Letters/Continued)and all other related uses of the wind asactivities fully in keeping with his goals .These activities are healthy, educational,non-polluting, low energy consumers, andif we try we might even find a way togenerate power with kites . Certainly somesails and wind mills are basically kites .Francis M . RogalloKitty Hawk, NCMARCONI KITE FOLLOW-UPHere is an addendum to the plans in my"Making It with Marconi" story (Spring1977 <strong>Kite</strong> <strong>Lines</strong>) . Two 3/16-inch screw eyesare needed to facilitate construction andoperation . One is screwed into the midpointat the bottom of the balsa block,where right angle end of keel attaches . Theother is centered 5/16-inch above spine,and a hook (I used a swivel hook) on theline bisecting the sail goes through thescrew eye and then hooks above the notchon the fabric at this point . A grommet setin fabric tape or sewn-on Tyvek` willaccept the hook without strain on the fabricabove the notch .I have an article coming out in theJuly issue of Popular Mechanics about theMarconi and a simplified Indian fighterkite that works remarkably well . The articleis enhanced with "how-to" picturesand a magnificant picture of the Marconiin flight .Maxwell EdenPassaic, NJI enclose a photo of a six-foot Marconi Imade a couple of years ago, from the planin Clive Hart's Your Book of <strong>Kite</strong>s :It was the first kite I ever made, andI used a fairly porous curtain materialfor the cover. However, it flies wellwhen properly trimmed (which can betricky) [ Pelham ] states that trimming ofthe kite for different wind strengths canbe achieved by the twin jibs alone, whereasfrom my own experience the angle of attack(i.e., bridling) must be altered also .I have not seen other variations on theMarconi principle (except the multi-wingdesign in <strong>Kite</strong> Craft), but would think theprinciple worth developing . What about aPrinceton sail wing for the mainsail, andbattens in the jibs to reduce trailing-edgeflutter?Michael JacobNewton Stewart, WigtownshireScotlandTALKING BACK ON TAILSDifferent kinds of drag? Yes . Drag of astreamer depends on size, probably weight,maybe stiffness, also roughness . Drag ofa drogue increases more with increasingwind than does drag of a streamer .Perhaps a streamer has more resistanceto being disturbed than does a bow-tie tailof the same drag . The drag coefficient isnormally rather low for a streamer .The "lifting" part of the cobra kite extendswell behind the head . <strong>No</strong>t so muchwhen the kite is bounding around . Also thetail has much to do with the kite flyingflatter to the wind at a higher speed, hencenot pulling excessively .William R . BiggeWashington, DCI'm an MFA in fabric design (it's a terminaldegree) ; I make odd postcards ; and I lovekites . At this point I've only been braveenough to make some sleds . The biggest isa six-footer that is almost too frisky but isbatiked and purty .Well-the business of this note is thetail controversy. Gee whiz-I gotta makea male chauvinistic comment (my wifeteaches women's studies)-all this talkabout tales (sp?)! Well, I've found a veryfun and functional tail : I make a "donkey"or "horse" tail from 20 each 4 -to 6-footstrips of one-inch video tape . I tie a 12-inchpiece of string with a fishing snap . Easy offand on . The video tape rustles nicely inthe wind, too, and it rolls up very compactly.The empty reels (small plastic)make nice reels -from TV 30-second commercials. TV stations thow away old commercials. So up with Pringles potato chips- recycle and away .George H . Brett, IIAthens, GAVideo tape comes in various widths (half-inchand up) and lengths ; the larger sizes may be tooheavy and unwieldy . We've seen it used forflying line, too -very strong, but flat (windresisting),heavy and conductive (not recommended).It can be bought, but not cheaply, atelectronic surplus houses. How about computertape? Cassette tape? Other tapes? Write and tell!CALL FOR HELPCan you help us? I saw an article aboutkites and it started a train of thought .Your suggestions will be appreciated .We are a group of old people, yet withtalent, but handicapped . We are peoplewho have been at Burke Day Hospital andare meeting once a month to learn how tofunction in the community . Perhaps the oldand young could plan workable ideas . Isthere a kitefliers group here, in WhitePlains? If we could make kites and theyoung fly them -now for further thoughts .Vera-Belle Abele45 Nethermont Ave .White Plains, NY 10603ANY KITEFLYING "HAMS"?Are there any radio "hams" interested inkiteflying? I am interested in the type ofkite-launched antennas that they use forcommunication purposes .R .E . (Ted) Padman8 Hartland Ave .Black Forest 5035, South AustraliaKITES ARE FOR THE BIRDSI hope to use kites to elicit aggressive (defensive)behavior in peregrine falcons in orderto determine relative territory size and therelative distance that the birds will respond todisturbance at different times in their reproductivecycle. I also intend to attach radiotransmitters (which we usually put on thebirds) to kites to determine the accuracy of ourradiotelemetry tracking system at differentaltitudes and distances from our receivingtowers . (We're using radiotelemetry todetermine home ranges and hunting habitatof the birds .)In addition, a friend of mine with anenvironmental consulting outfit is interested inusing kites to study birds in a different aspect .Basically, he wants to do something to deterwaterfowl from landing in oil tailing pondswhile specialized bird scaring devices are beingset up. He may also be interested in usingLee's Snow and Canada Goose kites (with landdecoys) to draw birds away to alternate areas .This summer I'll try a simplified fighterkite, a delta-winged older eagle (printed only)kite, Lee's National Eagle kite and CalebCrowell's "bat falcon" kite out on the peregrines. This may or may not work . At anyrate, I'll let you know the results .Jim WindsorSaskatoon, Saskatchewan, CanadaSUCH STUFFING AS DREAMSARE MADE ONI recently managed to get a copy of WillYolen's wonderful book The Complete Bookof <strong>Kite</strong>s and <strong>Kite</strong>flying and was convulsedby the chapter on "dropniks." Indeed, Iwas moved to produce a tailor-made parachuteto fit my daughter's old teddy bear,who up to then had never fallen furtherthan off the bed . The pack design was basedon rather hazy memories of parachutesfrom my own skydiving days (20 years ago!)but nevertheless seems to work quite well .The unfortunate creature has now madeseveral drops from 200 to 300 feet, launchedby a clockwork timer from my double
Conyne kite . So far we have had a 99%success rate ; the only accident occurredwhen I forgot to remove the elastic bands(used in packing) from the canopy, and hebounced two feet . Still, as he said, whenyou're stuffed with sawdust you don't worrytoo much about that sort of thing!I also discovered that the free-fall periodcan be increased by varying the degree towhich the shroud lines are pulled throughthe pack loops . This led to an incidentwhen Bear free-fell for 250 feet and thenhad a perfect deployment 20 feet from theground .He now wears a permanently bemusedlook and feels ill when he hears a fineweather forecast .Peter ReardonTonbridge, Kent, EnglandLATEST KITE FASHIONWe've been involved in kites and kitingfor approximately three years now . Gotstarted in Hawaii by just walking into Pauland Dierdre Acheson's kite shop . Almostimmediately I started making kites andcontinued on their praise for my ability .Perhaps one of our greatest experienceswas to meet and be friends with and correspondwith Lincoln Chang . We tried tofly with him as much as we could . Uponour leaving Hawaii he not only gave usone of his kites, he made one just for us,a distinct honor in our book .We are leaving for Florida very soon andwill probably be there by summer. Hope toInnovationsmeet AKA members in the Mayport area .Enclosed is a picture of my wife in heroveralls . I sewed a kite on with the AKAlogo . People always comment on them .Milton H . Heger, USN,Leila K . and Milton M .A . HegerFallon, NVCLUB STARTS IN FRANCEI have been a kiteflier for a number ofyears, and I am interested in your kitemagazine, which I find very good . A newclub was announced in France, and I amgiving you its address : Cerf-Volant Clubde France, 17 rue Lacharriere, 75011 Paris,France . Please accept my best regards .Michel BerardVincennes, FranceENDURANCE YES ; DURATION NOHere's a claim to kiteflying in the harshestweather. Jan . 16, 1977, Indianapolis was hitby a full blizzard, with winds exceeding 35miles per hour and wind chill factor of-65 ° F . For nearly 30 minutes, I flew aNantucket <strong>Kite</strong>man delta in the teeth ofthe storm . The wind was so strong it nearlygrounded the big delta several times butwe managed to keep the kite up . I'll tellyou, I've never been so glad to haul a kitein and head for a warm place!David Cokes McCartyIndianapolis, INTHE CRUCIAL REQUIREMENTI have been making kites for about twoyears now without ever having seen a copyof the kite magazine, and I can't understandhow I ever did it . I now can see thatthe dearth of information on low-speedaerodynamics is suffered by many brothers .I thirst to get what I can .I will say that I believe the most crucialpart of flying a kite is speaking to it ineven, soothing tones .Phil LiloiaPhiladelphia, PAHave you ever thought of makingParafoils out of heat-sealed polyethylene, black on the base and transparent on top, closed at the leadingedge, and with air ports in the base :They are very good for flying orwindless but sunny days, as they actthrough the greenhouse effect, as solarpowered balloons . In good conditionsI have calculated that a 6 ft . x 6 ft . kit(can lift half its weight by solar poweralone, and so will fly in half the windspeed . One about 10 foot square wouldact with no wind at all, and wouldstill fly perfectly if the wind did starto blow .Nick P . Dar105 Leckhampton RoadCheltenham, Glos . GL53 ODDEnglandDATE OF POSTMARK :APRIL 18, 1977
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