himself. The judges sat at a tableon a flatbed truck, which gave them a goodvantage point, and raised flash cards for scoring-an efficient system . Points from 1 to 9were given (probably 1 to 10 would be moreconventional) on four basic kite maneuvers .Three tries were allowed for each maneuver byeach contestant and the average of the threetries was recorded. Afterwards the judges agreedthat having three tries was excessive and sloweddown the competition to no advantage . I thinktwo tries or even one would be adequate unlessthe organizers want to use up time . The maneuverson this day were performed piecemeal and notnecessarily in any particular order . They included:(1) power dive ; (2) vertical figure eight ; (3)horizontal figure eight ; and (4) horizontalflight, either left or right . Standards for judgingwere : smoothness of flight (breaks bringing azero score), accuracy and degree of risk .I believe the next logical development in judgingof dual-line maneuverable kiteflying has arrivedwith Red Braswell's Pattern B (see page 57) .The judging techniques of the Ocean City competitonwould apply, but the maneuvers wouldbe patterned and increased in number ; smoothnessof total execution would be an added component. The success of the combined Ocean Citymodel and a patterned concept will be testedin September, given good winds, at the OceanCity Grand National Kite Festival .Kite fighting is fast becoming part of theAmerican scene. In California, teams are engagingin round-robin tournaments, such as the one atthe San Francisco Kite Festival in Golden Gate Park .Individual combat is catching on, too. The pleasureof mastering the control techniques and doingkite "dances" in the sky are themselves aninteresting challenge . These kites now made inthe U .S. of Mylar ® are practically indestructibleand have increased the options for kiteflyingenormously. The main thing for festival organizersto remember about either two-line or one-line kitecompetitions is toclear the field for these events .This is a fundamental safety responsibility. Insome places in India, kite fighting has beenrestricted by law because of grisly accidents withglass-coated cutting line .HOW A KITE FESTIVAL?Assuming your date and site are selected, sponsorshipsecured and a nucleus of kite buffs havea format in mind, the next thing is to divvyup advance jobs . A batch of sub-committees or acollection of hard-working individuals are neededin the following general areas : (1) judging systemplanning ; (2) field arrangements and procurements; (3) awards ; (4) recruiting, hospitalityand invitations; and (5) publicity, including all

printed supplies .The jobs interrelate sometimes . For example,those who are planning the judging system willhave to list the categories for the awards chairman. The publicity chairman will need to knowthe names of judges recruited, including specialbackground information about them . The telephonewill hum . I've made out some fancy manpowercharts and logistical countdowns in my time, butI believe work methods would vary greatly fromone community or committee to another. Insteadhere are a few miscellaneous tips .Judging System PlanningIn planning the judging, don't expect the judgesto know much about kites ; they may know a greatdeal, but it's safer to underestimate . Providethem with a judges' guide a few days in advance .(I have an eight-page sheaf that is the firsttest of a judging staff.) An alternative or asupplement to a written guide, for some situations,is to have a judges' meeting in advance or ajudges' breakfast the morning of the day . If youhave a simple judging system and can call ona lucid, reliable instructor to give the judges acrash course on their jobs, you can skip thewritten guide . But it is very important that nojudge be permitted on the field before he or shehas been fully briefed on his or her job .A written guide has the advantage that it cancarry all the stored-up wisdom of the organizersin a form that can be studied carefully . It cancover the sticky questions, such as how to assureconsistency, how to adjust for variability in windand what is the standard for qualifying flight .The disadvantage of a written guide is that somepeople may not read it carefully - or may hardlyread it at all (shocking but true) .Preparing the judging system also involvesdesigning a registration-score card and formulatingrules and regulations . A sample of the MarylandKite Festival card appears with this article asan idea-starter. It is by no means an ultimatecard . The committee redesigns it every year! Theback of the .card may be a convenient place toprint the rules and regulations of the kite festival,and/or a list of the awards . Some suggested rulesto consider are the following :O nly kites made by their fliers may beentered in Comprehensive Judging . For youngchildren, the kite must be substantially the workof the child and not merely decorated by thechild. Scores will be graded with considerationfor entrant's age .Kites purchased, received or made from kitsare permitted to enter Field Events only .*Kites must fly, to the judges' satisfaction(usually one minute), to qualify. In ComprehensiveJudging of Flight Performance, if there is variabilityin wind the judges will adjust scoring .Kites must be scored in all categories ofComprehensive Judging to qualify .Any one kite may be entered only once,by one person .A contestant may enter only one kite forComprehensive Judging, except that he or shemay enter several kites as one if flown in trainor tandem . Entrants are encouraged to bring morethan one kite, for different wind levels, but maycompete with one only in the ComprehensiveJudging . In the Field Events, a contestant mayuse different kites for each event or the samefor all, as desired, but may enter only once .There is no restriction on size or design ofkites entered, except that no rockets, balloons,gas, motors, or electric, mechanically poweredor explosive devices may be employed to assistA model of the U .S .F. Constellation in flyingform using components of the Stratton GhostClipper kite kit . Made by AKA Life MemberDr. John H. Seipel of Fairfax, VA, for the 1976Maryland Kite Festival, this ingenious kitewon high scores and the crowd's applause .Some festivals permit kites made from kits tocompete with owner-made kites . But festivalsthat don't should be flexible enough to allowfor entries like this one .launch or maintain flight of any kite .It is the contestant's responsibility to leavehis or her registration-score card with a fieldofficial on completion of scoring in order for hisor her kite to qualify for any award.Placing kites of previous festivals may notenter competition in this year's festival . (Exactduplicate models of past winning kites are regardedas the same as past winning kites .)*At the discretion of the judges, there may bemore than one winner, or no winner, of anyaward .The judges reserve the right to disqualifyany kite or kiteflier for reasons they deemsufficient .Incidentally, the question sometimes arises ofwhether qualifying trials are useful . I think theyare not only unnecessary but a bad idea . Theydrain time and effort in advance, all for the purposeof eliminating kites! It is hard to imagine havingtoo many kites, especially if they are ownermade. Preliminaries would only put added riskson fragile kites, create rejections and preventthe kiteflier from exposure to the best sourceof inspiration for next year - the festival. It iswise, of course, to advise contestants to test flytheir kites before bringing them and also tomake more than one kite, for different wind speeds .Field ArrangementsWhat's needed on the field? Basics are tables,chairs, roping and stakes, signs and a publicaddress system . A good p .a . system makes agreat difference, especially if you have a talented,knowledgeable announcer . Without announcements,people will not have the background toappreciate and really see what's happening .Signs are important and should be made inadvance for main areas such as Registration,Judging, Scorekeeping, Kite Hospital, Refreshments,Kite Shop and Rest Rooms . Subsidiarysigns may also be made for judging categoriesand field events . Hazards can be noted by signs,too (e .g ., Beware! Kite-Eating Tree!) Rules andregulations can be posted by sign if they arenot printed on paper for participants . Directionalsigns for convenience of drivers on their way tothe festival may also be helpful .Good communications are a basic at any kitefestival . Some contests can make do withvoice guns, but for a large crowd a publicaddress system is recommended in additionto the guns . Left, Rick Kinnaird directing atthe Maryland Kite Festival ; right, PaulGarber at the Smithsonian .Thought should be given to parking needs,particularly to reserving space for workers whomust haul heavy or awkward objects to the field .Also needed are trash cans, two or three bullhornsfor on-field communications and bleachers,if available . Smaller important items includeclipboards and pens for the judges, assorted paperweights and a calculator for the scorekeepers .Field arrangements will vary with the site .The sketch accompanying this writing applies tothe Maryland Kite Festival held on the field atthe Inner Harbor in Baltimore . Note the indicationof a circle for the flight performance judgingarea, so that if and when the wind shifts duringthe day, launching alignment can be adjustedaccordingly. Specific field layout will depend onterrain, prevailing winds and surrounding physicalfeatures, such as trees, streets and buildings .The illustration is suggestive only, to show ideasand relationships among the areas .It's a good idea if the field arrangementsallow for some way of sequestering the scorekeepersso they will not be subject to pesteringby participants anxious to know if they wonanything . A van, tent, adjacent indoor facilityor roped-off area might be used .The field chairman should also alert the localpolice in advance about traffic and parking jams .Your area Red Cross may be able to send a mobilefirst aid unit to save you safety worries . Don'tforget to request air clearance from the FAA .There are many extras you can incorporate intoyour kite festival, based on costs or philosophy . Afood stand and a kite booth (with a good range ofkites and plenty of line) are necessary services,as is a well-stocked and staffed kite hospital .

By Welka D . ("Red") BraswellAre you in control of that kite? Thisquestion is often asked by observerswho are not sure about a kite's acrobatics. Is the kite performing as theflier wants it to or is it out of control?Even experienced kitefliers are notsure of the operator's control overthe kite or to what extent they arecontrolling the kite .Figure skaters in competition performin a sequence with one plannedmaneuver following another. Radiocontrolmodel airplanes are also flownin preset patterns . Therefore, I suggestthat a system of patterns be usedwhen flying controllable kites in competition.Any number of patterns could beestablished for practice or competition .I would like to propose my flyingpattern which I will call pattern "B" .(I will leave pattern "A" for PeterPowell to develop .)I would also like to suggest thatjudging of patterned flights be similarto that used for Olympic figure skatingcompetition, insofar as the figures betrue, smooth and flowing from one stepto the next -points being allotted foraccuracy of performance . Kites withlong tails would be easier to scorethan kites without tails, as the tailfollows the shape of the figureperformed .

A band and clowns may be wanted . Balloons, skydiversand hang-gliders can be invited to allayanxieties you may have about the crowd . I havealways felt that if kites are not enough attractionthere is no point in a kite festival .Another extra item, rather costly, is takingcolor Polaroid pictures of each entrant and hisor her kite . These photos can be numbered andmounted on a board for the crowd to view inballoting for the Spectator's Choice award . Later thephotos can be given (or sold) to the entrantsor kept for the festival scrapbook .A popular extra is Certificates of Participation .Many contestants save these from year to year .Patches (if affordable) could serve as keepsakes,too, and be sewn to fliers' "scare coats ."Because I believe a well-run kite festival is agreat gift to the community, I don't favor givingaway kites at the festival . This will certainlyattract people, but I have seen it create a detractingeffect on a kite festival . Consistent with thisopinion, I take a dim view of holding a kitefestival "for charity." Kite festivals are a charity!AwardsI like to see many prizes and awards given atkite festivals, to bring more recognition and smiles .If a choice `has to be made, I think these arepreferable to a few large awards . Opinions varyhere, as they do over cash vs . trophies . I happento be very resistant to dazzle by trophies, butI'm not really impressed by cash, either. Surelythe important thing is appreciation. There aremany imaginative kite-related awards - kites,kite books, kite accessories, AKA memberships .Some awards are good fun: a ball of string,a "concrete" kite . I am aware of one ribbonmanufacturer (Hodges Badge Co ., Inc ., SchoolhouseLane, Portsmouth, RI 02871) that has a kitesymbol it can print on your ribbons . For whatthey mean to your festival, lavish ribbons arerelatively inexpensive .In ordering ribbons, be sure to have an extraset of placing awards and other duplicates whereyour instinct says you may have ties . Organizerscan and should try to avoid ties in setting upthe judging system, but if they occur the fairestsolution is to award them .It is also good to have a few ribbons markedsimply "Special," for those unpredictable happenings your judges should be instructed to lootfor. Ribbons and trophies can be rather constricting, lettered in advance as they are . Struggleagainst that effect. Be flexible, ready to recognizeanything deserving. Flexibility is an admirablegoal - not easy to achieve .Appreciation is an intangible that can also beexpressed throughout the day - and should be .Judges and other officials should be instructedto compliment the kitefliers freely . This habitneed not affect or reflect upon the fairness ofactual scores . Try to be generous, too, in honoringrequests for restoring .Don't forget your volunteers . They are thereto be appreciated, too . Give them Judge andCommittee ribbons and other suitable gifts . Oneof these, if funds permit, can be a buffet afterthe festival .RecruitingWhen seeking help to run a kite festival, neverforget that you are working with volunteers . It'san art in itself, fit for treatises of its own, butto summarize, remember that the degree of commitmentto the kite festival will vary amongindividuals. Volunteers can and sometimes dosimply not show up, perhaps without any warning .They will usually have what they feel is a goodexcuse, and no matter how you feel about it,you must accept these excuses . Be covered indepth . Eventually, a recruiter will learn fromexperience how much he or she can depend ondifferent volunteers .Who should be a judge? Ideally, only experienced,knowledgeable kitefliers . Have at leastone judge per category and at least one extrajudge (your most versatile one) to fill gaps atbreaks . If you have only a few experts, placethem in the key decision areas . You can inviteartists to judge beauty and cabinet-makers tojudge craftsmanship, but you need real kiteexperts to judge design, ingenuity and flightperformance . If you have any extra bodies, reinforcethe flight assistant crew ; you will probablyneed the most help in the flight performancearea. Have a chief judge to arbitrate disputes .Besides expertise, a desirable trait is adaptabilityin unpredictable situations . You will have suchmoments . Quick thinking people, cool under pressure,will be your salvation.As for inviting celebrities, the mayor, the localweather announcer, etc ., don't fool yourself thatthese people will work ; they seldom will give youfull time and usually are just window dressing .It is fine to invite them as long as you understandthis .How many people, in total, are needed to runa kite festival? A small new event could survivewith 15 good workers, but more would be better . Inthe last few years at the Maryland Kite Festival,the number of volunteers has risen from about40 to 50 . Numbers are not half as important,though, as ability on the job .May the judges compete? Yes and double yes!Of course, they can't be permitted to scorethemselves ; but the judges are chosen partlyon the basis of the very talents they are judging .It would be a shame to deprive them or thefestival crowd of an opportunity to display outstandingkiteflying .This raises a question often debated . Shouldthere be separate divisions for "professional" and"amateur" kitefliers? In answer, consider thesequestions . First, just what is "professional" andwhat is "amateur"? Is there inherently, necessarilyor even usually any distinct superiorityattributable to a kite made by a commercialmanufacturer? Is an enthusiast who continuallyexperiments with new kite designs really at adisadvantage against a commercial kitemaker whomakes the same kites over and over? Does akite buff gain as much satisfaction from winningwhen he cannot compete with the best, with allthe contestants rather than with a preselecteddivision of "amateurs"? My bias is probablyapparent by now, but I am not really inflexibleon this . I can conceive of a manufacturer'sdivision for the purpose of giving special awardsspecifically to commercial models . But if thepresident of Hi-Flier wants to come out andfly his personal invention and enter as anindividual rather than a company, I believe heshould be able to do so, with no handicap .As your festival becomes better established anddraws people from increasingly greater distances,you may find that dedicated and expert kiters willtravel many miles to appear. These people shouldbe regarded as pure gold and their talentscapitalized upon. Invite them to consult, judge ordemonstrate their particular proficiencies . Aboveall, don't make the gauche mistake of excludingthem as "professionals ." They may indeed raisethe level of competition in your locality, a resultwhich, far from being unfair, is a testimony toyour success.Securing judges is only the tip of the icebergwhere recruiting for a kite festival is concerned .A complete list of positions should be made up .Some to be covered are : field set-up, four to sixpeople ; registration and information station, twoor more people ; kite shop staff, two or more ; kitehospital, two or more ; announcer, one or two ;scorekeepers, two or more ; certificates inscriber,one ; awards manager and presenter, two ; flightassistants, several ; "gophers," several ; fieldevents directors, several (depending on number ofgames planned) ; clean-up, two to six people (andyou might pay youngsters in hotdogs to helpcollect trash) .Another point: some volunteers will not beable to stay the full day, so shifts may be necessaryin places . The kite shop is a case in point ;its staff should plan to open early and close late,perhaps having a sale at day's end to clean upthe stock .PublicityWhole libraries have been written about pee-arr,but to simplify it in relation to kite festivals,

the thing to do is involve a good writer with agood feeling for promotion - and let him or herdo it . (Publicity is like beauty : everyone has hisor her own opinion. But it's still true that somepeople are better at it than others .) Publicityis critically important if wide participation iswanted, especially for a new kite festival . Youdon't want people to miss the day because theydidn't know about it. Try to get early publicity -at least a month in advance - so people will havetime to make special kites . A good publicistwill help with and spur on the committee's advanceplanning . At the same time, though, he or shewill project whimsy and keep the subject properlylight . The publicist should work out a plan fortiming and placement of news releases to all themedia . If a legitimate excuse can be found forflying kites at the site in advance, you may beable to pull a TV story in addition to publicservice announcements . Part of the releases musttell when events are to take place on the field .If you advertise that your kite contest runs from1 :00 to 4 :00 p .m . and people come at 2 :00 andmiss the altitude event at 1 :30, it's your fault,not theirs .What items must be printed? Circulars areessential . If possible, print them in quantity fordistribution through the schools . Posters are good,but a luxury, costing not only money to printbut time and effort to distribute .Kite workshops may bring you advance attention,but don't expect the people who cometo them to show up at the festival itself - surprisinglyfew do .When the day of the festival arrives, thepublicist's job isn't over. One or more goodphotographers must be out getting black-andwhitephotos for next year's publicity . The listof winners should be readied for the media ifthey ask (sadly, they don't make a regularpractice of this) . A crowd estimate should bemade by a competent person; it will usually beat least three times the number of kite entries . .And by the way, drawing 50 home-made kitesis a Big Day; 100 is Gigantic! Don't measure yoursuccess simply by number of bodies, and rememberthat the interest will build and the festival willimprove each year . Keeping names and addressesof entrants and volunteers each year will helpbuild a mailing list and may even be the startof a kite club . (That's how the Maryland KiteSociety came to be ; it wasn't vice versa, assome may have supposed .)FOR THE LOVE OF KITESBoiled down, my formula for kite festival successis this : F + F = F (Fairness plus Flexibilityequals Fun) . Fun is what will be remembered ;a well-run kite day will conceal its own machinery .The memory of such a day can mean much toparticipants and spectators alike - children,teens, adults, senior citizens . The atmosphereon such an occasion cannot really be describedor analyzed. For true believers, kites are alreadynext to Mom, the flag and apple pie . A festivalmultiplies the kite joy. That rare mixture of art,sport and science takes on a social dimensionas well . A kite festival is simply an experiencewithout parallel . You may conceive a kite festival -but its life is entirely its own . 0

L'INTRODUCTIONAUCERF-VOLANTCLUB DEStory and Photographsby David M . CheckleyHospitable, enthusiastic and eager fornew ideas - that's how I would describethe new Cerf Volant Club de France .On Sunday, September 11, 1977, Ihad the privilege of flying kites withthis group at the Polygon in the Boisde Vincennes, southeast of Paris . ThePolygon, now a city park, was formerlya military training reservation, andFRANCEwas the site of some of the first testsof French military kites in the early1900's .The Cerf Volant Club de France (KiteClub of France) now has about 30 members,mostly in the Paris metropolitanarea . Approximately .50 persons attendedthe fly, including picnickingfamilies and tail-gating kiters-verymuch like our local affairs in the States .A few arrived with long kites strappedto motorbikes, as in Japan .

I saw a multitude of fine kites, mostlyfabric . Several were variations of theFrench military kite, large box kites(there was little wind, so some of themost spectacular ones didn't get offthe ground), unusual Eddy kites withrotating outriggers, large Parafoilsand a sophisticated version of theRogallo Corner Kite with fiberglassspars and Velcro' fasteners for tensioningthe covering on the frame .There were also several interestingreel designs and a very compact andeffective aerial photography rig .Michel Berard, second generationkite photographer, uses a miniatureRolleiflex full-frame 35mm camera,attached to the kite with a protractorlikesupport to establish the correctangle . The camera is activated by alever linked to a kitchen timer, whichhad been lightened by boring holesin the base plates . Berard and hisfather have been making photographsfrom kites all over France for manyyears, and have carefully documentedtheir experiments in permanent recordbooks, detailing the equipment used,height of camera, angle, wind directionand speed, and light conditions . Thequality of the photographs is remarkablygood, particularly the ones takenwith the new apparatus, just described .Berard's address is 59 rue AndreLaurent, 94120 Fontenay sous Bois,France .Berard and his father also makehot air balloons, which the club flieswhen the wind is too light for kites .The balloons are made of wrappingpaper, about 10 to 12 feet high, withaluminum foil insulation around theinside of the bottom opening. Theyare powered by hot air from a charcoalbrazier, which remains on theground once the balloon is filled withhot air - so there is no fire hazard .One of the outstanding kite makersin the club is Guy Gerard, who doeshis own sewing, mostly in rip-stopnylon . Perhaps the leading kite-makingartist in France is Jacqueline Monnier,who flew one of her long-tailedcreations for a few minutes before thewind subsided . Her kites were featuredin the kite exhibition held by theFestival d'Automne a Paris in 1976 .My genial host was Jean-LouisBouisset, President of the Cerf VolantClub de France, assisted by Bill Corson,one of the two Americans in the group .Bouisset was too busy organizing theevent and making introductions to domuch kiteflying . His address is 17 rueLacharriere, 75011 Paris .Meet the Club, opposite, includingJean-Louis Bouisset, the President,left, and Jacqueline Monnier,right, one of France's leadingartist-kitemakers .Right, Guy Gerard, back to camera,launches his sunburst winged boxkite, in red and yellow nylon, atthe Polygon, Bois de Vincennes,near Paris .Below, the sun also rises .Below left, the French kitefliers examine a multicolor Corner Kite made of rip-stopnylon and using collapsible fiberglass spars and Velcro ® fasteners to attach the sailsto the frame and to tension them . Below right, Michel Berard shows his aerialphotography rig using a miniature Rollei, modified kitchen timer and adjustableangle support system . Berard and his father also make and fly hot air balloons .

AKANEWSAKANEWSThe survey conducted in the Summer 1977issue of Kite Lines revealed that AKA membersare indeed interested in seeing their organizationdevelop - or so we infer from the 12% whoresponded that they were willing to attend anational meeting at their own expense . Also ahealthy half of the respondents expressedwillingness to serve AKA as officers, committeemembers, representatives or correspondents .When all the unfinished business of AKA isbalanced against the apparent energy thatcould be tapped to work on it, the conclusionseems clear : an effort should be madeto set up enabling channels . Those of us whodislike meetings (as opposed to, for example,kiteflying) will have the opportunity to setup, at this embryonic time, a model structurefor minimum involvement participation . Also, ofcourse, the occasion will bring us a chanceto share some very good kiteflying together .A trade show and seminar may be heldbefore the meeting proper if response to thisidea is good. Many of the people who will beattending the meeting would appreciate havinga defined time and place for showing theirwares and sharing their experiences in thekite business .As this issue is prepared, only a generalschedule has been outlined . Members areinvited to write or call with ideas for theagenda . Complete information will be mailedseparately to all members soon, but do plannow to join us at Ocean City for a weekendof kites at their zenith!AKA at Work in WashingtonIn early January of this year, AKA learned thatthe U.S. Department of the Interior was holdinghearings on issues to be identified in a NationwideRecreation Plan .On very short notice, Wood Ellis, AKA LifeMember, responded to our appeal and attendeda meeting as an unofficial representative of theinterests of AKA and kitefliers .He learned that the concerns of kitefliers (forexample, conservation of open space) were sharedby several other recreation groups . Also he waspleased to find that the Recreation '78 TaskForce seemed to want the needs of kitefliersidentified and presented, to be included withothers' in developing the plan .Wood did not back off from the very specificrequirements set by the Task Force for the wayin which the issues should be written up . Hestudied those concerns he believed kitefliershave . Then in the few days he had availablebefore the deadline, he wrote a document tosatisfy the bureaucratic process while still givingspirited expression to the values of kiteflying .We would like to think Wood's efforts will beeffective. But the ways of government are notsuch that we can count on great results. In anycase, AKA has had a chance to be heard and inturn to hear. As Wood said in his covering letteraccompanying his document to the `Task Force,"You have, in effect, galvanized us into awarenessof our political responsibility . We are grateful,and ask that you give great weight to these issues ."THREE ISSUES FOR KITEFLYINGPRESENTED FOR THE1978 NATIONWIDE RECREATION PLANBy Wood EllisIssue 1The Department of the Interior, in collaborationwith the Federal Aviation Administration, stategovernments and appropriate agencies, shouldestablish and designate in each state a multipleuse park, relatively clear of trees and obstructionsin at least 1000 contiguous acres, in which usersof kites, balloons, tethered aircraft, model aircraftand model rockets would have priority overall other users, including operators of conventionalaircraft, on the ground and up to 10,000 feetabove the ground .Background Information on the IssueThere are at least 60, perhaps 75, well-establishedannual mass kite festivals which cater to adultsin the U.S.A. Some kitefliers travel hundreds ofmiles to participate . There are tremendousobstacles to planning such events, such as nonavailabilityof space, prohibitive local ordinancesand liability problems. Many kite builders spenda year or more in designing, building and testingtheir entries. Countless experimental kites, kitetrains, kite winches, etc ., never get past the

suparticipatesawing board because there is no suitableplace for testing them . In some urban counties,such as Arlington County, VA, mass kite eventsare impossible due to the complete lack of suitablespace .In view of the persistence of dedicated kiteliers,the tremendous numbers of casual kitefliers,the popularity of kite festivals and theendless frustrations the kite enthusiasts partlyovercome, it seems likely that kiteflying andsite festivals would increase a hundredfold ifsuitable large areas were provided for them .typically, a kite festival entertains many thousandsof spectators in addition to participants .Kitefliers practice in every month of the yearwhen weather permits . Kite festivals are becomingwell distributed, even into January .Kiteflying fits admirably into the multiple useconcept . The area of recreational should landsalso be used for horseback riding, archery, soccerand family picnics, in addition to its priorityusage for aerial recreations .The maintenance cost of the required clearspace might be offset by selling the hay cropfrom the land. Expensive, installed facilities areundesirable .Kiteflying is a wholesome national sport . Itdoes not pollute, nor consume fossil fuels . Itcultivates good health. It is usually quiet . It canbe viciously competitive . It connects the flier bothtangibly and lyrically to the wild elements . Itprovides limitless challenges to the scientificallyInclined. It teaches craft skills and self-reliance .:t celebrates liberty. It is a family sport, involvingall ages from four to fourscore .Issue IIMany urban governments adopt policies of zoningand taxation which are basically antagonistic tospace-loving recreations such as kiteflying, horse-back riding, archery, model aircraft flying, soccerand simply existing in a spacious environment .Background Information on the IssueUrban governments are corporate entities whichsell their services in exchange for money (taxes),and which generally seek to enlarge and perpetuatethemselves . They usually practice the belief thathigh priority is to "expand the tax base ." Theyconsequently promote high density commercialand residential developments, which in turnradiate higher real estate values to peripheral.ow-density properties, which in turn producepore tax revenue, and this tax burden providesa concrete disincentive to maintaining clear areas-Dr recreational use, either as private or publicproperty. Parks which are "little used" areconsidered wasteful, even though they greatlyexpand the lifestyle options of citizens . Thecontinuing and irreversible encroachment on clearareas might be evidence of a harmful philosophy:f city government .Because of the land management interests- f the Interior Department, in behalf of thecitizenry as a whole, attempts to improve thequality of city life by developing and promulgatingrecommendations for city governments would seem:o be within the charter of the Department . Onesuch recommendation might consist of a philosophy_ : taxation and zoning which encourages maintainingclear areas, which discourages highdensity developments and which penalizes enlargementof the governmental corporate entity.Issue IIIThe filling of open areas with trees, electricoverhead lines and game courts is not necessarilygood, as such areas then cannot be used forkiteflying and other space-loving activities .Background Information on the IssueKitefliers require open space before all otherthings . Many managers of outdoor recreationalareas believe that they should fill the areas withas many attractions as possible, starting with treesand continuing the packing process indefinitelytoward higher density usage . A specific exampleof this on-going process is the Lee District Parkon Telegraph Road in Alexandria, VA. Anotherexample, where the clash between philosophies ismuch publicized, is New York City's Central Park .It is possible to achieve high density usagewithout filling the open areas with obstructions,as has been demonstrated at the Monumentgrounds in Washington, DC, and at various seashoreparks . Furthermore, there are philosophicalrationales for avoiding high density usage ofdesignated recreational areas .Current Efforts to Resolve the IssuesThis is the first action undertaken by the AmericanKitefliers Association (AKA) in behalf of theseissues . The AKA has been consistently nonpolitical,although its members are well-positioned forinfluence near their homes .SAFETY COUNCIL REPORTBy Wood EllisAKA's Kite Safety Council (KSC) convened for thefirst time on November 16, 1977, in a meetingroom of the Smithsonian's National Air and SpaceMuseum, Paul Garber and John Hastings cochairing.After lengthy discussions the KSC decided to(a) sponsor kite safety codes or standards ifthey could be uniformly agreed upon, (b) compile afile of data relating to accidents in which kites wereinvolved and (c) continue the KSC in operation .The KSC is composed loosely of about 49 peoplenominated by Valerie Govig or by themselves . Thefirst meeting was attended by 19 members froma wide East Coast area (Connecticut was themost distant place represented) . KSC businesscan be conducted in this column in most