DOCSLIB.ORG

'5Tii*Annrversarv:*1919=2*Ii*01I~ ******************************************************************* Lssue99 1Pril2004 Price £2.00

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

'5tii*Annrversarv:*1919=2*ii*01i~ ******************************************************************* lssue99 1Pril2004 Price £2.00 NEWSLETTER OF · THE KITE SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN · . We have moved to TeJ: +44 (01525) 229 773 The Kite Centre Fax: +44 (01525) 229 714 Unit 1 Barieyfields sates@dunstab~-kltes.co . uk Sparrow Hall Farm Edlesborough Beds LU6 2ES The Alrbow is • revolutionary hybrid which combines ttte carving turns and trick capabilities ~. ~; ~J~f~'tl:)•f:=. , ,, a. ~. I of dual line kites with the precise handling and ~.J! , .•. ,.. , ~ ~ total control of quad line flying. The unique 3D shape Is .symmetrical both left-to-right Airbow Kite and top-to-bottom, giVIng the kite equal stabtllty ; ~W"b~w ... £190 ,:~ ·1BW1 'f.C:.;..( ..."1 {;&,_,_.._ In powered flight in all dl.rectlons and unprecedented ~ .""(._-.·.• • ...,;,.., ·~,.._.., . ;N.;. ~,-.. •..,. N . · ·-~..,_.,.... recoverablllty from slack line trtek and freestyte flying. Switchgrip handles Swltchgrips are also available {Alrbow dedicated handles) £24 Flying Techniques is an instructional DVO presented by three of the UK's most respected sport kite flyers; Andy Wardley, Cart Robertshaw & James Robertshaw The OVO Is aimed at the kite flyer who wants to take their Flying ·, ~ :. ~ skills to the next level and ls presented in a way that even Techniques a complete novice can follow. :<lij-..,\:;~ ~ . ,w.. .;..:, ~ ·:.->;:;;. ~ /{~ _::::: .:, ?(~ It also details the methods for creating flying routines and concentrates DVD ~'"''*"· ~.. ' on the skills required to master four line and two line sports kites -~~. 2!.-~~ including the Airbow, Revolution, Gemini, Matrix and Dot Matrix. £20 ' .-» ... :X Flying Techniques lasts 93 minutes and there are 20 mjnutes of extras. The Peak Is a new entry level trick kite from DIDAK With its high aspect ratio and its anti tangle trick line arrangement PEAK. makes it an ld.al kite for the intermediate flier wishing to team some of the more radical tricks, packaged complete with £48.90 Dyneema lines and Wriststraps. Para Kites new for 2004, these four colourful characters actually do fly as a kite! Ideally suited to the stronger wind conditions ~hese will find a place In most peoples kite bags. They are compleUy ready to go and just need tM flying line attached to the bridle and unfold the chute there ready to go! Para-Kites £9.30 each Or a set of four £35.00 Colors In Motion present a brand new tail for 2004 with there Translstion Tail, At 24ft in length its ideal as a stabiliser for an erratic kite or for when the wind is very strong. the unique stripe wm create an eyecatching display item. Transistion Tail £9.00 Kite people of the world! Dont forget here at Dunst.able Kites we still keep a huge tan(Je of fixtures and fitting& of all shapes and sizes, we have even baen known to find Illusive or long lost parts! Our Ripstop range always has a wide variety of colours including the standard 14 colours of Spiraglyde, but we dont just stop there we also have wind meters, books, line, handles and many more bits and pieces needed to make that new kite. So don't delay call us today! Windsocks and Windgames Yes still popular as ever we have a huge collection of these items available so many that to list them all would need a Kiteflier magazjne of its own to house them all. You can see most of these items at Kite festivals throughout the show season. We continue to update OUI" webslte but with so many Items its hard to keep upl Dont forget our new Phone Number is 01525 229 773. See you on the Flying fields. The Kite Society of Great Britain P. O. Box 2274 Gt Horkesley Letters 4 Colchester Brookite Company 5 Essex Recollections 8 CO6 4AY Indra Fighter 10 Tel: 01206 271489 More Box Kites 11 Bits & Pieces 14 Email: [email protected] Eyeclops 17 http://www.thekitesociety.org.uk Exceptional Kites 18 Editorial vals for these. Next issue we Events List 23 will have the price sorted out! Dear Reader Event News 25 Welcome to the 99th issue—only Aerodyne 30 Finally—despite the popular be- one more to go! lief, the Kite Society does not Roman Candle 36 provided insurance for mem- Usually in this issue we have the bers. However, this may soon Membership Information change as we are in negotia- The main vehicle of communication group and trade directories. between members is the quarterly With the prevalence of the web tions at present with the provid- publication ‘THE KITEFLIER’. and the volatility of the infor- er and hope to have full details published in January, April, July and soon. October of every year. ‘THE mation we have decided not to KITEFLIER’ contains news of do this. A printed handbook will forthcoming kite festivals, kite retailer news, kite plans, kite group news and a be available at the festivals but See you all on the field some- comprehensive events list. if you require one to be sent to where you then please send us an A5 Other benefits of membership include sized stamped addressed enve- free, or reduced, entry into selected kite festivals in the U.K., special parking lope with 21p for 2nd class