Kite Lines - Vol.1 No. 3 - KiteLife

AUSTRALIAHelen Bushell reports from the Melbournearea for the Australian Kite Association :This is to offically inform you thatthe Australian Kite Association wasformed in Melbourne in May 1977,with the object of bringing kite enthusiaststogether and promoting knowledgeof and interest in kiting throughoutAustralia .As several of our members havebelonged to your association for along time, we would like to keep incontact with you . A group has alsobeen formed in South Australia, andthey are affiliated with us, as also isthe National Gallery Society . Its leader,Mr. Paton Forster, is one of ourdirectors, and the Society has handedover its kiting responsibility to us .Our Chairman is Tony Johnston,Treasurer is Cathy Tonkin and I amSecretary . We look forward to seeingsome of you at some time and welcomeyou to fly with us on our regular first-Sunday-of-the-month flies, wherewe hope to enjoy ourselves and helpothers do the same .In addition to the above announcement,Helen has sent us some enthusiasticletters . She and her son Alanmake and sell Australian-design kites,in particular the Evolution Trefoil,their own patented design . Helen hasTrefoil kites by Helen Bushell on exhibitin the lobby of the Y.W.C .A . in May inMelbourne, Australia .also printed a booklet of her theoriesof kiteflying, which includes a patternfor making her Australian Long-TailTrefoil . We found the work bothcharming and hard to follow-terminologywas undefined . Copies of"Make Mine Fly" may be purchasedfor $2 U .S . plus shipping ($2 airmail)from Helen Bushell, 10 Elm Grove,North Kew, 3102 Victoria, Australia .From the Kitefliers Association ofSouth Australia, R .E. Ted Padmancorresponds frequently and sends ustheir newsletter. The association hasthe good fortune of being sponsoredby a television station in the Adelaidearea, which advertises their monthlyflies and helps in other ways as well .On July 10 the Association's firstfield day was held in the Parklandsat North Adelaide, the highest spotclose to the city, according to Ted .Winds were light to moderate for the48 people attending, but there wasgenuine interest shown .The organizational meeting held onJune 23 drew 25 people to FullertonPark, Fullerton, South Australia . Theofficers of the association are : President,Bob Hains ; Vice-President,Graham Blackey ; Secretary-Treasurer,Ian Perrin ; Editor-Publicity Chairman,Jan Hosking ; Children's Advisor,Ray Blucher ; Resources Advisor,Wayne Hosking ; Official Photographer,Richard Grabb .Bob Hains is admired in his areafor the expertly detailed kites he sewson an old treadle machine . He hasmade a Cody war box kite, a Flare,a Marconi-jib kite and a JalbertParafoil .The group plans to fly kite trains incountry areas, where they hope tohave the cooperation of the Departmentof Air Transport for specialoccasions in lifting the kite altitudelimit of 300 feet .Ted reports good flying with manyof his own kites, including a Chinesebutterfly with six long tails, the framemade of basket cane and 3/16" dowel . Hewent flying with Ray Blucher in Juneand observed Ray's success with hisred rip-stop nylon compound batkite, one of several Blucher kites thatTed describes as exquisite .CANADAJohn F Van Gilder reporting from Seattledescribes the Great Pacific Rim KiteFestival:The first weekend in April, severalWashington Kitefliers Associationmembers drove their kite-packedcars to Vancouver, B .C ., Canada (110miles) for a kite contest . Everythingclicked in Vancouver - weather,publicity and interest . The judgesand officials were inundated withpeople . Bob McCort said that WKAmembers had never seen as manykites in the air in one spot in theirlives . They came back with their shareof prizes also .Everyone had to tell about the mostunusual kite up there - a cotton sportsshirt, undershorts and a pair of pantyhosewere strung together -and theyflew! Jack Kelly was responsible forthat one . Also noted were the hugebox kites of many strange configurations. "Of course," we sniff, "anythingwould have flown in that steady 15miles-per-hour wind"-except fortissue-paper delta trains . John Dusenberrydidn't dare even attempt his40-kite train .David Pinner writes about his favoritekite stunt:I take my Skycat stunter from 200feet and dive it straight into a lake .Rising from a dip on a hot summer's day isthe stunter kite piloted by David Pinner ofVancouver, B .C ., Canada .