issuesof Kite Lines and in the mails if people approveand cooperate . Members of the KSC should feelsome obligation to reply when votes or otherresponses are requested . Other AKA members areurged to I similarly, if 1 they, wish, by mail .Serving as a temporary administrator of theKSC, I wrote letters to various utility and governmentagencies to acquire data on kite-relatedaccidents, and some replies have been received .As an interim measure, Valerie wrote a guide forsafe flying which at least one manufacturer isnow enclosing with his kites . The complete text isprinted with this article . Kite manufacturers areencouraged to plan their packaging in the futureto include this information .The discussions of November 16 and some fineletters by Guy Aydlett, Warren ("Stormy")Weathers and others make it seem that we shoulddistinguish between three kinds of guides : kitedesign, individual kiteflying and mass kite-

Only a few current members of AKAare aware of the history of the organizationwhich had some very dark daysin the beginning as well as some highlyexhilarating ones . I have been asked toreveal some of these occurrences and Ihope that they will prove interestingto members .AKA began more or less by accident .It was never expected to become big oreven important . It was a diversionwhich acquainted me with what Ithought were a very few adult kitefliersspread out thinly over the nation .First issues of Kite Tales(predecessorof Kite Lines) mimeographed upon anancient discarded machine, were producedwith real physical effort . Themachine's impression roller was so badit required a full minute of preciseturning of the cylinder to make a readableprint . If only 10 or 12 pageshad been involved, this wouldn't havebeen so bad but ambition drove me toput out 50-page issues and that waspure murder .All issues were collated and stapledby hand . Beginning in the kitchen,pages were laic out in sequence onevery available spade and continuedon into the living room, from therethrough the bedroom and over the bed,wincing up in the office . No record wasever kept of the miles walked curingthis operation but the figure must havebeen impressive .This went on for nearly two yearsuntil generous contributions of a fewmembers provided a new electricmimeograph . The laborious cutting ofstencils remained, however, but thecopies were legible and printed onboth sides . The machine tossed themout and stacked them neatly as longas you were staring intently at it . Leavethe room for two minutes and whenyou returned, the air was full of flyingsheets of paper and sometimes youhad a ruined stencil from a waddedsheet caught on the drum . The sceneresembled a kitefly and was appropriatein that sense .If anyone asks if I ever mace amistake curing those early days, youcan tell them I did . Realizing thatmore money was needed to meet thedemands of a growing organizationand magazine, I foolishly upped themembership fee to $10 from a mere $3and a dive to oblivion began . Of thefirst 170 renewal notices sent out, just10% responded .Realizing I was doomed, I returnednew applications with a note explainingthat Kite Tales was being phasedout with four more issues which wouldsatisfy all obligations . One such applicationwas from Dick Mair, salesmanager for North Pacific ProductsCo ., a Bend, OR, firm which, amongother novelties, makes the Glite kite .In just no time, Dick, who envisioneda better future for kiting than I did,called me and said to hang on andawait further word from him . I did andfound myself one cold, pre-ChristmasDecember night winging over Oregonforests and lakes enroute to talk aboutthe future of Kite Tales with the officialsof N .P .P . in their quaint little factoryon the edge of the Cascade slopes .I landed at the Bend airport at 11p .m . in snow and cold the likes ofwhich I hadn't experienced in manyyears . A guest of the Mairs in theirnew but yet incomplete country home,I spent two nights in an unfinishedroom, one end of which was hung witha blanket in lieu of a wall . In theheat of the excitement and aided byan electric heater, I survived to fade agrueling two days trying to impress theowners of N .P .P . with the importance ofKite Tales and its glowing future . Itwasn't easy. However, the conclusionwas reached . N .P .P . was to print KiteTales on its own little offset press withBy Bob IngrahamFounder, American Kitefliers Associationthe type set from my dopy by theirlocal printshop and newspaper. Theywould absorb all expenses and pay me$75 per week to supplement the parttimenewspaper job I held at the time .I would forward all membershipmonies and other revenues to them atintervals. I returned home exhaustedbut elated and went to work .Dick Zimmerman, executive ofN .P .P. and a true gentleman, patientlytaught me how to make the layoutsfrom the returned proofs . When finished,the layouts were mailed back toBend and the magazine, reduced oneper dent to fit the press, began a renewedlife . Only one issue was missedcuring this changeover .Dick Zimmerman died two yearsago . Dick Mair had a stroke and isnow retired and lives in Florida . I hadto withdraw the publication afterseveral issues because the companywould not go above 28 pages and I wasdetermined to make Kite Tales everbigger and better. But the relationship,as long as it lasted, saved Kite Talesfrom becoming a journalistic casualtyand I am very grateful to those finemen who mace it possible to go on .This was not the only crisis in thehistory of Kite Tales and none of thisrelates directly to kiteflying but itcertainly does to kiting . Since AKA andKite Lines mean a lot to you, you maybe interested now to know about the"Valley Forge" I endured in the winterof '70 so that AKA might live . 0

