January 1
"...... AKA American Kitefliers Association
1988 Officers and Executive Committee Regional Directors
President Corresponding Secretary Region 1: New England Region 7: Northwest Central Corey Jensen Earl Stokes CT. NH, MA, ME, RI, VT lA, IL, MN, WI Windborne Kites 21316 Glen Place Carl Poehler AI Hargus . III 9 4705 585 Cannery Row #12 Vine Street W. Byron 02176 60641 Suite 105 Cupertino. CA 95014 Melrose, MA Chicago. IL 617/662-6999 Monterey. CA 93940 408/996-9531 312/545-9572 408/373-7422 (office) 408/372-7922 (home) Recording Secretary Region 2: New York State Region 8: Mountain Cherie McFadden Jerry Gorsuch AZ, CO, /D, MT, ND, NE, NM, 380 First Vice President Kitemakers of San Francisco Grimsby Street NV, SD, Uf, WY 10306 Rick Kinnaird 838 Grand Avenue Staten Island, NY Scott Skinner 19630 6015 Benalder Drive San Francisco, CA Blue Clover Lane Bethesda. MD 20816 Region 3: Penn-Jersey Monument. CO 80132 303/481-4260 301/229-1708 Treasurer NJ, PA Steve Rubin Scott Spencer 3601 Second Vice President Wind borne Kites Elmertown Avenue Region 9: Southwest 17109 Frank Brinkman 585 Cannery Row Harrisburg. PA AR, KS, MO, OK, TX 105 717/652-8470 363 Mustang Street Suite Richard Dermer San Jose. CA 95123 Monterey. CA 93940 121 S. McFarland 408/224-4590 408/373-7422 Stillwater, OK 74074 Region 4: Mid-Atlantic 405/372-6127 (home) 405/372-4777 Third Vice President Delegate at Large DC, DE, MD, VA, WV (office) Pete Ianuzzi Ed Wright Cindy Edeiken 1908 Old Frederick Road 7 Clark Creek Circle (new address to be announced) Region 10: Pacific Northwest Baltimore. MD 21228 WA, BC Clayton , CA 94517 AK, HI, OR, 415/672-6486 3011744-47754 Rick Talbott Route I Region 5: South Box 256-D Past Presidents AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, NC, Banks. OR 97106 Robert Price John F. (Jack) Van Gilder SC, TN 508/324-5070 Burtonsville, MD Seattle. WA Charlie Henderson 3044 Anthony Drive Region 11: Northern Calif. 30033 W.D. (Red) Braswell Miller S. Makey, Sr. Decatur. GA Monterey Co. & North 404/292-0649 Manassas, VA Grove City, OH Bob McCort 801 Carson Avenue Region Northeast Central 95336 Bevan Brown Margo Brown 6: Mantexa. CA 209/823-3212 McLean, VA McLean. VA IN, KY, MI, OH Fred Bell 1640 Founder Sponsor Members Westwood Avenue Region 12: Southern Calif. Columbus,OH 43214 Robert Ingraham Red Braswell South of Monterey County 614/231-1559 315 N. Bayard Street Wood Wllis Don Sch losser 8051 Silver City, NM 88061 George Moran Dawn Circle 505/538-9083 Hod Taylor La Palma, CA 90623 714/821-8784 Honorary Members Melvin and Valerie Govig Region 13: International Adrian Conn 344 Dieppe Street Windsor, Ontario AKA Mailing Address: Canada N8S 3V2 1 SS9 Rockville Pike 519/948-8819 Rockville, MD 208S2 �III�,
January 1988 Volume , 10, #1
';'!!� ifi"�� ��.� 1,1' Keep Up With Kiting
� In this Issue Kiting is the official publication of the American President's Letter 2 Kitetliers Association (AKA). It is published six times a year--in January. March. May. July. September. and President's Acceptance Speech 2 November--for the information of AKA members. member Kite Plans- merchants and supporters. Copyright@ 1987. TheDKDeita 3 7 Corey Jel/seIl, AKA President Night Flying Ruth E. Thaler. Editor Boxkites 9 Margaret Greger's Delta 23 AKA Mailing Address: Editorial O.llice: News and Notes 6,7 1559 Rockville Pike 2311 18th Street NW. 3 I'd Floor Rockville. MD 20852 Washington. DC 20009 1988 Convention News 8 Calendar 12 Editorial Board Members oJ tile Editorial Hoard provide articles. lec//flical 1989 Convention Planning 18 review alld advice to the editor of Kiting. An Aerial Treasure Hunt 19
Fred Bell. Bill Bigge, Red Braswell. Bevan Brown. Margo Regional Reports- Brown, Jon Burkhardt. Tom Casselman , Dr. Paul E. Garber, Region 7 18 Pete Ianuzzi, Robert Ingraham, Hazel Ingraham, Nancy Northwest Stuntflying 20 Keating. Arthur Kurle. Charlie Sotich. Jack Van Gilder Wright Kite Festival 21 Sponsoring an AKA Convention Submitting Articles and Photos 22 Submissions to Kiling from AKA members are welcome. Executive Committee Minutes 23 Members are invited to submit articles about k itetlying. kitemaking and design. kiting programs and activities: announcements of upcoming events: kite plans: photographs and drawings; etc. Please type and double-space articles for Kiting. Be sure to include sender's name and phone number. Photos Illust be in sharp focus and may be either color or black-and-white. Color photos are especially welcome. Cover Caption AKA will extend membership six months to members whose photo(s) are used on the cover of Kiting. On a separate Cover pholo takell by Bill Kocfler al AKA IOlh National sheet of paper. please include photographer's name. date and C 01l\'£'/1 tioll. location of event where photo was taken, name and designer of kite. and name(s) of individual(s) shown in photoes). Send material for Kitil/g to: Ruth E. Thaler. Editor. Kiting. 2311 18th Street NW. 3rd Floor. Washington. DC 20009. Deadlines: 10th of the month b(�/'ore the issue of Correction publication for articles, photos and event information : 15th Credit for the November 1987 center photo spread goes of the 1110nth before publication for camera-ready ads (August to Gary Chrebet. 10 and 15 for September issue. October 10 and 15 for No vember issue) . termed "casual wear." You know who you are! Enough! Lefs The Prez Sez: dress it up a bit. shall we? Brooks Leffler and I and the Kenningtons et al are up to our tuxedo'd chins carrying ya·lI. Phil Castillo lias the idca--flowing robes and bikinis (no - I promised!). The Chicago Sky Circus has the right idea. too. What clowns! Can I be one? Let's all get wi Id and crazy and blow em out dere sox (er. boots) at the
. 88 convention. Speaking of baked goods ... we won't mention who stole the rainbow warriors' bake sale idea. but. fortunately for them. the peanut butter cookie fly-off hasn't crumbled under the weight of their success. They're hot and they're rising! So. why can't we all have events like that? Wh[Jt is the magic? and the AKA could stand to grow some. too. Yes ... lefs recruit more members ... let's broaden our [Jppeal. .. we could become [J cult of wind w[Jrriors. proselytizing across the open spaces of the world. Or. ..simply pick a highly visible tlying spot (even if better exist elsewhere) and fly there on a regular b[Jsis. H[Jve some AKA apps handy because fliers cOllie out of the J hopl" l"Vl"ryone W;lS plf'ilSl"d with thl" hig flln th;lt W;lS closet when they see a kindred soul. You might copy the had at the convention in D.C. ... [ know I remember forms in this m[Jg so as to relieve the nafI frol1l the slwtches. I hope that all the members who didn't bother to expense of copying and postage. vote in the elections are scared to death. What happened Many communities list events as a public service. Be to our club? Who is this crazy we've elected? It must be a sure to mention the "free wind." Be friendly. Memorize bad dream ... It will all go away ... No.. . the insanity has Lenny Conover's stories on how to answer "the same old only begun. questions." Send us pictures of your events and maybe . Being president is ok. but it sounds like an we'll make you famous (like me). accollntants' club or something. After my speech at the At the risk of starting to take myself too seriously.. . banquet. I heard cries o( "King".. . "King" ..."K ing." I mllst let me Slim up my thoughts with a pertinent Bidenism: Ask admit that my sense of being caught up in something over not 'Nhat AKA can do for you. rather. ask what YOll can do my head is soothed by the thought of democratically for the AKA . electing a king each year. A "King of the Kitefliers" like In response to numerous reqllests--both for and the king of the Gypsies ... just the thing. Comments? against--and to dispel the ugly rllmors. I have consented Already I've been thrashed over the subject of to reprint my acceptance speech elsewhere in this issue. businesspeople in AKA. and told that the club is a cliche. After reading. please send me your applause. a joke. out of touch with the ordinary .Toe in the field . Keep it up! OK. one at a time ... If you're feeling fo rgotten. Joe. why not offer to help at the next fly in your area? Becoming more than just a face in the crowd will let the other fliers know who you are. Saying that the AKA is run by an Corey Jensen's elite clique is forgetting who [ am and what {"ve done. [ Acceptance Speech took this job despite the flying time I must sacrifice. I know ... big deal. I sure didn't do it for the money. I Delivered at AKA National Convention. October 10. 1987 think ifs an elaborate plot to get me to stay for an entire business meeting. I [Jm touched ... to spe[Jk to you tonight. As far as kite businesspeople in the AKA are concerned: First of all. let me thank Tllm Casselman... for making many of us were fliers long before there was an industry it a race. My track record. running unopposed. is and possibly are responsible for mllch of the integrity disappoi nti ng. to say the least. inherent in it (dare I say it?). Because we are lucky At the Houston convention in 1981. I was the only enough to make a living at our love. and offer the use of entrant in the m[Jllufactured accessory category. If you the structure inherent in doing business to provide a were there, you remcmber I lost by 22 votes . With thn! basis for the growth of the sharing aspects of organized kind of public support. I figured why not shoot for the kiting. is not reason to accuse those hard-working and top? largely under-appreciated individ uals of anything but So. I've been st[Jving in the background.. . keeping unselfish efforts on behalf of liS all. Thc preceding has quiet ... watching and waiting ... biding my time .. . been a rehearsed political comment. When I was approached to do this job. my initial And another thing... attire ... there are a lot of you out response \Alas the same as yours... do I want to [J member of there showing up for flies in what can on ly be politely any club that would have lIIe ...as their president?
2 Continued, next page
1 Step 7) Measure from point "E" to ".T." on the sail. If The DK Delta GH is longer than EJ. trim G H E D to length Created by Dennis L. Kucmerowski EJ. (May I. 1986) Step 8 Fold point "G" at 45 degree angle to point How to build a kite that is cheaper than a penny and is "GI." not your typical sled-style kite? The DK Delta is a delta without spars. Well. spars as Step 9) Foldpoint "N" to point "NI." making fo ld line in wooden or composition (plastic, fiber glass . etc.). The "LE." basic design concept is a very simple one and can be expanded to include various materials and sizes of kites. Step I 0) Cut off excess piece "E HI N I" and apply tape This kite is a light-to-gentle-wind fl ier. to the seal "L N I . "
Materials: Tools: Step I I) Apply a strip of masking tape to all edges of the keel. by foldi ng the tape over each edge. I) Two sheets of newspaper I) Scissor (I double sheet and 2) Ruler Step 12) Position the keel on the bottom (side without I single sheet) 3) 1/8" dowel (2' long) the rolled edges) side of the sail. as shown Note: using the funniesl 4) Paper punch single in figure 5. and tape from point "D" to point comics section makes the hole) "L " onto the sail. Move the keel to the kite very colorfuI! opposite side and tape from poi nt "D" to poi nt "L " securing both sides of the keel. 2) Tape (cellophane or masking) Step 13) Using the paper punch. punch a hole in the To Build the DK Delta (alias Comic Flier) cornerof the keel (point "L ").
The Sail: The Spreader:
Step I) Lay the double sheet of newspaper on a flat Step 14) Take saved paper "H I F E" and. using a dowel. surface and measure 6.5" down from the top roll starting at point "EI" at a slight angle edge (long edge) and mark on each side. as Continued, next page shown in Figure I. Speech, continued Step 2) Cut on line "DF" and save paper (area G I FD). All seriousness aside ... the longer I thought about it. the more convinced I was that I wanted to do what I could to keep the AKA fun. I like most of you people, and I can Step 3) Prepare six pieces of tape approximately 2" long each. tolerate the rest .. at least for another year. Before I go any further . just let me say that the Step 4) Take dowel and roll the bottom left corner of rumors concerning me and Don na Rice.. . are greatly the paper . at point "A" toward the top right exaggerated' , ! corner. point "F," using the dowel to roll the Which brings me to my promises to you!' ! paper on. This is a fun group... and the most fun thing we do is this convention each year. I promise to do everything I Rol l until the paper being rolled touches can to ensure it continues! !! r promise that the AKA Neil'S (sic) will get bigger and points "B" and "D" and tape into position as better. To that end. all future correspondence with "el shown in Figure 2. Remove the dowel. presidente" must include photos suitable for the newsletter. I will read all you write. but I will only Repeat this with the bottom right-hand corner. answer those that include pictures. from point "C" rolling to the po ints "B" and I also will print the pictures of the officers and "F." and tape. regional reps ... so you know who did what! By the way. we are not a complaint department ... Step 5) Fold nose twice. 3/4" each fold . toward trailing edge and tape to top of sail along anyone complaining without offering constructive help will be immediately named to a committee! line ".I." as shown in Figure 2. In conclusion. to all you people who know me ... I The Keel: promise... to try my best. .. not to embarrass .. . you or me! Step 6) Take paper cut from the sail and cut along To all you fo lks who don't know me. don't worry ... line "Ell." See Figure I. This nwkes two I. .... have .... . everything..... under ..... control!!! pieces, G H E D and H I f E. !!!!!'!'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'!!!!'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!'!!"!!!!!!!!!! .3 Delta, continued Step 16) Tape spreader into position as shown in Figure and secure with a piece of tape to form the 7. spreader (Fig. 6). The Tail: Remove dowel: the spreader is fo rmed in a spiral. Step 17) Take the single sheet of paper and cut into strips approximately I I /2" wide. Step 15) Position the spreader on the top (side with the rolled edges) of the saiI. halfway between Step 18) Tape the ends of the strips end to end on both the tip point " J " and trailing edge point "E" sides forming a tail. of the sail as shown in Figure 7. Cut both ends of the spreader I /4" shorter than the Step 19) Tape the tail to the sail in the middle of the inside distance between the rolled edges of trailing edge. point "E." taping both sides the sail. (see Figure 7).
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DYNA-KITE corp. -<;===--"":;�-.,.. Ilh oz. RIPSTOP NYLON TAILS HOT CUT. I INCH WIDE. 35 FT. ___ $3.20 45 FT . . __ $4.00 60 FT ..__ $5.50 R.O.Y.S.B.lt.B.V.P.W.B
At your dealer or direct. Postpaid. P.O. Box 402. Chicopee. MA 01021 (413) 592-3615 Wings of the Gods
By Roger Chavez alld Clystai Kite Company "They took to the sky on the wings of the gods. " What better place than the Yucatan Penninsula, where much of everyday life is based on the religious beliefs of the gods. for a kite to represent the "wi ngs of the gods"? In a recent trip to the Yucatan Penninsula. the staff of Crystal Kite Co. made a wonclerous discovery. Tn the fa r reaches of the Yucatan jungle, among the small Mayan villages. we discovered kites being flown above the dense jungle. We stopped immediately and went in search of the kitefliers. A walk through a small Mayan village led us to a group of children, carefree and happy to be fl ying their handmade kites. Our admiration and love of kites seemed to cross the communication barriers of language. The children appeared to know exactly why we had stopped and were eager to show us their kites. made of bamboo and plastic bags with tails made of fabric tied into bows. These children live with the daily realization of poverty. where toys are a luxury. The one toy these children chose to make fo r themselves was a kite. We can only imagine that they chose kites fo r the same reason young and old alike have chosen kites fo r centuries--A kite offers the freedom to soar with the eagles. feel the peace of being part of the clear blue sky and perhaps. in this particular part of the world. "to take to the sky on the wings of the gods." /
Promotional item Sydney C. Tibbie 1943 Bradwny Street NW Outermost Kites has developed a wind sock that can be Palm Bay, FL 32905 customized to advertise kiting clubs, events and competitions. The windsock hecomes n 11;-11111('1" hig.h·flying ABCD Kilefliers of Sonoma County that is 12 inches to 5 feet in diameter and 5- 100 feet c/o George Maurer long. with letters of 9-36 inches high. visible from up to 700 Cecelia Drive 200 yards away. For information, contact Dan Wheeler. Glen Ellen. CA 95442 40 I /849-6203. (new members wanted)
Rockford Area Kite Klub 40 I 0 Pi necrest Rond Rockford, IL 61 107
Rocky Mnuntain Kite Co. New Kite Clubs c/o Russell Erganbright A wnrm welcome and wishes fo r good winds to members of P.O. Box 3286 the fo llowing new kite clubs: Littleton, CO 80 161
Space Coasl Kite Club c/o Sheri Taylor John Kelley 408 Meadowlark Lane John Kelley died March 28. the day of a kite festival Satellite Beach, FL 32937 in Burke. VA, which he had planned to attend to fly a 3051777 - L 396 or small kite. He is survived by his wife Sue Via Kelley and their son. Kite World 109 S. Miramar Avenue Maryann Golden Inclintlantic, FL 32903 Maryann Golden of Vernon, CT died in November 1985 as 305/725-8336 or a result of a car accident. (We regret the lateness of 6 this announcement. ) A Quick, Compact and Cheap Kiteline Winder By Jack Van Gilder Reprinted with permission from the Washington Kile.f7iers Associafioll Newslelfer We nil know thnt tht'rt' i<; no l1C"rf('('1 kifC"line f("el. hilt this one gives you tlexibility of size and shape. while being quick, compact and cheap. f , I We all have sticks lying around: I 18th-inch dowels f I • , , , I window shade bamboo. shish-kebab skewers. etc. Same with I I I t corrugated cardboard. Just cut string winder to desired " '" , I shape with corrugations aimed in the same direction as the ,f I, I' string will be wound. Insert a few strategically placed : � " : 1 sticks and close the ends with a good. tough tape. The [ )1 . , " f ... < " lose idea here is to stiffen the winder so it will not collapse \ 4-in.? ,,�. under the pressure of many winds of string. , � \ 1If---- 7 ff? --+-
" Night Flying lightweight. Sail loading should be under one ounce per square foot. By Charlie SOlich The basic kite dec;ign should be efficient for low \\·irid. Reprinted with permission of the author from Sky Lilles. Deltas and their variations are the best and generally tly 1987 June-July when nothing else will stay up. The opposite extreme would Light-weight Delta Conyne be cellular kites which require strong winds. Big kites of a given sail loading fly better than small This kite was designed to be used for night flying. Delta wings were chosen for efficiency. Curvature of the ones. They generate more lift so are better able to carry slack center panel would make a good light reflector if the weight of attached lights. Because the sun isn't made of silver Mylar. Two triangular cells replace the heating up the ground. night breezes are smoother. They normal delta keel and the front spar is used for mounting are less gusty and turbulent than during the day. and a light to shine on the curved reflector. stability is less critical. Spars can be smaller since they don't need as large a safety factor. Flying lines can Materials required also be lighter. Gusts aren't going to cause a sudden pull on the line so you don't need reserve strength. Lighter 1/2 mil Mylar 48" x 80", any color line. besides reducing weight, also cuts shown on line 1/2 mil silver Mylar 24" x 24" drag so the kite will fly at a higher angle. 5 3116" x 36" wooden dowels When breezes are light near the ground. they may be 2 3116" x 48" wooden dowels stronger aloft. You are likely to have more success 2 114" x 48" wooden dowels keeping your kite up if you start with a long line out and 2 3116" ID x 2" aluminum tubing work with whatever wind is available. Tails and drogues 2 3/16" ID x 2" flexible plastic tubing should be minimized.
The I 12 mil Mylar sail material is light but strong Just use common sense and you should be able to get a kite up after sundown. enough.,.The 54" leading edge spars are made by splicing 36 and 18 inch lengths of dowel together. Do this by using a 2" length of 3116" ID aluminum tubing and epoxy gluing it to the 18" spar. A glue that works well with Mylar is contact cement. The water-based type is more convenient for thinning down to a working consistency. Clear plastic tape can also be used to adhere Mylar to Mylar. Slit the center of the plastic tubing to put on the leading edge spars to hold the spreader bar in place. Put this tubing in place before sealing the leading edge in the sail.
Night Kites What? Fly kites at night when it's dark and the wind is hardly blowing? It can be done and it can be fun. The wind after sunset is usually light, so kites need to be 7 Windy City '88 This Year's Convention Site
By AI Hargus III team will offer the "Godzilla Challenge." Ray Merry will hold the "Limbo Eliminator" and will take on all Chicago is a city known for famous and infamous names . Carl Sandburg called Chicago "the city of the big shoulders ." Some people cal l Chicago the "Windy City." though that usually refers to our politicians. rather than our weather conditions. Chicago's names range from AI
Capone and John Dillinger at one extreme to Mother .11 Cabrini. the first American saint. at the other. We have the tallest building in the world. the Sears Tower, and the largest Post Office building in the world, though that probably means there are more places for your mail to get lost! The Atomic Age started in Chicago with the first sustained nuclear react ion at the University of Chicago in 1942 . We boast the first traffic lights and the first traffic jams. After that. we invented the first parking meters . In 19 16. Carl Sandburg ca lled Chicago "the Hog Butcher of the World." The old Chicago Stockyards are long gone. but in the last week of Septcmber 1988. the Chicagoland SkyLiners kite club will invite "Sky Hogs" (that's Chicago-lingo for stunt-kite fliers) and kiters of AKA to Hyatt Regcl1cy Wood./icld. 1988 AKA cOl1l'el1liol1 hOlcl. I'ho/O "Windy City '88." the 11th Annual National Convention. by AI Hargus III. Chicagolol1d Sky Lil1ers. from September 28 - October I. 1988 in Schaumburg. Illinois. The convention site is just 35 minutes from the challengers . The SkyLiners will issue a "Club Challenge." Loop (that's what we Chicagoans call our downtown area) requiring kite clubs to participate as a group in the and 15 minutes from O'Hare International Airport (the even!. Many other challenges and fun stuff will be coming busiest airport in the world. by the way). out of the "Chicago Skunk Works ." to issue a challenge to The convention center will be in the beautiful. the rest of the AKA at Windy City '88. send details to the four-star Hyatt Regency Woodfield (not a large hotel . SkyLiners c/o AI Hargus III. no later than Februal1' 10, which will keep the room rates low). directly across from 1988, so that it can be listed in the next issue of Woodfield shopping mall (the largest indoor shopping mall Kilil1g. in the world). There are 830.000 square feet of flying Now comes the traditional request for assistance. It field just five minutes' walk from the convention hotel. takes a lot of people to put on a convention. We hnve and that's not counting the two square mi les of field at plenty of jobs for volunteers (the p Booga Booga.CSL ' s weather coordinator. promises you is help out. call or write convention chairman Jjm Miller weather (whether or not) . She has made no prediction of (312/642-8692) and say. ''I'd like to help ou!." We will wind speeds: the magic spell she and the Wizard are find a job for you! concocting is not finished yet! Temperatures traditionally The Auction committee. headed by Pat Daly, asks that are in the 50s in the Chicago area in early October. If all AKA members think about the 1988 auction now. Special you believe the old saying. "If you don't like the weather kites. gadgets. gizzies. and assorted winter projects are in Chicago, wait five minutes and· it'll change." come welcome for sale at the live auction. silent auction and prepared with both long johns and a bathing suit. especially the new Flea Market. For advance auction info. Great things are in store for AKA's 1 1th Annual contact: Pat Daly. 312/764-8432. get-together. As you may have noticcd. an extra day has We promise not to leave you in the clark about Windy been added to the convention. For those who plan to make a City '88. Each of the next four issues of Kiting will vacation out of your visit to Chicago by arriving early. contain more information and details on the IIth Annual we have arranged city tours of all sorts. Lots of fun. AKA Convention. � games and "secret stuff" will make your trip to Windy Largest. best. biggest. first. most famous. or most City . 8 8 a memorable one. infamous! Terms you'll hear plenty of in the next six Challenges abound at AKA conventions. Chicago's Windy months. Why. you will know so much about Chicago. you wi ll City '88 will be no exception. Elmer Whartoll, AI Hargus think you are coming home (and that's the way we want you and Skye Morrisoll are planning another Costume Challenge to feel.) (mayh� �ven a costume hall?). The Chic TABIE 2 as spacing and competition between center of gravity and Effect of Tandem Cell Spac ing on Towing Point , Attitude , and Pitch Control center of pressure fo r dominance. Towing Point To round off the discussion of pitch-control , Fig. 6 Chordal as Fraction Degrees illustrates how fo rces interact to effect balance fo r a Spacing of Spacing Attitude Remarks -1-. 0- -0 .10* � pitch £1 .50 simple tandem model of two cells. The kite's weight. which 0.0 24 ± 1.00 , occasionally wider is centered in this instance. is trying to tu rn the kite 0.10 31 ± 2.00 0.26 34 :!: 5.00 counter-clockwise and has a pretty long lever arm by which 0.33 45 :!: 5.00 begin instability 0.40 47 .5est. :!: 7.0 unstable to do it. The center of pressure of the wind-force . F, is 1 .5 0.27 26 :!: 2.00 well fo rward . corresponding to a mean attitude of 25° . let 0.33 J4 :!: 5.00 us say. In this approximate illustration . the lever arm 2.0 0.20 20 ± 2.00 0.25 22 fo r F is only one-fifth as long as the arm for W. 0.30 24 0.40 32 t 5.0° begin instabili ty Evidently. the wind fo rce must be five times the weight of t 3 .0 0.20 19 2.00 the kite for balance in this case. The posture shown is 0.33 22 .5 :!: 3 .00 0.42 28 ± 5.00 momentary. Oscillation will occur as previously mentioned . 0 · 50 out of control 4.0 0.15 o "weathervane" It would be better if we were located more fo rward but ± 0.25 12 1 00 F. 0.38 18 ± 4: 00 unsteady not enough to overtake the position of The kite would 0.50 out of control be more responsive and would achieve the desi red attitude "*TP forward of trailing edge of forward cell. more easily, suiting wind conditions at the time. With W so fa r aft of the center of pressure. the kite will droop to an excessively steep attitude if the wind slackens. The Spad ng is measured as chordal spacing. A chordal spacing center of pressure also will migrate aftward . but often of 1.0 means that the distance between the trailing edge not enough to correct the posture. If a stronger gust of of the fo rward cell to the leading edge of the art cell is wind now catches the kite at its excessively steep equivalent to the dimension of 1.0 chord . Note that the attitude. a severe yaw may result and sometimes a loop. usual spacing of 1.0 provides a very good pitch-control u p which is the outcome of a bad yaw . This can happen to the to a pretty steep attitude. This close spacing is adverse 10 Continued, next page best of kites in adverse wind conditions. All things going overboard on quantitative considerations unless the considered. it seems to me that. fo r tandem constructions. wind cooperates. which it seldom does . it is preferable not to go beyond a spacing of two chords for someone building a first boxkite. I�ut not a first between cells. kite. what to do? With all due respect. 1 urge the What we may call the vertical spacing of the lift newcomer to refer to what's been done successfully in the surfaces of a cell is something else again. The head-on past. Defer the innovation . which can be very rewarding. view of a rectangular cell in Fig. 2 is an example of a until the second or third construction. The book of Hiroi . gap of 1.0 chord. The fl ow of the airstream in a cel l's previously cited . is one of the best references . but by no interior is a turbulent mess. Frankly. I don't have a means overlook Clive Hart's Kites: All Historical Sl/Iw.'v quantitative measure of how "open" a cell should be fQr (Faber and Faber. Ltd., London). Paraphrasing a current the wind to have untrammeled access to the windward side advertisement fo r a particular credit card . "Don 't stay of the upper panel. I do know that a gap of 1.0 chord is home without them." Many box kite enthusiasts. after not quite enough. However. increasing the gap encounters winding lip the stage of conventional constructions. want limitations similar to increasing aspect-ratio. namely. to do their own thing. This is great, but the innovator unit weight increases as much as or more than lift. Sturdy had better be philosophical about some proportion of construction also become more of a problem. Yet. if the fa ilures . Of those. I've had aplt'nty. In every c(lse. the flier wants a rectangular cell(s) of high aspect-ratio of blooper ignored in some way the appropriate t reatment of more than 2.0. then it is essential to increase the gap. fu ndamentals of natural behavior. as described above. proportionate to the cord. The reason is to provide Since the diagnosis of bad behavior teaches more than the enough fin-area. the sides of the cell being the fins. I mere observation of good behavior. to fo llow are a few have a rule of thumb that fin -area should be not less than words on bad behavior. one-half the llrell of the lift-surface. The ideal hreeze of A kite may exhibit any one or all of three basic a wind-tunnel doesn't offer any clue as to how much motions: (1) Pitching--a mild degree of it is inherent and fi n-area is required as a minimum. My rule of thumb comes necessary. (2) Rnlling--either a one-sided or oscillating from outdoor experience with scruffy winds: sometimes. motion around the longitudinal axis. (3) Yawing--the bane I've wished fo r more fin-area . of kitedom; the pendulum-like Illotion from side to side In the absence of quantitative data on 11 rectangular with the flying line as axis. It is the precursor of a cell of high aspect-ratio. we can at least look at loop or spin. observations of flat rectangles and make a judgment of how Excessive pitching is difficultto identi fy in outdoor they would perform in a cell of a boxkite. At an attitute flying because things happen too quickly and the tlier is ° of 20 and velocity of 8.6 knots. a flat rectangle of 2.0 Continued, p. 14 aspect-ratio exhibits a lift of 3.6 oz . per sq. ft . Increasing the aspect-ratio to 4 ..0 improve the liftto Convention photo available ..... 4.3 oz . per sq. ft . Using the latter for a box cell We can't believe he got implies that the vertical gap should be equivalent to two th� whol� thing! chords. so that the fi n-area will be at least half of the lift-surface area. With a vertical gap of that magni tude. The 1987 AKA convention photograph is "big, I am pretty certain that the pair of rectangles will beatitiful and ready fo r purchase!" The< whole 8'r by 60!' perform as well as they do singly. and the lower one might photo is fu ll of people and kites. Oscar Bailey reported even do a bit better. If a boxkite composed of such high thathis antique cirkuf· camera.worked just fine once aspect-ratio cells can be constructed to weigh no more again. The price this year fo r a whole five feet worth COllVention kites ki ers than 1.0 oz . per sq. ft . of effective area . it would fly of AKA and t is only $30 .per photo and . on a wind of only 4.2 knots. That's scarcely more than a and$5 packing handling. One $5 payment wilI cover any brisk walk. The challenge is interesting. if just fo r the shipping and . handling for number of pri nts; in the same to fu n of it. package the same address. < To rec.�iye this>magnificent meme Up to now, discussion concentrated on tandem a copy of llfo .of the convention . the fo rntbelow constructions because they are useful to describe the .1987 AKA use t? ¥ontact Oscar Bailey, Route fu ndamentals of behavior. I omitted a drawback: they 2, Box 1007 , Burnsville, NC:28714, aren't very pretty. are they? Placing either a minor or Pleqse send .. copies of the 1987AKA Cp llve11lidn. major proportion of cells in latera l arrangement is what . Pllo(ograph 01 $30 eacb,plus $5packing provides an unlimited ra nge of variety for the aTld shipp{!1/r!or aTly number oj prinfS in the same package[0 the sanw construction of strikingly beau tiful boxkites . The sky's .. address . to; the limit. literally. There is an additional dividend. Laterally-placed cells usually have less of a burden of Name ����------downwinding. or none at all. from cells fo rward of them. �-- � � My wind-tunnel has a diameter of fo ur feet. which is not Address --��--��------�� enough to accommodate boxkites of wide span. but testing of this sort does not seem necessary . As indicated in the i __��_ a ___ C ty..-'-� St te_ Zip _ previous paragraph. if the vertical spaci ng between lift-surfaces is generous. one can estimate behavior from behavior of flatfo rms. Besides. there's not much point in 11 Kite Calendar Through January 24�-"What's Up. "West Gallery . Ruth Eckerd Hall. Clearwater. FL, featuring wind-supported sculptures of Sarah and Oscar Bailey . representing "tireless exploration into the craft, design and engineering of the kite ." Contact Janis L. Kat:anL 81.3/79 1-7060. Jan uary 24 1 I a.I11 .-4p.m .. Chicagoland SkyLiners W�rkshop. Contact CSL. c/o tOI11 McCune. 383 Le Pa rc Circle. BuffaloGro ve.JL 60090 30 St. Paul Winter Carnival Kite Fly* February 12-14 3rd An,nual Valentine's DIl)' Kite-Powered Sklnnd Sled Races. Erie. PA. Sponsored by Spectrum Flight. Contact Lee Sedgwick. 8IA!864�J26 1. or Sue Taft 814/864-05 1 I: 13 Hearts and Flowers Fly. ContaCt Charlie 'Sotich, 312/735- 1 J5 3 19-2 1 Kite Retreat with Bill Lockhart. Betty Street and Maryland Kite Society. Greak Oak Landing. Chestertown . Mp. Check if accommodations still available at 3011778-2100 28 CSL Informal Fly or Workshop; Contact CSL March 3-6 International Biccntennial Kite Fly, Launceston. Tasmania* 12 CSL InformaI FI�' and Birthday Party at Cricket IJiH. M6ntrose and the La ke. Chicago. IL. Contacl Jim Miller. j 12/642-8692 12-13 2nd Annual Texas Gulf Coast Stunt KiteCom l)(:>tition. Beach at Surfside near Galveston Island and r· reeport. TX. FOll r unclassed events-�lndividual Precl,sioll Flying . Team Precision ]�Iying. Individual Ballet. .Tunior Individual Flying. Contact Terry Ct'unlpler, Surfside Flyers Club. 409/265-0868. or Texas Challenge ,8 8,.,c/o Surfside Flyers , PO Box SIS, Clute. TX 7753 1 19 Stone MotmtaiuEndurance Fly* 20 1-5 p. m .. WllCO Wind Festlvlll. Speegleville PlII'k. Waco. TX . Contact Larry Bush, 8\7/772-8552 20 AnnualKite Fly . National Colonial Farm . Accokeek. MD. Contact park office, 30 1 /283·'2 1 U 20-27 National Kite Week,. Contact Margo Brown. 6636 Kirkley Avenue. McLean. VA 22 101 , 703/893-38 86 26 Smiths�mian Kite Festh'al. Washington. DC*. Contact Margo Brown . 6636 Kirkley Avenue. McLeaIl . VA 2201 . 703/89J-J886 . 27 Kite Fly. Ned Brown Woods. Contact CSL April 9 KiteFly. Crickef Hill. IL. Contact CSL 24 Kite Fly, Ned Brown Woods. IL. Contact CSL 24 6th Annual Kite Day, Sam Lewis Stnte Park. near Wrightsville. PA . Contacf l\,1i's. Jarvis, North Museulll. F& M College. 717/29 1-394 1 24 Kitt'fest. River. Onks Park. between Corllstockand Galesburg. MI. Contact John Cosby . Kalamazoo County Pnrks Department. 616/383-877.� May 7 Kiwanis 2nd Annual KiteFly . Minnesota* 14 Kitc Fly. Cricket Hill. IL. Contact CSL 14 Reginn 7 Great Rnkka lm Kite Battle nnd F'II1 Fly� Sponsored by AKA Region 7.Chicagohllld SkyLiners. KSW. EAA, Oshkosh . WI. Non -competitive kite tly and camp-out. Contact Chuck 414/426-4800 Larsen. education director. EEA Aviation Fou ndation . 14 4th Annual Kite Flying Contest, Oakside Community Park . Biglerville. PA. Contact Joan Bucher. 717/334- 1738 mid-month Experimental Aviation Association Fly, Oshkosh . WI* 22 Kite Fly, Ned Brown Woods or Lisle. IL. Con tact CSL 27 East Coast Stunt Kite Championship, Wildwood . NJ June II Sky Circus 88--Comprehensive kite judging. ci rcus theme contest. Arvey Field. downtown . Chicago. IL. Contact John Karel. 312/627-7648 fo r festival info: AI Hargus. 312/545-9572 12 Ned Brown Woods Carnival, Ned Brown Woods. IL. Contact CSL 18-19 Pic-a-Patch Kit�s 3rd Annual Kite Festival, West Port. VA. Contact Richard of Jeri, 206/268-0877 Kite 30 St. Paul Winter Carnival. Lake Phalen . St. Paul. MN. Kiteflying byMinnesota Society . Contct Jim Ogl ulld . 612/476-206 1 July Black Ships Festival, Newport. RI* Kite Aerial Photography World,vide Association Centennial, LaBrugiere. France 2-4 North Coast Stunt Kite Games--inter-regional "just fo r fu n" stunt kite games. fly and camp-out. Maumee Bay State Park. Toledo . OH. Contact AI "The Wizard" Hm'gus. 312/545-9572 (Region 7): Fred Bell. 614/23 1-1559 (Region 6): Uncle Wilbert. 419/537-7036 (Toledo info) August Farm Fly . Rockford. IL* Kite Fly, Toronto. Canada* Kite Fly . Long Beach. WA* 27-28 Midwest Novice Stunt Kite Competitions, Ned Brown Woods. SchatlJUln1 rg, IL. Pr(!Jiminary n ational competitions for dual-line stunt kites . individual and team con)petitions (AKA national rules system). Contact AI Hargus III.312 /545-9572 : Eric Wolff. 312/327-6814 September Mots Festival, Wilwaukee . WI* SUllfest Kite Fly. Ocean City. MD* 2-5 West Coast StUllt Kite Championships* Dayton Air Force Base Fly* 17 Riverfront Kite Festival, Harriet Island. MN* September 29- October I AKA ] Hit Arumal Convention, Schaumburg. IL* (Chicago Area) . Contact Jim Miller. 312/642-8692 12 November Mickey Mouse Kite Fly. Cricket Hill. Chicago. IL. Contact AI Hargus. "The Wizard." 312/545-9572 Ihe *ASleri5'ks re.(l,·cl.ilef1ls fo r which ollly i/(/i)rmalion shown orril'ed by Ihe deadline for Ihis i.'iSlU· of Kiting. Anyol/" wilh .Ii/rlhe/,de lails 011 Ihese ('v,'/1fs is ash'd 10 s('IId Ih,' it�/;)J'11Ialiol/ 10 Kiting Call.'lIdar, c/o Rlllh E. nlalL'/'. Edilor 23 11 181h Slr,'('1 NH.'. 3rd noo/', Wi/sllingloll. DC 20009. Deadlilll.'.101' March 1988 issue: I l.' February 10. Please yp ;/(101'171(11;01/ alld./c)/Iol1' Ihe lc}f'Illal above !f possible. Boxkites, continued taped a bit of ballast to the stern cell. The kite has facing the kite. 1 would not expect excessive pitching to since performed nicely. My rule of thumb from this and be a problem with a boxkite, which normally does not react similar experiences is that the center of gravity should as quickly as a single-surface kite. be not less than the dimension of one-half chord aft of Rolling generally is the result of topheaviness; the the center of pressure. More spacing is not necessary: center of gravity is at or above the center of pressure. less is chancy in rough wind. The obvious cure is to use heavier spars in the lowermost With multi-celled construction involving lateral spines. or else add a bit of lift-surface to upper panels. placement of cells in a relatively closely spaced cluster. A boxkite that is topheavy sometimes may continue to fly, the center of pressure tends to be well fo rward fo r two but partly on one side and at a cant to the wind. reasons. One is that aft cells will be downwinded. The A yaw may come from either of two reasons , which sound other is that a cluster generates a "front" of higher the same in description but aren't in practice: The center static pressure which tends to concentrate on the fo rward of pressure is too fa r aft or the center of gravity is too cells (for exnmple. note the fronti�piece of Hiroi's fa r fo rward. In single-surface kites, with the center of book). If. perchance, a multi-celled construction exhibits pressure properly well fo rward, it is not unusual fo r the symptoms of center of pressure being too fa r aft, one center of gravity to be too fa r forward because of remedy is to tilt the leading cell to an incremental spreader or the leading-edge longerons , if any. are too incidence of roughly 7° or so. This can be very effective heavy. With boxkites that are not purely tandem. the fl ier and also works fo r tandem layouts of large spacing, cell needs to check the location of the center of gravity and to cell. compare this with the estimated location of the center of I! seems