Date:	Fri, 14 Apr 1995 18:05:17 -1000
From:	tanaka_be@swam1.enet.dec.com (Bert Tanaka)
Message-Id: <9504150404.AA13728@us3rmc.pa.dec.com>
Organization: Harvard University Office of Information Technology
Subject: Re: Slide question

>"fsiegel@linet02.li.net" "Frank Siegel"  writes:
>Subj:   Slide questions
>
>Thanks to Dodd's Flight School II Video, I am now (more or less) able to
>do a relatively decent slide- at least 1/2 way in the wind window. I am
>flying a Lotus Team kite (New Tech Sports). I find if I begin the slide,
>say from the left edge, that as it approaches the center of the wind
>window I lose forward velocity (forward=sliding to the right), and the
>kite tends to want to climb more, which forces walking forward to hold
>the slide. The only way that I have been able to continue the slide past
>the center is to have the kite slightly canted, which makes for a less
>pleasing appearance. Any suggestions would be appreciated. TIA
>Frank Siegel


I use a technique that is pretty close to yours, Frank, but it may help
anyway.

If you start the slide from the left side of the window, however you stall
the kite, whether its with a push-push, or a snap stall, keep the top of the
kite vertical, or at least leaning slightly toward the center of the
window.  If the kite leans to the left, it will usually kill the slide.
Mentally, I think of pulling with my right hand, and keeping my left
hand relaxed, and try to "twist" the kite intentionally so that the wing tip 
on my right line is turned toward me the littlest bit. I monitor the kite
closely and make sure my kite doesn't tilt to the left so that I can keep
it sliding.  If the wind is not light, you may have to walk forward to
keep it from rising.  Once the kite reaches the center of the window,
its slide speed will be very slow as it prepares to slide "upwind".  
At this point, it is common to have to walk backward, slightly to the left 
to get the kite to slide up the right side, but it will do it.  Kites used: 
Katana, Legend IQ, Pro Dancer.  My Skyburner Pro Dancer is the kite that's 
easiest for me to do this particular trick with.  

Good winds,
Bert




 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =