Winter 2008 - 2009 Volume 30, Issue 4

Doggone Good Flying! AKA Charges Into Gettysburg Mosman’s Sine Wave Wins Dolphin: Top KAP Inside Is Out

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Qatar Fanø 5 Big stuff going 21 A few classic on in the Doha kites with beach B desert and Danish /7: 3 Survey Says 6 Callaway 23 A/: Everything you This Nebraska ever wanted to festival has real know about AKA family values members 4@33B/7: E7B63D3@G97B3 24 ]`9WbS:Oc\R`gOZZ]eO\QS KAPtions Mots Festival 8 The best aerial 24 4cZZ:W\S]T9WbSa Milwaukee could :W\S:Oc\R`g>]ZSa photographers be worse... EW\Ra]QYa4ZOUa look down on could be raining! 4SObVS`ÀOUa the world ESObVS`dO\Sa 1VSQY]cb]c`]\ZW\SYWbSab]`S SZ[S`aTZOUQ][ #! & "&#"%&%'# DWaWb]c`9WbS0Z]UYWbSab]]Q][ South Africa 12 Grand Theft 25 A kiteflying and Kite culinary tour of When bad things Kyalitsha and happen to good Cape Town kitefliers 52 2 AKA Directory 3 President’s Page 4 K-Mail Voices From 14 29 WSIKF 10 Empty Spaces In The Sky The Vault The Swiss enjoy 10 AKA News Tom Sisson built chocolates, 18 Merchant Members a lot of kids kites pocket knives, 40 Regional Reports and Long Beach 52 People + Places + Things

On the cover: Pete Dolphin’s kite aerial photo of pyrodel- Dieppe tas and shadows is this year’s Kite Plan 31 16 The AKA joins the Member’s Choice winner for You’ll get sticky United Nations of Best KAP. fingers with kiteflying these no-sew tips Coming in the Spring issue... > Fighters: Doing It Duel Line > Kitesurfing South Africa > Northwest Indoor Flying 17 Sporting Life 34 AKA At Gettysburg Building a bigger It didn’t take long community for the 31st convention to go to the dogs This logo means you’ll find additional content at www.aka. kite.org/Kiting+

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 1 AKA Directory On the Oregon Coast american kitefliers aka committees association Mel Hickman, Executive Director education & public service Mailing: P.O. Box 1614, Walla Walla, WA 99362 2009 Web/Internet Outreach Chuck Sigal 510/524-3459 Phone/Fax: 800/252-2550 Web: www.aka.kite.org National Kite Month Rick Hawkins 713/305-6777 E-mail: [email protected] Kite Records Ted Manekin 716/639-7679 Indoor Education Rick Hawkins 713/305-6777 officers and festivals / competitions Kite executive committee Fighter Kites Sharon Champie 707/545-6737 Gary Engvall, President Kitemaking Steve Ferrel 610/395-3560 11 Hornbeam Drive, Cranston, RI 02921 Sport Kites Russ Faulk 630/530-8690 Festival 401/942-3606 [email protected] World Championships David Gomberg 541/996-3083 Kite Art Paul Fieber 608/271-8265 6th Annual! Richard Dermer, First Vice President 1121 W. Eskridge Place, Stillwater, OK 74075 administration 405/372-6127 [email protected] Indoor Windless Kite Ways & Means Jon Burkhardt Festival, March 28-29 Deb Lenzen, Second Vice President Contract Services Gayle Woodul 830/598-2414 P.O. Box 351, Garrison, ND 58540 Safety & Insurance Jerry McGuire 513/831-8379 Attend Oregon’s biggest Indoor Kite 701/463-2661 [email protected] By-laws Ted Manekin 716/639-7679 Archives & Records Mel Hickman 800/252-2550 Festival! It’s true, with the right kite and Jon Burkhardt, Treasurer Elections Jerry McGuire 513/831-8379 10113 Lloyd Road, Potomac MD 20854 Nominations Kathy Brinnehl 630/271-0765 know how, you can fly kites indoors 301/424-6976 [email protected] without wind---and have great fun even promotion & membership Sherri Pigeon, Secretary Membership Jim Hodges 703/405-6211 if the weather outside is frightful! This 1415 Main Street, #73, Dunedin, FL 34698 Renewal and Retention Mel Hickman 800/252-2550 727/461-6689 [email protected] International Linda Sanders +61/885-562696 year’s festival will be held at Taft High Angie Chau, Director at Large School and feature performances and 181 Avon Parkway Drive, Avon, IN 46123 annual meeting 317/272-0187 [email protected] Convention Barbara Meyer 763/424-2571 competitions! Call us or visit our website Fly Market Ron Lindner 636/677-3029 for more information! Jim Cosca, Director at Large Mass Ascensions Al Sparling 630/369-9682 13106 Parkridge Circle, Fort Washington, MD 20744 Workshops Sis Vogel 641/236-6923 301/292-4849 [email protected] Auction Mel Hickman 800/252-2550 Kitemaking Steve Ferrel 610/395-3560 Sam Poikail, Director at Large Fighter/Rokkakus Sharon Champie 707/545-6737 165 Grafton Street, Brockton, MA 02301 Indoor Flying Gayle Woodul 830/598-2414 617/451-1051 [email protected] Sport Kites Jim Barber 360/289-4915

convention management Maggie Vohs, Convention Manager Held at Cameo Management Solutions, Inc. P.O. Box 410, Otis, OR 97368 TAFT HIGH Phone: 541/994-4252 Fax: 541/994-3459 Web: www.cameomanagement.com SCHOOL E-mail: [email protected] KITING magazine "The best kite flying location Phil Broder, Editor 904 Bayview Road, Rio Grande, NJ 08242 in North America." 609/465-6575 by Kitelines Magazine. E-mail: [email protected] Spring issue deadline: January 15 Summer issue deadline: April 15 Kiting is published quarterly by the American Kitefliers Autumn issue deadline: July 15 Portland Association and distributed free to members. Please Winter issue deadline: October 15 Lincoln Salem Just a short contact the editor for information on submissions, City drive from advertising, and deadlines. Eugene Portland through Oregon's beautiful Send address changes to Wine Country and Coastal [email protected] Mountains!

(541) 996-1274 Founded in 1964 by Robert M. Ingraham, the American Kitefliers Associa- (800) 452-2151 tion is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public in the www.oregoncoast.org art, history, technology, and practice of building and flying kites.

2 Kiting | Winter ‘08 The President’s Page Thank you for re-electing me to be of the action takes place: Answering great! There was plenty of real estate. your AKA President. I appreciate the AKA member e-mail from all over the By Wednesday there were seven fields confidence of the people who voted world, writing and answering Board set up to accommodate all the kite for me and I hope to serve you well. I mail, posting in the KiteTalk Forum. fliers. The wind blew from the best want to do this thing right. I got in to Said another way, it is easier for an possible direction for the entire time this in the beginning because I was as AKA President to slip up now than it we were there. One of the important frustrated as any member out there. ever has been! things learned at this year’s Conven- Person after person that I talked to But the upside is that the AKA tion was that, at the ideal Convention told me they felt that the AKA was President has never been more acces- site, every field is the center of attrac- unresponsive to their particular area of sible. Phone, e-mail, Skype, KiteTalk tion, right next to plenty of parking kiting. Insert the area of your choice, Forum, it is very easy to get the ear of where everyone can work out of their because it is all of them. I got into this the President. It is easy to be an AKA vehicles. We will have to work on that. because I had the time, the willing- insider. There are members who take Every field had a sign and a banner ness, and hopefully the ability to have the time to talk to me every day. That to mark its number. This is a great an AKA that answers every member’s is the best part of the job! system. Activities scheduled on a given expectations when they join us. Is the AKA in trouble? It definitely field can be assigned (or adjusted) by Yes, those expectations are some- has challenges. Membership is down. Field Number. It was possible to stand thing different to everybody. Some say The first step to increasing member- anywhere on the property and find a it is impossible for the AKA to be all ship is satisfying the members we field by its number. With the fields so things to all members. But many AKA have. Happy AKA members draw in easy to find it was easy to find where members say it is possible because people. The AKA has lost money the to go. we all bring something special to the last couple of years. It is time to It is very important to me that party. I will never be able to fly tricks turn that trend around. Changes are the Regional Directors get mentioned. with a dual line kite. But I am fascinat- already in place that will make things I often wonder if every AKA member ed by tricks and the people who can easier for people to follow next year. knows who their Regional Director is fly them. I am even more fascinated by It is important for every member to and what they do. There are 13 AKA people who can design the kites to do understand something about Conven- Regions. Each Region elects a Direc- it. My 4-line skills are nearly as poor as tion finances: Convention expenses are tor. These people are volunteers. my fighter kite skills. But it’s great to not borne by the 90% of AKA members They have lives and jobs and all the admire and learn from the people who who do not attend. By the same token, headaches that make up “real life” for have the skills. That is what is so great AKA expenses are not expected to be everyone. They give of their time and about this AKA. covered from Convention profits or efforts to make this a better AKA for One of the things that makes the losses. Convention is a self-contained all of us. Regional Directors make up AKA President’s job different now is event with its own break-even budget. the majority of the Board of Directors that communication now is different Convention at Gettysburg was (13 of 20 positions, President makes from what it has ever 21) They are the peo- been. People used ple who vote on every to spend a lot of policy of the AKA. Said time on the phone. another way, your Re- Now it is e-mail and gional Director is your Forums and web- “first line of defense” sites. The observa- between you and the tion was made during AKA bureaucracy. Help this year’s election them do a great job process that the for all of us by letting President’s job is 24 them know what you hours a day, seven think. All their contact days a week. It sure information is in this is. That is not a com- magazine. plaint. That is what I Thanks for signed up for. It is an listening. See you out interesting switch to there somewhere. be on the computer more than on the An AKA info tent greeted anyone good heavens, sewing machine! But walking out the back door of that is where most Boyd’s Bears in Gettysburg. gary engvall

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 3 which the march was launched. Participants K-Mail could also write their It’s truly a great honor to receive the 2008 Lee Toy Memo- names and messages rial Award for Kite Artist of the Year. Lee was always a of hope on the kite. At great friend and a great inspiration. It was wonderful to the end of the event, be able to host Lee here several times in his travels and I with great emotion, we have great memories of our times together. I hope to be donated the kite to the able to inspire others to carry on the great work that Lee foundation. started. The past recipients of this award are truly distin- We both cherish a guished kitemakers, and it is a real privilege to be part of more ambitious project this group. this year, collecting kites Jon Burkhardt for the Buwaiswa Chil- Potomac, MD dren’s Home in Uganda. Christine McGee So far we received 300 kites from various donors. In order to provide a kite for After taking the orphans living in the surrounding villages, our goal is to stock of our send 500 kites to Uganda. Meanwhile, we send some kites young non-prof- to Honduras and Morocco. We are just, in our own way, try- it association ing to make this world a better one for some children who Les Cerfs-Vo- are in need to be kids again. We strongly believe that kites lantstylistes, we can provide them a beautiful moment of peace, friendly are proud of the gathering and to let them know that people at the end of mission we un- the world are thinking about them. dertake and the It is by creating kites for the Cirque du Soleil, the 1,640 kites that Montreal F1 Grand Prix du Canada and by making kites for we have given the movie “C’est pas moi j’le jure” (It’s not me I swear), to children over by director Philippe Falardeau, that we can create free the past two events. It is also by participating in kite festivals that we years! can convey this art that we love so much and which we are Our non- proud to show our creations whether at day time or at night profit organiza- with our special kites that illuminate from the angle of tion was born of a dream, walking through the fields with lighting. kites for all the children that we were going to meet. We are two happy kite flyers wearing funny hats. We Our mission is to give the international youth the taste are finally travelling on our path of success by offering to have fun with kites and to embellish their sky with these smiles happily dropped on a multicolored sky. We design symbols of peace. To achieve our mission, kites and we organise nonprof- we participate in various festivals and it events in which we give out events, by working with various commu- kites, harvesting thank yous nities in creating projects and in joining that still touch us every time causes that have children and world peace and that also show us a world, as priorities. The National Kite Month was a hungry for generosity! great opportunity for us to give kites to the children, get families together for a fun day Christine McGee and enjoy the experience of flying kites in a and Daniel Remillard pleasant and friendly environment. St-Hubert, Quebec We also participate at events such as the Trisomy 21 and the CIBC Walk for Life in

Montreal. We gave kites to children and also designed For information a kite repre- about Les Cerf- senting the Volantsylistes, or symbol for the to donate a kite to breast cancer the Uganda proj- foundation, ect, visit the famous www.LCVS.CA pink ribbon or e-mail Daniel Remillard kite with [email protected].

4 Kiting | Winter ‘08 Doha Festival of Kites Qatar October 1-4, 2008 by David Hoggan photos byAndrew Beattie

The first kite festival in Doha was a fabulous experience. I arrived in Qatar with little information concerning the country’s customs, culture and history but I did have eight maxi Peter Lynn kites and all the gear to go with it. Upon entering Doha, I found a city that was liter- ally emerging from the ground up. Everywhere you looked there were high- rise buildings, housing communities and shopping malls under construction; certainly a country that wants to re-define itself as a developing economic, high tech country. The festival was something to be amazed with. No expense was spared. The field was large enough to hold many more kites than we flew. Spectators were given free delta kites and toys. There were food vendors, an RC car track, games for the children, and a late night movie on an enormous outdoor movie screen. As I watched the families flying their kites and having fun, I thought, “These people live halfway across the world yet their desire, hopes and dreams are similar to my own.” From this experience I learned as a looked up into the sky and saw all those kites flown by spectators and profession- als alike, that we really are one people. Though we live so far away from each other and our traditions and customs are different, we still fly under the same sky, which made us for those three days and nights united. Thanks goes to the event organizers from Q-tel, Peter Lynn and Associates, Andrew Beatty and the Kuwait team for an unforgettable experience.

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 5 2008 Member Survey Results by Sam Poikail, Jon Burkhardt, Richard Dermer, Gary Engvall, Mel Hickman, Jim Hodges, and Jim Martin, Jr.

elving into the results of the Survey has been like peel- • Flight clinics Ding an onion. There have been many layers and yes, • Focus more on fun and less on competitions at festivals there have been tears. However, they have been tears of • Higher AKA visibility at festivals joy. There were 859 responses which accounted for 24.2 percent of the membership at the time of the Survey. The Conventions responses were filled to overfilling with suggestions to make • Promote a fun fly for each community on Saturday of the AKA better. This displays a high level of devotion to the the convention Association and desire to see it excel. • Include more activities for “newbies” • Use the convention to better advertise the sport My Satisfaction with AKA • Educate and entertain a LOT of outsiders who might 42.1 % Very satisfied become insiders 36.0 % Somewhat satisfied • Better flying conditions 8.6 % Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied • Regional conventions at the start of the flying season 1.4 % Somewhat satisfied 2.1 % Very dissatisfied Kiting Magazine • More technical magazine / More kite plans in the maga- Plan to Continue My Membership zine (and the website) 68.6 % Yes, for as long as possible • More articles about learning how to fly kites. More 20.7 % Yes, for a while longer “how-to” info 8.6 % Haven’t decided • A series of skills improvements/fundamentals/drills 1.4 % Probably not would be great 0.7 % No, I don’t plan to renew my membership • Spotlight the newbies who have done something large or small in kiting Would you recommend membership in AKA to someone interested in kites? 581 Yes, definitely “I think that this survey goes a long way into at least 237 Possibly yes showing that AKA cares about our satisfaction, and I’ll 32 Possibly not be interested in seeing what becomes of it.” 9 Definitely not

Change One Thing About the AKA Website 45 Less politics / stop the infighting • Rework the website to make it more usable/ 42 Improve Kiting Magazine Modernize the web site. 39 More local / regional events • A beginner segment on the web page 36 Make the conventions “more accessible” • The kite talk forum is very negative — only about bit- 29 More visibility / promotion of AKA ter people complaining

Despite a high level of satisfaction and commitment Attitudes, Interactions & Politics to continue with their memberships, there was no lack of • STOP sniping at each other, the very deeply rooted suggestions from the respondents of the Current Member politics, the infighting & cronyism, the divisiveness, the Survey. The suggestions covered a wide range of topics bickering of present and past officers… in short, “cut encompassing almost all aspects of the AKA. the BS, play nice.”

Areas of Improvement New Focal Points So what’s actually been asked for? Well, here’s a sampling. • Additional promotion of AKA / Promote kiting more • Keep the membership involved Administration • AKA refer new members to local clubs • Longer terms for top officers • Focus on kite flying, having fun, and not competitions • Leadership guide (step-by-step) • Reward volunteers in every way possible • Faster turnaround for new member applications / • An e-mail version of the kite calendar Increase ease of joining • Better welcomes for new members, especially at con- • Long term / Lifetime memberships ventions • There seems to be lots of resistance to trying new Local Festivals & Clubs things, a cultural clique not receptive to younger kite • Year round festivals sponsored by the AKA fliers • Help with organization of local festivals • Focus on younger fliers — the AKA has for the most part been a club of old guys

6 Kiting | Winter ‘08 How can you help? The By-Laws state that all standing committees will have at least three members. The membership has asked for some lofty goals that might require additional heads and hands. If you feel you have something to offer a committee that is working on one of the projects near and dear to your heart, feel free to contact the Chair. They would probably welcome the help as new projects ramp up. Some tasks will be easier than others, some will take some time. We will do our best to keep you updated. If you are concerned about the progress, speak up and ask questions. If we aren’t doing things to your satisfaction, likewise speak up. The bottom line is that the AKA is here for its membership and by extension is answerable to it.

How to keep updated As things move forward, look for progress updates in “I think that this survey goes a long way into at least the monthly Messages from the President, on the KiteTalk showing that AKA cares about our satisfaction, and I’ll be forum, and in the informational e-mail messages from your interested in seeing what becomes of it.” Regional Director. If you have any specific questions on what the progress of a particular item is, drop your Regional Di- rector a note, and they should be able to provide you with answers either immediately or in a very timely manner.

Where to find the results By the time you are reading this, the results of the Member Survey should be available in the Member Club- house portion of the AKA website.

One for the road… The respondents ranged in kiting experience ranging from one month to over 80 years. The average flier has been interested in kites almost 20 years. One item that came up during the survey was the age distribution of the AKA, which currently breaks down as:

While this indicates a wealth of collective kiting knowledge within the Association, it also becomes apparent that we are in great need of new blood. Here’s hoping to an AKA that embraces its long time members and welcomes a whole new generation in the coming years.

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 7 “Ventura County Coast, With Fair, At Night” by Edward Vertucci “Marco Mad Dash” by Jim Powers

tions Best of 2008 KAP nd Above: Pete Dolphin’s look at the Wildwood boardwalk finished 2 in member voting. Another Dolphin photo (on the cover) took first place. Below left, “Zigzag” by Brooks Leffler. Below right, “Bodie Island Light” by Dave Wheeler. Thanks to Dave Wheeler for organizing the competition at the AKA Convention and providing these photos.

“Clay Menagerie” by Don and Elaine Dvorak

“Avalon Spin” by Jim Powers

8 Kiting | Winter ‘08 “Ventura County Coast, With Fair, At Night” by Edward Vertucci “Marco Mad Dash” by Jim Powers

“Clay Menagerie” by Don and Elaine Dvorak

“Red Barn Nursery and Supplies” “Avalon Spin” by Jim Powers by Edward Vertucci

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 9 Empty Spaces In The Sky membership cards, sticking labels on as two-liners. In 1977, he proposed a W.D. “Red” Braswell newsletters, keeping the membership judging system for sport kiting similar W. D. Braswell, kite flyer, innovator records and answering correspon- to figure skating with a set of patterns and the first elected president of the dence, to name a few. AKA headquar- to be flown in sequence. Red began American Kitefliers Association died ters was a desk in Red’s house, and the experimenting with different materi- September 3 at the age of 80 in Lake monthly executive committee meet- als in kite building, and began making County, Florida. “Red”, as everyone ings were held in a small conference kites from styrofoam meat trays and knew him, was born Welca DeWeir room at AAA Beiro Construction Com- ultalight kites from the styrofoam soda Braswell in Iowa in April, 1928. pany where Red was an award-winning bottle labels introduces in the mid- Red, along with his wife Lee and Safety Director. 1970’s. As a designer, Red created the sons Kevin and Jaime were avid kite Red, as a kite designer and innova- rotor kite and one of my favorite kites, makers and flyers, and flew regularly tor, was astonishing. He was an early the Braswell Star, a kite that can be in the Virginia-District of Columbia- adopter of the Peter Powell Stunt Kite, tumbled and recovered. Maryland area. They were regulars and he went on to rebridle delta kites What few people know about Red at the Smithsonian and Maryland Kite that at one time he demonstrated Festivals. yo-yos. Red always had a yo-yo in his At our first national meeting of pocket, and with the slightest urg- the AKA, sponsored by Valerie Govig in ing, would take it out and start doing Ocean City, Maryland, in 1978, Red was tricks. His grand finale was “around- elected President and I was elected the-world”, with the yo-yo landing in First Vice President, and thus began a his pocket. long and rich friendship. What I remember most about Those first years (Red was reelect- Red was not what he did, but who he ed twice), were the true formative was. He was a bear of a man with an years for the AKA as an organization. infectious smile who loved to share We went from the opportunity to mail everything he knew about kiting. He to the Kite Tales/KiteLines mailing list delighted in making new converts to to several hundred members. Besides kiteflying, and he never failed to make chairing our fledgling organization, friends wherever he went. Red did nearly all of the administrative And with a wink of the eye, he was tasks those first few years: sending out always happy to treat you to a demon- and receiving membership applica- stration of his skill with a yo-yo. tions, depositing checks, mailing out — Ted Manekin AKA News For A Few Dollars More 10,000 lakes, loons, casinos, the mega winner will be chosen by a vote of the The Board voted in September to give mall, snow sports, the Boundary Wa- annual meeting committee. Winner membership rates a slight upward ters Canoe Area and so much more. will be notified by April 1. bump. Beginning January 1, an annual Each of you is invited to submit your Basic membership rises from $35 to designs for the logo. The logo is used New Ad Rates For $40. Canada/Mexico memberships will on theconvention patch, pin, shirts Sanctioned Events rise to $48, and International rates in- and other convention items. It must It’s a common complaint at a lot of crease to $50. The price of additional look good on formats from 1” to 10”, events: “Attendance is down, and family members goes from $5 to $6. be scalable and suitable for many nobody new ever comes.” Well, how If you join or renew your membership uses. The logo is to look good both in do you let people know about the before the New Year, you can still pay full color and in black and white. The event? There’s a new, inexpensive the old rates. Go to www.aka.kite.org design MUST incorporate the red AKA way to get the word out: a sanctioned to renew online. logo, convention year, city and state. event ad in Kiting. For $100, any event The designer may be required to sub- that’s applied for AKA sanctioning can Rochester Logo Contest mit alternative versions get a 3”x3” black and white ad. Not Announcing the annual logo contest, Please submit original design in only does an ad help tell kiters about with a FREE registration to the win- vector graphics to [email protected] your event, but this also encourages ner! Next year the AKA will convene in on or before February 1. All entries organizers to plan ahead and apply for Rochester, MN. Yes, Minnesota, land of become the property of the AKA. The sanctioning early. For more informa-

10 Kiting | Winter ‘08 tion, or to buy an ad for your spring- If there is sufficient interest, time event, contact kiting.ed@aka. and we get a reasonable num- kite.org. The next deadline is January ber of members interested in 15, for events happening in March, sharing knowledge and support- April, May, and June. ing youngsters with kite making challenges, we’ll go forward. There’s More Online Cliff Quinn, the program’s co- Throughout this issue, you’ll notice ordinator, has set up an e-mail the red Kiting+ logo. That means that address, [email protected] for there’s more to that article on the AKA volunteers to sign on or to ask website. Go to www.aka.kite.org/kit- for further information. ing+ for extra photos, expanded kite As mentioned above, this is plans, and articles that don’t appear in a proposal, complete details will the printed magazine. follow depending on the number of AKA big brother and big sis- Junior Kitemaking Competition ters willing to become involved. At the recent AKA convention, Where do we find young- several longtime members were enjoy- sters? Family, friends , school ing breakfast before departing for teachers, youth organizations, home. One of the topics of discussion and word of mouth. Remember was about ways to bolster our mem- our goal is education and build- bership. A comment was made about ing long term membership. the importance in getting young folks Here’s an opportunity to strengthen our organization, involve children in a involved. As the conversation contin- great hobby and make a difference. Step up and show you really care, make a ued, a suggestion was made about commitment. having a “youngsters” kitemaking competition at our conventions. Since National Kite Month Poster Contest we hold our conventions during the April is National Kite Month and once again we are looking for the poster to school year, it’s difficult for children advertise the event all over the world. National Kite Month is a combined effort to attend. In light of that problem, of the American Kitefliers Association and the Kite Trade Association Interna- a further suggestion was made about tional to celebrate the joy and excitement of flying kites. The public and AKA establishing a big brother/big sister members are urged to conduct events that publicize kiting in their area. The volunteer program. events can be as simple as a kite safety display at the local Library to a regional The mechanics go like this: kids festival and kite making workshops. from 5th through 12th grade are eligible In 2008 a total of 438 events were registered including 17 events outside of to make and enter one kite. There the United States in Region Thirteen. Last year’s poster can be viewed at will be two divisions, grades 5-8 and www.nationalkitemonth.org in the download area. The NKM Committee will 9-12. Each division will have a first select the poster or posters that best represents the spirit of the celebration and place award. Since they can’t attend award a prize to the artist. the convention, an AKA big brother You may submit a single poster that represents the entire world’s participa- or sister volunteer would enter and tion or separate versions for the US and International advertising. The poster demonstrate the kite at convention for must include the words “April is National Kite Month” and also the AKA and KTAI them. A volunteer will also have the logos along with logos of the responsibility to assist the student kite sponsors and the NKM logo. All maker assigned to them throughout of the logos will be displayed the year. on the NKM site and copies Volunteers will be expected to may be requested by using the share their kite building knowledge link on the website. Dead- and guidance via the Internet, tele- line for entries is January 15. phone or one on one if both are geo- Submit your entries via e-mail graphically close. to admin@nationalkitemonth. The competition would be a com- org. pletely separate activity from our current Comprehensive Kitemaking Com- petition and held on a different day. The judging rules will be tailored and similar to our “adult” rules. Competi- tors will be accepted by a first come method. The number of entrants will January 8-11, 2009 www.kitemakersretreat.com be limited by the number of volunteers [email protected] that sign onto the program.

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 11 t isn’t easy to load your kites onto a plane, fly for I22 hours, and still feel like you’re coming home. But that’s how it is in Cape Town. You leave the Southern Comfort airport, and already you’re thinking, this feels right. ‘Boks And Roks In Cape Town The mountains are red sandstone, the two oceans are just a couple shades darker than turquoise, the clouds and waves are a whiter shade of pale, it feels right. And then the South African people — white, black, and colored — start taking care of you, and your comfort only increases. The fact that they fly kites here is just a bonus. It feels right. The Cape Town International Kite Festival has been running for more than a decade as a fundraiser for Cape Mental Health. This organization provides services ranging from daycare to job placement for a wide range of Africa’s neediest people. Led by Da- vid and Susan Gomberg (longtime supporters of Cape Mental Health’s work), and joined by Petra DeBack of Switzerland and Germany’s Bernhard Dingwerth, I spent a week in Cape Town in late October. We did the standard tourist stuff: visited the spectacular Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden, toured Cape Town on a double-decker bus, rode the cable car to the top of Table Mountain, saw elephants and giraffes at a game reserve, went to wine country, supported the local economy at the Waterfront shops, watched whales at Cape Point, and hung out with penguins on the beach. The exchange rate between dollar and rand is heavily in America’s favor now, so prices are low. And hospitality was high. Our B&B was posh, everyone bent over backwards to take care of us, and we ate well every day (it’s true, by Phil Broder I dined on everything from warthog to springbok photos by to ostrich, but there was also plenty of fresh local seafood and veggies). Pierre van der Spuy, Sancheo, and Phil Broder

In mid-week, we went to Khayalitsha Township, a poverty-stricken shanty town unlike anything in America. Children from one of Cape Men- tal Health’s daycare centers joined us at a park, and for a couple hours everyone had huge smiles. Bernhard’s giant crocodile was a hit, and groups of kids towed bols in every direction. The event drew massive media coverage, and within hours photos appeared in the Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, and German papers. Two days later we shifted to Muizenberg, a Cape Town suburb, and the bayside park where the festival was based. Few American festivals have such a perfect location: prevailing winds coming smoothly off the water, a scenic mountain to the west, a stream meandering past a grassy field, a big mobile stage as the centerpoint, separate flying fields for big kites and the public, vendors galore, kids activities, and a kiters hospitality tent complete with flowers on each table and a catered lunch. I’ve flown at Wildwood and Long Beach and Ocean City, and this was better. South Africa doesn’t boast a lot of local kitefliers, but the ones who were there put on a good show. Dave and Nadia Sampson own the Kite Corner, the local shop, and they ran “sweetie drops” all weekend. Keith and Barbara Mould, Greg and Michael Mountjoy, Roger Duffet, Brian Skinner, and Mari and Ashley Ware-Lane filled the sky with inflatables, spinning windsocks, and sponsor-logo rokkakus.

12 Kiting | Winter ‘08 One highlight of the festival is a kitemaking contest between local schools. Instead of having kids running helter skelter creating massive string tangles, the organiz- Bernhard Dingwerth ers provide schools has some helpers in with blank skins to Khayalitsha Township. make kite arches. The schools decorate the kites, then fly them at the festival The author gets in the in a well-coordinated spirit of the event. exercise of team Petra DeBack launches building and cooperation. This her camera. year’s theme, “Up Up And Away,” had the kids decorating their kites with messages of overcoming disabilities, racial harmony, national pride, and a bright future. On the kite field, the Gombergs anchored one end with a flock of pyrodeltas, and a long string of their trademark giant inflatables. Behind them, the SouthAfricans launched foils carrying plenty of line laundry. Bernhard proudly flew all 18 kites in his bag, including the crocodile and big blue seals. Petra launched her KAP rig, taking pictures of the whole event from above. I filled in the gaps with smaller single lines. All told, more than 20,000 people paid the 10 rand (about $1) fee to enter Zandvlei Park, raising a tidy sum for Cape Mental Health. The media coverage was almost overwhelming. And the enthusiasm by the public, with children and grandparents and all skin colors in attendance, shows that this event will only keep growing. Kiteflying in Cape Town feels right, and I’m looking forward to heading back in the future.

Local students with their arch.

Arches in the school kite- For a slideshow of the trip, making competition. visit http://picasaweb.google. com/KitePhil/CapeTown2008#. For info about Cape Mental Health and the festival, visit www.capementalhealth.co.za/

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 13 Voices From The Vault Tom Sisson by Patti Gibbons photos courtesy of the World Kite Museum

began expressing an interest Cherry Blossom festival. The club also in kites, his dad showed him, played an integral role in the Seattle and other neighborhood kids, Times kite contest and helping the how to make and fly kites. Bon Marché department store pull of For Tom, “It was great fun” its fancy Orient Express kite-themed even when the kites “crashed promotional event. and burned.” Sisson, like many of his fellow WKA Beyond the twilight friends, enjoyed kiting and promot- of youth Tom managed to ing kiting in their state. Sometimes keep tugging on kite strings. their involvement was infused with During a tour of duty, his a healthy dose of good old fashion superiors selected Tom to fly hijinx. Tom recalled the time that Jack target kites off a merchant VanGilder and John Dusenberry used ship. Since he was the ship’s two 20’ pieces of PVC to create a mega sanctioned target kiteflier kite. They tied it to the bumper of a he happened to make per- Volkswagen and sheepishly watched sonal kites now and again as the kite pulled the VW up over the and pop them up for a fly curb and pinned it against a guardrail. “without much being said, Not all of the WKA schemes were except when we were in war as hare-brained. Tom and fellow club waters.” Once he returned members Carl Brewer and Bob McCort state side, Tom settled into set an aviation record for the longest a domestic world complete indoor kite fly in 1980. The trio cap- with Boy Scout badge-worthy tured the indoor duration record at kites and plenty of “Chubby the old Seattle Kingdome arena. Using and Tubby” nickel kites that two thirds of the stadium’s floor space, entertained both him and his they flew continually for 39 hours, 57 nexhaustible kitemaking instructor, children. minutes — just three minutes shy of IEdeiken Award winner, former WKA In the early 1970s, with his kids their personal 40-hour goal, which was President (…and Vice President, Secre- grown and leaving home, Tom’s in- dashed when one of the Seattle Super tary, Treasurer, and Education Chair), volvement with kites surged. It was Sonics’ bouncing basketballs trampled and someone once billed by festival during a chance trip to Fort Worden the kite line as the group victoriously promoters as the “man who could fly that he “got hooked.” He and his wife walked their kite onto the court. Minor any kite,” the late Tom Sisson contrib- were visiting the site on an afternoon disappointment perhaps, but even uted more than just a helpful hand when there happened to be kite event three minutes shy was good enough for and friendly smile to the kite world. on the grounds. Tom remembered a record and good enough to land their Tom’s legacy as a bricks and mortar meeting Dave Checkley, Tony Toledo, kite in the Smithsonian. kiter helped lay the foundation for the Ken Conrad, and others who later Tom, being a consummate “giver,” modern era of organized kiting. were credited as the founders of the passed on the fun of kitemaking to Scientists working on the human Washington Kitefliers Association. The genome project may one day isolate a fliers became fast friends and Tom met kite aptitude gene, and perhaps they’ll up with them again about a month name it the “Sisson Gene.” Looking later at their next informal fly on the back on his life, Tom quickly linked his grounds of a nearby college. Inter- father’s interest in kites to his own. est continued and the group began Tom’s father was an avid recreational holding monthly club meetings at flier and kite maker who frequently the Seattle Science Center. In on the made 6’x 3’ box kites, cross-braced ground floor, Tom witnessed the WKA’s with string, fortified with ¼” rods, and growth and assumed leadership roles dressed with Christmas wrapping pa- in the club’s governance. The burgeon- per. His flair for vibrant holiday paper ing club attracted members young and impressed Tom and smiles were quick old with a variety of events such as when he thought back to his father’s the “Fly Every Week” and “New Year’s colorful kites. As young Tom grew and Day” outings, as well as its annual

14 Kiting | Winter ‘08 over a quarter of a million children during his kitemaking workshops. These workshops were extremely popular and its format copied end- lessly by kite festival organizers well beyond his home state. Tom inadver- tently became a children’s kitemaking instructor and remembered starting simply because he was asked to teach a group of kids how to make kites at a festival. For quite some time Tom had been an active volunteer at his kids’ school, demonstrating how to make a number of different handicrafts, including kitemaking. It just took one person outside the PTA circle to ask him to demonstrate kitemaking, then one thing lead to the next, and Tom set off on a lifetime of instruction. Over the years, Tom perfected his trademarked assembly line format that positioned children makers and adult helpers along a circular or triangular workspace where the kids proceed to progressive workstations to complete various components of their kites. Tom loved to demonstrate how to make the Bill Lee trash bag delta because “it flies, and it flies well” along with his streamlined classic Sisson sled. Tom greatly enjoyed teaching kids to make kites, but also took great joy at teaching other adults how to lead their own kitemaking workshops. When working with adults Tom gave pep talks. “If the kids for some reason get to you, go back to the hospitality room, have a cup of coffee, gorge on doughnuts, do anything you want, have a cigarette, but please come back.” And back they came. Through out the years Tom perfected ways to “train the trainer” and ultimately planted the seeds to his kiting legacy.

Several chatty kitefliers let the tape spin and recorded their memories and thoughts about kites, kitefliers, and the great big sky for the World Kite Museum’s oral history archive project. Interested in telling your stories? Would you like to hear what other fliers say? Got time to interview special people in your local clubs or friends in far away places? Feel free to contact the Museum if you’d like to learn more about the oral history tapes. Contact us at [email protected].

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 15 Kite Plan No-SCewirc Sleeams Box Kiteby b Dy Cickliff M Qauinnciel Dick Maciel’s Fold back recent kitemak- the second ing success at cloth and Gettysburg all pull off the came without paper. Let a single stitch. the first Here he offers cloth settle his technique back into for making a its original no-sew seam on position. ripstop nylon, without intro- Dick Maciel’s 2nd ducing stretch and wrinkles. place bowed kite.

First, cut your pieces with straight edges. Choose one to Let the second put on the bottom of cloth fall the seam and weigh it onto the first. down with a straight Don’t try to edge and weights. place it. Sup- The more weights the port the edges better. Don’t stretch and then let it the edge. Just let it lie fall. and trap it under the yardstick.

Tape that Make sure it landed edge. With correctly. Rarely, it the paper on will not but you can the tape, it usually lift it and try stretches very again. Rub gently little. Keep starting at several just enough places. Don’t go from pull to get a end to end. That can good, straight build up a ridge of line. cloth and produce a wrinkle. Then, iron or rub hard.

Position the I use 3M’s 9460 VHB tape. I’ve tried the various dressmak- second piece er’s tape available at fabric stores, but none hold up to of cloth ex- the stresses of kites. Same with double sided cellophane actly where you tape like want it to end Scotch up. Carefully brand. put down the straight edge and weights. It may take a couple of tries to get the cloth Dick Maciel’s 2nd smooth and po- place flat kite sitioned. Don’t try to pull it into position. You’ll stretch or deform it.

16 Kiting | Winter ‘08 The Sporting Life It Takes A Village by Russ Faulk obody reading this will be shocked to hear the number of sport Nkite competitors is getting smaller. While this is cause for concern among most of us, it is not really the subject of this article. Rather, the shrinkage of our numbers gives me reason to write about the increased need to band together as a community. The enthusiastic fliers who are left competing and attending competition events find themselves working harder for their sport than ever before. Where a competitor was once called upon to judge or otherwise staff an average of two or three disciplines at an event, he or she is now frequently needed as a volunteer for many more disciplines each weekend. The number of judges and field directors needed on the weekend hasn’t changed, but with a smaller number of competitors participating, the new ratio between field staff and competitors leads to a much less relaxing weekend for most everyone involved. We are lucky to have as many non-competitors working at events as we do, and these generous people are not the ones we should be leaning on to work harder for the sport which everyone involved cares so much about. Some competitors volunteer frequently and gladly, and it does not detract from the fun they have or the rewards they get out of the weekend. Others volunteer more reluctantly, but in the end, everyone works. I believe the solution to harvesting more pleasure from our competition experiences is to truly embrace the sense of community that is now become more important than ever. If all competitors feel that being present and participating in the events throughout the competition day (from the morning pilots’ meeting to the day’s conclusion) is The Outer Banks’ NEWEST part of their responsibility to the community, the community will be stron- ger. Rather than leaving the field once my competition disciplines are con- Kite Pro Shop cluded, I can watch the novices compete, and I can make a point of encouraging them and providing any feedback they desire. Rather than going off to a corner to try a new kite I’ve never flown before, I can make myself available to field direct or judge. And, rather than trying to squeeze in practice time at the event for a discipline I am competing in, I can be an engaged spectator for the other disciplines that are happening. In the Sport Kite Symposium at Gettysburg a couple of Novice Class competitors stated they were hungry for feedback, but they felt the Masters Class fliers were unapproachable. I sought those competitors out the next day to give them feedback on their flying, and I told them they need to be Revolution, Avia, Sky Burner, Gomberg, more assertive in stopping another competitor and asking for help. In ret- HQ, New Tech, Shanti, Premier rospect, however, I ask myself if they really need to be bolder, or if I really need to appear more accessible by actively participating in the events even Kiting Accessories when I am not part of the field staff. I can sit and watch the novices and let Kite Hospital them know I am available if they would like some constructive criticism. I Classic Games and Puzzles can watch experienced pairs and give them a couple of tips on synchroniza- tion or choreography. In the end, I think I could take more enjoyment from the weekend than I may off in a corner appearing inaccessible and debating with Corolla Light Town Center my teammates the quantum physics of crashing into each other in the air. (across from the Whalehead Club It is easy to feel like we are working too hard at kite competitions to enjoy ourselves any more, but if we don’t do the work for our sport, who will? and the Currituck Beach Lighthouse) I try to ask myself, am I giving as much as I am taking? Am I working as much (252)453-8442 for the other competitors as they are working for me? I think this sentiment www.FlyingSmilesKites.com is key to a true sense of community. And, I think feeling like an integral part [email protected] of a strong community—even if it is a small community—is key to sport kite competition continuing to be a truly rewarding experience.

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Box 113 COLORADO Chicago, IL 60656 BLD #9, 2nd Floor Neotsu, OR 97364 Four Great Winds Kite Company 773/467-1428 Lawrence, MA 01843 541/996-3083 866/37K-ITES NEW MEXICO 108 Grant Avenue www.chicagokite.com Dust Devil Aerial Toys www.gombergkites.com www.funwithwind.com Palmer Lake, CO 80133 11200 Montgomery NE, #31 719/684-3833 Windfall Farm High Mountain Kites Sea Side Kites Albuquerque, NM 87111 6370 US Hwy 20 West [email protected] 1157 SW 32nd Court Into The Wind Galena, IL 61036-6041 293 Nantasket Avenue Redmond OR 97756 1408 Pearl Street 815/776-9075 Hull, MA 02045 541/420-9949 Boulder, CO 80302 www.velocity-sports.com 781/925-3277 NEW YORK www.highmountainkites.com 800/541-0314 www.SeaSideKites.com Wonder Works www.intothewind.com INDIANA P.O Box 153 Inland Kites Palmyra, NY 14522 499 Willamette Street Windsongs MICHIGAN Sky Scraper Kites 585/429-0761 Grants Pass, OR 97526 P. O. Box 669 Air-Fun Kites 3198 N. Speer Blvd. 167 S. Hancock Street www.goodthingsfly.com 541/476-8299 Denver, CO 80211 Beverly Shores, IN 46301 Pentwater, MI 49449 [email protected] 303/893-2933 219/874-5864 [email protected] 888/AIR-FUN1 www.air-fun.com

18 Kiting | Winter ‘08 Stores in BOLD sell Kiting! kitelife.com Buck-N-Blue Outdoors Sky Jewels Kites WISCONSIN Le Gite Du Cerf Volant 1236 N. Killingsworth Street, #3 PO Box 2121 5579 Wellington Road 935 Rte De La Seigneurie Aerial Stunt Kitessm Portland, OR 97217 Alvin, TX 77512-2121 Gainesville, VA 20155 Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies 121 Wrigley Drive 503/890-0280 713/393-1100 866/217-9268 PQ G0R 4E0 Lake Geneva, WI 53147 www.kitelife.com www.jbrau.com/bnb-01.html www.skyjewelskites.net 418/354-2182 262/249-0631 www.legiteducerfvolant.ca www.askites.com Phantom Star Design Family Fun Kites WASHINGTON 2818 SE 23rd Drive #C-3 1419 N. Plaza Drive Above It All Kites Fish Creek Kite Company The Kite Guys Lincoln City, OR 97367 Granbury, TX 76049 312 Pacific Avenue South 3903 Highway 42 2420 Morris Crescent 541/994-7556 817/573-5483 Long Beach, WA 98631 Fish Creek, WI 54212 Airdrie, AB T4A 2B8 www.phantomstardesign.com www.familyfunkites.com 360/642-3541 920/868-3769 www.kiteguys.ca www.aboveitallkites.com www.fishcreekkites.com New Tech Kites PENNSYLVANIA 7208 McNeil Drive, #207 JAPAN Air Affairs AKA Store Gift of Wings Austin, TX 78729 AGAIN 107 Chelsea Road P. O. Box 1614 9955 W. St. Martins Road 512/250-0485 Joyfull Tsurumai 1F Hatboro, PA 19040 Walla Walla, WA 99362 Franklin, WI 53132 www.newtechkites.com 3-14-16 Chiyoda Naka Ku 215/672-1470 800/AKA-2550 414/425-8002 Nagoya, Achi 460-0012 [email protected] www.giftofwings.com Pat ‘n Eddie’z +81 52-339-3830 B and C Creations 8804 Colonial Drive www.agagas.co.jp/again 215 Kerrick Road Bella Dolce Coffee Gift of Wings - Veterans Park Austin, TX 78758 Shillington, PA 19607 9216 Bayshore Drive NW, Ste.100 1500 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive 512/837-4371 610/796-1830 Silverdale, WA 98383 Milwaukee, WI 53202 NETHERLANDS www.patneddiez.com Vliegersenco www.bandccreations.com 360/692-2150 414/273-5483 [email protected] veenweg 34-36 Rainbows 4 Sail Deventer OV 7416BC Burlesque Kites Unique Flying Objects 980 Gibb Rd. + 31 (570) 607946 1670 Limeport Pike Big Kid Kites 2022 Washington Street Waxahachie, Texas 75167 www.vliegersenco.nl Coopersburg, PA 18036 14236 142nd Avenue NE Two Rivers, WI 54241 972/923-0119 610/965-0867 Renton, WA 98059 866/UFO-4FUN www.rainbows4sailkites.com SCOTLAND www.kitesonconsignment.com www.bigkidkites.com www.uniqueflyingobjects.com Gentles Limited South Beach Kites 11 Corbiehill Avenue Grandmaster Kites Cutting Edge Kites AUSTRALIA 877/347-KITE Edinburgh, EH4 5DT 216 W. Third Street, P. O. Box 276 676 Ocean Shores Bl. NW Kitepower Queensland, Shop 2 www.southbeachkites.com +44 131-3365472 Mifflinville, PA 18631 Ocean Shores, WA 98569 10 -22 Hornibrook Esplanade [email protected] 570/759-3167 360/289-0667 Clontarf Windchasers Kites www.cuttingedgekites.com Queensland Australia 4019 www.grandmasterkites.com 1514 Padre Blvd. +61732841186 South Padre Island, TX 78597 United Kingdom www.kitepower.com.au/catalog/ KitesRUs 956/761-7028 Fincher’s Aire Force Kiteworld UK index.html 1482 River Road www.kiteshop.com 2901-3 Perry Avenue 6 Cottage Grove New Hope, PA 18938 Bremerton, WA 98310 Clacton-on-Sea Kitepower Australia 215/862-6272 WindSong Entertainments 360/692-0149 Essex CO16 8DQ 302 Grand Parade www.kitesrus.com 114 N. Austin Street [email protected] United Kingdom Sans Souci Rockport Heritage District www.kiteworld.co.uk Sydney, NSW 2219 Kite Studio Rockport, TX 78382 Flying Dragon Kites +61 02-95296894 5555 Hamilton Blvd. 361/780-0011 7487 Leeside Drive Wescosville, PA 18106 www.windsongkite.com Blaine, WA 98320 610/395-3560 360/933-4820 Kitepower Australia www.kitebuilder.com www.flyingdragonkites.com 386 La Trobe Tce Utah Geelong VIC 3220 Windstar Kites Breakin’ Wind Four Winds Kite Shop +61 03-52295899 203 Ridgeway Drive 50 West Center 1911 Broadway Baden, PA 15005-2423 Cedar City, UT 84720 Everett, WA 98201 OzFeathers 724/869-4488 435/586-8851 425/339-9334 P. O. Box 758, www.windstarkites.com www.breakinwindonline.com www.fourwindskites.com Willunga, SA 5172 +61 885-562681 Gasworks Park Kite Shop www.ozfeather.com.au Rhode Island VIRGINIA 3420 Stone Way North Kitt Kites Hang-em High Fabrics Seattle, WA 98103 Phil’s Kite Shop 28 Brown Street 1420 Yale Avenue 206/633-4780 Shop 1/366 Military Road Narragansett, RI 02882 Richmond, VA 23224 www.goodwindkites.com Semaphore Park, SA 5019 401/726-1626 804/233-6155 +61 8 8359 3266 www.kitefactory.com.au www.kittkites.com www.citystar.com/ Great Winds Kite Company hang-em-high 312 N. 83rd Street SOUTH CAROLINA Seattle, WA 98103 CANADA Dyna Kite Corp HQ Kites and Designs USA (formerly www.greatwinds.com Alexander Graham Bell Museum Ass’n 5628A Amboy Avenue Nova Designs) P. O. Box 609 North Charleston, SC 29406 317 Great Bridge Blvd, Suite C Hi-Flyers Baddeck, NS B0E 1B0 843/554-9633 Chesapeake, VA 23320 55 Main Street Canada [email protected] 757/819-7951 Pacific Beach, WA 98571 902/295-2069 www.hq-kites-usa.com 360/276-8377 www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/ns/graham [email protected] bell/index_e.asp Kites Fly’n Hi It’s A Breeze Specialties The Rainbow Market 8221 Little Florida Road Ocean Shores Kites Boreal Kites/Gothic Design 40 N. Market Street Mechanicsville, VA 23111 172 W. Chance A La Mer 45960 Sparta Line Charleston, SC 29401 800/801-0789 Ocean Shores, WA 98569 Saint Thomas, ON N5P 3S8 843/577-3529 www.itsabreez.com 360/289-4103 519/775-2527 [email protected] [email protected] Jackite, Inc. TEXAS 2868 W. Landing Rd. Pizazz Kiteworks Canadian Wind Rider About Kites Virginia Beach, VA 23456 P. O. Box 266 26 Elfindale Crescent 11615 Sagevale Lane 877/522-5483 Coupeville, WA 98239 North York, ON M2J 1B5 Houston, TX 77089 www.jackite.com 360/678-6266 416/497-9463 713/305-6777 www.pizazzkites.com www.canadianwindrider.com [email protected] Life’s A Breeze Kites 2125 Staples Mill Road The Kite Shoppe Great Canadian Kite Company B & S Kites Richmond, VA 23230 2823 East Evergreen Blvd. 4517 Harvest Green 2812 Padre Blvd., Ste. B 804/405-4515 Vancouver, WA 98661 Taber, AB T1G 1A1 South Padre Island, TX 78597 [email protected] 866/ROK-KAKU 877/382-3956 956/761-1248 www.thekiteshoppe.com www.canadiankitecompany.com www.bskites.com

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 19 The sand is packed so beautifully hard, it is like walking on a well-kept sidewalk. Drive on it? You betcha. Anywhere you want. In fact, it is part of the regular local bus route. You drive onto the beach and discover groups of cars all over the place. Mostly folks who are flying together that day group their cars to form some windbreak. Necessary? Oh yeah. That was the next thing we discovered about Fanö — as soon as we opened the car doors. We just don’t get wind here on the West Coast of North America like they get there. I think 30mph is a rather moderate day there. This, of course, leads to the next observation — the kites they build are on average different from the kites we build. I had heard that the winds were strong, so I packed what I thought were my best higher wind kites. Not good enough. I did manage to fly a couple of my designs, along with my old faithful Double Delta Conyne. Mostly I looked and wondered at the kites others were flying. And they were flying. Miles of beach filled with kites. One of the first kites we noticed on arriving was a mon- ster Manta Ray. It was the first flight for this wonderfully detailed inflatable. Not to take anything away from the big inflatables we see at every festival we attend, but this one was like nothing I had seen before. Classic Kite Heaven You could say that this is a German festival held in Den- mark. I am assuming that in Germany there is no place this by John Freeman fine to fly, so the two or three hour drive to Fanø is worth every kilometer of it. Breathes there the kiter with soul so dead, It is also easy to understand the large numbers of clas- He never to himself hath said— sic and historic kites. They eat up this hugely vigorous wind I wanna go to Fanø! right off the North Sea. And no question, this is a festival (Deep apologies to Sir Walter Scott) with great emphasis on the classic kites. Though the festival is pretty much without any organization, there are well ite Nirvana. Miles of smiles, with wonderful kites on the organized events. One afternoon during the week is devot- Kother ends of the lines. But wait — there’s more! I’d ed to several seminars on various aspects of classic kites. better start at the beginning. Now, mind you, my German language skills are not weak, When our friends Bob and Charmayne Umbowers of- they are totally nonexistent. Just the same, the diagrams fered to share their rental house at Fanø with us, it re- were easy to understand, as were the numbers and dimen- quired little thought. We have always been more than sions. We did get one break — one of the presenters was happy to spend time with Bob and Charmayne anywhere, Danish, and felt that his German was not good enough to do but Fanø — would tomorrow be too soon? his presentation, so he did it in English. Everybody under- After the usual agonizing over what to pack — in the stands that. Even us! kite bag, that is, who cares about the clothes — we were One day is devoted to a workshop building a classic off from Vancouver. First stop, a much anticipated visit with kite. This year they built a Perkins, which is a very close friends Frits and Inge Sauve just outside Amsterdam. If you want to know anything about historic kites, or historic kite designers, or how the kites were used, or when and where, or how they were constructed, Frits is your man. We could have talked for a week, and never gone over the same kite twice. But we didn’t, as much of our time was taken up with seeing many of the wonders of Holland, starting with historic old Amsterdam. Apart from wanting to stay another month, the visit was wonderful. Then the quick plane hop to Denmark, at Copenhagen, where we met up with Bob and Charmayne. A few more tourister stops, and we were on the little ferry hop to the island of Fanø. Whatever beaches you have been on up until now, Fanø is still a surprise. Let’s start with size. It is something like ten miles long. It is so deep from the edge of the sand to the water, we were never near the water. Oh, we could see it in the distance, but I never took the time to walk there.

20 Kiting | Winter ‘08 variation of the Conyne, or French Military. On the last Saturday the builders all gather and fly their new kites, and a wonderful sight it was! No question, the large historic replicas, built of cotton fabric and wooden frames, are the stars of this show. I wandered up and down the beach marveling at the number and variety of these resurrected bits of history. Just to see in person kites that I had only seen pictures of before was worth the trip. To watch their builders spend an hour assembling them, then let them up into their natural element where they looked nailed to the sky. No doubt that these kites were designed to work, and to work in these kinds of wind. Of course their

handlers a hundred years ago didn’t take them apart at the end of every day, only to reassemble them again the next day. They carried them into their hangers to rest the night, ready to tackle the work again the next day. Although in all likelihood this was our only trip to Fanø, it is easy to see why kiters go back year after year. The spectacle, mingled with the meeting with other members of our kiting family not known before, are the things good memories are made of.

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 21 Heartland Wholesome by Sean Beaver photos by Stephany Rosenholtz

years of existence. Having been only two times you could say I am a newcomer to the event while others have been all 18 years. Call me a “lifetime” member now because every Labor Day from here on out I will make sure to be at the best festival we have ever attended. What I have come to appreciate is that people make the difference, not the kites. Callaway is as American as apple pie and as wholesome an event you will ever attend. This small, quaint, and friendly community takes the event seriously and treats the guest flyers and families like exten- sions of their families. From opening up their own homes to let someone stay, to ites mean different things to all of us, and I am no dif- devoting the entire Getting ready for a candy Kferent. I’d like to think that kites represent things for city center square drop is hard work. people like cultural symbols, canvases for artistic expres- to campers that trek sion, and instruments of science, mankind, and war. They from all over the certainly represent hobbies for serious enthusiasts and world to this event pastimes for young and old alike. In any event it only mat- and pitch a tent, ters that you enjoy the experience and FUN is what they pull an RV, or sleep represent for me. under the stars. I have visited many kite festivals and events large and To the stores, and small over my many years as a kite flyer and seen just as restaurants that give many before kites were in my life. Kite festivals to me the best service to embody a lot of hard work and dedication that usually is a you that money can thankless job for many behind the scenes. Festivals need buy. I appreciate this only a few key ingredients to be successful: a feast, a event like no other. reason or occasion to celebrate, and performances, exhibi- My point is, the tions, demonstrations, or competitions. Oh, they also must feast is intact! The be held at regular intervals and be merrymaking while at host community is the same time have the best hosts and hostesses to pull it too. That leaves a all together. reason to celebrate This is where Callaway, Nebraska, comes into the and merrymaking. equation. You see, the Callaway Kite Flight Festival has at- Well a love of kites tracted kite fliers from 22 states and nine countries in its 18 is a good reason any day and Calla- way is certainly able to make any stranger feel merry. As for performances, exhibitions, demonstrations, or competitions of sorts. All I will tell you without embellishing too much is that you get to see flyers from all over the world with different passions for kites, and it is the most diverse ascension of kites in an open field you will ever see. All of this put up by the nicest kite flyers in the world. Period. So if you really want to treat yourself to the best event in the United States, plan on going to Callaway. I pray that someone reading this will decide it is time to go to a new event and pick this one. The event is worth the stress, travel, and money to get to. It is held every Labor Day in Callaway, rain or shine. Come up to me on the field and tell me you were reading this article and decided to come. It will help remind me why the kites matter nothing next to meeting new people through this wonderful pastime. Have fun out there and come have fun with us next year in Callaway.

22 Kiting | Winter ‘08 The Chicago Fire he press kits have gets quenched. Tbeen sent out, the banners hung, the sponsors all lined up, the flyers have arrived in Milwaukee from as far away as Oregon, Canada and Puerto Rico and as nearby as Illinois and Michigan and the weather forecast is for torrential rains! Dairy State Deluge Welcome to the 30th Annual Time Warner by Ann Vondriska Cable Frank Mots Inter- national Kite Festival, held September 13-14 in Milwaukee. The Kite Society of Wisconsin and Illinois and Gift of Wings kite store organize the festival, which generally draws thousands of spectators. Hurricane Ike-related downpours were expected throughout the entire Midwest. What do you do? Well, the show must go on (if possible!). And it was possible, at least for about five hours on Saturday afternoon. The festival day is scheduled to not only entertain the crowds, but to include them as well. And there were spectators, not the huge numbers usually attending, but spectators nonetheless. So Mots opened with a Grand Launch incorporating the “professional” kite flyers in attendance and anyone who had brought a kite with them. After a countdown, everyone simultaneously launched his or her kite to the favorite “Let’s Go Fly A Kite” song. It was a pretty sight! Once the field was cleared, demonstrations began.The schedule was in- terspersed with individual flyers, both quad and dual-line; pairs, stacks, and of course, team. The Chicago Fire Kite Team is a crowd favorite, having attended nearly all of the Mots Kite Festivals. iQuad performed as well, back at Mots for their second year. Mudslingers of the Milky Way flew and Dos y Dos thrilled us with their now famous “Sharks and Fish” routine. To round out the spectacle, Yves LaForest was able to loft some of his giant kites. Sunday brought the rain, and this time there was no break in the weather. In fact, record-breaking rain fell throughout the region, with rivers flooding, highways closing and nearby cities reporting a two-day total rainfall of over 10 inches. Jeff Kataoka celebrates the 30th anniver- Most of the fliers congregated sary of the Kite Society of Wisconsin and under one of the many tents in Illinois. Veteran’s Park. The sponsors and vendors bravely remained, warming up the flyers and volunteers with coffee. Chicago Fire, iQuad and Mudslingers flew in the downpour. When the downpour turned to a drizzle for 15 minutes, the Grand Launch took place. The fearless folks on the sidelines gave hearty applause to the flyers that refused to be intimidated by the rain! The rainy weekend gave the kiters an opportunity to face challenging flying conditions, field conditions and (on the way home), driving conditions! The spectators that did come out were greatly entertained and enjoyed the show. Now, on to next year!

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 23 Grand Theft Kite During the past two years several kitefliers suffered the sting of stolen kites. Bags vanished from cars, airports, and fields. We asked three of the victims to recount their experiences, and what they’ve learned.

to Lufthansa to check on the lost luggage. We were repeatedly informed our luggage would be found and forwarded to us. We were told not to worry and if we needed any clothing or toilet articles just to purchase them and we would be reimbursed. The airline folks never got the idea that you just can not go out and purchase one-of-a-kind handcrafted kites. During our entire two week stay we continued to call to no avail. We had only one kite in my suitcase Cliff & Gerry Pennell to fly at Fanø so all was not lost. Hind site is 20/20. Have you ever It happened to be a small 3’x5’ heard that before? Well, for Gerry and parafoil with an American eagle me, it now has a greater meaning than on it. The parafoil handled the ever. We hope this article will help high winds at Fanø just fine. you avoid the situation of arriving at a Also, Ralf Maserski presented kite festival without any kites. us with a beautiful pentagon We were traveling to Fanø, Den- shaped kite with mosaic rhom- mark for the annual German kite boids and a long flowing organza meeting. We flew Northwest Airlines tail. We were set for high and to London and Lufthansa to Frankfurt. low wind conditions. We did not Upon arrival in Frankfurt, we found our see much low wind flying. How- Still missing.... kite luggage was nowhere to be found. ever, things were not all that Our hearts sank and our anxiety level bad. Due to the lack of kites to we were told to place our oversized went way up. Talk about increas- fly, we were forced to socialize with kite bag on the Northwest oversized ing the old pucker factor! There we some old and new friends, take gobs luggage cart. We did as we were told were in Europe to attend one of the of pictures, relax in the sun, and of and left the area to wade through largest kite spectacles in the world course sample many of the excellent the security lines and x-ray process. and us without any of our kites. Of German beers. It was a tough job, but Thinking back, we did not notice any course we’d packed some of our best somebody had to do it. airline supervision around the cart. work. We bought a new travel case Upon our arrival back in Seattle, We never saw the bag being placed to put the kite gear in to protect it I went immediately to the Northwest onto the baggage conveyor system. from damage. We have traveled by air airline lost luggage department to see We have never seen our kite bag since. to several other kite events and have if they had found our kites. We were The kites were packed in a travel bag never had problems with lost luggage. informed the baggage claim check on for golf clubs and we are sure whoever You know what they say: you should our bag had never been scanned by stole them thought they were going to avoid using the words “never” or “al- their system to be loaded onto any pawn some golf clubs. Therefore, we ways”. aircraft leaving Seattle. The truth believe the kites and other equipment Our first step was to file a claim finally made itself clear to us. The bag ended up in some back alley dumpster. for lost luggage upon arrival in Frank- was stolen, not lost. It had never left We then made a police report for sto- furt. Then we were on our way to Seattle. It was taken before it ever got len property. We continually suggest- meet Ralf Maserski and Holm Struck on the airline conveyor belt to handle ed the police pull the security tapes for some sightseeing before the kite the luggage. to prove the kites were stolen. They meeting. Our sightseeing days were “Hind site is 20/20” now comes were not very excited about doing that interrupted only by repeated calls into play. Initially, leaving Seattle, just for “lost” luggage. Finally the

24 Kiting | Winter ‘08 tapes were pulled and the timing was for your support two days too late. The tapes were on throughout this You’ll find this distinctive a loop which had already gone past the ordeal. The word “tattoo” on many of the beginning of the tape. went out via the AKA Pennell’s kites. Please be careful when you travel membership e-mail with your valuable kites. We have list and through the some suggestions which may help you Kitebuilder’s Forum. end up with your kites at the end of a We received many trip. e-mails from around • Pack your kites in the oldest, ugli- the world giving us est, dirtiest bag you can find. encouragement and • Write on the bag your name, ad- support. dress, and telephone number using We hope this a permanent marker of black or information will be metallic silver. Place the same useful to all kiters information on the inside of your traveling with their bag. If you only use a business kites. Hopefully, you will never have claim, the hard part may be determin- card for identification, it can eas- to experience this type of loss. We ing and documenting value or replace- ily be removed. had a good friend put things in per- ment costs. Newer kites can be priced • Make an inventory of contents as spective. She said, “Remember, no out online through your favorite AKA you pack your bag. We did that one died, no one got hurt, it was just Member Merchant. Vintage, hand- and found it extremely helpful in stuff.” However, it was OUR STUFF. made, or collectible kites may be more making our reports to the airlines. difficult to appraise. Ask someone with Keep one copy in your carry on lug- commercial credibility — a store own- gage, one in your regular luggage, David & Susan Gomberg er, club officer, or AKA Director — to and leave one at home. Having your kites stolen is a heart- provide you a letter documenting the • Take pictures of the kites you pack breaking experience. But don’t let the value of each piece. And be prepared before you leave. A picture is thieves steal your good humor along to give them some guidance on what worth a thousand words. Also, I with your kites. The kites can be re- you think the pieces are worth. would suggest you list the dimen- placed. Take care of yourself and your Finally, don’t forget to check on- sions of the kites. family first. line auction and sales outlets for sev- • Never, ever leave your bag unat- In October in South Africa, some- eral months after a loss. Notify local tended. No matter what someone one broke into our locked car in a stores. Post a note to the AKA Forum. tells you, physically watch your secured parking area and pulled a You’d be surprised how often people luggage to make sure it is loaded full-sized duffel out in the 18” space “find” kites and want to sell them. onto the conveyor belt and enters between the vehicle and the wall. I Future recovery will be easier if the airline system. If you have to, wish I could have seen their faces to you have marked your possessions with hand-carry your bag to the over- discover the bag filled with nylon after your name or other identification or sized luggage area. all that effort! They probably had no taken photos of them. I know kiters • Do not assume your homeowners idea the contents were worth over who add details inside tails, on spars, insurance will cover the stolen $5,000. Finding and confronting those or along inner seams where the writing items. Some do not cover “lost folks might have proven very danger- cannot be seen unless someone knows luggage”. Now you know why ous. where to look. we were trying to prove our kites So what do you do if the unthink- As for my kites in South Africa? were stolen not just lost. You may able happens and a bag disappears? They are probably being cut up into wish to check out insurance avail- First, stay calm. Check the area. Talk ripstop shirts and dresses as we able through the airlines. Remem- to possible witnesses. See if the miss- speak.... ber, it does not take many kites to ing stuff has been abandoned nearby. [Ed. note: in the background is the add up to more than a $1000. Determine what’s missing and file a last known photo of the Gomberg’s police report if you plan to make an Blue Meanie, hours before its theft.] This whole situation has been emo- insurance claim. tionally draining and extremely time Many types of insurance will cover But wait! Hours before the magazine consuming. We are now three months theft. Homeowners generally will went to press, David Gomberg added down the road and still have no resolu- protect you. Auto coverage may help if this: As for our kites in South Africa? tion. We are awaiting further cor- things were taken from your car. And Sometimes stories end well. I just re- respondence and final compensation many credit cards offer some protec- ceived news that a young man brought from the airlines. tion for losses on goods purchased with a big bag back to our guesthouse and Gerry and I would that card. AKA insurance only covers asked for a reward. First reports indi- like to thank the kit- damage or injury to people or prop- cate that most of the contents are still ing community from erty. there. Life is good! around the world When the time comes to file a continued on next page

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 25 continued from previous page the paramedics here at the house and plained to him that the kites were not was advised to take him to the ER for in the car, but I was sure I had taken follow up treatment. We had not got- them out. I just couldn’t find them. my oran A D ten home until after midnight, and I We began to scurry around the house; Connor and I walked out to my car remember that Connor needed some sure we would walk into them around at school about 3 pm after teaching a help getting in the house. But I always some corner. Twenty minutes went by, kitemaking class for the after school lock my car door from the kitchen and I wasn’t feeling so brave anymore enrichment program. As I neared my every night, as I can hit the auto lock and neither was Connor. I made a jeep, I had this sudden feeling that and see the lights flash. I had defi- quick phone call to a friend, who told something wasn’t right. The jeep was nitely locked it. me to call the police immediately. I locked. Nothing was broken or open. As I was driving home, the feeling spoke to an officer at the station, There were kids and teachers head- was still there. Had I seen the safety who asked me if I had pictures of the ing out to cars just as normal. So kit in the back just now? Was that kites. He told me to get him a list of everything was fine and I shook off missing as well? A 10 minute drive everything, and pictures of as many the feeling I had. Loading up all the home seemed like hours. I needed to of the kites as I could. Connor and I supplies in the car, I realized I had walk in to the house, see the kite bags scrambled to print out pictures, and no problem fitting the large supply there in the living room where I always try to remember what was in the bags. suitcase into the car. Nice…. No, not drop them. Laugh off my stupid over- That was a long rough night. nice. The wave of apprehension hit sight and write it off to age effects. Connor and I were both devastated. me again as I stood there. Too much I pulled into the drive, quickly I called the local radio station affili- room, it was too easy. I didn’t have got out of the car and jetted into the ates and told them about what had to move things out of the way. I didn’t house. There in the living room, ev- happened. About how important the have to move the kite bags out of the erything looked just as it should with kites were to both Connor and my- way. the exception of one thing, the kite self. They wanted to interview me My body started feeling panicky. A bags. Not there. Not in the office, not the next morning so they could run cruel sudden burst of adrenalin when in my room, not the garage, not the public service announcements. The something is terribly wrong. But the laundry room.... Nowhere. I began next day was spent taking the informa- car wasn’t open. It was locked when I to feel sick. I must have taken every- tion to the police station, and then had gotten there. thing out of the car. I ran back out to hours driving around posting flyers OK, I have been known to move look in the car, no safety kit either. I about the kites. Connor and I checked things and forget I did. I must have never take that out of my car. Ever. ditches, hoping that perhaps whoever taken the kites into the house. Yes, It was a panicked look on my face had taken them realized they were not I am sure I did. My mind was rac- that Connor caught that made him ask. any use to them, and dumped them. ing. Yes of course, I took them in the “Is something wrong Mom?” I smiled That also meant checking dumpsters. I house. the sort of smile you do when someone contacted the garbage removal com- The night before had been unset- has just told you something awful, and pany and the landfill and asked them tling. My son had a seizure after four you are trying to act brave. I ex- to keep an eye out. I called everyone years of being seizure free. I had I knew in the Central Oregon area Happy ending: the Bend Police Department and let them know what had hap- gave the Dorans a merry Christmas. pened. All the custom kites I had built were in that bag. My entire line bag was also gone. Single line, dual line and quad lines were all gone. Connor’s first and only Revolution kite was in that bag as well. It was given to him by a good friend who was encouraging him to fly. I felt like part of me was gone. And in truth, it was. The kites in that bag had my original graphics on them. I had sewn six of the kites, all of which were to go to my first AKA Convention in just 10 days. I had only one kite, which I had taken out of the bag to make some minor finishing touches on. Between waves of tears and anger, I made lists of the items, and contacted my insurance company the next day.

26 Kiting | Winter ‘08 large storage spaces. I was still trying right in my driveway. My garage is now to figure out why he was calling. actually used as a garage. I feel much “We believe we’ve recovered your better about being able to have my car kites.” I said, “What? Can you say in the garage, and locked. that again?” All my kites are now marked with He then went on to tell me that my name, and are photographed so the pictures I had given them were that I have record of them. looking like the kites they had recov- Because of the Pennell’s recent ered and would I please come to the loss of kites from the airport, I decided storage units at 1 pm tomorrow. it was best to ship my kites to Get- I had to pull over. I was still wonder- tysburg rather then take them on the ing if the phone call was even real. plane. Expensive, yes, but for peace of I wasn’t sure whether to cry, yell, mind it was worth it. laugh, or any number of things. I I hope that everyone will make an managed to get to school and pick up extra effort to keep an eye out for the Connor. On the way home, I told him Pennell’s kites and banners. Though I about the phone call. He was so over- was told mine would not be recovered, whelmingly happy. The only question all but one are now safely home. I am Hot kite: another of that remained was the condition of the affirming that theirs will find their way the Pennell’s losses. kites. We had to wait the longest 24 home as well. hours before we could find out. They can take my kites, but they Much to my dismay, both the insur- The next day we were at the place can’t take my wings… ance company and the police told me at 12:45. They let us through the that I should not expect to recover gates and as I turned the corner there the kites. They said it was rare if ever were cars, trucks with trailers, and those things were found. But we just people looking through the recovered couldn’t let it go. We continued to items. Refrigerators, top-of-the-line watch for kites for sale online, to look computers, cameras, tools, table saws, in ditches and dumpsters. wallets, jewelry and hundreds of other Because the Nationals were in items were tagged and waiting for Ocean Shores in 10 days, that present- owners to pick them up. In the back ed another issue. What was I going to corner of one of the units, I saw the do about kites? Theresa Norelius from teal and black kite bag, and along side The Kite Shoppe was extremely helpful it was the duffle bag containing all my to me. By the time I left for Nationals lines and various items. We were so nine days later, she had me set up with excited to open the bag and find that kites and lines and the things I needed though the kites had been taken apart to compete with. and put back in the bags a mess, the Sometime in early November, I kites were in perfect condition. gave up. I had spent so much energy When we got home, we began tak- on trying to recover the kites, and I ing all the kites out, one by one, and had to let it go. At home, Connor and assembling them. We needed to see if I didn’t talk about the kites anymore. there was anything missing, but to be It was too emotional, too rough. I honest I think it was just totally thera- had to accept the fact that nothing peutic to put each one together, and was going to be recovered. Nothing set it out. It just so happened that we was showing up on the internet either. had forgotten our Christmas tree put Ebay was a daily site for me, searching up a few days before, so one by one for the kites. the kites surrounded the tree. Soon About 1 pm on December 15, I was the room was filled with kites stacked driving to pick up Connor from school around the tree. We could not have when my cell phone rang. The call gotten a nicer gift than to recover began with “This is Officer Smith from them. They were truly a part of our the Bend Police Department.” My im- lives, in many more ways then we ever mediate thought was something had realized, and to have them back home happened to Connor. But the officer was truly wonderful. went on to explain that he was call- Since then I have made some ing because a huge burglary ring had changes at home. The kites were The latest victim: Penny been busted in Bend. They had been stolen out of my locked jeep, the night Lingenfelter’s indoor Rev working on it for months and they had before I realized it. My jeep was sitting was recently stolen. recovered enough items to fill three

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 27 Swiss Eyes On Washington Skies by Olivier Reymond car is stuck in the sand by the upcoming tide. photos by Cliff Pennell, Fig. 3 - Patriotism is the most obvious thing Robin Haas, and Olivier Reymond that I could note at a US kite festival. You have a beautiful flag and it is shown everywhere. In Switzerland it is very year, the Washington State International Kite very rare to see EFestival invites a foreign guest during their week at the national flag on a kite Long Beach. Thank you very much to the organization or a banner. I love Switzer- which chose me for this role. I come from Switzerland, a land but here people differ very small country covered 60% by the Alps. Beside making by their understanding of cheese fondue and tasty chocolate, Switzerland’s aeronau- patriotism. tic contributions include one astronaut and several high Fig. 4 - In my mind, one tech devices to NASA’s space conquest, and myself. Very line kites are generally modestly I contributed with some kites to the conquest of considered as symbols of the sky of Long Beach, and made these observations.... peace, and when they represent aggressive subjects Fig. 1 - First of all, no mountains but an incredible long sea they are not well accepted. shore with beautiful protected dunes. When there are no I was then surprised when I storms, an even wind comes from the sea and allows many saw fighters with US col- kites to fly nearly without supervision. ors flying in the sky. An Fig. 2 - On the contrary with Switzerland where most peo- American friend explained ples drive small cars and exclusively on roads, Long Beach to me that the fighter jets welcomes big cars on the longest sand beach in the world. are contrary to my ideas of This pleasant habit raises the risk of pollution of water if a kites as a symbol of peace and freedom. Fig. 5 - While my kite called “The American Widow” has nearly no impact in Europe, it always raises emotions in America. Is the woman the victim of a vain war? Or is she proud to be the relative of US heroes? I do not give answers, I only raise a fundamental question.

28 Kiting | Winter ‘08 Fig. 6 - In all of us lives a Charlie Brown, though he is not well known in Europe. I appreciated very much to Reach New Heights find his philosophy represented by Dick Curran’s kite stuck in a tree. Inside the World Kite Museum you can find these HQ Kites’ unmatched quality control words: “For 50 years, American Charlie guarantees 100% customer satisfaction. Brown flew kites across the pages of Fly HQ and reach new heights! comics strips throughout the world. His lack of success never left us doubting that he would persevere in the end. XeloN III Kitefliers salute Charlie Brown, who by Rainer Hoffmann taught us that our spirit need never crumble.” Fig. 7- A regular fixture of WSIKF: the presence of our friend Ray Bethell. I have seen him all over the world. He gives to all of us a lesson in persever- ance and happiness.

SatellIte KIte by Rainer Hoffmann

MagIc gIaNt StaR

Novice kitemaker J.T. Babst

A kite by Dave Bob Matteo and Diane Butler

317 Great Bridge Blvd., Suite C Chesapeake, VA 23320 www.hq-kites-usa.com www.powerkites.de A kite by email: [email protected] Georgann Curran toll free: 1-888-318-3600

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 29

AKA AD_Spring_08.indd 1 28.01.2008 16:37:23 The World Comes To Dieppe text and photos by David Gomberg very two years, the kite world converges on the small coastal city of EDieppe, France. No event I know of can boast as many international guests, as many delegations, as much kite talent, and as much to see. This was Dieppe’s 15th festival. The flying zone is relatively small and the focus is on the national pavilions. This makes Dieppe more of a kite exposition than a kite fest. Each nation is given a space to set up displays which promote their own unique kite history, culture and traditions. The result is an up-close, ten day look at all that our kite world has in common, and a celebration of our differences as well. This year AKA again hosted a formal pavilion of our own, separate from the United States booth. The official “Etats Unis” booth featured three well-known kite artists. But through the years, we’ve found that general guests didn’t fit in well at the official tent. Kite clubs from across Europe had been given booths so I proposed a space for our club as well. Negotiation took three years. But eventually we were given a great space where as many as fifteen kiters were based this time. They distributed magazines and displayed kites, maps and materials. AKA “feathers” were a big hit! The message was “warm greetings from North The Windjammers and Canada’s America,” and a chance to promote the AKA Jean Lamoreaux. as an international body. This general booth proved a convenient and comfortable home base for many first-time and returning kiters who were AKA members from a number of countries. Marla Miller did a great job coordi- nating the program. The Dieppe “fields” include a grassy plain at the edge of the city, a paved promenade, and then a wide, uneven pebbled beach. Larger kites are anchored on the beach, while delicate art pieces are flown on the grass. And with several hundred world-class kiters in attendance, the display is amazing. Further down the beach, sport kite teams and fighter kite fliers provide continuous acrobatic shows and competitions. Fifteen bi-annual festivals in Dieppe means the event has a thirty year tradition. And now in the odd- numbered years, a sister kite gathering is held in Dieppe, Canada. As the kite world gathers in Dieppe, there is a great opportunity for all to share, compare, and learn. From South Africa to South Korea, or from Oz to Oregon, Dieppe has it all! As I said before, we have much in common and also many differences to celebrate. Sixty years ago, this beach was a field of battle. Now the same nations gather here as friends on a field of joy.

31 Kiting | Winter ‘08 Olivier Reymond’s winning kite in the kitemaker’s competition (with the theme “Air On A Kite String”). Ten Days In Dieppe

2nd place rokkaku by William Farber.

Gerard Clement’s 3rd place jukebox. photos by David Gomberg and Bernard Fourniere

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 31 A library display: an easy way to celebrate National Kite Month! Renew today! Rates increase January 1! Beginning January 1, most membership rates will increase by $5 (Individual 1 year membership = $40, Canada/Mexico = $48, Overseas = $50), and additional family members will increase by $1. But if you renew before the end of the year, you can pay the lower rates! So renew today... it makes cents!

32 Kiting | Winter ‘08 ettysburg knows conflict. In 1863 it was Lee against Meade, Long- Gstreet attacking Little Round Top, Pickett’s Division charging Hancock. In 2008, the AKA arrived for their 31st convention. Conflict continued: kitefliers against dog show, a contentious business meeting, arguments about whether the inland winds would be good. But Gettysburg also knows triumph. Chamberlain’s 20th Maine re- pulsed the Confederate attack, and the Union lines held against Lee’s best. And 145 years later, there were good winds that left most kiters happy, a week of friendly competition, and a happy mix of kite lines, teddy bears, and Rhodesian Ridgebacks. On the sport kite field, the Gordon Family hauled away trophies by the armload, with Josh, Zach and Elizabeth racking up 13 awards in individual, pairs, and team events. A hotly contested indoor event dazzled a large audience. Fighter fliers tried their hands at a “turkey shoot,” pasting their kites onto a stationary target. And the South rose again, finally victori- ous over the North, although this time in a rokkaku battle. Kitemakers saw Glen Haynes create a dazzling arch of Civil War luminaries using new techniques in printing on fabric, and Mike Mosman getting his geek on with a marvel of mathematics and engineering. Bears parachuted safely to ground, Dallmer’s ducks and the W.O.W. banners won the new Ground Display Challenge, an Argentinean blew away the miniature kitemaking field, raffles and auctions put new toys in nearly everyone’s hands, kite aerial photography lined the hotel walls, workshop presenters explained the nuances of spars and cameras, new fighters were built, the Pied Piper of iQuad won a big prize, and an army of trophies were handed out. For the more than 300 kiters there, every day brought something new, fun, and challenging. For its 32nd shindig, the AKA moves to the Land o’ Lakes, in Rochester, Minnesota. There’ll be no dog shows in town, but wherever the AKA goes you can count on finding cool cats.

Scott Weider John Trennepohl

David Bradley

Nelson Borelli Steve Santos

Torrey Lindemann

John Barresi photos by Gary Quinton and Phil Broder Mike Mosman Mike Moore Paul DeBakker Amy Doran Wen Jeng

William Sturdy

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 33 31st AKA Convention Grand National Results: Kitemakers

Grand Champion Mike Mosman (Cellular) FIGURE 1 Kevin Shannon 8.07 8.07 8.17 7.80 32.10 2 Cheryl Kear 7.80 8.00 8.27 7.90 31.97 Highest Score 3 Jon Burkhardt 7.80 7.83 7.63 7.23 30.50 Visual Appeal Jon Trennepohl 9.00 (Bowed) Todd Little 7.67 7.93 7.50 7.03 30.13 Flight Carl Anderson 8.37 (Fighter) Don Finch 5.90 6.47 5.50 5.93 23.80 Craftsmanship Glen Haynes 9.30 (Arch) Structural Design (tie) Peter Ross 8.70 (Cellular) DELTA Visual Flight Craft Struc Sum Glen Haynes 8.70 (Arch) 1 Phil Broder 8.10 7.67 7.57 7.27 30.60 2 Tom Butler 7.23 7.83 6.43 6.20 27.70 Most Innovative Glen Haynes ROKKAKU Visual Flight Craft Struc Sum Mixed Media Glen Haynes 1 Bob Lockhart 7.77 7.67 8.03 7.63 31.10 Traditional Materials Todd Little 2 Andy Burchfield 7.93 8.03 7.00 6.97 29.93 3 Todd Little 7.67 8.13 7.10 7.03 29.93 Special Recognition Don Finch Bob Matteo 7.67 7.20 7.43 7.60 29.90 Ames & Mosman 6.57 7.37 7.83 7.20 28.97 Gary Quinton 7.43 8.00 6.70 6.70 28.83 Novice 1 Dick Maciel FLAT Visual Flight Craft Struc Sum 2 Bob Matteo 1 Jon Burkhardt 8.73 8.00 8.80 7.90 33.43 2 Dick Maciel 8.30 7.80 8.20 7.53 31.83 3 William Sturdy 3 Nancy Lockwood 6.67 8.03 7.43 6.60 28.73 Todd Little 6.87 7.33 7.00 6.47 27.67 Cooperative SOFT/FLEXIBLE Flight Craft Struc Sum 1 Hunter Brown & Paul DeBakker 1 Cheryl Kear 8.10 8.13 8.07 7.40 31.70 2 Dick & Jackie Maciel 2 Todd Little 8.23 8.00 7.67 7.47 31.37 3 Todd & Gwendolyn Little 3 Bob Matteo 7.63 7.50 7.80 7.93 30.87 D & J Maciel 7.87 6.47 8.00 8.27 30.60 Don Finch 7.10 6.50 5.83 6.50 25.93

Trains Visual Flight Craft Struc Sum 1 Bill Schumacher 8.13 7.77 7.00 7.30 30.20 BOWED Visual Flight Craft Struc Sum T & G Little 7.40 7.87 7.00 7.47 29.73 1 Jon Trennepohl 9.00 7.97 8.80 8.40 34.17 2 Dick Maciel 8.67 8.00 8.53 7.83 33.03 Arch Visual Flight Craft Struc Sum 3 Jon Burkhardt 8.17 7.63 8.87 8.13 32.80 1 Glen Haynes 7.77 7.80 9.30 8.70 33.57 Phil Broder 8.10 7.67 7.57 7.43 30.77 2 Brad Weiner 7.90 7.80 6.60 6.77 29.07 Peter Ross 7.93 6.83 7.87 8.03 30.67 Robinson & Jones 7.30 7.30 6.43 6.73 27.77 Bob Matteo 7.90 7.63 7.73 7.40 30.67 3 Gary Quinton 7.07 7.17 6.60 6.50 27.33 Todd Little 7.47 7.87 7.10 7.67 30.10 Andy Burchfield 7.47 7.40 7.23 7.17 29.27 Tom Butler 7.80 6.27 6.73 6.60 27.40 Sky Display Visual Flight Craft Struc Sum Don Finch 6.20 7.60 5.67 7.03 26.50 Burchfield & Watson 7.03 7.40 7.30 7.60 29.33 1 Dick Maciel 7.47 6.33 7.77 7.33 28.90 2 Mike Petty 7.27 7.00 6.87 7.10 28.23 CELLULAR/DIMENSIONAL Flight Craft Struc Sum 1 Mike Mosman 8.77 8.33 8.83 8.43 34.37 2 Peter Ross 7.93 6.97 9.07 8.70 32.67 Sport Kite Visual Flight Craft Struc Sum 3 Bob Matteo 8.20 7.30 8.27 7.97 31.73 Brown & DeBakker 8.07 7.87 8.10 7.70 31.73 Scott Spencer 7.93 7.87 7.83 7.13 30.77 1 William Sturdy 7.80 7.87 7.57 7.23 30.47 Andy Burchfield 7.87 7.93 7.47 7.20 30.47 2 Andy Burchfield 7.77 7.73 7.23 7.57 30.30 Todd Little 7.03 7.70 6.93 6.87 28.53 3 Dave Ashworth 7.97 7.40 7.43 7.40 30.20 Don Finch 5.67 5.17 5.93 6.70 23.47 Austin Saeger 8.13 7.60 7.50 6.87 30.10 Jackie Maciel 8.03 7.57 7.17 7.30 30.07 Amy Doran 7.63 7.50 7.03 6.77 28.93

FIGHTER Visual Flight Craft Struc Sum 1 Carl Anderson 7.30 8.37 7.77 6.80 30.23 2 Bill Schumacher 7.20 8.20 7.57 7.17 30.13 3 Todd Little 6.87 7.50 6.80 6.50 27.67

34 Kiting | Winter ‘08 31st AKA Convention 31st AKA Convention Grand National Results: Kitemakers Chat With A Champion

It only takes one look at Mike Mosman’s winning kite, named “Sine Wave,” to know that he’s an engineer. The resident of Co- lumbia, MD, was asked to step to the front of the room in Get- tysburg, joining a group of past Grand Champions that included Tanna Haynes, Pete Rondeau, and Cliff Quinn. We asked the man known as the Total Kite Package a few questions...

Kiting: Where did the idea for Sine Wave come from? Mike: My kites of late have been developed around unusual structural designs with the intention of capturing the Innova- tive awards. Also, it’s fun to tinker with fittings, using standard parts in ways that differ from anything I’ve seen before. Both of these things went into Sine Wave. The graphic, however, is the most pleasing part of the kite to me. The triple bowing of the kite segments suggested sine waveforms, a natural thing for an electrical engineer. So the graphic practically drew itself. Kiting: How many sine waves are in this kite anyways? Mike: Each of the five segments is a wave. The blue graphic is a vertical sine wave of constant frequency and amplitude. (It’s also a waterfall.) The green graphic is a sine wave of increasing frequency and amplitude. (It’s also a landscape horizon.) The red graphic can be thought of as a rotating machine which de- velops a sine wave output. (It’s also a setting sun.) Finally, there are two sine waves in the tail, a half wave in the panel and a continuous wave as the trailing fringe. Kiting: You’ve got some unique features in this kite, like...? Mike: The struts that provide the vertical rigidity are suspended within the tension lines that produce the horizontal bowing, and don’t touch the sail at any point. The tension lines have alumi- num rings incorporated into them through which the vertical struts are slipped. Each of the six horizontal tension lines has a left and a right tensioning slide so that the middle rings holding the middle vertical strut remain at the middle of the kite as the lines are tensioned. Perhaps more interesting than the structure itself, however, is the way the structure makes openings in the kite that appear as faces when in flight. Kiting: How did it feel standing alongside all the other past Grand Champions in Gettysburg? Mike: The air is rare up there. It was hard to breathe for a few minutes. It’s humbling to be in such company because I have great respect for that select group, and I feel like someone who was honored with an invitation to a party for people way above his social level. Another feeling — lucky, really lucky. It The 2008 Grand could just as easily have been Peter Ross, John Trennepohl, Glen Champion: Mike Haynes, or Jon Burkhardt. Mosman’s cellular Sine Wave Kiting: You’ve been called the Total Kite Package, with kitemaking, sport kiting, and indoor flying. What’s next? Should we watch out for you on the fighter kite field in Rochester? Mike: Harold Ames hung that name on me at a convention several years back, and it sort of stuck. The fact is it’s almost impossible to be a real total kite package because there is always going to be something else to do in kiting. One lifetime may not be enough. Fighter kiting does have some appeal, and I’ve made a Steve Bateman kite in preparation for the day I jump into it. But for right now there are still a few interesting kite structure ideas simmering in the cerebellum, and I’m kind of anxious to see what comes out next.

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 35 31st AKA Convention Grand National Results: Fighters and Rokkakus

Novice Line Touch Novice Skills Individual Team Rokkaku Battle 1 Jim Davis 1 Carol Jarvie Rokkaku Battle 1 Team Bandanna Bunch 2 Cat Gabrel 2 Jim Gibson 1 Ronda Brewer (Ronda Brewer, Carl An- 3 Carol Jarvie 3 Lynn Berry 2 Mark Virgilio derson, Jeremy Terpening) 4 Lynn Berry 4 John Hall 3 Andy Burchfield 2 Team Brat 5 Corey Jensen 4 Thom Shanken (Tom Butler, Brad Weiner) 6 John Hall Experienced Skills 5 Harold Ames 3 Team V-Tech 1 Carl Anderson 6 Tom Butler (Lisa Willoughby, Experienced 2 Bill Schumacher 7 Brad Weiner Dennis Smith) 4 Team Saktori Gaijin Line Touch 3 Nelson Borelli 8 Will Smoot 4 Bruce Jarvie 9 Chuck Holmes (Harold Ames, 1 Lisa Willoughby 5 Sharon Champie 10 Lisa Willoughby Andy Burchfield) 2 Aaron Champie 6 Darrin Skinner 11 Jeremy Terpening 5 Team Charlie Don’t Run 3 Sharon Champie 11 Jim Gibson (Chuck Jones, 4 Carl Anderson 11 Harry Gregory John DeMateo) 4 Jim Davis 11 Chuck Jones 6 Team Rose 4 Bruce Jarvie 11 Chris Martin (Chris Martin, Sara Torak) 4 Darrin Skinner 11 John DeMateo 4 Bill Schumacher 11 Sara Torak 4 Jeremy Terpening

Miniature Kite Challenge Best Flight Most Original 1 Claris Skoczdopole 1 Claris Skoczdopole 2 Jim Martin 2 Jim Martin 3 Susan Skinner 3 Susan Skinner

Most Beautiful Smallest 1 Susan Skinner 1 Susan Skinner 2 Claris Skoczdopole 2 Jim Martin 3 Jim Martin 3 Claris Skoczdopole

Grand Champion Claris Skoczdopole

Miniature kites by (clock- wise from above) Jim Martin, Susan Skinner, Argentina’s Claris Skocz- dopole, and Susan Skin- ner.

36 Kiting | Winter ‘08 Grand National Results: Fighters and Rokkakus

Todd Little and friend.

A unique kite by Peter Ross. Cat Gabrel fighting.

Joe and Deb VonBokern Cheryl Kear’s quilt was the Mem- ber’s Choice for Best Accessory. st AKA’s 31 Convention Peter Ross photos by Phil Broder, Rick Agar, and Gary Quinton

Tom Butler builds a fighter.

Dick and Jackie Maciel Shattered Peace FlyMarket stalwart Brooks Leffler. The center of Glen Haynes’ Member’s Choice-winning arch.

A member of the Rhodesian Ridge- back Association of American wonders if this convention has gone to the dogs.

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 37 31st AKA Convention Grand National Results: Sport Kites

Experienced Ind. Ballet Experienced Pairs Precision Masters Ind. Multi-line Precision Open Individual Indoor 1 William Sturdy 71.533 1 Blues Brothers 58.967 1 Zachary Gordon 81.600 Unlimited Ballet 2 Jennifer Brown 68.800 2 Wing Nuts 51.733 2 John Barresi 75.833 1 Paul DeBakker 77.000 3 David Bush 65.467 3 Sky Jesters 47.167 3 Shawn Tinkham 74.433 2 Torrey Lindemann 76.867 4 Doug Charleville 63.667 4 Flight Risk 34.067 4 David Hathaway 69.567 3 Amy Doran 74.750 5 Richard Mervine 58.600 5 Karl Berg 55.600 4 Shawn Tinkham 73.617 6 Steve Rothwell 53.933 Experienced Team Ballet 6 Douglas Coates 51.033 5 William Sturdy 68.933 7 Jim Landers 53.800 1 Team Wing Nuts 30.267 6 Steve Santos 66.567 8 Doug Hood 53.467 2 Loose Screws 16.933 Masters Pairs Ballet 7 Michael Moore 65.267 9 Paul Koepke 53.067 1 Full Throttle 83.200 8 David Ashworth 63.133 10 Mike Dioguardo 49.133 2 O2 78.267 9 Jon Trennepohl 62.150 11 Karl Berg 46.800 Experienced Team Precision 10 Nelson Borelli 59.633 1 Team Wing Nuts 40.233 3 EOS 77.467 12 Gary Quinton 41.933 4 Fire and Ice 70.333 11 David Hathaway 58.717 2 Loose Screws 23.133 5 Skywalkers 64.533 12 Michael J. Mosman 58.400 Experienced Ind. Precision 6 Stang 57.067 13 David Bradley 55.483 1 David Bush 64.433 Masters Individual Ballet 2 Lisa Stambaugh 61.700 1 Ron Graziano 87.733 Open Individual Outdoor 2 Joshua Gordon 85.133 Masters Pairs Precision 3 Jennifer Brown 61.567 1 O2 83.367 Unlimited 3 Zachary Gordon 82.733 4 William Sturdy 60.467 2 EOS 83.367 1 Amy Doran 77.311 4 Paul DeBakker 81.733 5 Doug Charleville 53.333 3 Full Throttle 74.967 2 Charles Stonestreet 69.867 5 Patty Tinkham 76.867 6 Richard Mervine 52.633 4 Fire and Ice 68.633 3 Doug Charleville 67.189 6 Aaron Champie 73.867 7 Steve Rothwell 52.100 5 Stang 41.267 4 Jennifer Brown 62.389 8 Paul Koepke 50.933 7 Shawn Tinkham 73.800 8 Dan Newman 73.333 9 William Smoot 41.833 Open Pairs Multiline Ballet 10 Jim Landers 40.567 9 Michael Moore 71.333 Masters Team Ballet 1 Something Old 11 Mike Dioguardo 40.467 10 Jon Trennepohl 62.667 1 Chicago Fire 78.400 11 Lisa Willoughby 60.667 2 AirZone Flight Team 74.533 Something New 77.467 12 Spencer Schubbe 56.800 3 Smitty & The Girls 56.267 2 Furious George 71.800 Exp. Ind. Multi-line Ballet 3 DnA 63.467 1 David Ashworth 58.333 13 Douglas Coates 50.800 Masters Team Precision 4 Damn Yankee Quad 39.733 2 Amy Doran 54.333 1 AirZone Flight Team 74.867 3 William Seward 51.333 Masters Individual Precision 2 Chicago Fire 71.667 Open Pairs Multiline Precision 4 Gary Quinton 49.933 1 Zachary Gordon 76.300 1 Furious George 79.433 5 Jennifer Brown 49.667 2 Ron Graziano 75.300 2 Something Old 6 William Sturdy 46.267 3 Joshua Gordon 75.067 Novice Individual Ballet Something New 63.467 7 Doug Charleville 45.933 4 Aaron Champie 71.333 1 Elizabeth Gordon 61.800 5 Shawn Tinkham 68.233 2 Wen Jeng 58.933 3 DnA 49.200 6 Patty Tinkham 65.767 3 David Bradley 50.533 Exp. Ind. Multi-line Precision 4 Robert Benton 48.733 1 Wen Jeng 58.633 7 Dan Newman 64.167 Open Team Train Ballet 5 Michael Dirk 48.000 1 O2 58.000 2 Jennifer Brown 57.367 8 Douglas Coates 58.667 6 Jackie Maciel 43.933 2 Heaven Help Us 53.000 3 Cath Shook 49.933 9 Michael Moore 58.333 7 Amy Doran 40.533 3 Sky Jesters 45.333 4 Amy Doran 45.800 10 Lisa Willoughby 55.733 11 Spencer Schubbe 44.767 8 Tom Butler 36.933 5 David Ashworth 44.367 9 Dick Maciel 32.933 6 Jim Landers 25.833 10 Evelyn Rossbach 26.467 7 Greg Lamoureux 15.133 Masters Ind. Multi-line Ballet 1 Zachary Gordon 87.400 Novice Individual Precision Experienced Pairs Ballet 2 John Barresi 82.733 3 Shawn Tinkham 73.467 1 Jackie Maciel 57.533 1 Fusion 66.333 2 Michael Dirk 55.100 2 Blues Brothers 61.467 4 David Hathaway 68.533 5 Dennis Smith 65.867 3 Wen Jeng 52.167 3 Sky Jesters 56.400 4 Elizabeth Gordon 51.567 4 Wing Nuts 55.733 6 Paul LaMasters 63.267 7 Karl Berg 56.933 5 Robert Benton 49.567 5 Flight Risk 47.600 8 Michael Mosman 53.000 6 Amy Doran 44.500 7 James Sturdy 41.233 9 Douglas Coates 42.467 8 David Bradley 39.467 9 Dick Maciel 34.333 10 Evelyn Rossbach 33.733

38 Kiting | Winter ‘08 31st AKA Convention Grand National Results: Sport Kites Annual Awards

Regional Director of the Year Sport Kite Championships in France and the Todd Little, Region Two World Kite Competitions in China. More recently, our nominee drew a group of multiline fliers together to cre- Volunteer of the Year ate the iQuad phenomenon. This dynamic Bernard Fourniere performance group has inspired hundreds of fliers and hundreds of thousands of Club of the Year spectators with their indoor and outdoor Richmond Air Force exhibitions. If there is growth and charisma in the kiting movement today, iQuad is the driving force. And the driving force behind Edeiken Award iQuad is of course, John Barresi. Steve Edeiken was a sport kite flier. We are pleased to nominate him for So it seems appropriate to nominate for AKA’s highest award. this award, the most successful and visible sport kiter in our AKA community. David Gomberg Marla Miller holds the new Lifetime Achievement awards are Susan Gomberg Ingraham trophy, a wooden often presented to our older members. But David Hathaway bowl made by Eric Wolff. some fliers start earlier than others. Our nominee began competing in 1991 and was Lee Toy Circle Award and the spirit of AKA. named the American Kite Rising Star of Jon Burkhardt has been a respected It is with great respect and apprecia- 1992. Since then, he has gone on to win 14 kite artist, teacher, judge, mentor, vol- tion that we hereby nominate Jon for first place trophies in AKA Grand National unteer, AKA member and AKA leader for this award. Competition, flying solo, in pairs, in team, longer than almost all of us. Every year, he and in multiline. No other competitor has has contributed time and energy promoting Drake Smith won as many awards in as many disciplines. kites as art, created and donated his own Terry Lee Smith In 1997, he was named the AKC Outstand- artistic projects to AKA, and inspired us all John Pollock ing Masters Class Flier, making him the only to be our creative best as kitemakers and pilot ever to receive both the Rising Star members of an artistic, playful community. and Masters awards. Ingraham Award This past year he has contributed to ....Our nominee has taken on the same Our nominee has also been a creative numerous print articles in the DC promoter of kiting online. In 2003 he be- task year after year after year. She has area, passing on qualities of timeless play, done it with joy and enthusiasm. And in the came publisher of KiteLife.com, the most humor and creative craftsmanship to the popular and prolific internet site for kites. process, she has raised thousands of dollars widest possible audiences. He has been for the Association. In addition to profiling events and fliers, he instrumental in involving Ball State Univer- has also completed the effort to digitize The task I refer to is organizing sity in a film documentary covering several the AKA Bag Raffle. And the volunteer I and post all copies of KiteLines and Stunt kite festivals and many kitefliers. These Kite Quarterly Magazines bringing those nominate is of course, AKA’s own “Ticket are only his most recent activities. Chick,” Marla Miller. historical achieves to a new generation Jon has been a leader, organizing, and of kiters. He has also produced numerous Marla’s contributions are not limited to shepherding both the Maryland Kite Society squeezing money from her friends at con- commercial sites and is webmaster for the Kitemaking Retreats and the Smithsonian Kite Trade Association International. vention. She has passionately represented Kite Festivals for decades. He has worked Region Ten on the Board for many years. He has served on the Boards of both tirelessly, refining and improving kitemak- AKA and KTAI. He has judged at the World She has also helped spread AKA’s ing competitions and judg- message throughout Europe and particu- ing for decades, constantly larly across Great Britain. She and David at or near the center of Gomberg negotiated an opportunity for the kitemaking. AKA to be formally involved in the huge In- Jon exemplifies the quali- ternational Kite Festival in Dieppe, France, ties of Lee Toy memorial- and Marla has organized teams of AKA mem- ized in this award, of bers to attend and staff our pavilion there. teaching, exploration and This year, 20 Americans will join her there. innovation. His abilities to For her ardent service on the Board, inspire others both with his her zealous promotion of the Association, generous and open sharing and her obsessive fundraising efforts, we of kitecraft techniques and nominate Marla Miller for the Bob Ingraham his outreaching friendship, Award. unreserved joy on the kite- field, and playful collegial- Al Sparling Corey Jensen presents the Edeiken ity are the best examples David Gomberg Award to John Barresi. of the spirit of kiteflying Susan Gomberg

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 39 Regional reports golf cart and ATVs. This certainly gives the Drachen Foundation became in- new meaning to zero wind flying. volved with a kite that was believed to As we move into the fall and the be from the mid-1700s, Thom, also a colder weather arrives, the indoor kite recognized kite historian, was invited season goes into full swing. Many of to examine this artifact in the hope its the best indoor flyers are members age could be validated. This kite had of Region One. Flying indoors is an lived beneath an attic floor for over entirely new experience for many and 100 years, and is completely intact and we all can benefit from enlisting public possibly represents the oldest known support and interest. Explaining to kite in existence today. Although the new folks that zero wind flying, with process of validation is ongoing, Thom no fans, is an interactive experience believes the kite’s construction and with the pilot creating the lift for an materials are consistent with the ma- Region 1 ~ New England ultra light kite through physical move- terials and methods of that early time CT-NH-MA-ME-RI-VT-NY ment to music is always an experience. period. Only more scientific examina- Greg Lamoureux Indoor flying is an event the whole tion and establishment of proper origin 293 Nantasket Avenue family can enjoy. Indoor kiting can be will validate this rare gift of kiting done anywhere there is open space. I history. Hull, MA 02045 had an opportunity to fly on board an Last spring the Massachusetts 781/925-3277 aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Abraham Department of Conservation and [email protected] Lincoln CVN 72. We flew an indoor Recreation (DCR) placed a ban on End of term: 2010 Revolution in the hangar bay while the traction kiting at a favorite local north ship was underway! shore area, Nahant Beach. This ban We have had an incredibly busy As most of you know, many of our was imposed due to a misunderstand- summer season throughout Region AKA members have careers that are ing with the Environmental Police. A One. As the fall and the winter months not always kite related. One such request was made by several local approach, we are looking forward to member is Thom Shanken, the Medical traction kiters for support from me a fun filled season of kiting among the Examiner for Seneca County, NY. When After researching the rules and regula- New England foliage, and when the tions, several e-mails, phone calls and snow falls, we can start skiing behind meetings with the DCR, there was an power kites. agreement that the ban should not The fall officially began with a have been imposed and the ban was three week run of events, Cherry Val- rescinded. Going forward, I am work- ley Kite Festival, a bi-annual event in ing with the local traction kiting group NY; our AKA 2008 National Convention to assist the DCR with creating guide- held in Gettysburg, PA, and the Ni- lines and policies. When approved by agara International Kite Festival. Many the DCR these will be a standard for Region One members attended these DCR properties, not only for Nah- early fall events. ant Beach but for all DCR controlled At the convention, Region One beaches statewide. members participated in workshops To ensure your kite event or kite and were successful in achieving activity is publicized, list your event awards for sport kite and kitemaker’s onto the AKA website in the Event competitions. Please check the AKA Calendar. website for results. We asked our Special thanks to thanks to Thom members to create a Region One AKA Shanken, John Martin, Gary Quinton, banner and they did. The banner was Don Tuff, Jackie Maciel and Gary displayed on the kite field at conven- Sharp for their contribution. tion and made it into the AKA 2008 video. Greetings and salutations, kiters! One Sky One World found our Here’s what’s new in Region Two.... region with decent weather. Our flyers Wow! An exciting time was had at participated in events throughout the our annual convention at Gettysburg! area. Wind conditions were variable We had lots of excitement with the and in some cases non-existent. One Keystone Kiters “North versus South” such example, in Lowville, NY, brought rokkaku battles, much new informa- about the launching of two Sutton 450s tion gained through workshops, many with streamer tails from the back of a new kites to be acquired at auctions

40 Kiting | Winter ‘08 tysburg. She took one of PKS’s big banners and had it flying at the fields when she could. She writes “Todd, we wish to congratulate you on being named “Regional Director of the Year” — quite an honor well deserved.” Thanks Joyce! I’ll try to keep up the high standard. Pocono Kite Symphony is trying to keep LVKS Kid’s Kite Building alive in the Lehigh Valley area by doing some kite builds in Bethlehem, PA. They completed a big class on Octo- ber 19. The following weekend they had another build back in the Moun- Region 3 ~ Mid-Atlantic tains. Andy Gelinas, Sylvia Mowrey, Region 2 ~ Northeast DC-DE-MD-VA-WV Joyce Quinn and Jonathan Lubbe set Will Smoot NJ-PA-(lower) NY up a booth to promote kiting and PKS 444 Augusta Farms Rd. Todd Little for the United Way Sidewalk Days in 832 Meadow Lane Stroudsburg, PA. Sunfest in Ocean City, Waynesboro VA 22980 Camp Hill, PA 17011 MD, was attended by PKS members 540/471-4949 717/975-2852 Andy Gelinas, Sylvia Mowrey, Jonathan [email protected] [email protected] Lubbe, Delia Lubbe, John Lubbe and End of term: 2010 End of term: 2010 Electra Lubbe. They arrived on Friday afternoon, but everyone had pretty Region Three was pretty quiet the and raffles, and tons of awards won much torn down the ground displays past few months. Low winds and high through competition (That’s sport due to high winds. Saturday they temperatures kept down the organized kites, fighters, and kitemaking! The braved the winds by putting up a flag activities, along with lots of people home region kicked butt!!) The wind display. Andy and Jonathan flew a “Go taking vacation with their families. was great and the rain held off till Sat- Fly a Kite” flowform and Andy ended WOW put on several small demonstra- urday afternoon. Now to start saving up down the beach a little ways riding tions and festival starting with WIND- for a trip to Rochester, MN. the sand bag. Saturday and Sunday FEST at Canaan, WV, then Random Joyce Quinn of Region Two’s PKS members had a nice time flying House picnic, the Good Luck commu- newest club, Pocono Kite Symphony, during the mass ascension, and attend- nity center Kite Festival during July. attended the AKA Convention in Get- ing the auction. Barbara Birnman sent a photo and

Barry Kurek SJKF has all kinds of activities brief article: “I thought you would en- coming, the really big one being joy the attached photo of some of the Inflatable fun at the New their Annual Holiday Party on De- children who built kites with us in July York Balloon Festival on cember 7. Many, and I mean many at the Children’s Inn at NIH. These Long Island in August. SJKF members walked away from children are so sick and have the BEST the AKA convention with some attitudes — we had so much fun with kind of trophy, but one impressive them.” White Fences Winery held award was Scott Spencer’s award their Grape Stomp in late August with for service to the AKA. It was well the help of WOW members. deserved. Also on the SJKF calen- On September 6 the RAF and dar, and keeping up the tradition, WOW clubs got together to put on a was the the Olan and Bernice regional sport kite competition called Turner International Invitational the RWRSKC – Richmond Washington Open Peanut Butter Cookie Kite Regional Sport Kite Competition. This Fly and Bake Off, which was held event is focused on first time com- on the Boardwalk in Seaside Park, petitors, and every bit of assistance NJ. (This is one where bribes are is given to Novices. We only had one accepted!) Novice, Chris Beasley, but he said Leucio Parrella tells me that he would try again. There were five the “Kites In Motion Club” had a Experienced fliers and four Masters Coney Island Kite Festival. At the fliers. Many of the competitors made time of this writing it was being the decision to move up to new levels planned for October 25- 26 or of competition since this was the first November 8-9. I hope to hear how event in the Southeast conference. it turned out. It would be a great September 13th marked the 3rd year place for an annual event! of the Kids Fly at Coyner Springs park

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 41 cancelled but all af- To start off my first regional re- ternoon there were port, I want to thank all the members demonstrations and who voted and especially those who lots of spectator cast their ballot for me. I hope that interaction. I live up to your expectations and if I Events to can assist you in anyway, please do not watch for this hesitate to contact me. Helping mem- winter and spring bers in the region is job number one include the Mary- for a regional director. As I’m sure all land Kite Society of you can appreciate, I’m still getting Kitemakers retreat my feet wet with regards to the Board held President’s Day and Association business, but from weekend in Fred- what I’ve experienced so far, it seems erick. They plan we have a lively bunch ready to tackle WOW built kites with the kids at Children’s to have four or five the issues facing the organization. Inn at the National Institute of Health. presenters and from One item a regional report should previous reports it convey is what is happening at the near Waynesboro, VA put on by 2 Guys is a great weekend. Tom Butler is try- national level. I am happy to report Flying and the Waynesboro City Parks ing to put together an indoor event in that we are not facing bankruptcy or and Rec Department. Demonstra- the Winchester, VA, area and I will pass anything of the sort, albeit we are tions by Charles (Stoney) and Laura on information as it becomes avail- not in as good shape financially as we Stonestreet appealed to the crowd able. Once March arrives most of us have been in the past. There has been but the most excitement was created start thinking about getting our kites discussion, concern and rumor floating by the bol races using college color out, and Richmond Air Force starts the around regarding our financial state so parachutes. UVA, VT, and a couple of festival season early with a Kids Kite this hopefully will alleviate any fears other schools were cheered on by the Fly at their home field at Dorey ark.P of an impending demise. On a related crowds. October 12th was Sailwinds IV Then the Granddaddy of Festivals subject, our insurance carrier informs and Jeff King said it was a beautiful — Smithsonian Kite Festival is held the us that rates are not increasing for October weekend. Lots of WOWsters last Saturday of March on the Wash- next fiscal year which is good news for were at Cambridge MD and despite low ington Monument grounds. The air is our bottom line. The issue of a return winds managed to keep kites in the air. filled with hundred of kites, the kite of individual liability insurance has not They also supported kids kitemaking builders competition runs for several been broached though long term it is and the kids enjoyed a Moon Bounce. hours and there is usually a contingent an issue for us to consider and pursue. Late September found more than of people from the Orient displaying The logo contest for the 2009 conven- 20 of our region members at the An- and parading their kites in association should be announced in this issue nual Convention in Gettysburg. Some tion with the Cherry Blossom Festival. so exercise your graphic design ability even commuted daily from their This past year there was a group from homes. I would like to mention that China and in recent years the Japanese there were two teams competing kite was represented. in Experienced class this year; both Smithsonian also marks the be- from Region Three, actually both from ginning of National Kite Month. Why RAF. I would also like to mention that don’t you talk to your local library several Region Three members were and schools about putting up a few of quite significant contributors to the your kites for display? Maybe spend an event, including Adrianne Balmer and afternoon showing and telling a group Harold Ames as judges in the Kitemak- about your favorite kites. If you can ers competition, Jim Hodges as the do that then register it as an event for sound contractor and Mike Mosman NKM and possibly win a prize. for creating the slide show which ran The Board is working on plans for throughout the final banquet. Oh, and Convention 2009 in Rochester, MN, Mike built a new cellular design kite across the street from the Mayo Clinic. that won him well-deserved Grand It is not too early to make plans to Champion honors. see someplace new, meet kitefliers Region 4 ~ Southeast Nearby activities included the you may have read about and witness AL-FL-GA-KY-MS-PR-NC-SC-TN 5th Annual Mile High Kite Festival on some very creative aerial art. If you Beech Mountain, NC, over Labor Day have anything kite related, or anything Steve Cseplo weekend and supported by members of else, let me know so I can publicize it. 4365 Canterbury Walk Drive W.A.C.K.O.S. and RAF. OBSKC at Kitty I hope you have a wonderful holiday Duluth, GA 30097 Hawk, NC, was held entirely on Sun- season and look forward to seeing you 678/417-9292 day, October 19th. Saturday was rainy on a kite field somewhere. [email protected] and windy so the competition was End of Term: 2010

42 Kiting | Winter ‘08 and enter. The AKA survey results have Society to celebrate Japanese culture website for details about these and been compiled and should be available and promote good relations. Naturally other events upcoming in the region. on the website by the time you read kites are a part and during the Satur- I trust that about covers it. If I this. The comments section makes day workshop, over 140 Modegi-san have missed anything, please drop me for some interesting reading, with my paper hatas were constructed by par- a line so I can correct the oversight favorite under “how the AKA can be ticipants, instructed and led by SAKE. next time. Remember, if you have improved” being “free beer,” not once From that hotbed of kiting activi- something that you would like covered but twice. ties along the east coast, the Outer in the Regional Report, be it big or Coastal Wind Sports worked with Banks of North Carolina, comes word small, let me hear from you. Till the the Jekyll Island authority to host the of the annual Wright Festival hosted by next time, gentle breezes. first Jekyll Island Buggy Expo (JIBE) Kitty Hawk Kites. The word “awesome” along the Georgia coast over the week- was used to describe it so it must have end of September 26-27. This first edi- been a most excellent time. The turn tion was rather informal, as most kite out was “really good” with Larger festivals are initially, and it attracted Than Life Kites and a plethora of stunt about a dozen buggiests who buggied kite pilots strutting their stuff to wow to their hearts’ content throughout the the crowd. A kids’ kite workshop and weekend. For photos from this year’s stunt kite lessons rounded out the event go to www.coastalwindsports. activities. Kitty Hawk Kites reminds com/JIBE2008Photos.html. Proceeds you to check their website for their raised by the event benefited the Sea upcoming events. Turtle Center on the island which has Which segues nicely into what is the mission to rescue turtles and be an coming up in the region. By the time advocate for sea turtles. Let’s all send you read this, the Outer Banks Stunt kudos out their way for this worthy Kite Competition, the Carolina Kite effort. The organizers are working on Festival and the Cape Fear Kite Fes- plans for an event in May of 2009 so if tival, all in North Carolina, will have riding a buggy is your thing be sure to transpired so look for a report next Region 5 ~ Great Lakes put it on your calendar. Check www. time. Scott Koenig of the Tennessee MI-OH coastalwindsports.com/JIBE2009.html Wind Militia is organizing “Thanksgiv- Dave Bush for more details. ing on the Dunes” at Nags Head, NC, 1523 Lake Avenue Down Florida way, the Sunset so here’s wishing them the best of luck Portage, MI 49002 Fliers held an indoor fly on August 24 with the first edition of this event. 269/357-4032 and had an awesome time with around Longer range, the St. Augustine Sport [email protected] 20 fliers. The event’s highlight was a Kite Classic occurs the last weekend in End of term: 2011 mini kite workshop conducted by Gary January and the Treasure Island Kite Resnick, who instructed and assisted Festival happens the weekend of the the assembled masses in building mini Martin Luther King holiday. Good rea- Hi, for anyone not acquainted with Cody kites. Sounds like the type of sons to get off to Florida and escape me, I am president of my Southwestern event I would have loved to attend. the colder weather. After a successful Michigan kite club, Back 2 the Wind, Up in Georgia, SAKE extended introduction over the Labor Day week- and I fly sport kites at least once a their continuing involvement (some- end, SAKE and Callaway Gardens, GA, week at the club’s local park. I am ac- thing around 15 years) with JapanFest. are progressing nicely with plans for a tive in promoting kiting in my area and The festival is organized by the Consul- much larger kite festival this spring at I work hard to bring in new members. ate of Japan and the Japan American the gardens. Be sure to check the AKA I travel almost every weekend through “kite season” to different events in the region, either competing or demoing at festivals. I am very proud of the Region Five members and the wonderful showing we had at Gettysburg. It would take pages of space to mention everyone in my region that placed or contributed to make Nation- als unforgettable but I must at least mention those who received a 1st place award. In Kitemaking, congratulations on a 1st place finish go to Bill Schumacher (trains and centipedes), Bob Lockhart (rokkaku), Carl Anderson (fighter kite), SAKE at Callaway Gardens Cheryl Kear (soft and flexible) and Jon

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 43 place award for Experienced Individual Cheryl Kear’s winning foil. Precision. (It is hanging proudly on my living room wall.) Going to Gettysburg was the highlight of my kiting season. Sadly, cold weather is here but at least we’ll have memories of many excellent competitions and fun festivals from the spring and summer to keep us warm. Isn’t that right, Mr. McGuire? Black Swamp Air Force had an excellent turnout at their annual “Halloweenie” event in October. The weekend was perfect for campfires and the club volunteers made 130 kites in the hour-long kite workshop. The highlight of the weekend was Dean Proudfoot walking around through the crowds in a Freddy the Frog costume. I would have loved to have seen that! (Terry, thank you for the great info Rick Agar Rick from BSAF.) Trennepohl (bowed); Jon also received Jeremy Terpening and Ronda Brewer Please send me an e-mail or give the highest score for visual appeal, won the team rokkaku battle. In the me a call if any of the Region’s clubs and Carl received the highest score in Sport Kite category, congratulations go are planning a kite gathering. If I can, flight. In the Fighter Kite category, 1st to The Blues Brothers, Steve Roth- I’ll be there. Until then have a peace- place awards went to Carl Anderson well and Spencer Schubbe on their 1st ful holiday and may you all get kites in (Experienced Skills) and Team Bandana place in Experienced Pairs Dual-Line your stockings. Bunch consisting of Carl Anderson, Precision. And I myself took home a 1st

The summer and fall have been make a great region even better. Now, attended, enjoying clear skies and a whirlwind of activity around Region to continue that pattern. a light breeze in ideal flying condi- Six. Thanks to all who voted in the AKA Congratulations to all the winners tions. Festival festivities included election, or sent me a note after- in the various competitions during the team kiting demonstrations, kids candy wards, your support is much appreci- Gettysburg convention. Every one of drop, daily fun drop with goodies for ated. Bob Rymaszewski did a great job them is worthy of more attention, but the whole family, kite raffle, bounce over the last three years working to you can read their names elsewhere in house, kite vendors and concessions. this issue. The ones that really de- The Perry Farm Kite Festival is an AKA- serve to be honored with our heartfelt sanctioned Midwest Conference sport thanks are the Region Six volunteers kite competition with events for Nov- that made the fun possible. Apolo- ice, Experienced and Masters classes. gies if anyone gets left out. Those Ann Vondriska, who has been a part of volunteers included Sis and Dick Vogel the Perry Farm Kite Festival since its who organized the workshops and ran inception served as chief judge of the Member’s Choice; Alan Sparling with competition. the mass ascensions; Paul Fieber in the The following weekend found some art kite gallery and judging the min- of the same flyers at the Minnesota iature kite challenge; Charlie Sotich Kite Society annual festival of Flying judging the miniature kite challenge; Colors. Despite light winds Larry Day, and on the sport kite field judging, Mark Brandt, and Alex Meyer managed being field director and more we had: to fly some mid- to large-size kites. Eric Wolfe, Elizabeth Gordon, Dan Over in the sport kite field, Kathy Region 6 ~ Midwest Newman, Joshua Gordon, Dan Brin- Brinnehl and Paul Koepke wowed the IA-IL-IN-MN-WI nehl, Russ Faulk, Paul Koepke, Kathy crowd with ballet routines. Barbara Meyer Brinnehl, and Mike Kory. Thanks to all Labor Day weekend again found 10361 108th Place of them for multiple jobs well done! a large contingent of Midwest flyers Osseo, MN 55369 Most weekends found a festival converging on Two Rivers, WI, for the rd 763/424-2571 somewhere across the region, of- 3 annual Kites Over Lake Michigan. tentimes two on the same day. In [email protected] This festival gets better every year. August, the 8th Annual Perry Farm fly Chow Chong of Unique Flying Objects End of term: 20011 and competition was held. Thousands organizes the event with lots of help

44 Kiting | Winter ‘08 This event Many thanks to all of you for voting is sponsored for me for another three years, I am by the Kite looking forward to some new events Society of and new places to fly in the coming Wisconsin years, along with the old ones. The and Illinois, members in Region Seven make this and the Gift job worthwhile. of Wings. Con- The Board of Directors has been gratulations working very hard with the business on organizing of the AKA. It has been a difficult year 30 years of and it’s not going to get any easier. If fun! you have any ideas on how to increase For membership or raise funds, please Some Region Five and Six kiters in Gettysburg. One Sky One forward them to me and I’ll get them World, the to the right committee. from community groups. Estimated at- Minnesota The 18th Annual Kite Fest at Cal- tendance for the two days was 25,000. Kite Society offered free kites to kids. laway, NE, was held on Labor Day At times there seemed to be more What a joy to see those happy faces as weekend. It was quite a blowout. The Ann Vondriska cameras than kites! The beaches are they played in the wind! Paul Fieber winds started off on Friday night at 15 wide and well groomed. The winds and Ray Blum in Fitchburg, WI, orga- mph and never let up for the entire were perfect coming in over the lake. nized a day of kite flying, a workshop weekend. Saturday morning we started Saturday saw four octopuses flying, and invited everyone to picnic in the out with some large kites and after along with other large kites. The park. They attracted hundreds and the a few hours the wind had increased Wisconsin Kiters turned out in force. Madison paper gave them some nice to 25 mph. Needless to say, it really There wasn’t space in the sky for an- photos and coverage. tore everything up. The winds were so other kite. The banner display of Jeff Even though the weather has strong on Sunday that we didn’t even Hale hugged the water’s edge for a dis- turned a bit chillier, the flying and fun try to fly anything. The candy drops tance, Mike Delfar’s windmill banners doesn’t stop. New Year’s Day will find were held by throwing the candy in continued down the beach, finally the the members of the Minnesota Kite the air and watching it blow downwind row was capped off with banners from Society enjoying their traditional fly 50’. The kids didn’t care as long as the Illinois Kite Enthusiasts. The 180Go and pot luck. Over in Milwaukee at they got their candy. Sunday afternoon team entertained the crowd with quad Veteran’s Park, the Kite Society of Wis- we took a trip down to Lexington, NE, line routines. Several other teams, consin and Illinois will be celebrating to Johnson’s Lake. We watched Sean pairs, and individuals kept the demo with the Cool Fool’s Fly. January 10 Beaver, from the KCKC, put on a kite field full and the passersby in awe. finds us flying kites in downtown Min- surfing show. He entertained a small Sunday was a repeat although with neapolis, on Lake Harriet. That’s the group. It was a heck of a show, but slightly gusty winds. This is a must advantage of frozen flying fields, you it didn’t last long because of the 40+ event for next year. get some spectacular views and open mph winds. It was still a good time. On On the following weekend, several fields to fly on. Later in January, the of us made the trip to Jackson, MN, for Wisconsin Kiters will hold their annual the Prairie Winds kite fly organized by holiday party. The next weekend is the Chrystal Dunker and the Ecology bus. traditional Frosty Fingers fly on Lake The airport closes at noon, and the Como in St Paul. kites take over. Don and Betty Murphy For the most fun of all, be sure to came in from Omaha. Mike Gee from come to Clear Lake, IA, on February Jamestown, ND, Mark Brandt of Clear 21. This event, organized by Larry and Lake, IA, Brad Klages from the Minne- Kay Day, has become the the larg- apolis area all were flying. Tom Cross est winter kite festival in the upper set up his kiting memorabilia display Midwest. Professional kite fliers from inside a hangar. The “old-timers” all over the Midwest get together to enjoyed seeing the paper kites and add dashes of color and fabric to this wooden reels of yesteryear. community’s winter scene. See www. After being rained out in Septem- colorthewind.org The lake is the fly- Region 7 ~ Great Plains ber, the DeKalb festival was held in ing field, you can drive right out onto CO-KS-MO-ND-NE-SD-UT-WY plowed pathways. Style isn’t impor- October. Again, some rain in the morn- Donald Murphy ing, but then the sky cleared and filled tant, just wear your boots. 9104 Charles Street with kites. Thanks to Christine Over- That’s all for now. Keep me man for organizing this event for the informed so your events can be pub- Omaha, NE 68114 second year. licized to the entire region. Time to 402/391-8503 The 30th annual Frank Mots kite fly.... [email protected] festival was held on September 13-14. End of term: 2011

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 45 flowers come in all colors so anything est appreciation to Rick Hawkins for is acceptable just so that the base stepping back up to manage National color is green) Kite Month! He’s done an INCREDIBLE Time Line: Discussion and brain- job with not only managing, but also storming from now until Christmas expanding NKM in the past; and it’s an time. Build and refine ideas until next enormous relief to know that Rick will July 4. Finalize ideas and finish assem- be “at the helm” once again for this bly until convention. Calloway falls important project! He makes us all at a nice time (next Labor Day) and is look good! a great location to start gathering the KItes, kites, kites... you’d think components so if we stay on our toes, that was what the AKA convention was I’d propose we try a dry run next Labor all about, wouldn’t you? Well, as I sat Day at Callaway. That will give us a in the lobby of the host hotel enjoying month to make adjustments or addi- conversation with other kiters from tions that potentially get overlooked. around the country at some ridiculous I’m sure there is much more news middle-of-the-night hour, I heard the out there from the region, so please voice in my head asking, “What are remember to send me your articles, you doing shooting the breeze with and I will do my best to get them in these folks at THIS hour? You have Bob Matteo’s crossdeck the next issue. Have a warm fall and things to DO in the morning!” Then I took 2nd in Gettysburg. winter! Enjoy the sky. realized, once again, that it wasn’t Sunday night, Connie May was honored at all about the kites. The kites are with a special award from the City Of the vehicle, but THIS is what it’s all Callaway, for all of her hard work over about! The wonderful people! There the past several years promoting the was nowhere else that I would rather Kite Fly. It was great seeing Connie have been than in that hotel lobby, and to congratulate her for her long with those wonderful people, enjoying and great commitment to the kite fes- their all-too-rare company! The kites tival. It was a happy night with some are, of course, wonderful; but it’s the tears from us kiters. people, the friends, who make it spe- The following weekend we made cial! Realizing that fact, I settled back the trip to Jackson, MN. Chrystal and enjoyed the ride! Amazingly, I was Dunker puts on an event for the Prairie energized the next day; not at all tired Ecology Bus Center at the Jackson from the lack of sleep! Lots of energy airport. This is a great place to fly — good energy! Yippee kiyay! with great wind. Several AKA members Both Richard Dermer and Patrick made the trip this year to help support Gibble sent me a report of this event their cause. It was a beautiful day and (many thanks!)! The Tulsa Oklahoma nd the crowd was very pleased. Air and Space Museum’s 2 Annual Kite th The national convention was held Region 8 ~ South Central Fest on October 11 was a huge suc- at Gettysburg this year. It turned out AR-LA-NM-OK-TX cess! With a great flying field, perfect to be a smaller group than planned. Gayle Woodul weather and wind, and super public- One member from Region Seven came 106 Main Street ity, the event drew several thousand away with some awards. Bob Matteo Marble Falls, TX 78654 people who had a wonderful time. It rd was like a three ring circus! On a long from Steamboat Springs, CO, took 3 830/598-2414 rd rectangular field with the 10-12 mph place in Cellular, 3 place in Soft Kites [email protected] and 2nd in overall Novice Kitemaker wind blowing lengthwise, the kids kite End of term: 2011 comps. making tent was swamped all day at Next year the National Convention the downwind end. Over 450 plas- is being held in Rochester, MN. This The AKA elections were tallied at tic sleds were made, decorated, and location should be great for region the convention and the results became flown in a four-hour period! Overall at- attendance. I’m looking forward to final a week after the announcement tendance appeared to be around 1200! seeing you there. Randy Fox from at the Annual Business Meeting. I thank It was great; much bigger and bet- Papillion, NE, is working on putting you for the honor of continuing to ter than many expected! The Air and together a cooperative project in the act as your representative to the AKA Space Museum got some great press Sky Display category. Here are some of Board and overseeing Region Eight for and the field was packed! The sky the details and you can contact Randy another term. As you may know, the was full of color! In the middle of the for more information: past year has been difficult. Hopefully, field, Texan Walt Mitchell ran a mobile Category: Sky Display the association will get “buttoned kite store underneath lots of big kites Theme: Flower garden down” and we can get back on the flown by AKA members Park Fleming, Color: Green (but of course, right track! Additionally, my deep- Patrick Gibble, Cat Gabrel, the Derm-

46 Kiting | Winter ‘08 do to get things set up and Nice this year to have my son join “photo-ready”! Thanks to my us as a competitor in the Northwest new friends, Diane, Brandon, Sport Kite competition there. High- Bailey, Scott, Frank, Jennie, lights of the week included Revolution Winston, and others too numer- mega flies, fantastic displays of single ous to mention! In addition to line kites, and of course the annual great time and a tremendous torrential rains. This year Sunday show, this event raised a record morning brought us 27 mph winds on amount of money for “Kids In the ground, along with heavy rains, Deontae Boswell Crisis” in the DFW area! One enough to make your blue jeans weigh gives some dual- more special thanks to Karen 50 pounds and a bit difficult to walk in. line instruction and Barry Ogletree for the at Granbury. Friday night meal and to Stef Oregon meets the end of and Roger Gaines of Family Fun the world: Susan and David ers, and several others. At the upwind Kites for the Saturday evening Gomberg at the bottom of end of the field, Larry Stiles and the dinner! Africa. members of the Tulsa Windriders gave As some of you know, my ISP has continuous exhibitions of buggying, been an absolute nightmare since I quad flying, and fighter kites. For a returned from convention. Hurricane second- time festival, it was a real Ike did a number on my server! I tried dandy! It’s hard to beat perfect wind to be understanding, but I finally gave and temperature and a great flying up and switched to another provider. site only a block or two downwind of a My AKA address has been adjusted and major expressway! will come to me correctly, but please I missed Tulsa because I attended change my personal e-mail address to the 3rd Annual Kites Over Granbury [email protected] in your address event, which was south of Fort Worth. books. Barry and Karen Ogletree flew not only As always, keep looking up! their big kites, but also my octopus; plus Rick Hawkins added my fugus to It has been a whirlwind of a fall his ground inflatables! I can’t thank here in Region Nine. Attending the these folks enough, because it freed Washington State International Kite I had the pleasure of traveling to me up to do more elsewhere on the Festival in Long Beach, Washington is the Santa Cruz Kite Festival which was field! Troy Gunn kept the crowd enter- always a highlight for me. a benefit for Children’s Hospice and tained with his two dual lines; Steve Palliative Care Coalition. The festival Edley, Scott, and Brent kept buggies on was organized and run by Tracy and the field; George Weber, Karen Wil- Jeff Erzin, along with a great group of bert, and Larry Whitacre had a con- people from the Bay Area Sport Kite tinuous single line show going; Michael League. It was a very moving event and Deontae Boswell, Dallas Oliver, to be at and I look forward to the next Larry and Karen, plus many others had year’s third annual festival there. dual line performances covered; Derek On to Seaside, OR, for the North- Sutherland had foils continuously cook- west Sport Kite League event which ing; and everyone mixed and matched was included as a part of the Waves up for combinations of all of the and Wheels Classic Car Show. We had above! How everyone managed to get great winds and weather and the peo- it all together to also do continuous ple were out enjoying both the kites candy drops was amazing! In addition, and the cars. Of course any demos everyone was also out on the family that were done had classic car songs to flying field teaching new folks how to carry on the theme. fly! Melissa Sutherland did a phenom- A much anticipated trip to Get- enal job as M/C for the weekend; she tysburg brought a lot of surprises. I was wonderful! The Ploofs even made Region 9 ~ Intermountain am sure most of you have heard about a special stop on their way back from ID-MT-OR the 600 dogs that were in the hotel for their annual breed show. Have you Iowa! It made for a wonderful week- Amy “Mousie” Doran end of kiting for both the kiters and heard that some of these four legged 1680 NE Cackler Lane the spectators! Once more, let me say participants had their own rooms??? that these folks blow my socks off with Bend, OR 97701 Sure enough, Mr. Sir Can Nine had a their dedication and initiative! As soon 541/480-1579 double queen room down the hall. My as my van pulled in, I was swarmed [email protected] kites had their own “kite bed”, but if with folks asking what they could End of Term: 2009 it ever gets to the point where they

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 47 need their own room, I had better get Each morning there is a briefing band Ron. Seeing sights for two days some serious help! by the organizers and the day of fun at our nation’s capitol then continuing There are some serious budget begins. Bernard Fourniere, our French on to the AKA convention in Gettys- issues in the AKA. Membership fees AKA member, was our interpreter for burg. What a treat to travel in a part are going up $5 a year to try to clear the entire 10 days. What a great help, of our country that I have never seen up the deficit. My feeling with this is he had worked hard to help us for the before. Seeing the battlefields and that some serious changes need to be past six months of planning. Every the monuments kept me in awe of the made, and some clearer information morning he would have the marquee devastation during the Civil War. needs to be made public to the gen- open and the banners out and worked We shared convention with some 600+ eral membership. I believe it is im- all day with us for the entire event. Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs along with a portant for the general membership to Great warm weather, except for two few other interesting highlights. Run- be more involved in what is happen- days of rain, and during those days ning the bag raffle and chatting with ing. Our President has opened his door people still came to the festival and great friends left me with fond memo- to your concerns and thoughts, and would continue to come into the mar- ries of convention once again. I highly recommend that you e-mail quee. We each brought items to hand Of course, being presented with him directly. The Board of Directors out to the crowd, Kiting magazine for the Robert Ingraham Award was not is here to facilitate for our regional people to look at and read. Several in just a highlight of the convention for members. We alone cannot fix all the our group spoke French and were quite me, but a very humbling experience in issues. It will take some serious efforts good at it. my life. I could not figure out whom on everyone’s part, including you. There were 38 invited countries Ted Manekin was talking about when This is your Association, your kiting represented. What a special treat making the announcement. I know family, your passion. It is time to get to meet new kite flying friends and that I was tired but they sure “got me involved and be concerned. greet old friends that I only see at this good.” What an honor. I would like to give a special festival. Seeing new kite creations and Saying goodbye to friends is always thanks to all the hard work and time to be exposed to traditions from other the tough part, but finally returning our volunteers, coordinators, chief countries. This festival should be put home after a month was good. Doing judges and committee members put on your wish list to attend. I highly something for kiting everyday for a into making Gettysburg a success. I recommend it. month is a good month. appreciate you all. Back to England for a few days to Upcoming events here in Region Safe flying, and good health to all. visit with friends and on to Washington, Ten are the WKA and PCKA Christmas DC, where Janet and David Robinson, dinner and indoor fly. I hope this made Hey, what happened to Septem- Arthur Dibble from the White Horse it to you before the event. ber, let alone October and November? Kite Flyers and myself met up with hus- Fort Worden Kite Makers Confer- So I don’t forget, wishing you “Happi- ence, March 27-29, once again a great ness for your Holidays.” Sounds weird selection of teachers. From Region saying that as Ron and I are driving to Ten we have Kathy Goodwind, Jeanne the ocean for the Windriders Fun Fly Mock, Greg Kono, Ken Conrad, Mark and potluck. The weather is fantastic Engbaum and Dan Schwenk. Interna- for October, 60° and sunshine. tional guest include Rainer Hoffman Returning from a week at WSIKF at from Germany, Nobuhiko Yoshizumi Long Beach, Washington and coor- from Japan, Karl Longbottom for Eng- dinating a large wedding (my job), land, Paul Horner, John Freeman and I packed and flew off to Dieppe, Nigel Spaxman from Canada. Oh heck, France, via England. Karl and Sarah why don’t you just check out the web Longbottom picked me up late (that’s site www.kitemakers.org and you can another story) and raced to catch the see all the other great teachers that ferry at New Haven and off to France. will be there. Yes, I will be running the Rough seas made for an interesting raffle and I have heard there will be crossing, but we arrived in Dieppe at some great items once again. 6 am. All was well, except for no sleep Now we are to National Kite month to start the first day of the festival. in April. Starting planning an event Showered and had breakfast with all now and get it registered on the AKA 14 people who came to be part of calendar. Always check the calendar the AKA marquee. Cliff Quinn, John Region 10 ~ Northwest for events and if you’re having an and Diana Pollock, Bev Dockrill, Gary AK - WA event, get it listed. Goodenough, Ben Dantonio, David Marla Miller Have the best of holidays and will Gomberg, Jean Gore, Miriam Schafler, 5440 N. 49th Street be looking forward to flying with you in John and Heather Thomas, Cari and the New Year. Tacoma, WA 98407 Sam and Alexa King were all there. At one point I had wondered if anyone 253/752-7051 would be there to help me. [email protected]

48 Kiting | Autumn ‘08 Experienced Line Touch, 5th in Experi- Oregon brought her little tramp to enced Skills. share with the audience. Team AirZone Chuck Sigal has rejoined the BASKL closed out the wonderful day. We hope board after a hiatus of several years. to be back next year. Welcome back, Chuck. The first BASKL NCKC held their fall campout at event of the year is an Indoor Fly in Brannon Island, October 24-26. While February 21, 2009. Check www.baskl. the wind gods were not kind, there org as we get closer to the month for was enough collective gumption among all the details about when and where. the 15 participants to get some kite If you haven’t tried flying indoors, we flying time within the campground. encourage you to come out and learn. Susan Skinner conducted an indoor kite BASKL fliers are happy to help get making seminar in the Skinner’s porta- you started. The outdoor competitive ble hotel room. The Annual Christmas events will start up in March. Party is scheduled for December 15th. BASKL’s second annual Santa Cruz It’s rumored there may be an auction. Kite Festival benefiting Children’s It’s not too soon to start planning Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition for National Kite Month in April. Con- featured kitefliers from Northern and sider holding a casual fun-fly at your Region 11 ~ N. California Southern California, Nevada, Oregon local park. Ask your parks and recre- Northern CA-NV and Washington State. The Berkeley ation department to put an announce- John Gillespie Kite Wranglers, Brian Champie, Bryan ment in their spring flier. Let’s get 577 Magnolia Avenue Blattel and others filled the skies with more people outside and flying kites. large inflatables. Francisco Navarro See you on the field... Larkspur, CA 94939 provided eight bols for the popular 415/927-7430 bol races. Arnold Stellema and Nathan [email protected] Sendan’s rokkaku battles were fun End of Term: 2009 to watch, but because of the close proximity of the Santa Cruz boardwalk, The Region Eleven contingent at they had to restrict the competition the convention was small but spirited to tipping-only. Team Too Much Fun this year. Team AirZone placed first in and Team Airzone performed through- Masters Team Precision, and second in out the day. We even saw Santa Cruz Masters Team Ballet. Aaron Champie Mayor Ryan Coonerty try his hand at placed 2nd in Fighter Kite Experienced team flying. Penny Lingenfelter from Line Touch, 6th in Masters Individual Washington continues to delight the Dual-Line Ballet, 4th in Masters Indi- crowds with her costumes, light-wind vidual Dual-Line Precision. Sharon Revolution flying, and skits that involve Champie placed 3rd in Fighter Kite lots of kids and kites. Amy Doran from

Region 12 ~ Southwest Southern CA-AZ-HI Ben Dantonio 10793 Jamacha Blvd #5 Spring Valley CA 91978 619/750-8770 [email protected] End of Term: 2009 Hello everyone. As I try to catch my breath I thought I should write my report a bit early before I go to the road again. As most of you know we at Revolution had a birthday and the party was in the UK at Portsmouth and David Hoggan and John Khan do Bristol. What a great time was had by some wrangling in Santa Cruz. all that could attend. Then to top it all

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 49 just kitefliers, they have something for everyone and really know how to have a good time. There are lots of people that I should thank for the five weeks I spent in the UK and France but there’s not even close to enough room in this report so I will just say a group thank you to all the fliers who were there, and a big thank you to Joe Hadzicki and his family for coming with me and helping to make this a trip of a lifetime. From there it was off to convention where we had some wind and lots of friends. This convention had its moments but it also let us all get together to work things out. I feel sure that with all the great people we have working as a group that the AKA will outlast many of us. Also a special Jim Foster added his kite to a September 11 congratulations to John Barresi for get- memorial at Pepperdine University. ting the Edeiken Award. Thanks to him and iQuad for all their hard work at off Revolution turned 20 at the same a lot of other fliers thrown in for good growing this sport. time that the Decorators had their measure. The count was between 40 From there I was off to Niagara to 20th birthday, and with the help of a and 50 kites with lots of teams doing play with Meg Albers. I’d like to thank lot of great fliers we put together a demos day after day. her for all she does and for making this huge quad party. The idea was to put From England I went to Dieppe a fun event, wind or no wind. If you all the major Revolution team fliers by way of a small flying vacation in have not been there this is an interna- together for a huge fly, and I have to Paris. Dieppe was good and there I got tional event and the talent that Meg tell you between Felix Motron of the a taste of some really good dual line brings in is just amazing. I can tell you Decorators with the grid set up and fliers. The team that comes to mind that for me this is a don’t miss event. Simon of the Flying Squad doing most was the Scratch Bunnies, and these So as I take a big breath I will of the calls this was not a normal mega guys were really good and showed leave this one out there, this is your fly by any means. This was shapes, 20 this old man how it’s done. I want all AKA and can only exist if we ALL put in written in the sky, grid work, and more of you to know if you’ve never been the time and the patience to make it than I was expecting. I’m here to tell to Dieppe you are missing the biggest exist. So fly a kite and then hand it off you this was the very best of the best event I’ve ever been to. It’s not for because the whole world loves to fly. showing the world how it’s done with

Region Thirteen… be proud of your- workshop on how widespread we are Wesson Wu, Jim Martin, Giacomo selves. What talent. At Convention internationally, and attendees left Borghi, and Neil Taylor are a few who we learned more about our world and with a souvenir AND some interest- uploaded their photos. Many thanks. the kiters within it. I presented a ing kite history from Region Thirteen, FRANCE - Proudly featured at AKA including names like 2008 Awards when Bernard Fournière Flamenco dancers by Lawrence Hargrave, Alex- was named the President’s choice for Canada’s Christine McGee ander Graham Bell, Martin AKA Volunteer of the Year! Félicita- and Daniel Remillard. Lester, Ray Merry…! tions! BELGIUM -, Thanks ARGENTINA – Struck gold in Gettys- to Frank Louwers who burg! Claris Luis Skoczdopole WON the explained this challenge miniature kite challenge convincingly by Serafien to upload 5000 with his flying witch kite, making other kite images here http:// contestants envious. One of Claris’ cat foto.zita.be/0813364244 minis now sits on my computer… thank to promote palliative care you! Friendships forged at Convention for children with cancer. = priceless. Serafien’s logo uses a kite, INDIA - Coimbatore region’s Shya- a link between earth and mala Jay Shankar is looking to add some heaven. All we need do new AKA members so they can start was send photos! Doug kite activities for December or Janu- Battaglia, Phil Broder, ary. E-mail me and I’ll introduce you.

50 Kiting | Winter ‘08 B&B Kitemaking Retreat in Coaldale, At the Cape Alberta. Got enough room for all of us Town Interna- in 2009? tional Kite Fes- George Paisiovich has a new ad- tival, a South dition to his kite museum, and he’s Africa flier made it a quiz. Keen to guess? E- makes an un- mail me and I’ll send you the image. witting political Christine McGee and Daniel Remillard’s statement. stunning red kite designs featured at the Montreal F1 Grand Prix. TAIWAN - A typhoon in September shut the Taipei Kite Festival down fast. Kevin Sanders and Godfrey and Karen Gamble (Team Australia) were hotel-bound while the typhoon raged outside. It bent light poles and threw electricity cables around, but everyone still had fun. Elsewhere, Steven Kuan’s son (6 years) showed his muscle Region 13 ~ International holding a train of penguin kites at Ji- nan University’s Kite Festival. Linda Sanders AUSTRALIA – Phil McConnachie’s P. O. Box 758 Neptune, Mermaid, Orca, Shark, and Willunga SA 5172 AUSTRALIA Porpoise inflatable kites now live in (+61) 885-562696 Texas. Maybe they needed a vaca- [email protected] tion!! From Tasmania, Rob Brasington winds, crazy people. End of Term: 2009 mused on kite events, “What I really DENMARK – Late news: Fanø is like is getting up in the morning and fast becoming a breeding ground for CANADA - Honourably represented doing it all again.” But not Grant Cow- historic replica kites and flyers. Old in Gettysburg by Steve de Rooy and ie, Queensland, whose broken ankle kiters never die, they…. David Hathaway (competed individu- was NOT from kite flying. Should have LITHUANIA - This country’s first ally, and with 1st place winners, Furi- flown kites instead of mowing grass…? International Kite Festival was held 27 ous George). Earlier in July, Sharon GERMANY - Holm Struck told of an September, arranged by Jurgis Pauliu- Musto, Ray Bethell (his 17th year), John October festival in Bebra-Iba, north- kas. In 2009 he plans to make it over Pollock and Don Guick were invited fly- east from Frankfurt, with beautiful three days. Grab your passports! ers at Wind Pincher Creek Kite Festi- sunsets, morning fogs, and all-day UK - Long-time no-see in competi- val, which was followed by the Guick kites in all directions at once! Crazy tion, Carl Robertshaw is back! After The Kuans fly flightless birds in Taiwan. eleven years away, he showed a new generation some “old school” flying at Eurocup. Another band of Brits invaded Gettysburg including David and Janet Robinson, Doug Jones and Arthur Dibble and the Ted Berets (who jumped for their lives in Arthur’s para- chuting teddies workshop). Not quite a tea party, but a lot of tea was drunk that week. In October, One Sky One World (held worldwide annually) saw the White Horse Kite Fliers in typical weather, translated as the “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.” Read more at www.oneskyoneworld.org. Andrew Beattie filed his report: “Qatar is hot, fly at night”. The full story in stunning pictures here www. tug.com/blog/20081005_Qatar/ Finally for sport kite lovers, this is highly recommended by many: http:// sportkiteflyer.spaces.live.com/ Until next time, less talk… more fly!

Winter ‘08 | Kiting 51 And Finally, A Few Words From Your Editor... A little over two years ago, my friend and Kiting editor Mike Gillard died sud- denly, and shortly thereafter I took over the editorial reins. It’s a rare day, working on this magazine, when I don’t ask myself, what would Mike do? And this issue, I think that Mike would posely chosen to leave those events out of this magazine, want to say a few words. because in the bigger picture, they don’t matter. What I As you’ve read elsewhere in this issue, I recently re- spent on one kite at the auction could buy a township fam- turned from my first trip to Africa. Not only was it a terrific ily in South Africa a new shanty to live in. The membership vacation, it was an all-around eye-opening experience. dues are increasing by $5, but so what? Five dollars is a cup For a few hours, our group flew with children from a Cape of Starbucks coffee in America, or a good day’s wages in Af- Mental Health daycare center in Kyalitsha Township. South rica. If the friendships you’ve made among kitefliers in the African townships are unthinkable slums, places that make AKA aren’t worth $5 to you, then you might want to consid- Harlem and Compton look upscale, and these children are er a new hobby. We may have different opinions on where stricken with physical and mental disabilities that make life to find the best wind, or how many lines are the proper almost impossible. I could say that I had nothing in common number, or how to run the entire organization. That’s okay. with these children, but you wouldn’t have to look hard Regardless of our differences, with a kite in our hand we’re to see that I was wrong. We had smiles in common. For a all the same. couple hours, we flew kites and smiled together. I don’t I’ve also realized that there are a lot of thank yous to speak Xhosa, they don’t speak English, and it didn’t really be said. Bunches were said at the convention, but I’d like matter. to add a few more. For everyone who has written an article Let’s be straight, by now you’ve heard stories about or taken a photo for Kiting, thank you, because this maga- some of the less-friendly goings-on in Gettysburg. The AKA zine doesn’t exist without you. For all the regional directors faces some serious challenges, and many of us have been who tolerate my nagging and get their reports in on time, unable to disagree without being disagreeable. I’ve pur- keep up the good work. And there are a lot of people who contribute but never get their name into the magazine. Flying in Khayalitsha Township, South Africa. “K-Files” comes courtesy of Ron Gibian. “Voices From The Vault” is a joint effort of Patti Gibbons and the World Kite Museum. Sharon Champie, Jim Barber, and Russ Faulk have been guiding the “Fightin’ Words” and “Sporting Life” col- umns. “KAPtions” is currently under the guidance of David Wheeler. Maggie Vohs kicks in your convention news. Mel Hickman handles all sorts of Kiting business. And my dog is very patient, curled up and snoring behind me while I spend hours at the computer. I’ve no doubt missed someone, but believe me, it’s a cast of thousands who create this magazine. The recent membership survey tells me that you enjoy the magazine, but that you also want more from it. Thanks, and changes are coming. Since 52 pages often aren’t enough, you can now find even more articles and photos at www.aka.kite.org/kiting+. As much as possible, I’m trying to cover a bit of everything. And look for theme issues; the spring issue will be heavy on fighters and rokkakus. Beginning with this issue we’ve switched to a new printing company, which should save us a couple thousand dollars each year. If there’s anything else you want to see, I’m all ears. My phone number and e-mail address are on page 2, so please contact me at your convenience. I’m two years into this job, and if you’ll have me, I’d like to stay on for a while more. Because there are more smiles I’d like to share with new kite friends. Veni, vedi, volavi....

Phil Broder, Editor

52 Kiting | Winter ‘08 Cape Fear Kite Festival Cape Fear, North Carolina November 1-2, 2008 photos by Hunter Brown