Kiting Magazine Vol 14 No 4
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VOl. 14, NO.4 :tn� JULY 1992 I II I � , Lubbock To Light Up The Sky Gary is the by Gary King Chairmanof the 15th Annual he convention is only three short months away - hard to over the city of Lubbock. During a twoweek period, the Convention. T believe,it seemsI just returned fromJacksonville. ci tlzens of Lubbock searchedthe skiesfor these bizarre However, I think we are going to blow your socksoff in lights. Dozensof Lubbockcitizens witnessedsoft,bluish Lubbockthis fal\! lights zipping from one horizon to another. An AirForce Investigation, "ProjectBlue Book," found that the sightings Dust off your cowboy bootsand hats - the Lubbockites of the wing· shaped objects and photographsthat had been Club has many activities planned for your entertainment taken were not fake! Forty-one years later, with your and enjoymentduring this year's convention,but participation, we'll recreatethe event with the "Lubbock there are a couple I would like to Lights" Memorial U.F.o. Night Kite Fly! emphasize. On Wednesday, September30, we will host an old· Many more activities are planned for your pleasure and fashionedbarbecue at the V·8 amusement, but we don't want to give away toomuch too Ranch. It wlll include hay early. I would like to quote a few statistics for you to rides,horse shoe games, a contemplate. Our slngle·line open flying fieldis 800,000 country·western band and the square feet in size. Six other fields are designatedas stunt United tates4th HorseCavalry kite practice fields. Four additional fields will be usedfor Riding Exhibition. stunt kite competition. Thesefields are all3.50 feet x 5.50 feet in size! The fighter kite competition field will consist OnThursday, October1, there will be a of four full·slze baseball diamonds. All competition fields specialcommemorative night fly. In offer bleacher seating for spectators. The public flying area August and Septemberof1951, there was a will be designatedon yet another field. And, all these fields series of night slghtings - strange lights were are locatedat the Burl Huffman Soccer Complex! reportedflying randomly and In UY"formations Continuedon page 7. The "field". Kiting 2 Earlier this month, I wrote to each of our 63 affiliated A is occasionally AK clubs and asked them to nominate up to three criticized for not being more outstanding volunteers for special recognition. That's just 'involved in kiting at the the start We're planning for this to become an annual locallevel. That's why I program and to be doing much more for you people who wanted to spendsome time give somuch of your time and talent. in this column to review just how much the Convention Registration: Speaking of people who AssOCiationIs doing to wonder what happened, the AKA's annual gathering Is support and actively fast approaching and I want everyone to be aware that promote local events and waiting to register wlll cost you more money. kite education In: generaL The reason is simple. Registering people on site and To begin with, we sanction verifying if their membership takes time and makesthe over 150flys each year. check·In lines longer. It's also a real headache for the Sanctioning is kind of the convention organizersto plan for the number of meals AKA "stamp of approval". It needed if they don't know how many of you are coming. signifiesthat even ts are Soget those forms In early! With the money you save, you organized safely and that can buy a few extra convention pins. [See reg.form Inside.) our members are Involved Sanctioned events are also Power Flying Update: The AKA supports all kinds of covered by the Association kiting and encourages experimentation. We recognize Insurance policy. Without that historically, kites have been usedfor researchmore an insurance endorsement, than for recreation, and that much of this research has many of these events involved lifting and traction. Dave Gomberg takes a wouldn't be able to get permits to operate. At the same time, we are seriously concerned about stuntkite lesson from safety. In the last year, there has been at least one serious Dr. Paul Garber at AKA also produces materials and manuals on how to man·lIfting accident here at home and two fatalitiesIn Niagara Falls. organize festivals, flys, and workshops. Last year, we sold nearly 100copies of our Kite Events Manual. Our Kites in Europe. As a responsible organization, the AKA is the Classroom Manual is so popular that we are rushing to compelled to examine and comment on the growing update and reprint It And AKA rulebooks for various popularity of ''power flying". competitive events are used by literally thousands of klters I recently appointed a Power Flying Task Force which at the local level. will operate through our Safety Committee and prepare Localaffiliate clubs are springing up and flourlshul!; a report for the Board. Members Include Dean Jordan, everywhere. They are fueled, In part, by our Club Lee Sedgwick, George Baskette, Steve Shapson, Judy Organizer's handbook, and are supported by our AKA Club Neuger, Anthony Crisafulli, and Dan Schwenk. Their Liaison. Localclubs regularly receive newsletter articles, charge is to consider "safety, development, promotion suggestions, and support materials. and insurance Issues". Perhaps our largest contribution is also the one most AKA defines power flying as intentional lifting or traction difficult for many members to see. Each month, the produced by kites. This includes man·lifting, skiing, carts, AKA office receives and answers hundreds of calls and buggies, sailing or sledding. It Is our current policy to letters asking for Information on kiting. Many inquiries exclude these activities from our insurance coverage. If are about local clubs or events. Others range from press you have comments or concerns, please give a committee contacts, to scientific inquiries, to children asking what member a call. color kite flies best. Directory and Flier's Manual: By now, each of you Sowith all of these things going on, I think It's fair to say should have received two surprises In the mall from AKA that AKA Ismaking significant contributions at the local One is the new Membership Directory which I'm very level. Of course, we can always bedoing more. Ifyou have proud of. Compiling all this Information was a time ideas or suggestions, please give me a calL consuming and expensive project. But the resultshould be a big help to our members. Enjoy it! Bits of String Too Short Too Save You should also soonreceive the new Kitefliers Manual. Recognizing Volunteerism: Susie occasionally reminds Paid for by the Benn Blinn Memorial Fund, this basic me that there are three kinds of people in the world: those introduction to klteflylng Is being distributed free to 2,500 who make things happen, those who watch things librariesand 3,500AKA households. We encourage happen, and those who are still trying to figure out members to donate a copy to their localgrade schooL what happened. There are a number of other great projects In our Organizedkite flying across the country depends on Publication Committee's pipeline. Watch for them soon. volunteers to help events, workshops, demonstration, and It's all part of our continuing effort to giveour members activities succeed AKA needs to bedoing more to support their money's worth and to better promote kite flying and and recognize these peoplewho "make thingshappen." kite education. July 1992 3 THE GREAT KITE ESCAPE RULE CHANGES y name Is Matthew Feder. I'm an avid kite flyer. I have M Next year In stunt kiting, seven 10 ftflexUoUs that I fly on 300 lb. testkevlar. I also why don't we ease off on have a large collection of other stunters,Including 25 zero scores In Precision for Ralnbow Stunt Kites{remember themn ground touchesand Anyway, I find myself in a predicament and am serving crashes? Ice skaters fall flat some jailtime. Not being able to fly my kites Is more and still score;why not We look forward to YOIr punishment than "they" realized.My heart growsheavy klters? commentsand le tters to every windy day - what's an Incarcerated kite flyer to do? Given that a compulsory figure should be completed, even the AKA and Well, I'lltell you. I was able to build a kite in jail! I foldeda Klliag. though messedup and downgraded accordingly, may I should assume that piece of paper Into a Delta shape, used a staple that I You suggest two rule changes? correspondence will be received In the mail on a letter to fasten the bottom, then I published, unless noted peeled a bed sheet for the thread Slowly and methodically I Ground touch but completed figure. Take off a point (t) otherwise by you. tied the threadstogether, and I made a spool out of a maybe. Judges' discretion a la Ballet shampoobottle. When we are allowed to go out to the yard, (2) Crash and redo.Judge the secondand divide by 2. Send to Kiliag, I bring my creation with me. The officer gave me P.O. Box permissionto attempt flight I believethey got a kick out of 250657, Crash twice? You shouldn't be there. Busted kite? Bad SanFrancisco, watching me run around In circles. luck. Zero, both cases. California 94125-0657 Ona special windy day, my kite took off. (I had to vent It a Klyph McCormick FAX:(415) 583-4826 little and add a longer tail for stability.) Up, up over the jai� Mountain View,California over the razor wire, and danced amongst the clouds. At that moment, a Captaincame running out to the yard, HOOK, LINE AND FL Y yelling at the officer and pointing at me. Apparently, they saw my kite from the control center and thought that I was Your kiting journalIs an Indispenslbleresource to my signaling for escape!I didn't get Into any trouble, and my developing kiting units for the elementary classroom.