Date: Mon, 10 May 1993 16:23:41 GMT From: buzy@quads.uchicago.edu (Len Buzyna) Message-Id: <1993May10.162341.29344@midway.uchicago.edu> Organization: University of Chicago Subject: 18' SWSK flies !!!!! The following is being posted for a friend: Hi there, Well, as some of you know, I've been working on an 18' (actually, 17.7') stunter with which I had some problems (lost stand-off after first 5 min of flight, and extreme frame flex)- anyway, after extreme initial frustration, I set the project aside for about one month (that's how long it took me to cool off), but this weekend I finally took the time to replace and modify the standoffs, as well as to extensively test the kite and make the necessary bridle adjustments. The result is AWSOME! (forgive me for bragging). It turns out that what originally looked like a frame flex problem born of insufficient spar stiffness (.505" FG) was really the result of improper bridle adjustment- after studying the set up for some time, it became evident that the upper-leading edge to center spine legs of the bridle were WAY TOO LONG, and as a result, line tension was distributed almost entirely between the two upper-leading edge connections, with the trailing edge sort of free-floating (by the way, this resulted in miniscule pull and miserable handling). At this point, it took only about another 10min to remedy the problem and find the correct adjustment point- the resultant difference is PROFOUND!!! The frame now appears rock-solid in flight, it maneauvers beautifully, and PULLS LIKE A TRUCK! Wind speed was about 10MPH, I was flying on 200ft lines in a field of approx 600ft diameter- the kite managed to drag we two-thirds of the way across the field in about 30sec- THIS IS FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only problem is that my endurance fails at about 5min of flight at which point I have to set the thing down and take a break- this is exhausting! By the way, this thing happens to be a very effective attention getter- I can only imaging what my audience thought- probably something like, "Hey, look at that nut! Someone call the looney bin!" Andre PLEASE DRIECT MAIL TO: rufus@fciasp.bsd.uchicago.edu or andre@rover.bsd.uchicago.edu = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: 11 May 1993 10:30:30 +0100 From: pat@cs.strath.ac.uk (Patrick Prosser) Message-Id: <1snrnm$1ah@kelvin-02.cs.strath.ac.uk> Organization: Comp. Sci. Dept., Strathclyde Univ., Glasgow, Scotland. Subject: Re: 18' SWSK flies !!!!! Well done Andre! Now build 2 more and stack them :-) No, I'm kidding (but Andrew Beattie wouldn't think so). Patrick-bfswsk-Prosser = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =