Date: Mon, 7 Jun 1993 18:57:51 -1000 From: kevin@hawaii.edu (Kevin Mayeshiro) Message-Id: Organization: University of Hawaii Subject: MDM-? kites (was Re: Spar stifness) Marty Sasaki (sasaki@netop3.harvard.edu) wrote: : Jeffrey C. Burka (jeffy@syrinx.umd.edu) wrote: : > Part of the answer might be to use a cut-out wingtip such as the one on : > the new I.Q. from Trilogy. On the other hand, I'm starting to see more : > enlarged wingtips ("winglets", etc.) such as on the Spectra Sports Reactor : > and Edge and Marty's Katana II. : The theory behind these things is that they give you a little more : area on the wing tips and little more drag. This helps forward flight : stability. Most kites that have these don't brace them. The feeling : here is that by not bracing, this can bend back and dump more air : which helps in landings and stalls. Hmm... I feel a little lost out here in the Pacific. I have never seen one of Marty's kites in this area. (Regional preference?) Marty, could you give us a little rundown on the MDM-? line of kites? Maybe something that could be added to the Kite Reviews FAQ? (I did see the faq review of the Katana. Anything to add to that?) Any idea as to how your kites would fly in our island tradewinds? Thanks - Kevin = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Tue, 8 Jun 1993 06:29:57 -1000 From: sasaki@das.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) Message-Id: <1993Jun8.162957.16006@das.harvard.edu> Organization: Harvard University Subject: Re: MDM-? kites (was Re: Spar stifness) In article , kevin@Hawaii.Edu (Kevin Mayeshiro) writes: >Marty, could you give us a little rundown on the MDM-? line of >kites? Maybe something that could be added to the Kite Reviews >FAQ? (I did see the faq review of the Katana. Anything to add >to that?) Any idea as to how your kites would fly in our island >tradewinds? I hope that this doesn't come across as an advertisement. I've had several people recently ask about my kites, and so thought that a quick review would be appropriate. If it does come on too strong, please let me know privately so that I will have guidelines for future postings. I've been making kites for over 15 years now. These days I concentrate on stunt kites, but occasionally make rokkakus and diamond shaped fighter kites. My current non-stunt kite project is a high aspect ratio parafoil inspired by Irving Reid. If it seems like I've been working on this kite for years, you are right, it has been years. Every now and then I add a few more cells onto the beast... All of the stunt kites are named MDM-? where the "?" is a number. Before I had any names for the kites people would come up to me and ask what kind of kite I was flying and I would sheepishly say that they didn't have any names. One day, a good friend shouted before I could answer, "It's a Marty Dart". No matter what I tried, I couldn't change the name, so they are all Marty Darts. The first was the Marty Dart, the second was the Marty Dart Mark 2, etc. The MDM-4 is a moderately high aspect ratio stunt kite which looks a bit like a Team High Fly. It has a 9 foot wingspan, and was designed with precision and team flying in mind. I make a stained glass version (the panels have black outlines) which have received a large number of compliments. The MDM-5 is a "3/4" MDM-4, with a 7 foot wingspan. It flys faster and turns faster than the MDM-4, but is basically the same kite. Neither kite has much in the way of oversteer. The Katana is the MDM-6. It has a 7'4" wingspan with a curved leading edge and a curved trailing edge. It is a fast turning, kite with tunable oversteer. It's forward speed is moderately fast. It was designed for individual ballet flying, and all around fun. The Katana II is the MDM-7. It is a large kite, 9 foot wingspan with a curved leading edge and a curved trailing edge. It has little "winglets" near the wing tips. It is slower flying, slower turning with moderate oversteer. It was designed to be a team version of the original Katana. The K-2 comes in three versions. The regular kite has a vented panel in each wing. The ultralight has no vents/screen panels. The heavy wind version has larger vents in each wing and a center vented panel as well. Soon there will be a Maxi version for very light wind. Storm Front flew the MDM-4 during the 1992 season and finished first in every Experienced Team Precision event we entered. We had 4 firsts and a third in Experienced Team Ballet during 1992. The Katana was flown in many events last year and this year and racked up an impressive set of wins in Masters Individual Ballet. If you would like more information, please contact me. End of commercial. -- Marty Sasaki Harvard University Sasaki Kite Fabrications sasaki@noc.harvard.edu Network Services Division 26 Green Street 617-496-4320 10 Ware Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Cambridge, MA 02138-4002 phone/fax: 617-522-8546 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =