Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1993 11:43:44 -1000 From: zehlst@clarity.Princeton.EDU (Stephen Zehl) Message-Id: <1993Aug12.214344.24634@Princeton.EDU> Organization: Cognitive Science Lab., Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey. Subject: Flexis and other Power Kites - All comments welcome (requested) - Hello everyone, I'm still out here looking for my first power kite. My last posting asking about the Super Sky Dart only received 3 responses, one said it was great, one said it was extremely boring and the other said I could get a flexi for around the same price. I was hoping for a little more info about flexifoils. Are Flexis fun/challenging/exciting to fly if you are not in a buggy or other pullable object? It was my understanding that they are rather slow/boring hard pulling kites. Are they any good at doing tricks and assorted stunts? What size would be best for me to start with, 4, 6, 8, or 10' flexi, and where can I get them for the lowest price? I would really appreciate any and all comments about the flexis and super sky dart, or any power kite that you would recommend. Either e-mail or post, and thanks again. Steve. Steve Zehl zehlst@rest.tasc.com TASC Reston, VA = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 12 Aug 1993 13:20:09 -1000 From: zehlst@clarity.Princeton.EDU (Stephen Zehl) Message-Id: <1993Aug12.232009.8180@Princeton.EDU> Organization: Princeton University Subject: Flexis and other Power Kites - All comments welcome (requested) - Hello everyone, I'm still out here looking for my first power kite. My last posting asking about the Super Sky Dart only received 3 responses, one said it was great, one said it was extremely boring and the other said I could get a flexi for around the same price. I was hoping for a little more info about flexifoils. Are Flexis fun/challenging/exciting to fly if you are not in a buggy or other pullable object? It was my understanding that they are rather slow/boring hard pulling kites. Are they any good at doing tricks and assorted stunts? What size would be best for me to start with, 4, 6, 8, or 10' flexi, and where can I get them for the lowest price? I would really appreciate any and all comments about the flexis and super sky dart, or any power kite that you would recommend. Either e-mail or post, and thanks again. Steve. Steve Zehl zehlst@rest.tasc.com TASC Reston, VA = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1993 10:17:43 -1000 From: sritter@umi.com (Sam Ritter x3111) Message-Id: <24gst7$o7t@news.umi.com> Organization: University Microfilms Inc. Subject: Re: Flexis and other Power Kites - All comments welcome (requested) In article <1993Aug12.214344.24634@Princeton.EDU> zehlst@clarity.Princeton.EDU (Stephen Zehl) writes: >- > > Hello everyone, I'm still out here looking for my first power kite. > > Are Flexis fun/challenging/exciting to fly if you are not in a buggy >or other pullable object? It was my understanding that they are rather >slow/boring hard pulling kites. Are they any good at doing tricks and >assorted stunts? What size would be best for me to start with, 4, 6, 8, >or 10' flexi, and where can I get them for the lowest price? > > I would really appreciate any and all comments about the flexis and >super sky dart, or any power kite that you would recommend. Either e-mail >or post, and thanks again. > > Steve. > >Steve Zehl zehlst@rest.tasc.com >TASC >Reston, VA First of all, the only trick that you can do with flexi's is to flip the kite over itself up near the top of the wind window. You can't do too much ground play with those flying air mattresses, cause once you hit the ground you're looking at a relaunch if you want to keep flying. Now about speed. They are the fastest kites. If you want some awesome dual-line power, take a look at the Peter Lyn Peel. This kite, the 5m flavor(15 ft wing span) broke 300# kevlar in 5-7mph wind. The kite is fairly slow moving and very controllable. Personally, I think that your best bet for fun, power, and _safety_ are the quad-line kites. The quads have a wide variety of tricks that you can do, and if you are into getting pulled around, they can be held in the power zone as long as you want the power. Take a look at Revs( stacked ), Quadrifoils, and Force-10 Foils. Sam Ritter Ann Arbor MI President 5/20 Kite Group Detroit = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Sat, 14 Aug 1993 05:15:36 -1000 From: jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) Message-Id: <24ivio$n8c@umd5.umd.edu> Organization: University of Maryland at College Park Subject: Re: Flexis and other Power Kites - All comments welcome (requested) In article <24gst7$o7t@news.umi.com> sritter@umi.com (Sam Ritter x3111) writes: >First of all, the only trick that you can do with flexi's is to flip the kite >over itself up near the top of the wind window. You can't do too much ground >play with those flying air mattresses, cause once you hit the ground you're >looking at a relaunch if you want to keep flying. You need to spend a *lot* more time flying Flexifoils. First of all, that somersault you refer to can, depending on wind conditions, be done virtually anywhere in the window with the kite moving in any direction. As for groundwork, well, that takes a *lot* of practice and is much "safer" in lower winds (say, 3 or 4 to 8) and I dunno if it can be done anywhere but the edge of the window. But yes, I can do tipstands with a 6' Flexifoil (stand and re-launch, not stand-and-crash) Flexifoils also skate extremely well. You can do some interesting turning-stalls. They're amazingly graceful and while they have a relatively wide turning radius, they *scream* around those turns. All sorts of interesting things to do with 'em. One of the things I love about the Flexifoil is that it's two, Two, TWO kites in ONE! With the Ultraflex spar, it's one of the best ULs around. A true finesse kite with an amazing amount of tricks up its sleeve. When the wind cranks up, slip out the Ultraflex and slip in the stock spar and you've suddenly got a kite that pulls like a bear. Jeff (who, at this juncture is refraining from commenting about flexis as power kites as compared to peels, quads, etc., because if he does, he'll be late for a sled workshop...) -- |Jeffrey C. Burka | "When I look in the mirror, I see a little clearer/ | |SAFH Lite [tm] | I am what I am and you are you too./ Do you like | |jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu | what you see? Do you like yourself?" --N. Cherry | = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1993 18:48:57 -1000 From: andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) Message-Id: Organization: /usr/lib/news/organisation Subject: Re: Flexis and other Power Kites - All comments welcome (requested) In article <24gst7$o7t@news.umi.com> sritter@umi.com (Sam Ritter x3111) writes: >First of all, the only trick that you can do with flexi's is to flip the kite >over itself up near the top of the wind window. You can't do too much ground >play with those flying air mattresses, cause once you hit the ground you're >looking at a relaunch if you want to keep flying. Granted that the flexi's groundwork is limited but it does still have a bag of tricks. You can: do tip-stands at the edge of the window (quite impressive with a stack). land it in the middle of the window, ready for take off (took me *ages* to learn that) Run (walk!) 360s (real impressive but not much harder with a big stack). Fly over the top. Drop it from the top of the window and try to catch it (a fun game). While you've got the foil in your hand, try throwing it up-wind, 'cause it'll loop up and over for you to catch it. The instructions show you how to re-launch from an inverted landing. >If you want some awesome dual-line power, take a look at the Peter Lyn Peel. >This kite, the 5m flavor(15 ft wing span) broke 300# kevlar in 5-7mph wind. >The kite is fairly slow moving and very controllable. Yeah. Try these (some require low wind): Fly this backwards (stalled) Run 360's (I sometimes fly on 80lb line!). The Peel does tip drags like nothing else. Do a tip stand and keep going down until the whole kite is collapsed, then recover. I've never done an "over-the-top" with a peel - has anyone else mastered it? Fly with two people (one handle each). I've done tip stands with an eight(?) year old girl who was a complete novice. Andrew -- Work: gaffer@plx.com Phone: +44 793 614 110 Fax: +44 793 614 297 Play: andrew@tug.com Phone: +44 256 464 912 Interested in kite traction? mail kites@tug.com = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1993 02:33:47 -1000 From: jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu (Jeffrey C. Burka) Message-Id: <252gbb$bns@umd5.umd.edu> Organization: University of Maryland at College Park Subject: Re: Flexis and other Power Kites - All comments welcome (requested) In article <1993Aug12.214344.24634@Princeton.EDU> zehlst@clarity.Princeton.EDU (Stephen Zehl) writes: > Hello everyone, I'm still out here looking for my first power kite. >I was hoping for a little more info about flexifoils. > Are Flexis fun/challenging/exciting to fly if you are not in a buggy >or other pullable object? It was my understanding that they are rather >slow/boring hard pulling kites. Are they any good at doing tricks and >assorted stunts? At lot of this has already been addressed in other messages by Andrew Beattie, myself, and a couple of other folks. Basically, the Flexi is an extremely fast (a stock 6' has been clocked at 114) kite that is extremely versatile--its flight characteristics can be changed completely with the addition of an Ultraflex ultralight spar (a few companies, including Clearwater, also make custom Flexi spars). In high winds, the Flexi is a fast kite with a strong, smooth pull that tests your ability to react to an object moving in the 100mph range 100' away. In low winds, the Flexi is a finesse kite capable of a wide range of tricks. >What size would be best for me to start with, 4, 6, 8, >or 10' flexi, and where can I get them for the lowest price? The 4' has almost no pull. A fun kite, perhaps, but hardly classifiable as a power kite. (~$80) The 6' is a great kite. It's got a tighter turning radius than the larger kites but of course it doesn't pull as hard or fly as fast. The 6' is also referred to as the Stacker and it *is* great for stacking. While a single kite is probably never enough to drag an adult, 2 kites in a 25-30mph wind is enough to drag me (~170 pounds). Don't expect to get it off the ground in winds less than 8-10 with the stock spar. The Ultraflex, extending the range down to about 2mph, is only $25 (~$130) The 8' is said to possess the best characteristics of the 6' and the 10': lighter wind range (with the stock spar), better turning radius. A great kite. (~$180) The 10' has a real strong pull, is real fast, flies in fairly low winds with the stock spar, and has a real wide turning radius. It helps to have long arms to fly it. ;-) (~$270) If you're curious about the wide variance in prices considering that each increasing size of kite adds the same amount of fabric to the previous, a lot of the difference is in the spar. The 10', for instance, has a long piece of solid carbon in the center of the spar; a replacement for this stick will run you ~$60! For a dealer, I'd try calling Dodd Gross up at DJ Sport Kites up in York, PA. 717-840-0308 Once again, I'll also invite you down to the Mall some weekend. This weekend probably won't be that good because a lot of folks are up at the NYSKC on Long Island. Likewise, next Sunday will be pretty empty. A good time to come would be in two weeks, on September 5th, which will be one of our normal First Sunday flies. There should be a lot of folks around and you can probably try some of the kites you're interested in. You can certainly fly my Flexi(s) (I've 3 Stackers) Jeff -- |Jeffrey C. Burka | "When I look in the mirror, I see a little clearer/ | |SAFH Lite [tm] | I am what I am and you are you too./ Do you like | |jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu | what you see? Do you like yourself?" --N. Cherry | = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =