Kite Lines - Vol.3 No. 1 - KiteLife

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What's New. . . Continuedkites' directional stability and lift efficiency.These major components are ofmolded or die-cut plastic foam of the styrofoamkind-moderately dense and moderatelyrigid . Minor fittings and pivots areingeniously-tooled, injection-molded thermoplasticmaterial . Metal pivots wouldhave been better . As is often the case withmass-produced kites, this one's performanceis not up to the level of quality thata careful individual designer and makernormally realizes from his or her efforts .However, I'd recommend Roll-O-Kiteto anyone who'd like to get acquaintedwith the genre . Made to a larger scaleabout1 .4 times larger-and provided withsuper-proportionally greater diameterendplates, an efficient fat-foil form, pluscareful workmanship and balance, thiskind of rotor kite is capable of outstandingperformance-and it needn't have itsclean design cluttered with flag or handkerchiefstabilizers, either!SAM DA VINCI'S UFOManufactured by Bargain Basement, $6 .00ppd ., the "Unconventional Flying Object"rotor kite utilizes conventional geometrycommon to the center-stabilizer kind ; i .e .,a more-or-less elliptical planform liftingbodywhich rotates about its horizontalor long axis and which incorporates witha centrally fixed stabilizer disk whoseplane contains the short axis of the ellipseand is perpendicular to the long, rotationalaxis .The sample UFO consisted mainly oftwo '/2-mil membranes of tough, Estar® -type thermoplastic material cemented toperimeters or surrounds of formed translucentImperial Eastman Nylo-Seal® tubing,33-SN-3/16 . The two major componentswere joined together at their commonintersection by flexible transparent adhesive-tapehinges which permitted the kiteto be collapsed and packed flat in anenvelope for shipment . The only assemblyoperation required to prepare the UFOfor flight was that of erecting the stabilizerdisk perpendicular to the elliptical liftingbody and securing the configuration withfour "guide lines" (actually stays) whichwere slivers of peel-and-apply sticky tape .Experienced users of rotor kite airfoilsof high efficiency may well wonder whythe essentially flat tympanous pellicle airfoilof the UFO can be expected to autorotateand subsequently enjoy lift fromMagnus forces . The fact that a flat airfoilis indeed capable of rotating in a fair windand therefore can enjoy lift forces, albeitinefficiently, deserves brief discussionuninhibited by sesquipedalian, scholarlyanalysis of the phenomenon . Colorfully,capriciously and with good cause we maycall it "The Bull-roarer Effect ."Fliers youngerthan 60 may notremember that, toomany generations ago,bull-roarers were currentas popular, simple, homemadetoys . A proper, functionalbull-roarer consistedof little more than a long,thin slat of wood-oftenpurloined from an opportuneshutter or windowblind-to which a lengthof string was tied througha small hole bored nearone end . The child's dutyand-pleasurewas to whirlthe slat rapidly in a horizontalcircle-plane above hisor her head . As the whirlingcommenced, magic happened :the slat acquired rapid rotation about itslong (string) axis and emitted a mostgratifying, satisfying, fluttery roar of amagnitude guaranteed to prod prostrateparents from their postprandial pallets!More magic : As the slat assumed respectablyhigh rotational velocity, noticeableMagnus forces came into play ; prevailedover resistant centrifugal force ; andthe nearly plane, circular path initiallytaken by the slat and its string evolvedinto one of two possible conical pathenvelopes: base-up position-slat high ; orbase-down position-slat low . Either positionwas determined by the rotationalsense of the slat .Since the sophistications of swivelsseldom were savored in the Olden Days,guess what happened? You are right .After being twisted many turns, the stringstored up sufficient torque energy torevolt (if it didn't break) ; it overcameoriginal rotational inertias and obliged theslat to rotate a while in the opposite sense .As a consequence, the bull-roarer slatalternately cycled in high-low-high-lowpaths . These oscillations continued aslong as youthful energy and exuberancepersisted .END OF DIGRESSIONWe resume discussion of the UFO . Thebridle is the usual V-shape ; about 31 incheson each branch ; heavy monofilament witha knotted loop-bight at the junction ; eachbranch extremity is tied to one hole in atwo-holer shirt button (!) ; the remaininghole in each button serves as a pivot bearing. Other pedestrian items are : truncateddressmaker pins as pivots ; pherical plasticbeads as friction-reducing pivot spacers .Originally, the kite's mass imbalanceor vestigial geometrical unsymmetrycaused it to fly in a wing-low attitude .The condition was corrected by shorteningthe bridle branch attached to thelowside pivot .This rotor kite has no "top" or "bottom"as do its brothers which sport curvedasymmetric airfoils . Therefore, on anygiven flight attempt, the current "up"side should move in rotation away fromthe flier, or downwind . One would thinkthat the kite at random would commencerotation in either sense when committedto ample ambient airflow-fifty-fifty,heads or tails . However, the UFO Trollsmust have stacked the deck : the test-kitepreferred to commence turning in thedesired sense four times out of five!Simple but ample instructions packedwith the kite included a phrase that someof us elder fliers may consider to be eviladvice : "To fly, stand with your back to
KITING, we call it now-the serious,involving adult art, science and sport offlying and making kites . It is somethingof a trend, one that started in the 70sand with the 80s is expected to continueto grow in variety and fascination .People are recognizing the values ofkiting as a creative challenge for allages, as fresh as all outdoors, free ofpollution and nonconsuming of energy .The lore of the kite begins with itsorigin in China's Han Dynasty and continueswith its role as the ancestor ofthe airplane . Kites have been used toward off evil, deliver love messages, raisebanners, drop propaganda leaflets, catchfish, spy on enemies, send radio signals,measure the weather, photograph theearth, tow vehicles, advertise politiciansand lift passengers into the sky . Kiting'scultural diversity is reflected in thevaried traditions and designs that characterizekites in different nations . Forexample, in India and Thailand, kitingis akin to a national sport .Today in every state in the Unionand at least 40 other countries, growingnumbers of impassioned adults flykites almost every week of the year .Over 100 U .S . kite shops cater to theenthusiasm, and an equal number ofkite festivals are drawing crowds annuallyin towns and cities-a noted examplebeing Washington, DC, with its SmithsonianKite Carnival . Here the skies arefilled with a United Nations of kites,what Time magazine called a "socioculturalanthology of man's immemorialurge to fly ." Though kites are easy tomake or buy, they are only superficiallytrivial. Kite curricula are appearing onthe university level-while about 40kite clubs are thriving around the world,linked by their own quarterly journal,Kite Lines . Together these influencesare bringing kite civilization to remoteareas-Indiana farmland, urban openspace, suburb, wilderness, shoppingcenter . To fly a kite is to risk addiction .There's a certain kind of day that givesa kiter a case of kite finger itch . That'swhen the trees are a-jiggle against a cleanblue sky, flecked at times by clouds ona briefguideto safeand sureKITINGthe move . It might be a day in earlyspring . Or it could just as well be summer,fall or winter . Kites know noseason . The stereotyping of kiting as aspringtime thing is on its way out. Akiter picks a day, not a season . Patternsof weather vary with geography, so it iswell to become familiar with your area'sweather . Recognize, too, that there'ssuch a thing as too much wind . Dependingon your kite, typical good-flyingweather provides steady winds in arange of 4-18 miles per hour (not whentrees start swaying) .Seize the day . Enjoy the spontaneousappeal of kites. But exercise somecaution . People have been killed flyingkites, but only from real foolishness .Keep safety in mind . In the U .S ., theFederal Aviation Administration has asingle regulation governing kites underfive pounds in weight :No person may operate a kite in amanner that creates a hazard to persons,property or other aircraft .To make this general regulationspecific, Kite Lines has recommendedthe following safety code . While thecode is not all-inclusive, it's a recognizedbasic guide for individual kiteflying .The KITE LINES Safety CodeThe Four Nevers of Kiteflying1 . Never fly a kite in wet or stormyweather, and keep your line dry .2 . Never fly a kite near electricpower lines, transmission towers orantennas .3 . Never fly a kite with wire oranything metallic in its line .4 . Never fly a hard-pulling kitewithout wearing gloves .Five Things to Avoid while Kiteflying1 . Public streets and highways - don't fly in or near them .2 . Air traffic patterns .3 . Bystanders in your kite's lineof attack-especially when flyingmaneuverable kites .4 . Rocky, bumpy or obstaclefilledfields-they can trip you up .5 . Trees-but if you do lose akite to a kite-eating tree, loosenthe line and let the wind fly it out .Some fliers will spend considerabletime traveling to reach a favorite kitingspot . Beaches are an example, becauseof their steady winds . As with shoresalong most bodies of water, they usuallyenjoy good air flow . Wide open hillsides(on the windward side) are ideal . Butanywhere that you can find a few clearacres may serve you well . Schoolyards,parks and farmlands are likely candidates. Less obvious are old abandonedairfields, rooftops and parking lots onSunday afternoons .In these times, it's a great comfort thatkites can still be had for under a dollar .Kiting thus is still one of the mostaccessible of sports . But also a pleasureis the fact that kites are available inever-increasing variety and quality . Thesport thrives on having no standardizedrules or equipment . Once of paper,leaves or silk, kites today are usuallymade of space-age plastics such asMylar® or Tyvek®, or of durable syntheticfabrics, notably rip-stop nylon(also known as spinnaker cloth) . Fiberglassrod spars may take the place ofwooden sticks now . Line is apt to betough braided nylon or polyester, upto 100-lb . test or stronger. Sophisticatedkite reels come in a wide selection . Andalthough you can spend over $1000 ona kite, most are still under $10, remarkablymodest compared to skiing regalia,a golf club membership or a sailboat .Durable kites are recognized as a goodinvestment in high-value family recreation. Often handcrafted in stunning
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Page 8 and 9: LettersA REALLY KEENE KITERWe have
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Page 19 and 20: hooks at each end to be inserted in
Page 21 and 22: Par ExcellenceGeorge conceived the
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Page 27 and 28: Carolina . Ray and I were together
Page 29 and 30: entered their minds and as a conseq
Page 31 and 32: Happiness lights up all the faces a
Page 33: Top left clockwise : Mel Govig's fo
Page 37 and 38: Polaroid print . An equally sure to
Page 39: Flying at Manassas, from left count
Page 42 and 43: Getting ready to take the kite down
Page 47: -.1

Kite Lines - Vol.3 No. 1 - KiteLife

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