to me that the major attraction of boxkites is pressure. A good example is the kite in Fig. I. As the combination of their unlimited scope fo r variety and originally constructed and facing gusty wind. this kite their potential fo r sl'eer beauty. Just suppose that among had a tendency to execute a slow yaw. resulting in partial all the kitefliers on the planet. only 10.000 are inversion and a dive fo r the ground. My fi rst reaction was interested in boxkites. Each of these could easily think that fin-area was insufficient fo r rough wind. On further of 10 designs of his or her own that are clirfe rent from checking, I fo und instead that the center of gravity was those of other fl iers . Right there, we are talking ahout only 2.0 cm (less than 1.0 inch) aft ofthe probably lOO.OO varieties. Original color schemes add an order of center of pressure, especially during moments of slack magnitude, running the total of I million. That ought to wind. Rather than add fo rward surface in this instance. I be enough to keep us from getting bored. Continued, next page t " Fig. 1. Six rectangular cell modules of 3.0 aspect-ratio positioned so that downwinding of aft cells is minimized. The third row ( two modules slde. to side ) is stepped below the sec ond row and the stern ce�l a step below that . This kite weighs only 1.0 oz . per sq .ft. of effectlve ar ea, lofts easily ' and flies reliably . Ballast equivalent to about 8% of the gr oss weight is taped to the stern to move the center of gravity sufficiently 14 aft of the center of pressure . Boxkites, continued \ \ , , \ \ \ \. \ " \ \ \ \ \ .. \ \ \ \ \ \. \ \ \ \. a b Fig . 2. (a) Oblique view of cubic cell, illustrating pr ojection of effective lifting surfac es. ( b) Onc oming wind's view of cubic cell at 300 • Signific ant portion of upper windward surfac e is blocked from wind . ( c ) Oblique view of rectangular cell of 2.0 aspect ratio. C d ) Onc oming wind "sees" all of the upper windward surfac e at 300 • r== " ••_ .:�--_-. - -,,: d Continued, next page 15 Boxkites, continued 401;------,------.------r----� I unstable I t 40 - +--- UJ (l) (l) fib � 2.0------·_···-· � � 10 ---- .- -_. -- J __ Cubic cell 0--·--- A.R.=1 . 4 o 0, /0 0.20 TOWING POINT , Fraction of Chord / Fig. 5. Towing point and attitude for a cubic ce1l --r------on diagunal alignment. Miscellaneous drag / fr om spars and guys Causes the curve to Velocity: 8.6 kts . miss the 0,0 interc ept if extrapolated . / r-----4------+------� .- -\ \ 10 20 30 40 \ ATTITUDE , DEGREES \ \ Fig. 3. . Inc reasing the aspect-ratio of an originally cubic � :�� \ cell increases the lift per unit area . \ \ ___.•_ � \ .\I - .- -- .- \ , \. \ Pitching motion of a two-celled tandem boxkite . The motion is exaggerated for illustration . The fulcrum ( connection of the flying line to bridle) will al so tend to move slightly bu t pr obably not 16 perc eptibly exc ept for a rather large kite . .< . .", : Bridle · . ... . · · . · ...... ···l . . . . --- -..... -- --....- f w - 1o �_ ...." Lever arm of'F Fig. 6. With a tandem arrangement, the center of gravity , W, tends to be centered and therefore too far aft of the center of pressure, F. In the diagram , the weight has a long lever arm to turn the kite counterclockwise . The wind-force has a short lever arm acting clockwise. A strong wind is necessary to effect balance at a satisfactory attitude of , say , 250 • 5 .------:------,------;------, Pig . 8. Smoke profile of mass air movement across a two-c elled boxk ite of wide tandem spacing and staggered alignment. There is no serious downwinding of aft cell in this case. Exposure of 1/60 sec . conceals turbulence and vortices ( velocity, 6 knots) . 4r------�-r----�----� +' 'H 3 a< f!J I H I QJ p. I N 0 L I 2.1 7 E-< I I � H 0-1 I / I I I I i IP� 1 I I Fig. 9. Strobe photo at about 1/10,000 sec . of model of Fig. 8 0 illustrates turbulence and some of the major vortices. I0 /0 ZO 30 4'0 I ATTITUDE , degrees Fig. 7. Lift of a flat rectangle of 4.0 aspect ratio at 8.6 knots . With vertical spacing of 1.5 to 2.0 chords , a pair of such rectangles as a box cell should exhibit the same lift . The peel-off of lift at a relatively shal low attitude is typical of flat rectangles . 17 Plans Shaping Up for 1989 Convention in Hawaii By Romeo Collado, President, H(1waiiall Kitt'j7iers Association interest in our fr iends from the East. After years of just being a rumor. the idea of having a According to Jim Miller, AKA convention chairman. the a national AKA meet in the Hawaiian islands has now key to the success of a convention in such location is materialized into a fu ll-scale project. The proposed to put the word out well in advance. This way. attenders target fo r the 1989 AKA Convention is Hawaii. Tentative may plan vacation time and/or business activities around dates are set fo r September 27 - October 3, 1989. the convention. At the 1987 convention , the AKA Executive Board To help the HKA staff plan better and get an idea of . expressed great enthusiasm about having the '89 convention the probable number of attendees. please fill out the in Hawaii. Official dates and locations will be posted response sheet on the dust cover of this issue. If you are pending approval of a proposal presented by the Hawaii even thinking of attending, mail to : Kitetliers Association (HKA) . Meanwhile. the HKA staff has been hard at work Hawaii Kitefl iers Association researching and blocki ng off possible sites . fa cilities c/o Kite Fantasy and activities needed fo r this exciting event. The 2863 Kalakaua Avenue proposed headquarters is the Sheraton p,'incess Kaiulani Honolulu, Hawaii 968 15 Hotel, centrally located in Waikiki on the island of Oahu. Just a five-minute drive from the hotel is the flying Your responses are essential to our staff, the services field. Queen Kapiolani Park. with which we are working and the success of a 1989 AKA Since Hawaii is considered the "melting pot' of the convention in Hawaii. Eastern and Western worlds. HKA has adopted the theme On behalf of the Hawaii Kitefl iers Association . I would "East Meets West. " HKA vice president Mike Kim has sent like to extend our warmest invitation to all of you to out fe elers to diffe rent clubs in the Orient and will be come to our island fo r a week of kiteflying fu n in the working closely with JALPAK Travel Services to stir up SUIl. /oll'a - Nothing to report from region #1's western Region #7 state . but a request to the fa rm state fliers fo r reports . By Al Hargus 1Tl. Regional nirector letters or just a hello. l//inois - The new 1988 Skyli ners officers were elected November II, 1987 by a club record landslide vote : Any region #7 AKA kiters are invited to drop me a line John Karel . President or give a call. Let me know about kiting in your Mike Steele, Vice-President area--assistance with festivals, classes . demonstrations. TOIl1 McCune. Secretary or just to talk kites . Contact me at 312/545-9572 . Eric Wolff. Treasurer John plans several workshops this winter and has many Regioll #7 Membership /?(!/lle. To help increase AKA new ideas fo r the 1988 flying season . membership in region #7 , anyone who applies for new The SkyLiners ' convention committee. headed by Jim membership or renews an old one between January I, 1988 Miller. is diligently at work preparing fo r Windy City and June I. 1988 will be placed in a raffle (sponsored by '88. Prizes . surprises, fu n. games. and comfort are in YOll r friendly R.D., me) for a custom six-foot flexifoil. store fo r all the AKA in Chicago this coming October. made and signed by inventor Ray Merry (value. $150) . Kite to be raffled is the red . white and blue "Liberty" Wisconsin - Wiscon sin's largest kite club, the Kite flexifoil. The drawing will take place at CSL's "Sky Society of Wisconsin (KSW) . also boasts new officers: Circlls '88," on June II. 1988. You need not do anything Mark Lazarz, President special to enter this raffle except to send in your Jeff Kaltaoka, Vice-President application or renewal between 1/1 and 6/ 1 /88 (Bob Price's Eldon Schauer, Treasurer, Memberships massive membership computer will keep track of the Mark and KSW can be contacted at 414/462-2927 (p.m.). applications and the dates) . Let's all get together and #7 KSW boasts a spin-off chapter club in the Madison . WI. make' Region the biggest and best region in the nation . area, Madison fliers, contact Trond Sjovoll. Madison Kite Club. 608/249-72 17. Other kite groups are for ming in the • • "dairy state" : Oshkosh, Sheboygan and Black River Falls stratoscoops codys boxers unusual British kites from have serious kiters in the air. 1988 should prove to be a interesting kiting year fo r the fl iers of Wisconsin. GREENS OF BURNLEY Millllesota - Though "heavy" winter is approaching this send for free colour catalog northern state. any northwoods kiters interested in winter KITES AWEIGH activities of the Minnesota Kite Club may contact Rosemary 6 FleetStr eet • Annapolis, MD 21401 Heiman. 612/874-8848. (301) 268-6065 18 Idaho. where he engaged in a period of aerial surveying. Aerial Treasure Hunt Many of these photos probably still exist in the hands of those engaged in real estate promotion and development and By Corey Jensen organized irrigation projects . Not to mention the thrill I've looked all over to find the article that started of seeing your place from a bird's-eye-view when the fi rst me on my search fo r historic kite aerial photos . The primitive airplanes were barely struggling aloft. French are hosting a celebration of 100 years of kite As do many, when travel ing in the west and fa ced with aerial photography in 1988 and have released articles returning home. Lawrence detoured through British east concerning the early years. That wasn't it. Checked the Africa in the company of a Chicago newspaper publisher. book I brought at the AKA auction. That wasn 't it. The pictures that resulted were a sensation. It was 1910 Someone (maybe Lenny Conover?) mentioned the guy who and the world was his. shot the San Francisco earthquake pictures from a kite. ... He contin ued his work and invented one of the fi rst Got me going when a local photog who possesses a sizable auto "starters " at a time when cars had to be cranked by collection of historic photos mentioned that the gentleman hand. Later patents covered a field including engines. in question also visited the Monterey peninsula after his airplanes and ind ustrial heating and air conditioning. He sojourn in S.F. and took pictures . Would I care to see died in Chicago on December 1938. Quite a kiteflier. them? 15. With the profusion of aerial photos taken from After getting my purchase home, I placed it so I could airplanes. I'm sure many who possess these early examples look down on it from my usual seat in the living room . The don 't realize what they have. Has anyone else fo und camera was approx 1,200- 1,500 ft. over Lover's Point, anything like these? Possibly a collection of early anchored to the beach just west of there (or a ship just American kite aerial photographs could be assembled and offshore. given the normal winds in July). The picture sent to France for display at their celebration. Any shows a settlement that combi nes a modest downtown area others interested? Let me know soon . The event is surrounded by houses and fa rms. Very pastoral. Smoke sched uled fo r the first week of July 1988. drifts lazily from several fireplaces . A much simpler time, I think. Interesting perspective to have the kite's-eye view of the area I live in. taken in 1906 . There is another one. Haven't copied it yet. This very New Catalog Available nice man also has negatives of the S. F. earthquake pics The Balloon Factory and Kites has published a new available fo r prints (Pat Hathaway Collection. 763 catalog of their products . It is available from them at Lighthouse Ave .. Monterey, CA 93940. fo r those who are 89 1 Ashiya Road , Montebello. CA 90640-2563 . interested). Pat also has shared a copy of an Aug. 1960 77le National Photographer with an article ahout George R. Lawrence of Chicago who was an early photographic inventor and the gen ius behind the S.F. and Monterey shots . His Tra nscendent.· career was notable fo r fo ur outstanding achievements. He invented a superior flash powder and method of use that became standard until the advent of flash bulbs. He built and operated the world's largest (1.400 lb .. 10 ft . x 6 ft. plate) camera. He devised an efficient kite lifter system enabling photography at heights to 2.000 ft. before practical flight had been invented . And he obtained aerial photos of African jungle life that had been there-to-fore unknown . And after lunch he ... The kites , as near as I can make out from the drawing in the S.F. earthquake books. are boxes of the Hargrave/ Blue Hill variety. They were made in 5'. T & 10' sizes . The largest. used only in the lightest vvinds, soon proved too fragi le, and were discarded . This otherwise intelligent man flew these strings of boxes from a steel cable. The insulated core of his cable provided the conduit fo r electric impu lses to tri gger the camera shutter. A small parachute then was released from Kite flying is no ordinary experience, and we're no the rig to indicate the camera had operated . ordinary kite shop. Our styles and color selections The big quake was April 18. 1906 . As soon as he heard reach far beyond the limits of all possibilities. the news . Lawrence I>acked his kites and cameras and rushed Outrageous. stimulating family fun. to the scene. The picture I have is dated July 10. 1906 . WIN DBORNE KITES The S.F. quake pictures were the most successfu l he ever 585 CANNERY ROW '105, MONTEREY. CA 93940 took. earning him more than $15,000 (in 1906 doll ars) . PHONE 408-373·7422 AKA MEMBER MERCHANT Time to clea n my lenses . WRITE FOR RETAIL KITEALOG� He took the long way home. Nevada. Utah . Wyoming. and It) Regional Report Skinner (first place, Individual Precision). scheduled his wedding and honeymoon around the championship. 1987 Northwest Regional Stunt Kite Championship The Open Class was owned by California fliers and dominated by Top of the Line's Spinoff basic. Ron Reich By Alice Romero. Guest Regional Reporter was hot: first place, Individual Precision; first place. The 6th Annual Washington State International Kite Individual Ballet: fi rst place, Team Precision . Festival at Long Beach. WA. was the place to be fo r stunt kite champions this past August 21 and 22. JUNIOR The competition started with the Junior Dual Control DUAL CONTROL event scheduled on Children's Day. Youngsters were waiting I st Place, Kirk Miller and eager to show they. too, could fly dual line kites. 2nd Place, Shawn Perusse The top three fliers in the .T unior Dual Control were 3rd Place. Cameron Wine allowed to enter the next day's event of Novice Class Individual Precision. NOVICE Novice Class-Individual Precision results had a point INDIVIDUAL PRECISION spread of .3 between second and third place. Not I st Place. Don Giviaoni surprisingly. it was contested. Kirk Miller , 13, of 2nd Place, Kirk Miller Seattle, WA, placed fi rst in the Junior Class and second 3rd Place. John Jones in the Novice Class-Individual Precision. 4th Place, Paul McMillen The Intermediate Class was dominated by fliers from Rome Enterprises of San Ramon. CA. who took eight of the INTERMEDIA7E top 10 positions. Pam Markie (third in Individual Ballet INDIVIDUAL PRECISION and first in Team Ballet) was the only female competitor I st Place. Dan'in Skinner in the entire Northwest Regional Champions . Darrin 2nd Place. Hal Markie Jr. 3rd Place . Pam Markie 4rd Place. Ron Romero INDIVIDUAL BALLET 1st Place. Roy Wilson 2nd Place. Michael Boyce 3rd Place, Pam Markie & Ron Romero (tie) 4th Place. Hal Markie Jr. TEAM BALLET I st Place, Friends of Rome Pam & Hal Markie & Ron Romero Lynn Lary 's train of de lta-conynes at Washingtoll State 2nd Place. Roy Wilson & Rod WargaI' Illternational Kite Festival, Long Beach , WA , August /7-23. Photo by Jack Van Gilder. OPEN INDIVIDUAL PRECISION I st Place, Ron Reich 2nd Place. Don Tabor 3rd Place. Robert Loera 4th Place, Michael Boyce INDIVIDUAL BALLET I st Place, .Ron Reich 2nd Place. Robert Loera 3rd Place, Don Tabor 4th Place, Ray Wong TEAM PRECISION I st Place. Flight Squadron-- Ron Reich. Eric Streed, Don Tabor 2nd Place, Bay Area Sundowners- Mix McGraw. Ray Wong Wo rld's longest cobra kite--700 lIleters!--in slIccessful 3rcl Place, A San Diego Team-- launch at Long Beach. Wa shington. Photo by Dave Steve Coats. John Peru sse. Richard Van Mechlin Checkley. Wright Kite Festival Tom Ta lboll of Raleigh, NC, third-place willller in "most aerodynamic, experienced" By MOlY E. Ames class, in front of Wright A fair. northeast breeze enabled about 40 kitefliers B rolhers National Memorial. and hundreds of spectators to take part in the ninth hOIO by Ma ry Am". annual Wright Kite Festival at the Wright Brothers ( .National Memorial in Kill Devil Hil ls, NC, July 18. "The weather conditions were the best we've ever had," said event organizer John Stubbings. "Park Service Fran cis Rogalla of Kitty HaWk ' person nel went out of their way to make this day a .. NC, addresses the crowd at the Jllenl0rable one for kitefliers." ninth annual Wright Kite The wind was barely sufficient for competition among Festival. Photo by MalY Ames, dual-li ne. maneuverable kite fliers. To get more action .