KITE THOUGHTS

SOMETIMES my line is so high that it seems as though the sky opens up and inhales my kite. Or that I feel so in tune with myself when floating a kite that an odd  mystical feeling washes over me.  It's hard to explain. It's not a spiritual buzz but more like the feeling you had when you were a kid rolling in a field of newly mown hay on a warm summers day without a care in the world. Or the  feeling that blankets you on a midsummers night when being lulled to sleep by the country  solitude of the insect chorus. It's a type of peacefullness that I can attain only at the end of a kite line. Sound a bit odd?  Maybe.  But it seems like I can gaze into the eye of creation when staring up at my kite and touch on something truly spiritual.

ANOTHER great kite organization is the AKS or Australian Kite Society which was formed in 1978 and is Australia's largest kite flying organization. They publish a magazine put out 6 times a year and even have an on-line kite shop.

THE AKS holds a yearly kitefly/competition called The Festival Of The Winds on Bondi Beach which has become legendary among Australian kiters.

THIS IS the other great Australian kite organization, the Australian Kite Association Created by a group of avid kite fliers they became a national club in 1976. The AKA also offers a magazine called The Australian Kite and it is available on-line.

IN FEBRUARY of 2000 I wrote a small piece for their journal. It's a simple personal journey on how my love for kiting and KAP evolved.

KITE FLYING has been a prominent hobby for me for at least 20 year. There have been lulls in the intensity in which I pursue it but it has always been at the forefront of my activities. Kiting has never been a widely respected hobby/sport here in my section of America as is football, baseball or other spectator sports (to me kiting is spectator oriented). In fact when I tell people that I fly kites for a hobby I invariably get the "you're kidding aren't  you?" response. There just aren't that many fliers around....at least not in my area of Pennsylvania which is Allison Park. I started the passion in the late 70's with a few ripstop deltas and diamonds (which seemed to be all that was available at the time) and progressed over the years to complex cellulars, rollers, inflatables and custom made gems. I flew the early Peter Powell and Skynasaur stunters but never got involved in sport kites. I like the tranquil feeling I get from placing a single line beauty high in the sky and just watch it gently rock to and fro in the breeze or send up line climbers for a bit of action. Dropping life saver parachutes to an excited audience of kids is always a great way to recruit novice fliers. Most of the kids want to run to the nearest toy store to buy a kite of their own. If at least one child becomes enamored enough with the hobby to persue it I've done my job. Another real thrill is when I put up an inflatable, as a Martin Lester Icarus Flying Man, and witness the adults as well as the kids' amazement at this flying creation. They just can't believe it's a kite. Some adults may even run out and but one hopefully becoming as addicted to kiting as all of us seasoned veterns are. Cellulars are also a joy to fly above a group of spectators. My large tumblers or Waldofs can't help but amaze. "Something that complex looking shouldn't be able to fly" is one of the reactions I've gotten from awe struck onlookers. An even more astonished reaction is heard from people who have seen some of my realistic bird kites in the air. These inflatables are most realistic....they even amaze me in their looks and lifelike flying abilities.

All of this kite flying has culminated for me in the absoulute consuming hobby of KAP... kite aerial photography. This type of kiting was brought to the forefront of the kiting community with the help of kiiting legend Brooks Leffler and a small circle of afficianados through the publication of the Aerial Eye which was published quarterly for nearly a decade. Back issues may still be available on-line from the American Kitefliers Association

Floyd the flamingo. Sky Delight Kites

Percy the pelican Sky Delight Kites

or by mail at--- AKA...353 Hungerford Dr...Rockville, MD...20850. Through their skillfully persuasive writing I became hooked and now pursue it relentlessly, that is when the weather permits. I am notoriously warm blooded and all cold season flying is put off until the temperature at least breaks 40 degrees F. What a wimp! My KAP kites consist of three simple styles. A 10' carbon sparred ultra light double delta conyne which is used in winds from 4 mph to around 10 mph. An 8' Rokkaku used in winds from 4 mph to 8 mph. A 10' Rokkaku used when there is hardly a breeze (huge sail area) and a Sutton Flowform 16 flown in winds from 8 mph to 15 mph. I don't usually fly in winds above 15 mph because I can't get the sharp pictures I want. The less wind the sharper the picture simply due to kite stability and nominal line vibration. All of the kites are flown on 200# test line on

Martin Lester Icarus, the flying Man.

a Strato-spool reel which is attached to a dog stake screwed into the ground. This leaves my hands free to take the photos.  I have a custom made aluminum reel that I also use occasionally. The suspension I use is the Picavet which consists of lines suspended from the kite which holds the cradle which holds and the camera. This is attached to the kite line a minimum of 100' from the kite.The beauty of this setup is that the kite can adjust itself automatically to wind fluctuations and almost always keeps a level horizon....when the wind is steady enough. I use a remote control system to take the pictures. I have a 4 channel Tower Hobbies radio with 3 servos and receiver on the rig to control the camera presentation. One servo has been modified so that I can pan 360 degrees, in a complete circle, to photograph anything that might catch my eye. I can also control tilt. This is a truly versatile system....and light weight.. My complete rig probably weighs a pound or so. The cradle's made of light aluminum and the camera is a point and shoot 35mm Olympus Stylus....only 4.7 ozs without the battery. Picture quality is excellent. I was considering having a standard 35mm rig built but it would add quite a bit of weight which means higher wind ranges....maybe someday. That's about it. Launch the kite so it's flying stable, attach the rig and let out as much line as you're comfortable with. Then start snapping pictures. Safe and steady flying to all.

Send any comments about kites or this site to jabomano@yahoo.com

THIS is one of my favorite all time kites. It's called a Roller and will launch in a breath of air and hold rock steady at almost an 85 degree angle. They are readily available at most any kite shop or on the net in 4' sizes. I'd like to have a large one buiilt and try it for KAP. I don't know too much about it's lifting capabilities. If anyone has had experiences with the larger Rollers let me know.

WARM and Steady Breezes To Everyone   RB

all site content copyrighted 2000. No part may be used or quoted without the consent of the author. E-mail at jabomano@yahoo.com

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