From: Date: Thu, 18 May 1995 11:36:53 -1000 From: deanc@eros@eros.harvard.edu (Dean Chesterman) Message-Id: <3pgell$5vd@missun.cus.cul.ca> Organization: Canadian Utilites Limited, CU Services Subject: Delta Dynamics After a twenty year hiatus i'm back into kites. I have a question on a cheap plastic delta. It says it can be converted to a Stunt Kite, but while flying it on a single line it rides about 15 degrees left or right of straight down wind. Jiggling the line causes it to drift over to the other side. What is the cause and can I fix it? Also is there a source ( Book ) on kite aerodynamics? Yes i have already found the Kite site! Dean Deanc@er.apl.cul.ca -- = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 18 May 1995 13:10:13 -1000 From: morrow@juju.cns.ucalgary.ca (Bill Morrow) Message-Id: <3pgk4l$1242@ds2.acs.ucalgary.ca> Organization: The University of Calgary Subject: Re: Delta Dynamics Dean Chesterman (deanc@eros@eros) wrote: : I have a question on a cheap plastic delta. : It says it can be converted to a Stunt Kite, : but while flying it on a single line it rides : about 15 degrees left or right of straight : down wind. Jiggling the line causes it to drift : over to the other side. : What is the cause and can I fix it? As a guess, I would say the keel is cupping to one side or the other. Does the keel look flat, or does it bow out to the offwind side? You could try stretching the perimeter of the keel a bit. Bill = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sat, 20 May 1995 14:36:22 -1000 From: mgraves@leadingedg.win.net (Michael Graves) Message-Id: <1952@leadingedg.win.net> Subject: Re: Delta Dynamics In article <3pgell$5vd@missun.cus.cul.ca>, Dean Chesterman (deanc@eros@eros) writes: >After a twenty year hiatus i'm back into kites. >I have a question on a cheap plastic delta. >It says it can be converted to a Stunt Kite, >but while flying it on a single line it rides >about 15 degrees left or right of straight >down wind. Jiggling the line causes it to drift >over to the other side. >What is the cause and can I fix it? I've seen this happen a number of times. In my experience it usually means that the position of some component of the frame is flopping from side to side. If you think of a cloth delta, they sometimes are made with the spine in a pocket running along the back of the sail. This allows the spine to flip side-to-side, so the kite flies askew, but not always the same direction off centre. >Also is there a source ( Book ) on kite >aerodynamics? Yes i have already found the Kite site! You might try "Kites: the science and the wonder", which is available from the Kitelines Bookstore at (410)922-1212. Though not an easy read, it has a lot about kite aerodynamics. Michael Graves = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =