Kite Lines - Summer/Fall 1985 (Vol. 5 No. 4) - KiteLife

This is a thankyouletter-to theClub Cervia Volantein Italy . Youwill learn moreabout them elsewherein this issue,but we are expressingour gratitudehere becausewe want to expandupon it a bit.Nine monthsahead of time, theClub invited Meland me to its kitefestival in Juneand offered usroom and boardduring our stayplus a refund ofour airfare to getthere . Such a generousoffer was too good to pass up .We would not want anyone to thinkthat Kite Lines can be "bought," as itmight appear . It should be known thatKite Lines doesn't operate in the mannerof the large, profitable magazines . Nopublication dedicated to a small, specializedinterest such as ours ever does . Wedepend on the commitment of our staffand contributors, people who care moreabout having this journal than whether itis lucrative . With growth and greater income,though, the magazine will do moreand perhaps will be able to afford to sendits editors to festivals around the world .We receive many invitations to thesefestivals, but usually we cannot acceptthem . We don't try to explain our situation-we just don't go .The invitation from the Club CerviaVolante was special . This group seemedto know our circumstances . We don'tknow how they raised their funds andbalanced their budget, or what expensesthey had to forego in order to pay ours .But we couldn't help feeling that we musthave been important to them . Who wouldnot respond as we did?So THANK YOU, Club Cervia Volante,for a wonderful trip, beautiful kiteflying,charming people, a splendid festival-andfor making it possible for Kite Lines andour readers to be there . 1

Lighter ArticlesKite Lines is one of my favorite sourcesfor dreams and reveries, my escape intothe sky away from the clang and clamorof wars, disasters, disease and pettifoggingparliamentarians and their bible, Robert'sRules of Order .So it was with dismay that I foundseveral pages of this precious little world(Spring 1985) devoted to the machinationsof the AKA, an organization whose past,present and future I couldn't care lessabout, unless, maybe, a sick cat in Nepal .Please, more plans of kites that I canbotch or fail to fly with dismal frequency,but not articles about organizations thathave so little to do with quotidian kiting .I don't turn to Yachting to find out aboutthe doings of the New York Yacht Club,which, come to think about it, would befar juicier than the mingy doings at anAKA meeting .And while my blood pressure is burstingthrough the top of the tube, I wouldlike to call your attention to the captionon page 59 of this same Spring issue,where you refer to an object in the photoas a sextant . No way . A bench mark for ageodetic survey would be more correct .By the by, the word sextant means a sixthof a circle and refers to an instrumentused in navigation .Jeremiah B . LighterNew York, NYThank you for, catching us on "sextant."As for the editorial, in a small pond, apebble makes a deep ripple . The yachtingpond is big (no pun intended), but inkiting the pebble we reported was seriousand important to many of our readers .(We know it was from the responses, whichincidentally were two to one in favor ofour speaking out .) We try to cover all ofkiting, not just the pretty parts . Not thatwe want to, but sometimes we feel wehave to . We hope it won't be necessaryagain and we sympathize with youropinion . -V. G .Spendlove on BeautyPete Ianuzzi's comments on the "BestKite" category make sense (Letters, Spring1985) . Maybe one way to reduce controversyor disappointment would be for theorganisers of competitive events to indicate,as fully as possible, the criteria ineach class .Incidentally, we're not all MichelangeloBuonarrotis OR Leonardo da Vincis! Iknow one guy who could be regarded asmore of a Rowland Emett . . .John SpendlovePreston, Lancashire, EnglandBurkhardt on BeautyA large part of a kite's ability to captureour imagination and make our spirits soarlies in its beauty . A kite without beauty isas sad and incomplete as a world withoutmusic or laughter .Many kite festivals employ a weightedscoring system for comprehensive judging,including factors such as craftsmanship,design and ingenuity, flight performanceand handling, and beauty in the air . To beworthy of a prize, a kite must score highlyin all of these categories .Just as the kites that are being builttoday are generally superior in craftsmanshipand engineering to the kites of 20years ago, they are often more beautifulthan the kites of the past . There is a seriouslesson here for the kite builder whoenjoys entering contests : the kites youbuild tomorrow should be more finelycrafted, more ingenious, more beautifuland should fly better than what you'rebuilding today if you intend to keep winningprizes .Take beauty out of comprehensivescoring in kite contests? What folly! Anypiece of art that doesn't fly does not deserveto be called a kite, and any art thatdoesn't fly well doesn't deserve a prize .Similarly, a kite that flies well and lacksbeauty does not deserve a prize in a,comprehensive judging of kites . The bestkite will always be a combination offeatures that we all admire : performance,craftsmanship, ingenuity and beauty .Jon . E . BurkhardtBethesda, MDP .S . Da Vinci, also a great artist, wouldrate very highly on the four-factor comprehensivescoring system .From Will YolenAs to my whereabouts after June 26th : Iwill be in the Buckley Nursing and RetirementHome, Room 413, 282 Cabot Street,Holyoke, MA 01040 .If you plan to come, call me so I cangive you the best directions . The Buckleyhas a "happy hour" at 4 :30 every day butSunday, so make your plans accordingly .If you cannot come, at least send aletter or postcard to give me an idea of

where your interests are these days .Will H . YolenHolyoke, MAFrom Jane YolenAs far as I know, my book The Emperorand the Kite is still in print in the librarybinding and is available as a cassette andfilm strip from Listening Library . Since itwas a Caldecott Honor Book, it still managesto sell a bit now and then .The Seventh Mandarin is available as afilm from Xerox .This summer, my collection Dragonfield& Other Stories will be released byAce Books in paperback . The title story isa sword-and-sorcery novella in which thehero defeats the dragon by means of a-gasp-kite! For big kids (i .e ., grown-ups)and young adults with big vocabularies .Jane YolenHatfield, MA

Originating in England-where they areknown as the Ace-Trlby stunt kites haveearned a reputation for being lightweight,inexpensive, easy to fly and easy to repair .In reply to the critics who deride the familiarstriped polyethylene cover, Trlbyhas just introduced a new ripstop model .For those of you who have a stable full ofthe older models, the new Trlby is thesame size and shape, so you can easily replacethe faded or torn polyethylene coverswith bright, colorful ripstop . And sinceit is often thought of as a "beginner's" kite,we asked a "beginner" to give us her opinionof the Trlby .A BEGINNING WITH NO ENDI had never flown a stunt kite before . Forthat matter, in the past few years my experienceswith kiting have been limited tofishing kites out of the Potomac River,some quick doctoring to get our little sledsback into the air, and trying to convincemy 5-year-old daughter and her cousinsthat the wind really will do the work forthem-you don't have to run!Time for some fun of my own : giventhe opportunity to test fly Trlby's newripstop nylon stunt kite, the first thing Idid was draw up a list of necessities :1 new ripstop Trlby stunt kite1 large level flying field with noobstructions or crowds1 very patient helper5-20 mph steady windsBut I had to wait quite some time forgood winds .In the meantime, my husband waselected V .P . (Very Patient), and we readthe directions (very clear) and practicedassembling the kite (accomplished in lessthan a minute) . The fiberglass rods areinserted into T- and L-shaped plasticpieces that fit snugly into pockets oneach of the four corners of the kite . Thebridle lines are equipped with metal ringsfor attachment to the rods and flyinglines . The ease of assembly impressed me .My only complaint with the instructionsis the lack of a warning to stay awayfrom other kitefliers and spectators . Asinexperienced as I am, it is fortunate thatwe found a large open area . It seems tome that the minimum clear area needed isabout 100 feet in radius in front of thekiteflier and at least 15 feet behind . Thisradius should be increased with the lengthof flying line or number of kites in train .Perhaps a pro does not need a completelyclear area, but I did .Still waiting for the wind, I pulled outmy Kite Lines and read Bruce Pfund's"Getting a Grip on the Controllables" inthe Summer 1977 issue, and Mike Jones'"Kite Nomenclature for Stunt Figures" inthe Spring 1985 issue . I was prepared whenwe finally got some wind, but I was gladthat Mike was not there to see me make amess of his neat maneuvers .We were flying in steady 5 mph winds,and it took some strong pulling to get thelong inflatable tail off the ground . Butonce in the air, the tail followed the kitesmoothly through horizontal and verticalfigure-eights . I managed some loops andspirals but became confused by the crossedlines, pulling on the wrong line, then makingthe BIG mistake of crossing my arms .Finally, I dropped one handle and chaseddown the field after it while the kite slowlyspiraled to the ground . Lesson 1 : don'tcross your arms!Feeling the fool and a bit guilty forrunning my husband all over the fieldwhile I was having all the fun, I handedover the controls . Rather than launch thekite straight up and back, he glided theTrlby across parallel with the ground andthen smoothly turned the kite up into thesky . Unlike myself, he was not confusedby the crossed lines and made some verysmooth loops in both directions . "Youjust pull the left and then the right." Healso did a wiggle down, some horizontalfigure eights, a bit of spiraling and othermaneuvers . I did my share of running .Because of the low winds, we tried tofly the Trlby without a tail but didn't havemuch success . We also tried to rig a shorter

tail from assorted refuse accumulated inour car . I think we needed a higher qualityof refuse .The new nylon Trlby withstood ourbeginner's test without breaking, whichwas no small feat. We did notice somefraying around the circular holes wherethe bridle rings attach to the fiberglassrods, so you might want to paint the edgeswith clear nail polish before flying .Given enough wind, learning to fly theTrlby is practically foolproof, but masteringthe art of stunt kiting is obviously anunending challenge . We had a lot of funand can't wait for the next windy day!-K .C .STARS THAT SWOOP AND TUMBLEKitefliers who like "kinetic" designs, orcan't wait for Halley's comet, will appreciatetwo kites from Suspended Elevations(Kathy Goodwind and Tom Mallard) inSeattle, WA .Named Starflake and Asteroid, thekites are similar in design, yet have distinctpersonalities . The Starflake has a largerarea and therefore greater lift and fasteracceleration in a climb . The Asteroid, perhapsbecause of its lighter weight, has amore dramatic tumbling effect . It is thetumbling which makes these kites fun tofly . They are active and involving, butmentally more than physically .The Asteroid is a simplified and smallerverson of the already-popular Starflake .Its price is simplified, too . The differencein size and complexity is not nearly asgreat as the disparity in price .The Asteroid is based on the Starflake,which is based on the Facet kite by StephenRobinson, who was doubtless influencedby Professor Waldof kites . (A biblical listof "begats" is practically unavoidable inkite design today .) The spars at the extendedwingtips can be seen in Lamson'sbiplane kite of 1897 .* Yet for all the borrowing(which the designers freely andconsciously acknowledge), these kites area new combination, freshly thought out .They launch easily : most fliers wouldThe Asteroid instraight flight,not tumblingmode . The strangeasymmetry, tipsyangle and ratherdense appearanceis typical frommost angles ofview; only whenit tumbles, or is onthe ground, doesthe kite reveal itscrystallinestructure to theviewer.not require assistance in getting eitherkite airborne . In the air, they climb rapidlyon a moderate wind to a respectable 60or 65 degrees-higher with more wind .Now the fun starts . If you let go theline, the kites tumble and roll away onthe wind . The Starflake spins and glidesfirst one direction then the other, untilyou seize the line again . On a taut line,the kite sweeps back into the wind andoverhead .The Asteroid tumbles as it glides, windingthe flying line gently around itself asit goes . When you pull on the line, theAsteroid "untumbles," yo-yo-like, as theline unwinds from the kite, giving youtwo tumbles for the price of one .Tumbling effects and two-line trickswith high-aspect-ratio box kites are a newtrend on the kite market, which includesthe Cloud Seeker box and, soon-to-bereleased-as-a-major-motion-kite,the RedBraswell tumbling star . Friends, we've gotfun in store .As with all of the many-faceted kiteswe have seen, the assembly takes a littlepatience to master . The Starflake andAsteroid have a convenient color-codingsystem that identifies the termini of eachof the three spreader sticks, but the processof weaving the first stick through thecorrect holes is still a chore . It does geteasier with subsequent flights .The craftsmanship of both these kitesis excellent, on a level with the best ofAmerica's kites . The partners in SuspendedElevations say that they "cut, sew, rigand ship every kite ; all are signed anddated because they represent handmadeAmerican kites, constructed from Americansupplies of materials by Americankitemakers (we are both crazy as a result) ."Without the obvious enjoyment expressedby the people who own and flyour kites, it is certain that neither of uswould continue using our time to makethese kites ; they require too much laborfor dollar earned for urban America ."Don't we know . We are grateful forthe existence of these kites . -M .G .HOT HAWAIIANFran : The materials (ripstop and graphlex)and the construction (detailed and rugged)of the Hawaiian 16 are basically the sameas those of the 20-square-foot Action kitereviewed in the Spring 1984 issue of KiteLines . In fact, the 16 is regarded as suchan improvement, that it has replaced the20, which is no longer manufactured .The 16 easily lends itself to single flying(as opposed to in-train) and performs wellin the widest wind range of any stunterwe have flown-from 6 mph to 20 andabove, if you can hold on . Performancecan be described as excellent : smooth,fluid, graceful sweeps are as easy to produceas tight, sharp, angular turns . The16 is ideal for precision team flying, suchas follow-the-leader .To produce the best maneuvers, theflier should limit his or her arm movementsto no more than the distance fromhand to elbow . Excessive movement ofthe control lines causes the 16 to lose thewind and the flier to lose control .The Hawaiian 16 can be launched,landed and re-launched by a flier withoutassistance (but not without practice) byanchoring the flying lines .The kite is a definite attention-getter,with its striking four-color graphics whichare very well done .Mary : The Hawaiian is truly a delightto fly, very quick to respond and has theability to glide across the sky . Considerableupper arm strangth is required tomake tight turns . (I'm working on it .)Visually, the kite is interesting towatch because of the angular constructionand contrast of the colors . I also enjoy thekite's roar-it has audible appeal . It's a funkite for beginners and advanced kitefliers.Fritz : I like flying the Hawaiian becauseit has good pull and is easy to control .-F .G ./M .G ./F .G .L'ESSENCE DES CERFS-VOLANTSCerfs-Volants (Kites) by Daniel Picon(Paris, France : Editions Fleurus, 1985)80 pages, 47 francs (about $5 .25 US) .Don't let the cover fool you : the prettylittle girl flying the double sled is notmerely the French way of getting yourattention . This book may be read by children,but seems more suited to adults (whomay be doing workshops with youngsters) .At first glance, the book appears to bealmost all artwork-illustrations and fullcolorphotographs . Indeed, only about25% of the book is taken up by text. Thedrawings of les accessoires and construe-

tion methods are especially clear and revealing. There's no need to parley francaisto understand this book .The book contains plans (not detailed)for 27 kites (plus variations), divided intocategories : flat, dihedral, cellular, semirigidand soft . Included are two popularFrench designs : the P .T .T . and the Plano,both high-aspect Conyne variants . Thereis a separate chapter on cubics and tetras .Daniel Picon's style reminds me alittle of Wyatt Brummitt and MargaretGreger : good practical tips and wordsof wisdom from someone who's beenthere . All the kites, illustrations, photosand text are by the author . My favoritevignette is, "Attention! The frame isalways behind the covering when the kiteis facing the wind ."The single greatest shortcoming of thebook is its size : with only 75 real pages ofinformation and most of those in artwork,there is barely enough text for theauthor to discuss the basics of kite history,making and flying . To his credit, DanielPicon has distilled many volumes of kiteliterature and delivered us the essence .DUAL-LINE DOOZIEIn the relatively new world of dual-linestunt kites, so many people have been sobusy trying to improve the kites that littleeffort has gone into the problem of handlingthe dual lines . Obviously, two flyinglines attached to a kite which is loopingand swooping all over the sky are at leasttwice as prone to snarling and tangling asa single line on a stable kite .The Shanti Kite Spool Company hascome up with a solution to this knottyproblem-the Sky Claw . The name doesnot do much to describe its combinationof two separate flying handles and a windingframe which holds them together to letyou wind or unwind your stunt lines,both at the same time .The handles are foam-covered andcolor-coded (red and black), comfortableand lightweight . They feel good and workfine . With the handles nested on the frame,unwinding the lines is simply a matter ofspinning them off (Indian-spool style),which goes fast . When all the line is unwound,you slip the handles off the frameand you're ready to fly. A minor drawbackis the need to unwind the full length ofthe lines before flight so the handles canbe removed from the winding frame .At quitting time, you place the handlesback on the dowels and twirl . Sky Clawretrieves both flying lines-evenly, withouttwisting . One end of the axle can sit in thecrook of your elbow, if you like . Naturally,winding IN is slower (read : more tedious)than winding OUT, but compared to theenergy and time you spend to gather thesame amount of line on two separatewinders, Sky Claw has a definite advantage .Remember to maintain slight tensionon the lines while rewinding to keep themsecurely on the handles . This is not as easyto do as you might expect, because theSky Claw is so light in weight that it failsto develop sufficient momentum duringthe twirling process, yet too much tensionapplied to the lines will halt yourrewinding unless you make a consciouseffort to keep things moving .To facilitate maintenance of just theright amount of line tension, I built asimple windlass-like device that I hold tothe ground with my foot while I wind inunder even pressure . (See accompanyingphotographs .)The Sky Claw we tested came loadedwith 150-foot lengths of 120-pound-testSkybond-Shanti's Kevlar ® flying linesleeved in Dacron polyester . It is alsoavailable with 200 feet of 200-pound line .The problem of handling dual flyinglines has been tackled before . Over 40years ago, Paul Garber developed a specialreel for his Naval Target Kite, but it waslarge and heavy . I have also seen a duallinereel made by Red Braswell, but itrequires a good deal of Braswell-typefiddling to keep it working smoothly . Ialso have my own multiple-line reelmadeto wind three lines at once-but it,too, suffers from lack of perfection . Noneof these winders are of a design that lendsitself to quantity production to meet thereal reel needs of the market .The Sky Claw is a big step ahead fromthe usual notched wood dowels or smallplastic grips which have to be wound oneat a time with a slow, hand-over-handmotion . Doubtless it will spur the inventionof other dual-line winders-forbetter or worse . Meantime, we have theSky Claw, which helps speed up the handlingof our dual lines . 0Far left, Peteenjoys his Sky Clawhandles . Centertop, to wind in theline, Pete placesthe drilled handleson their frame .Right, Pete windsin, showing howeasily the SkyClawworks, especiallyin conjunctionwith Pete's ownlatest invention, ahandy-dandy onepersonline tensionmaintainer .Center bottom,a close-up of thedevice .

Dunton's Delta-Box(or, ventless is better,with all due respectand thanks toHod Taylor)For six years, Alex Dunton of Richmond,VA, has dominated the Altitude Sprintthat is part of the Wright Kite Festival inKill Devil Hills, NC .The race is won simply by the flierwhose kite hauls up the most line in 30seconds . Alex won this contest for sixyears running and it became known as theAlex Dunton Memorial Altitude Sprint .In the seventh year, two of the contestantssurpassed Alex-but only by using a copyof his kite, made with the gracious assistanceof Alex himself .Alex makes no pretenses about hisdesign's originality. He attributes it entirelyto Hod Taylor, who is probably the firstto have combined the essential elementsof the delta and the Conyne winged triangularbox . Curtis Marshall and othershave designed similar combinations independently. Alex makes a number of small,neat refinements in the basic Taylor boxdelta,but only one is significant :Alex's kite is ventless . The central boxcell runs straight and uninterrupted downthe face of the kite . Alex believes thisprovides a key improvement in lift .There's a different cut to Alex's kite,too . He curves the trailing edge to decreaseflapping and increase esthetic appeal .Also, he crops off the wingtips as somany delta makers have done since AlHartig (the Nantucket Kiteman) . However,Alex says none of these curves are majorimprovers of the kite's flight .Alex and his friends around the JamesRiver area, including Phil Modjeski, AndyFleming and Victoria Cuevas, have experimentedwith this kite a great deal . Theyhave tried a curve on the back edges ofthe box cell (for catenary relief as used inthe Cody kite, Hornbeam sled and others),finding no advantage to it . They have cutaway the openings of the box cell (in themanner of Curtis Marshall), but have seenno resulting improvement in flying . However,the modifications have not degradedperformance either, so Alex considersthem to be options you can use if you areso inclined . All such cuts and curves thatAlex makes he "eyeballs," using the ruleof TLAR ("that looks about right") .I have a genuine Alex Dunton deltaboxand I can vouch for its lift and stability. Its performance is particularly out-

Opposite left, a slight breeze is enough to sendthe Dunton Delta-Box high, long line behind .Opposite right, Alex Dunton with one of hiskites at his first triumph in Kill Devil Hills, NC .This page, the kite in pure Tyvek .standing in light winds . Also the kite isvery easy to assemble, boosting yourimage as a cool kiteflier . Launch neverfails to be off-the-hand .Alex favors Tyvek® Type 14 (the drapabletype), for most of his kites, which heoften decorates in simple, striking blackon-whitegraphics . His techniques applyto Tyvek, but a kitemaker could adaptthe design to nylon or plastic . The kitewill withstand scaling up or down in size,but extreme limits have not been tested .Materials for a Dunton Delta-Box• Tyvek, a piece about 3111 x 8411• 6 sticks (dowels will do) : 3 longerons3/1611 dia . x 3111 long ; 2 wingspars 3/1611dia . x 3111 long ; and 1 spreader spar 1/411dia . x 3611• 3 small ,rings (curtain rings, split ringsor what-have-you)ConstructionFor all its simplicity, this kite needscareful workmanship, the kind for whichAlex Dunton is well known . We suggestyou emulate him . It's easy to make thiskite neat. It's also easy to make it sloppy .But that doesn't mean it will forgive youfor sloppiness .You will need to cut only two piecesof material, the main one for the twowings and the back of the triangular boxcell, and the other, smaller one for thetwo forward sides of the triangle .Step 1 . Mark your material with aballpoint pen (from a paper pattern firstif you're feeling cautious) . Be sure inmaking the patterns or cutting thematerial to allow a half inch each for thesleeves for the three longerons, two ofthem down the back and one down thefront, in the V of the triangle . Also incutting the outer sides of the wings,allow about a half inch beyond the edgefor the sleeves that you will be makingfor the wingspars .Step 2 . Sew the sleeve that will encasethe frontal longeron first . (By theway, Alex works Tyvek a lot and hasfound no problem with it tearing fromclosely set stitches ; to the contrary, hesays close stitching really works .)Step 3 . Now sew the front cell to themain piece, at the same time formingsleeves for the two rear longerons (seeone-step method in illustration) .Step 4 . Sew the wingspar sleeves . Ithelps to glue Tyvek'in place before stitching,using a white glue and letting it get abit tacky before folding down the hem .Step 5 . Insert all the dowels in theirrespective sleeves . If glue was used, youcan push the sticks right in and separatethe material as you go . Any glue that mayremain within the sleeve will only helpmake a nice snug fit for the sticks .Step 6 . Sew rings into position ateach side of the kite for the spreader spar .Alex has tried other joiners : half-splitvinyl tubing pieces, filament strappingtape wrapped around the kite and extendedinto a loop, and the classic curtainhook-and-grommettechnique . He saysthat all of these work, but he thinks therings are the best solution .Step 7 . With a knife, taper downyour spreader spar's ends a bit to fiteasily into the rings . Be sure you get atight spread . Alex is of the opinion thata loose spreader on any delta or deltaderivative is a mistake .Step 8 . For a tidy touch, hand-sewshut both ends of the longeron sleeves andthe trailing ends of the wingspar sleeves .Step 9 . Attach the two-leg bridle atlocations shown in drawing . Sew andknot securely .Step 10 . Set the towing point by layingthe completed kite flat, with box celldown and to one side . Extend the bridleline out to the same side . Set a point thatis 1 1/2-2 inches above the spreader . Attach aring, using an adjustable lark's head knot .FlyingFor different winds, raising or loweringthe towing point is the best adjustmentyou can make on the kite .Strong winds will deform the dowelsand cause the kite to go left or right .Reversing the spreader spar may not cureit, but replacing the spreader may .Tyvek, like all plastics, will degradefrom long exposure to ultraviolet light,in which event you have an excuse tomake another kite-and try some ideasof your own .-Valerie Govig

How toSPLIT BAMBOOfor KitesIn the world of the nylon kite, which canbe unpacked, hooked together and gottenoff the ground in a moment, there stillexists the simple elegance of the paperand bamboo kite .There's a philosophy surrounding thiskite : Two natural products of the earth,paper and bamboo, when directed byhuman hand, can rise from the groundand form a bond with the heavenshoweverbriefly . When properly handledand cared for, this kite can prove to bejust as sturdy as its nylon cousin . It is notinstantly built and may be more difficultto transport, but once out on the field,these drawbacks quickly fade as the kitegracefully takes flight .Bamboo has pleasing properties notfound in any other framing material .From a single pole can be drawn the rawmaterials for a colossal giant or a delicateminiature the size of a postage stamp . It'sall in the splitting .Bamboo in the United States can bepurchased in several forms . Presplit stockcan be found in craft shops and throughsome mail order companies . Thin bamboostrips can be found in decorative windowshades . Whole bamboo poles can often bepurchased at discount import stores .Presplit stock is usually split so thinthat it is useless in all but the smallestof kites . The reason for this is that mostof the supporting layer, the cortex, hasbeen removed, leaving little left otherthan the tough outer epidermis layer .Without the cortex, the epidermis lackssupport and rigidity, and is much tooflexible for normal use in kites .Window shades, endorsed by many ascheap sources for bamboo, are also poorchoices . The bamboo found in them ismerely the rounded cortex layer with noouter bark at all . The lack of the springyepidermis layer leaves this bamboo fragileand brittle . The shade would serve muchbetter hanging in your window .

This leaves bamboo poles . A wisechoice . The splitting and shaping is notnearly as difficult as you may believe, andthe extra time that it takes to work cangive you a better appreciation of thefinished kite when you're flying it . Thediscount import stores sell poles for usein wall framing and furniture building . Beprepared to get a few snickers if you tellthe salesperson what you plan to do withthe poles . The bamboo can be quite long,so bring along a saw to trim the piecesdown if they won't fit in your car, orsimply tolerate the inconvenience of gettingthem home . All it takes is a sense ofhumor . A sawed-up bamboo pole cannotbe glued back together if you later decideto work on a large project .The methods I use to split and shapebamboo are not to be confused withtraditional oriental methods . I feel morecomfortable using wooodworking tools,and can achieve the same quality resultswith them . I use the following :• hammer• woodstrip splitter• chisel• razor knife• small hand plane • sanding blockThese are all you need to produce a finebamboo frame ready for covering .Before beginning, inspect the bamboopole carefully . Make sure there aren't anylarge, uneven cracks, warpage, insectdamage or 'discoloration due to mold .Inspection at the point of purchase willlessen the chance of your taking home adefective pole . Take measurements of allneeded sticks in your design and makesure that your pole is at least the samelength as the longest stick . If the bamboois too long, saw it down to a workablelength . In preparation for splitting, buttup one end of the pole against a block ofwood . The block will keep the bamboostationary and cushion that end fromsplintering . Take the hammer and chiselto the other end and split the pole in halfdown its entire length, one side at a time .The bamboo should split cleanly, butdon't be disappointed if the split wandersa bit, as this can be cleaned up later .Once you have made these initial splits,inspect the interior for mold, insect damageand other faults not visible from theoutside . If there is a large amount of damage,it's better to start over with a newpole than to continue splitting and face alater disappointment .Now split each half until you havefour bamboo quarters . Continue to inspectfor quality . (Inspection is the single mostTrimming,Scoringand Splittingimportant part of the shaping process .)Taking each quarter piece in turn, knockout the internal nodes that supported thepole and trim down with a knife, as theyare no longer needed and will interferewith the splitting to come . Place a quartersection on your workbench and shave offany large splinters with a razor knife,afterwards using the hand plane tosmooth down the sides .Next measure the width of the bamboopiece and compare it to the needs ofyour design . If you wish to make the longeronsfirst, then determine if the piece iswide enough to accommodate them all . Iftaken from the same piece, the longeronswill be symmetrical with each other andgreatly enhance the balance of the finishedkite .Using a device such as the X-acto knifesplitter shown, adjust the splitter to thedesired width and hold it firmly againstthe smoothed edge of the pole . Be carefulof the edges : they can be sharp! Insertyour razor knife into the splitter andscore the bamboo evenly down its length .If done carefully, this will result in adeep, straight line .Insert your chisel into this line and,tapping it with your hammer, split thebamboo . The score line does two things :first it acts as a visible guide, and second,it aids in giving the split an accuratecourse to follow . Take extra care thatyour split doesn't jump around when youreach a node . Rather, strike with thechisel on either side of the node . Thestraight grain of the bamboo and thescore line will prevent that node fromsplitting unevenly .After the split is completed, shave offthe splinters with the razor knife, followingwith the hand plane, until the stick iseven in width down its entire length .As with the longerons, the spars to besplit should also be taken from the samepiece . To better ensure their futurebalance, remeasure the unsplit piece andmark the spars midpoint so that thenodes on either side are symmetrical .When this is done, split the spars from thebamboo piece as you did the longerons .Now your attention can be turned tothe interior side of the bamboo sticks .Trim down the protruding nodes untilthey are flush with the rest of the sticks .Gently plane off the white starch sheathlayer which will expose the tan-coloredcortex layer underneath . The sheath isquite hard and must be removed care-

fully so as not to gouge the softer cortexunderneath . I like to save initially asmuch of the cortex as possible, since itcan always be shaved off later if need be .Now the real fun can begin . The exposedcortex layer must be treated withrespect as it provides the main stiffeningsupport to the bamboo . However, it alsoaccounts for most of the bamboo'sweight . The idea of shaving is to removeas much of the weight as possible withoutlosing too much of its support value . Inthe event that the stick is to be used as akite's single longeron, the support becomesmore important than the weight,and the shaving should take off enoughcortex to save weight but not seriouslycompromise the stick's rigidity . A notehere : bamboo is more flexible and heavierthan spruce of like size . Experience willshow you how much to shave off andhow much to leave .In a multiple longeron kite, the windstress can be more evenly distributedthrough a multibridle system, and the longeronscan be shaved much thinner . Thismakes sense, since the presence of additionallongerons also means more weight .If the bamboo is not shaved thinner, thefinished kite will be too heavy to fly .In the case of a cross-spar, this need toconserve' weight while maintaining supportis further complicated by the desireto achieve or maintain symmetry whenthe spar flexes in the wind . Since thebamboo is a natural material, its densitydoes not ' always remain consistentthose areas which affect the evenness ofthe stick's curvature . Again, judgmentplays a part . The amount of total cortexremoved must be in proportion to thesize of the kite and the wind speed thatyou intend the kite to encounter . Forexample, here in Nebraska, the winds,can get quite strong at times, ofbe almost nonexistent at othertimes . To adapt, I constructsome kites with heavy framesand some with light frames . This shavingand constant checking for arc symmetrycan take some time, so be patient .Finally, any needed diagonal supportsticks can be shaved . These sticks serve tohold the frame rigid, and don't actuallymeet with any wind stress, so they don'thave to be left very thick . Shave themdown evenly, and gently bend them occasionally. Inspect to make sure you aren'tcreating any weak spots .You are now ready for the last step .The edges must be lightly shaved to bothlessen wind resistance and prevent thebamboo from tearing into the coveringpaper . This is done according to plan, orelse you will end up with a bunch ofrounded sticks that won't stay tied together. The longeron sticks, if usedsingly, may be rounded off along theirbacks, provided there will be no sparsattached to them . If cross spars are tointersect, then round off the areas outsidethe intersections (before tying anythingtogether, of course), but leave theareas covered by the spars flat . This willDOUG ENGH lives in York, Nebraskawhere he has "been quietly makingtraditional paper kites here for about tenyears . Materials were sometimes hard toobtain, and information even harder . I'mthe only one I know of who makes paperkites in this area, and sometimes it makesme feel as if I 'n living on an island . "Doug'sminiature Suruga kite is shown here fullsize . Its bamboo came from one of Doug'sten-foot poles, and its cover is cigarettepaper . His first kite was a classic garbagebag design from Will Yolen's book-thebook that got him started in kites .keeps the bamboo flexible . It is importantthat this layer always remain intact .Merely round off the edges .After the shaving is completed on allof the bamboo sticks, take a sandingblock and smooth down the cortex layer,throughout its length, and it may not flexperfectly . After removing the starchsheath, bend the spar in a gentle arc,epidermis facing outward as it will inflight . Inspect the curve and note whereirregularities in arc take place, thenstraighten the stick and shave down aneven portion of the cortex, end to end .You may want to retrim the ends, as well,to insure nodular symmetry . Bend thestick again and continue to shave downgive them a nice fit when they are tied .Since the spars will extend out intothe wind, the backs of these are alsorounded . On the leading edge, the edgesof the epidermis are shaved just enoughto remove the sharp corners . Rememberto double-check for symmetry .Diagonal support sticks will extendout the farthest, and can be shavedalmost round . Make sure you don't shaveinto the epidermis layer, since this is whattaking off any remaining rough edges andbumps . Sand off the edges at the ends aswell, as this will lessen the chance ofsnags . The bamboo is now ready to betied together and covered .Remember, practice makes "better ."Bamboo is a natural material and is never"perfect ." Each stick will have its ownpersonality, as will each kite . It is thispersonality that makes it so much fun tobuild and fly bamboo and paper kites .

Cervia Bellissima!an unusual kite festival -grand, comic - and very warmArticle byValerie GovigPhotographs byJacques Fissier

Cervia Volante '85Cervia, ItalyJune 26-30,1985The great Cervia Cody rises into the sunlightin one of the daily attempts to fly it duringCervia Volante '85 . An assembled internationalcrew hauls the line of the 12 .5m wingspan kite .ON WEDNESDAY EVENING, June 26,Mel and I arrive in Cervia .* We are nowon Italian Standard Time, which meanseverything is later than, or not as, scheduled-exceptfor meals, which areabsolutely prompt .We drive around in our rented Uno,the right car for these small, frantic streets,shaded with many trees and full of pedestrians,bicycles and open cart-like vehiclesthat two people double-pedal while sightseeing. Everything is lit up and lively butwe cannot find a sign saying either Kites,Aquiloni, Cervi Volante or Magazzino delSale (salt warehouse, site of the kite exhibition). Speaking almost no Italian, weapproach a street vendor for directionsand finally find the Magazzino .It is a cavernous restored brick buildingthat was used for salt extraction(from the sea) in the 17th century . Nowit provides the cool and handsome locationfor the kite exhibit, lectures and relatedoccurrences of the five days ofCervia Volante '85, sponsored by ourhosts, the City of Cervia and the ClubCervia Volante .Unfortunately, we are dead tired aftera long hot drive through northern Italy .We are unable to enjoy the kites and thepeople now . We go into the Magazzinoonly long enough to learn where to findour hotel, and we promise to return .Cervia * is a small, comfortable beachresort on the northeast coast of theAdriatic Sea . Shopping and facilitiesrange from flea market to deluxe, but theprimary attraction is the long, clean GraziaDeledda beach . However, rented umbrellascover most of it and only one section, the"free beach," is open . It is this space thatis used for kiteflying . Though relativelysmall (about the size of a city block) it isadequate for our use and blessed with

Above, a "Fiocco Di Neve"(Snowflake) by Maurizio Angeletti(Controvento) flies above us in Cervia .Right, viewing Norwegian kites : a big multicolorbox by Truls Hansen glimpsed throughthe streamers of a huge delta by Terje Westfoss .sunny, warm and windy days . Bellissimo!Our first day we place some of ourkites in the exhibit at the Magazzino delSale . The space accommodates hundredsof kites, including an imposing 12 .5mCody that occupies a whole section .Usually I suffer a sense of conflict whenI see kites "on exhibit" : they cannot beflown . At Cervia Volante, the cure forthis is simply to take the kites in and outof the exhibit at any time . Bevan Brown'scarousel, Jon Burkhardt's Mucha Rokkaku,Mel Govig's Italian flag Cloud Seeker-allare hung, unhung, hung . Nobody mindsat all . The rolling scaffold is in constantuse and view . At no particular time canyou be sure that the exhibit contains allits kites . Perhaps in conscious assent tothis permanent state of flux, none of thekites on exhibit are labelled . My notebookat this section becomes a jumble of observationsof kites viewed and unattributed .he grand Cervia Cody is an exception. It is to be "the largest Codyever flown," according to energeticRoberto Guidori, the designer and directorof the Cody-making, who was helped bythe whole club . Work on the Cody beganin 1983 and continued in fits and startsuntil completion this year . The Cody willstand every night in the Magazzino andevery day on the beach, a glamorousmagnet in its international orange nylonsail, aluminum spars and classic design .Periodic attempts will be made to flythe Cody, and it will show itself capable,but perhaps a bit heavy for the windsalthoughthe primary problem may bethat the beach is too small for the clubcrew to pull the kite well up, especiallywith safety in the crowded area . We all believethis kite will fly well and truly someday after the summer crowds are gone .Besides the Cody, the kite collectionin the Magazzino is as diverse as any Ihave ever seen and includes many articlesthat are wholly new to me . The hangingcommittee has done a good job, particularlywith a parafoil made by Rent Wautierof Belgium . Its shroud lines hang gracefullyin front of its backlit multicolorcanopy . Also effective is a row of Indiafighters attached to a wire stretchedthrough space : the kites are hung by theirnoses-with no pretense of simulating aflying angle .We awake next morning to the scentof garlic . The food everywhere is tremendous(in all senses of the word) . At ourhotel (the K2), the dining is glorious, anda bargain .We go out early to the beach with a fewfavorite kites . It is rather quiet at this hour,which we learn is normal, but some friendsare there and the greetings are warm .I am perhaps most happy to meetMaurizio Angeletti from Milan, with whomI have corresponded for two years . He isflying several kites but he commends meto the virtues of "simple" flat kites . Ineed no persuading .Maurizio is the author of Italy's bestkite book, however disappointed he iswith it himself (though he laughingly callsit the heaviest kite book in print) . Mauriziois also a maker of many kinds of finekites, and the owner of a new small manufactorycalled Contravento . Finally, heis the most ingratiating, sensitive, perpetuallyapologizing kiteflier I know . Hespeaks excellent English and is a tirelesstranslator, for which we thank him onlyby talking!Mel proceeds to fly fighter kites andthey become his signal every day . He hasbrought Grandmaster and Vic's kites, buton this hot beach he prefers a cloth kiteand chooses a limited-edition fighter bySuspended Elevations . Later he will whiskit over the spectators' heads-with nomishaps, only shrieks of delight .Meetin g Guido Accascina (AlivolaAquiloni) of Palermo, Sicily, isour next pleasure . He has comeall the way to the festival by motorcycle .I had imagined him, from his businesslikecorrespondence, to be a rather formalmiddle-aged man . A clear mistake . He isin his 20s, possessed of a shock of curlyhair and a tendency to giggle at almostanything . His several three-dimensionalstar kites seem to owe much to the influence,pervasive in Italy, of the ProfessorWaldof kites, but Guido has at least onekite that is all his own . It looks like adelta with the addition of two veeringdorsal wings, making a five-pointed star,held in position by an exoskeletal circle .Strange, but it flies .Later in the day, Michael Steltzer fliesseveral interesting cellular kites from hiscollection in Berlin, as well as a FlexifoilEurostack, which, for all its renown, Ihave never seen before, save in books .They are certainly dashing kites .Martin Lester flies his goose, flamingoand shark for the first of many times .Tom Pratt takes pictures from his kiteloftedrig. It's a good opening day .Friday, Mel and I take a side trip toSan Marino, that independent little countryon a mountain . One of the smallestnations in the world, San Marino is completelysurrounded by Italy, and its viewsare superb . We and all the other visitorsContinued on page 35 . . .

to Cervia have been encouraged to go toVenice or Florence, too-all within convenientdistance-but we feel a bit guiltyabout the excursion anyway .That evening Mel and I deliver champagneto the Magazzino for a surprise partycelebrating Peter Waldron's birthday .Someone has brought a cake, too . Entertainmentis a clog dance performed bySkye Morrison, accompanied by MaurizioAngeletti on guitar to a clapping audience .Have you ever been to a kite festivalthat scheduled an event for midnight?Well, Cervia Volante's night flying withilluminated kites is on the program for12 p .m ., at the beach (Italian time, 12 :30) .Mike Carroll is a hero to everyone as heshares his stock of small light sticks . Melhas the crowd to himself at first as he zipshis little fighters around with their lights .There is a crowd, too-in fact, it isvery large, patient and interested . Peoplestand three or four deep along the lowwall between the street and the beach .Children are lifted on their daddys' shouldersto get a view . Many of the womenare dressed and made up in the height ofstyle . It's as if-migosh-this is a party,this is showbiz! The frequent clappingconfirms it.The crowd seems not to mind at theslow arrival of the kiters and their delaysAbove : A slice from a wide-angle panoramaby Tom Pratt on the beach at Cervia . Tom'smultiple-line-and-pulley system for aerialphotography permits quick and easychanges of camera altitude/attitude withoutbothering the kite . Below : One of a seriesof four sequential action shots successfullycapturing the motion of the moment .assembling their gear . They laugh as ifpleased with our dives into the sand .Finally we have many kites up makinga real, starry spectacle, and the audienceis rewarded . The Norwegians have made asparkler tail from frayed padding soakedin wax and saltpeter . Lit, the tail makes agreat flash as it swishes behind a big boxkite . The group also flies Roman candlesboth on the beach and in the air .But the unquestioned popularity winneris Martin Lester's shark . It is flyingwith an interior light that gives the beasta ghostly drama one never observes byday . The shark moves with majestic calm,twitching only slightly in the ocean of thesky, potent in its slow trawling motionthat implies the simple threat of largesize . The crowd claps and the childrencry, "Squallo, squallo!" ("Shark, shark!")This moment has been worth the wait .Saturday and Sunday are the "big"days of the festival . We see so many kitesthat they form a kaleidoscope in memory-vivid, but slightly blurred, and in nochronological sequence .Martin Lester is busy and happy in theItalian climate and he keeps one or anotherof his kites in the air continuously. Martin's"Yakko stack" is especially impressive . Itis a train of 60 ovals in a rainbow of colorsand a powerful puller, "approximatelyone pound per kite in good winds," Martinsays . He has flown as many as 105 kitesin the stack at one time . I ask Martin if it

was his intention to make "Yakko" kites(the Japanese footman design with pocketingsleeves) or if the name came afterthe fact . He tells me he was "playingaround with fiberglass and tailless kites"and came up with an oval that works wellin train . Later the resemblance to the traditionalYakko gave rise to the term"Yakko stack ."Martin is perhaps best known for hisunique series of inflatable kites-Canadiangoose, eagle, pink flamingo . They are notpuffy, rounded inflatables, mind you, butessentially flat kites built with just a thinpocket of air between two layers of fabric-just enough space to let the wind shapethe birds . To these designs Martin givesutmost attention that they resemble thenatural birds as much as possible withouttoo much compromise of flyability, anot-easy combination .Martin's space shuttle and shark kites,on the other hand, are indeed roundshapes, as appropriate . They fly withapparent ease as well as striking realism .Martin's latest inflatable is the flyingman, Albert Ross . (Martin says that hewill find a better name, but I insist themoniker will stick .) Albert's build is subtlyarticulated . He is neither fat nor thin andRight, Martin Lester feeds line to his shark, agray nylon eminence over Cervia's beach .he bends at the right places . He seems abit cross-eyed, but consider : he is constantlybounding up and down in the air .I am very pleased for my friend JonBurkhardt, who puts on a good displaywith his beautiful kites, including his pairof squares bridled to fly off to each sideof a row of red banners strung betweenthem . The interesting visual effect hasnever been made against so blue a sky orappreciated firsthand by so many people .Similarly, Mike and Sue Carroll getreal celebrity treatment here as part ofthe "American team," flying their colorfulNagasaki-style kites .Suddenly on Saturday we hear that atnoon today (Italian time), we are to go tomeet the mayor at the city hall in thetown square . The building is ancient andelegant, but we ascend the worn marblesteps in our t-shirts and dungarees, chatteringand actually irritated to have to stopflying in mid-day . We enter what appearsto be the city council chambers .We gape at the high painted ceiling . Weadmire the formal furniture-rows ofchairs in back, long oval desk around thefront of the room surrounded by richlymodern leather chairs, dais at the head,and a long table laden with wine, fruit,cheese and crackers in the center . We fileinto the room and fill all the seats-some

In one of the arches of the magnificent Magazzino del Sale (salt warehouse) in Cervia, Italy,September, 1983, hangs a reproduction lecornu "Oblique" kite, a 1902 design . This kite isbased on the Goderus variant of 1905 and was made by Oliviero Olivieri, president of theAssociazione Italiana Aquilonisti . The cells are 40m deep and the kite is 160m wide by 230mhigh . It uses ripstop nylon, aluminum and bamboo framing and a central core turned on a lathe .The kite is representative of the conies of historic kites Olivieri makes mainly for exhibitions .An ItalianKite RenaissanceThe Associazione Italiano Aquilonistiwas officially founded onJuly 12, 1982, by OlivieroOlivieri, in the desire to acquaint adultsin Italy with kites .In a report he wrote for Kite Lines,he described his vision to establish anItalian Kite Renaissance that would beworthy of the tradition of such greatItalians in kite history as Archita diTaranto, Leonardo da Vinci, Marco Poloand Giovan Battista della Porta .An added piece of inspiration wasdiscovered by Olivieri : "I found evidenceof an abandoned project in 1912 for aphotographic survey by kites of theTiber River, which crosses Rome ."From these old strands, a new fabrichas been woven, calling itself AIA . Themembers in Rome fly often at parkssuch as the Villa Doria Pamphili, "oneof the most beautiful antique patricianparks in the center of Rome ." The membersmake their own kites, using modernmaterials, however difficult these are tofind in Italy .In addition, some business interestshave been developing around kites . Notableamong them is the Azzuro Prato(Blue Meadow) workshop in Bologna,where ten handicapped children withguidance make kites that they sell allover the country .Italy's winds are typically light andinconstant. One result is that kitefliersof us have to stand double deep .We listen to several speeches, and translationsinto English for most of them, inwhich the word "important" is repeatedmany times . All the proper authoritiesand several political parties are listed withwhat seems a comic-opera exaggeration ofrespect. Finally, there is an introductionof each person around the room by name .This challenging task is performed byMaurizio Angeletti, in his usual effusivemanner . His words are not translatedfrom the Italian, which is probably justas well . At the end, the corks pop andeveryone talks and makes merry . On ourway out we all agree that the interruptionwas worth it for the leather chairs alone .When we return to the beach, Mel ispleased to see that the stack of CloudSeeker kites he accidentally doesn't bringon our journey are made up for by twosets, one by Francesco Depoppe of Milanand another by Jean-Pierre Ollive ofMarseilles, France . Both are admirablecopies, accurate almost to the inch .Jean-Pierre had help in kitemakingfrom his friend in Marseilles, Michel Sollin .Jean-Pierre is a former alpinist, now tooold for that sport, and kites are his passion .He has made a great variety of them tosuit Provence's two kinds of wind : "bigor little, nothing in between!" His collectionof kites includes a Waldof box,Waldof Magic Box, multiflare and parafoil,as well as reels, spinning drogues and aradio-controlled kite aerial photographyrig-all of his own make .Peter Waldron needs plenty of wind(and gets it periodically) for his two com-

here often combine their outdoor activitieswith an indoor kite exhibit, as inCervia, to insure that there will be somethingto do whatever the weather .Olivieri says further : "Our enthusiasmand perseverance have stimulated theoccasional demand for our presence atevents only indirectly connected withkites : exhibitions for holidays, ecologicalmeetings, leisure activities and neighborhoodfestas . We have found that, even iftheoretically impossible, kites can flyeverywhere : in crowded traffic, betweenhigh buildings and even in the center ofRome, at Isola Tiberina, with kites flyingeven beneath the bridge ."Magazines, newspapers and televisionhave recorded the association'sactivities . Olivieri's book,Gli Aquiloni, a paperback published in1980, doubtless has contributed to theRenaissance as well .The AIA by last reports had 150-some members, who receive the bulletinof the association, "Cervi Volanti" (titledby the old Italian name for kites), threetimes a year . Olivieri is editor .Besides the AIA meeting held the lastweek in April at Castiglione del Lago, a"concert" of kites was assembled thisyear, August 9-15, on the small rockyisland of Pantelleria, in the MediterraneanSea between Sicily and Tunisia . Threesponsors (Missoni-fabric fashions, Flou-fashionable bedding, and Taxi-a highstylemagazine) invited 17 kitefliers,expenses paid, from Belgium, England,France, Hungary, Italy, The Netherlandsand West Germany, to fly kites as partof a musical composition by SalvatoreSciarrino .The 14-minute composition for flute,soprano and kites was titled "La perfezionedi uno spirito sottile . " Its librettowas taken from an ancient Greek text,in which the soul without memory goesheavenward (symbolized by kites) . Unfortunately,the wind did not cooperateat the scheduled time, despite the island'sname : Pantelleria comes from the oldArab name Bent-el-rion, meaning "son ofthe wind ." However, several kiters cameup with clever ways to make sounds fromkites . Ton Oostveen of Holland built ahexagon with extending strings that wereplucked by a twirling device to ring bells,strike gongs and make vibrations .As for current and future projects,there is an "international challenge"issued at the Cervia festival of 1983, tobe the first to accomplish with a kitetraction system the crossing of theAdriatic Sea from Pola, Yugoslavia toCervia, a distance of 140km . The onlyrule is that the kites must be flown onno more than two lines . The Club CerviaVolante is working now to be the firstto achieve this .An additional grand project has beenin the works for two years already . TheBobo Kite Team, led by its President forLife Roberto Bocchini of Perugia, has asits objective to make a kite longer than1,600m and of more than 4,128 disks .Arturo 200, a prototype, wasmade of only 400 disks a halfmeter apart . It is 200m longand uses bamboo, rice paper and traditionalconstruction methods . It wasbuilt to provide data for the recordlongest centipede, the Arturo 2000,which will use more sophisticatedmaterials : Mylar°, carbon fiber, cyanoacrylate,Kevlar° line and Teflon ®jointsfor rapid balancing of the kite units .A group of engineers, architects andstudents have used a computer to designhow to gradually incline the disks todiminish the surface exposed to thewind . They are now comparing computerprograms to find the best video monitorof wind conditions that will enable thepilot to determine the best time tolaunch the kite, calculate wind force atany altitude point on the centipede andadjust the kite's controls in flight .The finished Arturo 2000 is expectedto weigh 120kg and to cost 10 millionlira (about $5,000 U .S .) Flying sites underconsideration are the Atlantic coastof Morocco, Holland and Castiglione delLago in Italy . A sponsor is being sought .It's safe to say that kitefliers in Italydo not think small .-Valerie Govig"Det Gamle Ludderet," a taped-together kite by Truls Hansen of Norway, draws appropriate stares .pound Professor Waldof kites, one composedof three stacks of three Waldofs ina triangle assembly, another of five stacksof five (or was it four of five, or five offour?) in a breathtaking structure he callshis "castle in the air ."Peter has become a "regular" in Italy,having attended most of the festivals .Earlier (April 29-May 1, 1985), OlivieroOlivieri and the Associazione ItalianoAquilonisti held an international expositionand meeting at Castilione del Lago(near Perugia, in central Italy) . It was attendedby kitefliers from several countries .Peter went to that, too . "Of course, I hadto go to both," he said . He did this ratherthan choose between them (an unfairchoice that many kitefliers have to makeas a result of competing festivals) .Rene Wautier of Belgium keeps his bigparafoil flying almost every minute ofthe festival . He has come prepared forthis international convocation with thecolors from the flags of the 11 representedcountries* on his spinning windsocks . Heshows us pictures of his enormous multiplemechanical reel that appears to take up agreat deal of line smoothly .We find ourselves often attracted onthe beach to the works of the Wind ArtGroup : Terje Westfoss, Sofie Dessen, TrulsHansen and Solveig Letmolie, all of Fredrikstad,Norway . Truls and his lady aretextile artists and make kites with Terje, aceramicist, in the latter's workshop . Thegroup uses sailmaker's scraps for kitemaking. One large winged box that they

Far left, Roberto Guidori flies one of thesmall kites on display in the Magazzino del Sale .Left, a hefty, handsome Edo kite from Japan isreadied for flight by Teruaki Tsutsumi andMasaaki Modegi . Inset, Tsutsumi shows us theopposite extreme in size : an exquisite tiny Edo .describe was made white as an innocentvirgin and took 200 hours to make . Itwould not fly . They made another kite,in a hurry, from a mixture of coloredfabrics, and called it Det Gamle Ludderet(the old whore) . It always flies . I mustsay that in Cervia it looks like sin, withits spars taped together slapdash, but itlumbers into the air .Truls flies a delightful telephone boothbox kite with a "man" hanging from it-acrowd pleaser-while Terje lofts a big reddelta with asymmetrical stripes in lushhues that flow into tails . A kite that dominatesone part of the Magazzino is referredto by its makers as the Eddy Tent, for itsusual function in Norway . This group ofkitefliers is'unafraid of the grotesque .We talk to a pair of interesting collaboratorsat our hotel-Lise Jensen, architect,of Denmark and school friend BirgittaLindstrom, artist, of Sweden . Althoughthey live 2000km apart, they have donejoint projects of box kites in black andsilver, concentrating on geometric forms .Copenhagen's Kite Center, a smallshop and 20-person group, sendsus Paul Christoffersen and his sonMartin, 13 . Paul flies a train of six deltaslifting a Danish flag . Later he flies twoEdo kites . Paul had noticed that the Edosof Japan often carry the likenesses ofsamurai heroes, so his Danish kites bearthe faces of Danish sea heroes .A genuine Edo flies in Cervia, too, withscowling face and elegant long bridle lines .It is but one of a magnificent selectionbrought from Japan and flown by MasaakiModegi and Teruaki Tsutsumi of the JapanKite Association . Other kites from Japaninclude at least two trains in the 100-plusclass, a Beka-Beka with hummer, an interestingparachute kite, and a centipede ofrefined structure carrying peacock featheroutriggers carefully matched and numberedfor correct assembly . Tsutsumikeeps a cool launching rhythm despitethe buzz of crowds and photographersthat nearly cut off his oxygen .At one of our meals, I talk to artistClaudio Capelli, president and drivingforce in the Club Cervia Volante, whichhe started after the first kite festival inCervia in 1981 . The first two years, themajor source of advice and contacts wasOliviero Olivieri of Rome, president ofthe Associazione Italiano Aquilonisti . In1983, the Cervia group continued thefestival on its own and in 1985 the clubwas legally established by ten founders .It now has an estimated 300 members .But it is a core of 30-40 people whodo most of the work prior to the festival,suffering through the slow and unreliablebureaucracy that seems to be the patternin Italy . In spite of this, the club hasreceived from the city a studio workshopof its very own, including three rooms,one of which is approximately 7x14m, inwhich the making of a 12 .5m Cody isfeasible-not to mention a monster PeterPowell-style stunter (about 5m tall) inblack plastic, billed as "the world's largeststunter ." It flies two times during thefestival with frightening ease .A special delight awaits us on Saturdaynight : the display of small kites . Tsutsumibrings out a series of traditional Japanesekites in miniature form-and flies severalof them . I have brought a few kites fromthe International Exposition of SmallKites, and these, too, are flown-by myselfand hosts . The Magazzino is full of peoplewho applaud with pleasure over thesekites . I am as charmed as the rest of themby one of the kites, a detailed, realisticbutterfly made by Toshiji Umeya ofJapan . The kite is about 4'h inches inwingspan, and flutters as it flies . Actually,there is a trick to the flutter : the towinghand must flick slightly at the wrist .We are doing quite well entertainingourselves, but our hosts evidently want tobe sure we are not bored, so later thesame night in the Magazzino we aretreated to a play . Yes, an entire theatricalcomedy has been written and producedespecially for this occasion . It is titledVolociferus, "the improbable story of theorigins of flight, care of N . Midani and LaMacchina delle Bolle (The Bubble Machine!)"Without knowing Italian, wefind it even more farcical than probablywas intended .Two highlights, for example : a hatis worn onstage with two livechickens attached to it, giving offmuch noise and feathers ; then for thefinish, several white pigeons are releasedinto the Magazzino . (The next night, Inotice some of the pigeons still there,cooing in the high rafters .)On the last day, Sunday, the beach ispacked . Skye Morrison is happy for theopportunity to use her Felix CartagenaEphemeral Sculpture Machine-a largebubble maker that rolls up and down likea window shade in a frame, dipping into asolution that creates a sheet of soapy filmwhen raised . She has brought it partly asa festival treat, partly to show, at a stopon her itinerary, to Dr . Erhard Hössle,Professor of Silversmithing and MasterBubblemaker of Munich .The ESM enjoys just the right winds inCervia . The film billows out to oversizefrankfurter shapes that make strange contortionsin their birthing . Although manybubbles abort, others float gently awayacross the sand for perhaps half a minuteand draw appreciative "Ooohs" from thespectators . Skye follows Felix's procedureand sets up the ESM within a roped-offarea to keep kids from crowding . Thisbrings out the ingenuity of the youngsters,

Where the kite goes, the women go . TheMama-sans International Kite Team is acreatively self-reformatting organism, dynamicallyresponsive to any appropriatechallenge or opportunity within its reach .Proof : Scheveningen, Netherlands, June22, 1985 ; Cervia, Italy, June 29, 1985 .Knowing several of the Mama-sanswill be in Europe at the same time, JonBurkhardt, our Official Kitemaker, bringsalong the beautiful Mucha Rokkaku kite .Skye Morrison thoughtfully borrows extrahapi coat uniforms from teammatesnot traveling . The word passes to the restof us to bring our gear, but we know almostnothing about what to expect .THE Mama-sansTake EuropeSScheveningen, Fokker InternationalKite Festival : Gray skies andoccasional sprinkles of rain worryus slightly on the Saturday of the festival .But on Sunday it is worse-raining fullstreamas we wake .The Mama-sans hold a strategy meetingover breakfast at the Bad Hotel . Wedecide to meet on the beach at 2 o'clockto prepare the kite, march across thebeach and, if at all possible, fly-in short,we will be a presence at the festival .The wind is our only adversary . BillWerme the night before had talked aboutmounting an opposing men's team, buttoday no rokkaku shows itself-exceptfor Mel Govig's Crashing Boar, which istied off and flying benignly downwind .But Mel is an ally, recruited with MartinLester and Kris Burkhardt (Jon's daughter)to reinforce our small group forhandling the kite in the stiff breezes .We make two or three test flights .Our Mucha Rokkaku is not herself inthese winds . Mel and Bevan Brown pitchin with Jon to rebridle and rebow thekite . On one test, it dives into the crowd,to our embarrassment and anxiety, butno one is hurt .We decide to let it go high and catchthe upper winds. Success-it flies beautifully!We are interviewed, televised andphotographed for a good half hour, withour strong young Stephanie Brown personhandlingthe line at the lead pointand hamming it up just a nice bit .When all the festival participantsgather at the end in the Kurhaus Hotel,the Mama-sans team is surprised and delightedto be awarded special recognitionfor our part in the festival . We receive,in Jon's custody, a handsomelymounted color photograph of a Scheveningenfestival scene .Stephanie Brown grimaces and Skye Morrisongrins as they grasp the Mama-sans' kite line atScheveningen . Photographs by Jacques Fissier .CCervia, Cervia Volante '85 : Brightsunny skies and moderate butsteady winds are expected for arelaxed week and we plan to fly on Saturday,giving everyone time to practiceand plan strategy .This time the men's team does notevaporate for lack of a kite : Mel has lentthem his Crashing Boar . Roberto Guidoripractices with it for an hour or so onFriday, becoming quite skilled . MasaakiModegi and Teruaki Tsutsumi of Japanare experienced with rokkakus . The restof the team, composed of representativesfrom different countries and calling itselfTangram, quickly acquires skills inthe course of the battle .I am aware of the real possibility ofline cutting, and I know that our kite isequipped with a smooth, worn nylonline. We need tougher stuff-but wherein a town like Cervia do you find it?I am told there is a fishing store nearthe Magazzino del Sale (salt warehouse,site of the kite exhibition) . The Brownsare going to the Magazzino in the van topick up the carousel kite and I hop inand persuade them to stop at the store .We arrive just moments before mid-dayclosing time . Peter Waldron, who speaksItalian, is with us-which helps immensely.We buy lots of good braided polyesterline, about 300-lb-test, with more toothto it than our old smooth nylon .I am to reel in the line, but thereisn't time to roll the new line onto areel, so I use a couple of dowels insidethe core . This works fine for outflowbut is a devil to rewind .As we are arranging positions anddonning gloves, we get the n ews : th emen are attaching a section of wire line .We launch in glee at this show of opponentfear . Then the Boar rises-and a

Top left, a tangle of lines and bodies in the battle of the Mama-sans vs Tangram in Cervia :Stephanie raises her hands to undo the cat's cradle while the men huddle and dance ;below, standing from left are Modegi-san, Sue Carroll, Terje Westfoss, Roberto Guidori, JonBurkhardt, Margo Brown (bent over) and Michael Steltzer, while knocked down in the sand arePluto Bondi and Stephanie. Top right, the denouncement: moment of downfall for both kites.section of its line is on fire! The menhave wrapped the wire in paraffin-soakedcotton felt . Michael Steltzer is creditedwith this theatrical tactic . After creatingthe initial shock effect, the wire onlyserves to weigh down the Boar's line .The strategy of the men is to try toattack Mucha Rokkaku itself and itsbridle, Modegi having determined thatthe break-away string at the base of thekite could be snapped in a direct hit. TheMama-sans' strategy is to stay higherthan the Boar and to dump it over byhooking under its spar ends . We have agood high angle going for us, and atleast four times-perhaps six-we upsetthe Boar-but each time Roberto,Modegi and the others are able to recover,sometimes pulling the kite up justclear of the sand! The crowds are cheeringand the sun is blazing off Stephanie'ssunglasses . She is pulling magnificently,but getting tired . Jon steps into thesweaty fray at the lead point .Margo decides to try another tactic,and the men take a turn at it too, oftangling all the members of the otherteam in the slack line . Amazingly, weuntangle from this mess not once buttwo or three times, never suffering anyreal stoppage of the kite action overheadthroughout . There is some sandkicking,too-and the crowd is going wild .Finally, the last of the line-aroundthe-fliersploys results in our losingenough altitude for Modegi's plan to takeeffect . He finally hits Mucha Rokkakuin the bridle and the break-away linesnaps as planned . However, we drag theBoar down with us in a mutual swamp .Both sides declare victory instantly .Nonetheless it is clear-and photographsshow-that our kite has fallenfirst, by a second or two . To Tangramgo our congratulations, not only for thevictory but for the best fight yet .Both teams carry away their share ofrope burns (Heidelberg scars), but Jon'sis the most dramatic-he has a real brandacross the top of his belly .-Valerie Govig

ways and add to the show themselves .Grown-ups watch too, for serious reasons,of course, since the ESM is an anemometer,strictly utilitarian .Bevan Brown at last has the rightwinds for his carousel kite . It goes togetherand launches smoothly . The littlehorses twirl and twirl, and Bevan smiles,and we all smile, for at least a half hourthelongest time I've ever seen any of hiscarousels in the air .I am much taken by a wonderful little21-unit centipede flown by Luisa Canoviof Verona. Yellow squares of rice paperand bosso, a bamboo-like wood, replacethe traditional round disks . The cells varyin size- 14cm wide in the front, increasingby one centimeter at a time as the kiteextends-"to catch the wind better ."Alocal legend, admired by all theclub members, is Medio Calderoniof Ravenna . He is 71, a retired upholstererand paperhanger . He makes hisown clothes from scraps of his fabric, hasone tooth, proudly says, "I don't readbooks-I make by `feel' " (or, as Mauriziodescribes him, "not intellectual, just concrete"). He has been flying kites since hewas ten years old . He has made over 60types, all original, all made of paper . Atlast year's Cervia Volante, Medio solvedthe problem of how to transport his kitesfrom the Magazzino del Sale to the beach,a distance of about two kilometers, byflying them there, right through town .At the Magazzino, his kites appear atfirst to be oriental (as the paper and canesuggest) but on inspection the designs areclearly unique . Some of these kite modelsare quite old : an eagle-40 years old, adragonfly-30 years old . There are airplane-likekites, box types, Malay variants,a lozenge with successive ring tails . Thecraftsmanship is strong, the detail careful .Medio's melding of old and new is a reflectionof the nature of Italy : tradition withinvention and intensity .Medio has done kite demonstrations inBologna and country fairs, teaching kitesto hundreds of children . He has two spiritual"sons" : Andre Domenicini, 14, andMassimiliano Domenicini, 16, who havebeen learning from Medio for seven oreight years and often help him fly .Today Medio puts up many kites : twoships (in different colors), a centipede ofcircular boxes, and a cartoon-like crowcharacter from Italian television that is abig hit with the spectators .Medio's influence may be greater thanhe knows . We meet Romano da Fornoand his son from Milan who are flying

Right, a Medio Calderoni original circularbox-centipede kite starts up over Cerviawhile one of his ship kites flies high .Left below, Medio in typical upward gaze .Left top, Medio's crow cartoon character kite .fine little kites of tissue paper and reed,resolute in their claim that these materialsare "the best ."On Sunday, the last day, we are toldto be in the city square promptly at9 p .m . to hear a song specially written forthe festival, "Cervia Skies ." Well, it occursat 9 :30, but we're used to that . What wedon't expect is that this will be not just asong but a major show, with stage, lights,microphones, national television camerasand the big Cody sitting on high all litup like a monument . Below the stage arehundreds of chairs-filled!-(the wholetown seems to be here) . The song is playedon an electronic piano and saxophoneand we enjoy it . (If we don't . it doesn'tmatter ; Terje and Truls are giving out tinyceramic mugs with "kite tails" tiedaround them, and filled with aquavit .)But wait, it's time for the ceremony .(The Italians seem to require ceremony,however self-consciously they handle it .)Every kiteflier is individually called up onstage and presented with a kiss from theClub President Claudio Capelli, a row ofofficial handshakes, a gilded scroll and abeautiful Citta' di Cervia medal . Soon thestage is full of clapping kitefliers and clubmembers . Waggish Peter Waldron turns onhis electric blinking bow tie . There arespeeches and thank-yous, with JaneEdwards, English expatriate now living inCervia, translating . I give the club somescarce back issues of Kite Lines . Jon sayssome good words about internationalfriendship . It's a great time .Suddenly, we realize it's over . Wewalk away talking to our friendswith a catch in the throat tellingus that this will be the last time, for years,perhaps forever, that we will see some ofthem . Many hands clasp . Ciao . Arrivederci .Jacques Fissier assures me he has it all onfilm-will send it soon . Goodbye, goodbye. But wait, here's someone we haven'tmet before . Piero Palmiotto hands us anItalian magazine article and a club patchfor the "Bobokiteam ." Ah, the seeds areplanted in Italy .We pack to leave in the early hours of

Due to lack of response and researchtime, the International Kite Calendarplanned as a separate publicationfor 1986 will be prepared for incorporationin the next Kite Lines,Information from organizers andkite clubs about 1986 kite festivalsis still invited for this calendar.Please send us : name of event,date, which annual, location, sponsor,and contact person's name,address and telephone number . Mailtoday to Kite Lines, 7106 CampfieldRoad, Baltimore, MD 212074699 .Or call us at 301/484-6287 .The original Conyne Aeroplane No . 3kite, serial number 1813, tested andcertified "OK" on June 15, 1906,and written up in Kite Lines (theSpring 1985 issue), has been sold tothe highest bidder, A . Pete lanuzziof Catonsville, MD . Pete flew thekite for the article, has a particularfondness for it, and is proud to addit to his growing collection of fineand rare kites .

the morning, using for our kites a wonderful,enormous German sewer tubebought from Michael Steltzer and tied tothe roof of the Uno . It is over-length bynormal airline baggage standards, but wedon't want to cut it down unless necessary,and kindhearted Martin Lester trades adrink for his favorite handsaw, in case weneed it . We keep our fingers crossed thatthe security managers will let our paraphernaliathrough . Jon and Mel sharedriving through the night to the airport inRome and we make our plane just in time .The busy airport clerks accept thetube, uncut and unquestioned!We sleep like logs all the way home .Calendar Notes :Cervia Volante '86 is usually held thelast week in June (June 25-29 in 1986) .The City of Cervia provides travel assistanceto some kitefliers . Write for information: Club Cervia Volante, CentroSportivo Via Pinarella 26, 48015 Cervia(Ravenna), Italy .International Fokker Kite Festival inScheveningen, Netherlands, makes a goodcombination with Cervia Volante for kitetravelers . The customary date falls in midor late June, but is never definite a yearin advance because of the variable beachtides . One third of the shore can be underwaterat high tide and the organizers wantto assure the most beach possible for thefestival . In 1985, Cervia and Scheveningenorganizers coordinated their dates and itis hoped they will do so again . Assistancewith accommodations is available to alimited number of kitefliers . Ask for brochure: Vlieger-OP!, Weteringkade 5A,2515 AK, Den Haag, Netherlands . Lookfor an article on Scheveningen in the nextissue of Kite Lines .A Little Kite Traveling Advice :• Pack fewer clothes and more kites .Sneakers are better than sandals on thebeach .• Bring gifts, because you'll get themsuchthings as patches, cards, t-shirts,little kites or accessories .• Take a camera, lots of film and a notebookto get names and addresses .• Although English is becoming themost universal of the languages, French .still helps, especially in Italy . But learn atleast a few basic phrases of Italian, andtake a pocket dictionary .• Fly your kites all you can-you wereinvited to add to the spectacle .• Say hello to everyone for Kite Lines!

UPDATESGood n ews : w e have finally computerizedall the information we have on kite clubsaround the world and the list is impressive .To maintain a sense of history-where wehave been and where we are going-we nowhave a file on every kite-related organizationwe know about, from the oldest tothe newest, from the largest to the smallest,whether active, inactive, defunct orin the formation stage . The total is 168!Soon we will be sending out questionnairesto most of these kite clubs to furtherupdate our data . In the meantime,here is a sample of our latest gleanings .Established in 1932 by Phraya BhiromBhakdi, the Kite Association of Thailandis still active sporadically . Contact RonSpaulding, c/o Boon Rawd Brewery, 999Samsean Road, Bangkok 10300, Thailand .Active for an unknown number ofyears is the Hong Kong Kite Association .Contact James Au, President, 1-A 7thStreet, Tai Wai Village, Shatin, New Territories,Hong Kong .In the People's Republic of China, contactSun Li-rong, Vice-President and SecretaryGeneral of the Weifang KitefliersAssociation at 42 Shengli Street, WeifangCity, People's Republic of China .A group of artistically minded kitefliersin Norway has recently formed the WindArt Group ("free as a breeze") . Contactthem through Terje Westfoss, Skippergt .16, Fredrikstad, Norway .We stand corrected by David Webster,General Secretary of the Wessex KiteGroup . The proper mailing address is 16Brackley Way, Hammonds Green, Totton,Hampshire S04 3HN, England .Michel Dusariez, co-founder and formersecretary of Le Nouveau Cervoliste Belge,reports the formation earlier this year ofthe Kite Aerial Photography WorldwideAssociation . According to Michel, this isa "non-commercial association gatheringkitefliers doing aerial photography . . .worldwide." A bilingual French/English quarterlynewsletter is planned and the first issuewill be sent free of charge to all who areinterested . Write to Michel at 14 avenueCapitaine Piret, 1150 Bruxelles, Belgium .Closer to home, a new club is beingformed in eastern Washington state, theColumbia Kite Fliers . Contact Larry Zilar,1030 14th Avenue, Kennewick, WA 99336 .From Art Tallman, President of theRainbow Kitefliers Society, we have this :The annual dues have been increased to$6 .00, and the club's new mailing addressis P .O . Box 4344, Flint, MI 48504 .

Left, Dave Town gets set for a Flexi-trip, wearing his harness of belt, pulley, rope and control bar .Above, the rainbow stack of Flexifoils that hauled Dave 2 .7 miles on a New Jersey beach .A Flexi-Trip-and a Recordfor Kite Traction without VehicleOn Sunday, May 5, 1985, I went on anunusual journey-only 2 .7 miles-but mymethod 'of propulsion may interest otherkitefliers .My equipment consists of an eight-stackof six-foot Flexifoil kites on two 300-pound-test Kevlar lines 150 feet long .The flying lines are attached to the endsof a two-inch-square wooden control barfour feet long . I have also attached a shortlength of heavy rope to each end of myside of the control bar . The rope passesthrough a metal pulley which is anchoredto a World War II surplus tailgunner's belt .I wear the belt just below my hips,which allows me to "sit" in the harnessand gives my arms a rest (especially helpfulin high winds) .On this particular Sunday, the windwas from the south at 15-25 mph . Withthe help of my sister Joan I laid out theFlexifoils on the wide open beach nearmy house . As soon as I was strapped in,the kites went up and I was off-just likewater skiing! (When I'm ready to slide, Ijust lean back in the harness and sweepthe kites around in figure eights throughthe power zone, the area downwind infront of the kiteflier, where the kitesexert the maximum pull .I allowed the kites to drag me about200 yards and then walked back to whereI started, kites floating overhead . I askedmy sister if she would pick me up withher car at the end of the boardwalk,about a mile north . She agreed, and off Iwent again .I'd go two or three blocks at a timeand then stop for a short rest . As I approachedjetties, I'd slow down and carefullystep over the rocks and pilings .When I reached the last jetty, I found itA lifelong resident of Sea Isle City, NewJersey, Dave Town can often be foundat the end of a flying line attached to a"Giant" Sutton FlowForm or large handmadebox or delta. As often as not, suspendedfrom one of Dave's kites is hisradio-controlled aerial photography system,capable of shooting an entire roll of35mm film while rotating 360 degrees .When not making/flying kites orworking as a computer operator for anAtlantic City casino, Dave gathers andmaintains files of kite data on his personalcomputer at home For v.xamY)lc_projecting about four feet above thebeach and unclimbable while I was flyingthe kites . However, with a quick maneuverhigh up in the power zone and a littlehelp from my legs, I was able to jump tothe top of the pilings and easily down tothe other side . I could see my sister waitingtwo blocks ahead and I wasted notime sliding up to her location .At that point, I was having so muchfun I told Joan to meet me in Strathmere,the next town up the beach . The sand athe has a complete index of every issueof "Tight Lines," the newsletter of theGreater Delaware Valley Kite Society .Dave's latest computer compilation isa listing of every known person everinterested in aerial photography by kite .So far, he has over 100 names andaddresses plus pertinent informationabout each one. He also has a large notebookof aerial photos which he hascollected from kitefliers around -theworld . Kite Lines readers are invited tocontact him at 112 47th Street, 1stFloor, Sea Isle City, NJ 08243 .

This department is devoted to reports ofrecord-setting achievements with kites .News will appear from time to time, as itarrives, in Kite Lines . Publication of areport is not to be construed as officialrecognition by Kite Lines or any otherparty of any attempt at a record.the north end of the island had beenrecentlydredged in and was very cleannoshells or debris . The surface was terrificfor sliding and one could develop considerablespeed during a long straight run .(When I talked with Joan later, she saidshe clocked me at 10-12 mph as she pacedme in her car on the road along the beach .)In a short time, I reached Strathmereand grounded the Flexifoils . My legs wereaching and felt rubbery when I began towalk around, winding in the lines andpacking up the kites . In fact, my legswere sore for a week-but the thrill wasworth the pain!The summertime crowds are here now,cluttering up the beach, so treks like thisare pretty much out of the question untilafter the tourist season is over . Next time,I plan to gather a few witnesses and breakmy own record for traction by kite withno vehicle-unless you consider my old,worn-out sneakers to be vehicles .-Text by David P . Town-Photographs by Leonard ConoverCurrent Records-Where They Stand :A Dialogue with GuinnessIn May of this year, Kite Lines answereda letter from the Guinness Book of Recordsasking us to review the galleys forthe kite section in the next edition oftheir book . We examined the galleys,made a few , corrections-then paused .Maybe the time had come . . .We decided to send Guinness our listof recommended kite records-ten ofthem, a substantial increase over the fourcategories of records presently in the book .Even the ten we recommended do notinclude all the records in our files, but weselected them as the main ones . We havealways tried to reflect the consensus ofinformed views in the kiting communityas fairly and accurately as possible . Weare computerizing the list to make it easierto maintain and access in the future .We cannot guarantee that Guinness willrecognize the entire list or even any partof it besides the four categories theyalready publish . The editors are generallyfar more receptive to updating the holdersof current categories than to expandingthe list of categories . Kite Lines has boldlyasked them to make a serious increase inthe space devoted to kites . As we reasonedin our letter, all the categories are measurable,newsworthy and the subject ofwidespread competitiveness . WhateverGuinness decides, Kite Lines stands behindthe following list of kite world records :1 . LARGEST KITE FLOWN : The current undisputedrecord for largest kite flown was setby a Dutch team at Scheveningen, Netherlandson August 8, 1981 with a kite of 550m 2 (5,952ft2) . The kite, an inflatable airfoil weighing230kg (500 lbs) was made by ten men andflown by 70 people .2 . MOST KITES FLOWN ON ONE LINE : Thegreatest number of kites flown on a single lineis 4,128 by Kazuhiko Asaba at Kamakura, Japanon September 21, 1978 .3 . HIGHEST ALTITUDE ACHIEVED BY AKITE : The classic record is 9,740m (31,955 ft)by a train of eight kites over Lindenburg, EastGermany on August 1, 1919 . No single-kite altituderecord has been satisfactorily established .4 . LONGEST DURATION OF FLIGHT (OUT-DOORS) : The longest recorded flight is one of180 hrs . 17 m in . by the Edmonds CommunityCollege team at Long Beach, Washington state,USA on August 21-29, 1982 . Managing theflight of the J-25 parafoil was Harry N . Osborne .5. LONGEST DURATION OF FLIGHT (IN-DOORS) : The duration record for indoor kiteflyingis 9 hrs . 13 min ., set by Carl Brewer andTom Sisson on January 31-February 1, 1979 inthe Kingdome indoor stadium in Seattle,Washington state, USA .6 . MOST CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF INDIVI-DUAL KITEFLYING : C .W . (Bill) Mosley ofConverse, Texas, USA flew kites every dayfrom October 25, 1983 to October 24, 1984,through a leap year, for a count of 366 days,fully documented .7 . MOST DUAL-LINE KITES STUNTED INTRAIN : Rick Bell, at Ocean City, Maryland,USA flew 140 Hyperkites Starfighters onSeptember 23, 1984 . The kites flew undercontrol for over five min . and included onecomplete loop to the left and to the right .8. LONGEST KITE FLOWN : A Thai cobrakite of 650m (2,133 ft) was flown by Hermanvan den Broek and Jan Pieter Kuil on August 11,1984 at Uithuizen, Netherlands .9 . LONGEST KITE TAIL FLOWN : The longestkite tail is 1,695m (5,560 ft, just over amile), flown by Joseph Valenti from a SuttonFlow Form kite at Florence, Oregon, USA onSeptember 4 and 5, 1982 . The flight took over5'/z hours .10 . GREATEST CALCULATED LIFT ACHIEVEDBY KITE : The vertical lift is 331 kg (728 lbs)achieved by G . William Tyrrell, Jr . in Ocean City,Maryland, USA on September 23, 1984 . Thekite used was a 70m 2 (846 ft2) parafoil .-Valerie Govig

Empty Spaces in the Sky . . .Lawrence J . Denmire Dies in IowaOn April 9, 1985 Lawrence J . Denmiredied in Keokuk, Iowa at the age of 80 .For many years, he and his wife Edithmanufactured kites in their basementworkshop and shipped them to kitestores across the United States . They werenot large kites (by today's standards) norwere they produced in large quantities .Solid, classic winged boxes, they came inseveral sizes, but always the same colors :red and blue cells with white wings . Thefabric was outrageously porous, but thekites flew with predictable stability inreasonable winds and managed to surprisea few skeptics when they flew in lighterbreezes . Perhaps some of the skepticismwas caused by the name : Kro-Flies Kites .Shortly after Denmire's death, we receiveda letter from Robert Eskridge ofMiami, Florida . Here is some of thatletter : "On a trip to Keokuk in 1978 mywife and I were fortunate to meet himand his wife . . . The kites were made in thebasement workrooms which were equippedas a small-scale assembly line . . . The kitecovers were sewn using a fairly porousopen-weave cotton, and the longerons andbraces were bass or clear pine, milled tosize in the shop ."During our visit to his home we alsosaw some [other] remarkable woodworkingproducts of Mr . Denmire's . . . His evidententhusiasm for products of handcraftsmanshipwas infectious . . ." 0

I would like to make a case for outstandingand expensive commercial kites inkite stores . I am seeing too few of thesekites nowadays .First, it's more exciting to shop in acomplete store . As the Chevy dealer whostocks one or two Corvettes sells moreChevettes to the customers who see themselvessomeday owning the top of theline, quality kites help sell a lot of deltasand diamonds .Second, some kitefliers buy only theunusual original kites, not the mass-producedones . It is getting to be pretty dullshopping for these buyers . Yet they'rethe kind who will come back for more .Third, the mark-ups are rewarding .My recent visit to Vlieger-OP! in TheNetherlands was a pleasant change . I sawmany "European" kites not sold in theU .S . Gerard van der Loo is not afraid tooffer his customers variety . He displayskites in groups by types-deltas in onearea, boxes in another, and so on-for easycomparison of craftsmanship, featuresand prices, which covered a real range .Gerard's combination of manufactory,kite store and distributor probably makesit easier for him to provide a wider varietythan would usually be the case . But I'llsay this : if Vlieger-OP! opened a kite shopin America, I'd be its first customer .Now another view from Felix Cartagenaof Newark, DE :In -response to your rhetorical question,who needs non-kite items in a kitestore," I would say kite stores do andkitefliers do, for a number of reasons .Many specialty stores need less expensiveitems for the common people . Thismakes it possible for the store to carryexpensive kites for us hard-core kiters .I also think that non-kite items have arightful place on the kite field. Boomerangs,gliders, Frisbees and rockets give us somethingto do at a no-wind kite fly . Stuffedtoys (especially Teddy bears) make excellentkite-borne parachutists. As for yo yos,I'll let Red Braswell defend those .So Lou, don't begrudge kite stores forselling things other than kites . Thesethings are of interest to many kitefliersc. . .d it helps pay the rent . I really don'tcare what else a kite store sells-used cars,lingerie, housewares-as long as it aids andabets the store in supplying the things I'mreally interested in-KITES!Not to mention bubble machines .-Lou Kane

It is fortuitous that Mel and I drive ourrented Uno car in tandem with the vanthat Michael Steltzer is using to carry severalfriends from one kite festival in TheNetherlands to another in Italy . (Seefestivals story on page 28 .)It is more than fortuitous becauseMichael knows German, knows Germanyand knows its kiters-in particular ProfessorErhard Hossle of Ebenhausen, nearMunich .Dr . Hossle (Hess-luh) teaches at theSchool of Fine Arts in Nurnberg, wherehe is head of the department of silver andgoldsmithing . Despite this title, he is nota formal or serious person . With only threehours' notice, he and his wife Therese (agoldsmith herself) welcome us at midnightwith not only enough mattresses and downcomforters in their loft to sleep our entireparty of ten-but with delicious soup fullof fresh-from-the-garden herbs, beer inhandcrafted silver cups and lively talkabout kites and glockenspiels . We feelcompletely at home and extremely privilegedat the same time .We awake to a beautiful day in Bavaria .The flowers are blooming in their boxeson the porch sills . Today we will see farmsand villages, tile roofs, maypoles, onion-topchurches, and open meadows ("here iswhere I fly my kites") contrasting withdeep fir woods above the Isar River as itflows from the Alps in the hazy distance .Therese- treats us to the first of twowonderful breakfasts, including cheeses,yogurt, eggs, ham, pate, fruit and four orfive kinds of rolls and danishes . We tourthe Hössle chalet and studio, a formercafe rehabilitated with an eye to keepingthe old while making it new . It is filledwith examples of art in many media, especiallymetals . We see rows of elegant silverware,clusters of jars and pots, a bell glockenspiel,an enameled wine pressurizingvessel-objects of rarity and beauty derivedfrom their utility .There is whimsy, too : a silver modelfor a solar-powered mobile of clustered"kites" that turn in the air to face thelight, like morning glories ; and a stovefirebox recovered from an old Munichlamp post . (In 1980, he made a five-personcar without a motor that was propelledby rowing .)And then there are his kites . Erhard isthe only kitemaker we know who modelshis kites in silver before he builds them .For two years now he has been makingkites . "I always wanted to be up andabove," he says, his eyes bright with enthusiasm. "It is very difficult to particularizethe impulse . Kites are the beginning offlying ." He saw the kites in the DeutschesMuseum in Munich and was inspired byCody's use of kites for aerial observation .Hössle used a wind tunnel for study andchose the Rogallo wing for its aerodynamicsas a personlifting device, "for climbingand dreaming inside the clouds-ahimmelbett" (meaning canopy bed andheaven bed, a word game in German) .He first flew his system in the summerof 1983 at Omrum, an island in the NorthSea, off the north coast of Germany . Thesite was a bird sanctuary and, althoughErhard had arranged beforehand to use it,the local people were upset for the birds ."The birds, however, seemed to think theexperiment was interesting!" Erhard'swry humor breaks into a laugh .Interesting kites indeed . They are3 .5m 2 in area with sails 3m high and2 .5m wide . Ski poles are used for the kitebones, with C-rings welded onto the tips .The kite's wings pull together in higherwinds, allowing the sail to flex before itrips . Twenty of these kites fly five metersapart on steel wire line . A net with sandbagsanchors the train on the ground andcan be adjusted easily to different levels ofwind . When fully extended, the train canlift a person to 50 meters .The kite design resembles that of theRussell Hall kite and the system is sometimescalled "Russell Hall Train ." Amisnomer . There is only one name for it :the Hössle Himmelbett .We are thrilled when Erhard shows usa big portfolio of large color pictures of astudent flying from the Hossle train inScheveningen in 1984, photographed byDr . Ernst Jünger of Munich . Before weleave, Erhard gives me several prints . Ithank and thank him as we load up thecaravan, but as we drive away to Italy Ifall into speechless waving and wordlesssmiles .-Valerie GovigThis Kite Lines series features a reader'skite picture on a whole page in full colorin each issue. Yours could be next! Howdoes a kite photograph qualify?• First, the kite must fly well . Supportinginformation must be included describingyour kite's typical flight and giving itsdimensions, materials and history .*Second, the kite must be beautiful .Agreed, beauty is in the sky of the beholder. This is an openly subjective criterion .• Third, the kite must show some qualityof originality in either form, craftsmanship,color, decoration or use of attachedelements .• Fourth, the photograph must be ofhigh artistic and technical quality-sharp,well framed, rich in color . For printing,we prefer 35mm or larger transparencies .We also can use color prints if they are811 x 1011 or larger . Tip : we favor verticalformat over horizontal .The photograph should be taken inone of two modes : as a close-up of yourkite in the sky, the kite filling at leastone-third of the film area ; or as a background-inclusiveshot, showing people,scenery, etc . behind the kite . In any case,the kite should be shown well, althoughnot necessarily flying, as long as yoursupporting information establishes thekite's flyability . In fact, background featuresgive a reference point and sometimesincreased interest to a picture .We suggest you take many pictures ofyour kite . Snap it in the sky, at festivals,morning, noon and night-even indoorson display . Discard any preconceptions ofwhat a "correct" kite photograph shouldbe. Then send us no more than fivephotographs of one kite at a time .Ship in stiff protective packaging andenclose a self-addressed envelope withstamps or international reply coupons forreturn of your photos-otherwise we cannotguarantee their return .Pictures used must be not previouslypublished . After publication in Kite Lines,further rights revert to the photographerand kitemaker .Kite Lines credits both kitemakers andphotographers . A photographer may takepictures of a kite not his or her own, butin such case should ask the kitemaker'shelp in supplying information for the submission. You are invited to enter! Youhave nothing to lose but your obscurity

Kites by Erhard HösslePhotograph by Ernst Jünger