AKA NEWS. . . Continued from page 65flying. Valerie's piece is an individual kiteflyingguide . We may need to write guides for the othertwo areas also .AKA members are the worst offenders . Littlekids seldom experiment with kite trains, highaltitude tries, giant kites, aluminum tubing kites,cutting lines, indoor kites, wire tethers, etc . AINTERIM SAFETY CODEIn the U .S ., the Federal Aviation Administrationhas a single regulation governing kites under fivepounds in weight :"No person may operate any kite in a mannerthat creates a hazard to persons, property orother aircraft."To make this general rule specific, the AmericanKitefliers Association is drawing up a code forkitefliers . The following rules are being consideredand are recommended :Four Nevers of Kiteflying :1 . Never fly a kite in wet or stormy weather,and keep your line dry .2 . Never fly a kite near electric power lines,transmission towers or antennas .3 . Never fly a kite with wire or anythingmetallic in its line .4 . Never fly a hard-pulling kite without wearinggloves .Five Things to Avoid while Flying Kites :1 . Public streets and highways : don't fly in ornear them .2 . Air traffic patterns .3 . Bystanders in your kite's line of attack (whenflying maneuverable kites( .4 . Rocky, bumpy or obstacle-filled fields-theycan trip you up .5 . Trees -but if you do lose a kite to a kiteeatingtree, loosen the line and let the windfly it out .simply favor more education and safety awareness .The writer favors careful development of the guidesin well-defined categories. In that context, a bancould be a statement in Guide Number 1D, pertainingto the design of kites weighing 10 to 20ounces intended for use in urban parks or larger .It could say, "Do not include metallic conductorsof over three inches in length in the kite ." Ofcourse, we might choose to say something different,for example requiring a written warning label ordifferent dimensions, etc ., for the kite . The banwould be a recommended guideline, not a federallaw with punitive provisions .Assumptions and opinions as expressed aboveare now open to attack or affirmation, as thecase may be, by all AKA members . Please sendyour responses directly to the Kite Safety CouncilSecretary, Wood Ellis, 6212 N . 18th Road, Arlington,VA 22205 .KITE SAFETY IN THE HEADLINESAs if to remind us of the importance ofAKA's Kite Safety Council, a story arrivedat the office of Kite Lines, as told by Dr.Hajo Onken of Germany:Beware of high voltage lines . They can bedangerous to your life, cause inconveniences andcost you a bundle.A kite was flown close to the commuter trainline in the neighborhood of Frankfurt . The weatherwas overcast. Soon after the kite hit the powerlines they were switched off. Fortunately nobodywas hurt . A light rain started to fall and thekite line got wet . Another train had to use theA kite accident in the German press .simple safety guide that is appropriate for childrencould outlaw many fascinating aspects of kitingpracticed by AKA members . Maybe the KSC couldclassify kites in some way, with a different safetyguide for each class . The guide for very largekites, for example, could mention the need forsolid anchoring and for adhering to FAA requirements. The guide for mass kiteflying could mentionthe hazards of leaving loose lines on the groundand of running through the crowd .The preceding paragraphs suggest two differentways to categorize safety standards and theysubdivide each other as indicated in the matrix, .Valerie's good guide does not pertain fully toevery kind of kite or flier or situation. HerNever Number Four is about gloves, which impliesthat the kite can be held by hand, which impliesthat it is not large enough to require a powerwinch, which suggests a weight limitation - let'ssay 20 ounces, for example . The general tone ofthe guide sounds appropriate to a large urbanpark. We can put it together and say, for themoment, that Class D means a kite of 10 to 20ounces intended for use in urban parks or larger .The leaflet then would become guide Number 2D,according to the matrix . A guide for this categoryseems to be urgently needed, but it is not theonly one that is needed .The spectacular controversies over the hazardsof metal in kites have generated widely divergentviews from equally intelligent individuals. Somefavor an absolute "ban," whatever that is . Some

ails, . Then so it the power was again switched onall happened: an explosion with flames and smokecaused by the conducting kite line and kite partsdestroyed part of the power line assembly. Trainservice was halted for a couple of hours .A kiteflier still holding the line could havesuffered a fatal stroke and could have beenseverely burned. Maintenance engineers from theFederal Railway moved in with a tower-car andrepaired the damage . This is the balance of theminor kite mishap : two hours of interruptedtrain service, repair costs of $1000, plus consequentialdamage for eight cancelled trains . TheFederal Railway will collect the money from theparents of the juvenile kiteflier . The parents arethankful that the child's life was spared .

NEW LIFE MEMBERSAnonymousJoseph ArenaCharles BernsteinDr. Myron BernsteinLouis BiggeWilliam R . BiggeLt . Col . and Mrs .Bevan 11 . BrownWyatt BrummittDr. Floyd Cornelison, Jr.Elliott N . CoudenThomas E . Cow IsWood and Virginia EllisDale FleenerPat York GilgallonPaul Scot GilgallonPat HammondHugh A . HarrisonAl and Betty HartigJohn HastingsRobert HieronimusGary HinzeA . Pete lanuzziRobert and Hazel IngrahamBill JonesNat KobitzTheodore T . KuklinskiTheodore L . ManekinCurtis Marshall, M .D .William G .B . OchseRobert S . PriceCarol A . RogalloWilliam A . RutiserDr. John H . SeipelCharles A . SotichBernard A . SpaldingTal StreeterJohn F. Van GilderCleveland J . WallBruce WulfsbergLIFE MEMBERSGregory A . ApkarianJohn C . ArmaninoGuy D . AydlettClifford BantelWilliam R . BiggeWyatt BrummittKenneth BryanJ . H . BuggJohn F. CarrollDavid M . CheckleyThomas W . DietzSr. Mary Ann Lenore EifertDouglas FalesJohn D . ForbesPaul Edward GarberAylene D . GoddardEdwin L . GrauelHugh A . HarrisonEugene HesterHenry H . HowardDomina JalbertTony JohnstonMrs . David JueBen KimTheodore KuklinskiOswald S . MarkhamCarol MasterLt . Col . Joseph O'BrienLt . Raymond ReelFrancis M . RogalloGordon ShuteCharles SipleRobert SmithH . J . (Hod) TaylorWilliam E . TempleDr. Alfred ThelinThomas TroyerArthur VashMike WrightHarold WriterWill YolenAnthony Ziegler