Untitled - KiteLife

a tangled mass of nylon .I next tried to use the somewhatshaky method suggested by somemanufacturers of letting out a littleline at a time . This method eventuallyworked but at great risk tofingers (at 20 mph winds a 10 sq .ft . parafoil exerts quite a bit ofpull) .(Note: this is a very hazardousmethod of launch and is notrecommended for this or anyother stunt kite .)Another attempt was made,using a fence and plastering thekite against it, walking back tohandles and hoping that the kitecame off untangled . I used myvan in another attempt. (Both afence and a van are frowned onas fixtures in stunt kite fields .) Thekite came with no directions andthis may or may not have been anoversight on the part of themanufacturer .First day of tests saw winds ofabout 15 mph . Once the kite waslaunched, it flew well . The SparlessStunter tracked well and exhibitedvery little over or under steer. Thekite is moderately fast for one ofthis size, and it turned in about itsown width . (Wing tip turns are anirrelevant term for a kite with nowings!) The response to controls isquick and with a steady breezethe kite flew well to the sides ofthe wind . One thing to rememberis that if you attempt to land orcrash anywhere (and most especiallyto the edges of the wind),you MUST have an assistant helpyour launch . This is a major drawbackto the otherwise good advantageof a high lift to weightratio that is present in the SparlessStunter.The next test day was gusty withwinds from 5-25 mph . There are nowind adjustments that can bemade to the bridle lines as thelines end in loops . The SparlessStunter did stay airborne in 5 to 8mph, but very little maneuveringwas possible . One disadvantageto the "sparless" soft kites is thatthey are easily affected by gustsand crosswinds . (Both of whichwere present on the day of thetests.) When hit with gusts orcrosswinds, the kite had a tendencyto collapse . If the kitedidn't tangle as it fell, there was achance to re-inflate and recover.More often then not, when thecells collapsed you ended up inthe "How do I relaunch?"syndrome .The Sparless Stunter is very portable,is quite striking in the air (ourtest model was fluorescent pink,green and black) and candevelop a considerable amountof pull for the "power" filers outthere . All you have to do is figureout how to launch it by yourself .A.H .MODEL: PEREGRINEFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz . ripstop nylonKITE WEIGHT: 415 Grams (standard spars) ;335 Grams (graphite spars)COLORS AVAILABLE : variedWIND RANGE: 4-25CONFIGURATION: delta-type with inflated wedge keel .96 inch wingspanMFGR's SUGGESTED RETAIL: $120.00 to $190.00MANUFACTURER: ONE OF JERRY'S KITESJerry Sinotte has been makinggood kites for a long time . If youhave ever flown one of his big deltas,you are already aware of thecraftsmanship that goes into hisproducts . Jerry also produces theAvenger which has been on themarket since 1984 .The Peregrine, which was introducedat the KTA convention inJanuary, borrows an idea fromJerry's deltas . The secret to thislatest contender is the utilization ofthe unique double-skinned,wedge keel ; which inflates fromthe trailing edge . This gives the kitemore lift during low wind periodsas well as providing more drive inthe upper wind levels . The idea ofa three-dimensional keel is notparticularly new but, as far as weknow, this is the first time that it hasbeen used on a commerciallyproducedstunt kite .Another interesting feature ofthe Peregrine is the nose treatment. It is sewn together in such afashion as to create a lip aroundthe leading edge of the kite . It israther as if the wing surface hasbeen put on top of the spars insteadof the spars fitting into the