• Kite Kingdom. l from their kites in the eight-mph breeze on Saturday. stunt fliers had to sprint backward while maneuvering their kites . "They should have been awarded medals instead of ribbons." said Stubbings, "for remarkable performances under difficult conditions." Competitive events followed a half-hour talk by aero nautical engineer Francis Rogallo of Kitty Hawk. Rogallo, who worked on federal air and space programs for 34 years, described the development of the hang-gliding wing from a kite he fashioned in 1948 from a kitchen curtain. He said the wing could have been adapted for use in landing manned space capsules. but the National Aeronautic anel Space Administra- tion turned to the space shuttle program and "put an end to that idea." The an nual kite festival commemorates the fact that the Wright brothers, and other aviation enthusiasts who ( followed. used kites and models to test their inventions. iff � Wright Kite Festival Charles Dunton, an experienced kitemaker from \, ' participants (I-I') cn. Yorktown. VA, carried home the prize for "best in show" '!; Stonestreet. Richmond. VA ; and for "prettiest homemade kite" for his seven-foot , Mike Jones. Nags Head, NC: Roy Japanese Rokakku kite with the face of Sitting Bull Chapman . Raleigh, NC; Alex appliqued over a silhouette of a buffalo. Dunton. Richmond, VA . Photo by Dunton also entered the two-line competition as a Ma lY Ames. novice and took first place in the class by running backward at least the length of two football fields to �ink and yellow circles. named " great balls of fire" by It:, make�·. Waylon J. Simmons of Belhaven. NC. A butterfly create sufficient wind for the looping anel diving . maneuvers required in the event. "I haven't gone all out kite. deSigned by Il lS brother Forrest L. Simmons of Columbia. SC, won third place. (Note: Forrest Simmons's like that in a long time. " said Dunton . "When I got kjte was pictured in the September issue of Kiting.) throug h, I wasn't exactly sure my legs would ever work In the novice class. the winner was nine-year-old again." Brian Richey of Conway. SC. with a stacked delta-box kite In the novice class. 13-year-old Jeremy Williams of made of lavender anel purple nylon. The Richey family made Burl ington. NC, placed second anel 14-year�0Id Robert a clean sweep. with Nancy. 37. taking second for her flare Grainger of Newport News, VA. placed third. Among the kite, made from the nylon lining of a coat. and experienced stunt kitefliers . Marc Conklin of Kill Devil 14-year-old Michelle taking third for her delta-box Hill edged out Michael Jones of Nags Head. who is a appliqued of black. yellow and red nylon. manufacturer of stunt kites anel last year's East Coast Scoring was close in the " most aerodynamic kite" aerobatic champion. Jones came with i n th ree-and-a-hal f category among the experienced tliers. Richard O'Connell points of Conklin on a lOa-point judges' tally. Mark • of Fredericksburg. VA. placed first with a large homemade Lewis, a kite shop owner from Riviera Beach, FL, placed flare kite : Michael Jones, second, with a triple set of third and also received a ribbon for traveling the his Mirage stunters; and Tom Talbot of Raleigh, NC, third, �..- greatest distance to participate in the festival. . With a Japanese Rokakku kite that depicted the Wright A field of nine veteran kitemakers and an equal monument and hill. Ilumber of beginners completed in their respective classes C.B. Stonestreet of Richmond . VA. entered a homemade for the title of "prettiest homemade kite." filling the Indian fighter kite in the novice class. "most sky just north of the Wright monument with a remarkable aerodynamic" category, and won first place due to its array of colors. ability to be maneuvered with a single line. Robert Dunton's Sitting Bull. in orange. black and white. Grainger took second place with a delta-box kite and was challenged for first place by a huge kite with green. Con lil1l(ed nexl /lage How Chapters can Sponsor an AKA Convention The single most import�nt critf'ri Wright Kite Festival, continued Grainger won. James Younce of Richmond was second and Benjamin. Dunton came in third behind Roy Chapman of James Kissel of Quakertown, PA. was third. Raleigh. NC, and Waylon Simmons. Just edged out of a ribbon in that contest was Cheryl Kissel of Quakertown, PA, finished third with a seven-year-old John Stang of Reynoldsburg. OH. who built two-Iine stu n ter . his kite from a plastic garbage bag earlier that morning The most excitement every year at the Festival is at a workshop in the Park Service visitor center. The generated by a contest called the one-minute climb. This workshop and all other festival events were cosponsored by year was no exception. the National Park Service and Kite Kingdom of Kill Devil Alex Dunton of Richmond . VA. held the title in this Hil ls. NC and Duck, NC. and Norfolk. VA. event for fo ur years in a row. lost it in 1985. then Other awards went to three-year-old Andrew Fuschini regained it last year. This year. he was chall�nged by of Richmond for being the youngest flier; Forrest Simmons, 66. for seniority; David Haak of Williamsburg.VA. and Alex nine people, including son Charles and grandsons Gregg and Dunton for best kite winders . and Simlllons for the best In the one-minute climb. novice class. Robert kite accessory. a windsock in the shape of a frog. Building a delta kite c Margaret Greger, 1986, author. Kites fo r Everyone 2. Fold keel on center line. crease. Carefully open one Materials: tall kitchen trash bag, 24"x30" wing to the fold line and tape wings together as shown two 1/8"x4" dowels, cut thus: center spar. 24": two (keel is double) (Figure 2). side spars, 19": one spreader, 18" cellophane tape and strapping tape, both 3/4"wide 2 small rubber bands or I" 3. Attach center and side spars by covering with tape of plastic tubing, I 18" inner diameter toothpick (Figure 3). Tools: yardstick, scissors, utility knife, 1/8" diameter 4. Cut three 2 1/2" lengths of strapping tape fo r keel tip punch , marking pen and spreader attachment. Reinforce with a short piece of toothpick laid in the fo ld before tape is doubled over. I. Draft pattern. Slit open the bottom of the bag. Lay the Punch holes as shown. pattern on the fold (close sides of the bag). One bag makes two kites (Figure I). Cut out: With kite still fo lded. Washers for spreader ends are plastic tubing or tightly mark the center line on one side and the spreader spot on doubled rubber bands. which maintain the wingspread while both sides. allowing adjustment (Figures 5 & 6). ONE-P\ECE DE LTA @GREASE, OP£:: N, LA'{oUT � "TA PE WINGS " " " KITE / / KEEL BJI£.K. /VNOE.ItN�"H / / �ATfp..c..H SP,..RS ® RE 'N FO fC:.C..E.ME.NTS THE BI\n.n.;Cuo.:.. by Combat Kitcs----A Limi ted Offering 1·'leIiT :;'l'UN'f SKY BALLET A unique si" gle line stlill ter wi tl1 r�Dl mu scle Visibi lity-Speed-Prec isiorl in HIC;1l toJI ND AND DEEP SKY Oc:oil)ncd to ch;1l1cnge the expcriGllced flier S15.00 + S2.00 P&ll Post Office noY. )4923 (DOll) 271-'1'\)3 nic:hmol1cJ , V1\. . 2 3 2311- 0923 These rates are fo r one-time ads. AKA offers a 15% dis Kiting, the bimonthly newsletter/magazine of the Amer count fo r a three-issue contract and a 20% discount fo r a ican Kitefliers Association, accepts advertising from makers six-issue contract. Black-&-white ads must be camera-ready. and sellers of kites and kite products, promoters of kiting Color ads must be in separation; advertiser will be charged events , and others. Black-&-white and color ads are accepted fo r separations of ads not provided already in separation .. at the rates below. AKA member-merchants receive additional discounts as indi cated above. Kiting Ad Rates Page Size Width x Height Nonmember-mercht Member-mercht Deadline fo r submitting color separations and camera Color B&W Color B&W ready black-&-white ads: 15th of the month preceding Back cover 8 1/2 x I I" $600 nla publication (ie, October 15 fo r November issue). Deadline .Inside cover 8 112 X II" $500 $400 $360 $300 fo r submitting color ads to be separated : 10th of the month Inside page 8 112 x II" $400 $300 $300 $270 before publication. American Kitefliers ASSIl. 1/2 page 71/2 x43/4" $230 $170 $205 $153 1559 Rockville Pike 1/4 page 31/2 x43/4" $120 $ 90 $108 $ 81 Rockville, MD 20852 118 page I 112 x 4 3/4" $ 75 $ 55 $ 68 $ 50 Executive Committee Meeting November 4, 1987 Jewell Price. ACling Recording Sent'I,lrv On Novel1lhl'r 4. 19H7 . Ihe EXl'clitive COl1ll1litll'e llIl't at the hl)l1le llr Presidl'nt Rohert S. Price Ht .l R39 Dllstin Road, Bllrton sville, MD. Als0 presenl Ht the I1lcL't ing wcre Red Braswell. Bill Bi!!!,!(, . Wood Ellis. Bill Goodwin. Margl) Brown , PctL' lanun.i . Jewell Price. ami B('l'Ilie Sp,tlding. Rick Kinnaird atiendL'd HS thL' vicL'-presidl'nt dL'ct. The l1l inuleS or Ihe Seplel1lber 2: 19H7 and Septcillher 13. Ic)X7 minutes werc approved as circuliltl'd . The tn' Call us today and receiv,e your, free, 4,8 page, full color: J 987 catalDg: Go Fly A Kite, :the company that has given you quality products and service for over 23 years. . go fly a kite !