post- Gill and Jon arrangements where possible, discount - age. from 5% to 15% - on all kite purchases from the majority of kite retailers in the For the 25th year we are pro- U.K. ducing some limited edition cloth badges—round this time. A membership ‘year’ runs for four issues of ‘THE KITEFLIER’. plus other Together with a small number of occasional mailings. Each member baseball caps. See us at festi- receives a membership card entitling them to free entry and discount. If you wish to join The Kite Society Private Ad. please send your name and address (plus the names of any supplementary To Let: I have a holiday apartment in Dieppe (sleeps up to 6) and it members) and your payment for the occurred to me that some of your members may be interested in ac- appropriate membership type, to the commodation for the Dieppe International Kite festival. It is on the address shown above. All cheques, Quai du Hable which is literally 100 metres from the beachfront at Di- made payable to ‘The Kite Society’ and, for overseas members, should be eppe. If anyone is interested in this they should contact Patrick O'Fla- drawable in the U.K. and be in sterling. herty. Home 0208 664 8845 Mobile 07740 376863 Correction. In the last magazine (issue 98 page 15) Membership Type Fee the Geometric Sphere was incorrectly attributed. The Individual £10.00 correct author is Nicolas Wadsworth to whom we ex- tend our apologies. Family - all members in the £11.00 same household. Front Cover Photo. O.A.P. £8.00 The kite on the cover is called “Odyssee” and is built by Sonja Graichen one of the invited kitefliers to Weymouth this year. O.A.P. - Family (Husband £9.00 & Wife) Overseas - Europe and £12.00 Whilst every effort is taken to get the details correct The Kite Society cannot Surface Mail be held responsible for any errors or omissions that occur. Opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Editors or The Kite Overseas - Airmail £16.00 Society. Page 4 25th Anniversary - 1979-2004 The Kiteflier, Issue Letters From Ron Dell fear of people thinking I’m a limp wrist!. Checking Thank you all most sincerely for the Christmas out modern sewing machines (thanks to the lovely greetings you sent me, they all helped me in my Joan at Allders’ sewing machine centre..) is well hour of need. Pat would be proud to know that you worth doing and I’d be interested to know what oth- are all looking out for me in your own way. Sorry to er kitemakers are using and why! Yes I guess I’m anyone that I did not send a card to, I was thinking talking sewing-machine road tests here! Ooops! of you all. We have contacted the hospital regarding the Pat From Jerry Swift fund that now stands at £6359. We are awaiting a The next meeting to discuss the possible formation reply as to what we can do with the money to assist of the British Kite Flying Association will be at Holy- them in their good work. I will keep you posted. head School, Milestone Lane, Holyhead Road, Handsworth, Birmingham B21 0HN (thanks to the My best regards to you all, see you when the sun Headmaster, staff and Bill Souten) on Saturday 23rd shines. May 2004. From Raymond Ashby The meeting will start at 10.30 with the working Has anybody else tried this, or is it just me? The kite groups discussing their proposals. It is hoped that I’ve been working on for some time now is a seven these can be published on the BKFA website in ad- foot wingspan dragonfly – scaled up from a Chinese vance of the meeting. After lunch, we will start the bamboo and paper kite (you know the ones – hip- main meeting at 2.00 pm. The meeting has only one pies used to hang them on the wall as decoration) thing to decide: are we going to set up BKFA as an that I bought from the Covent Garden Kite store in unincorporated association. the Seventies. The timing of this meeting is not ideal. We appreci- Part of my efforts in trying to get my scaled-up ate that it is close to the beginning of the season dragonfly to stabilise involved making a multi- and few of us will be thinking about setting up asso- drogue tail and it seemed important to get the ciations around now: I suspect most of us are realis- drogue sections as accurate as poss – so I drew ing all those jobs we meant to do over the winter them out on computer with the idea of printing out a and just didn't get round to...
Recommended publications
  • Soft Kites—George Webster

    Soft Kites—George Webster

    Page 6 The Kiteflier, Issue 102 Soft Kites—George Webster Section 1 years for lifting loads such as timber in isolated The first article I wrote about kites dealt with sites. Jalbert developed it as a response to the Deltas, which were identified as —one of the kites bending of the spars of large kites which affected which have come to us from 1948/63, that their performance. The Kytoon is a snub-nosed amazingly fertile period for kites in America.“ The gas-inflated balloon with two horizontal and two others are sled kites (my second article) and now vertical planes at the rear. The horizontals pro- soft kites (or inflatable kites). I left soft kites un- vide additional lift which helps to reduce a teth- til last largely because I know least about them ered balloon‘s tendency to be blown down in and don‘t fly them all that often. I‘ve never anything above a medium wind. The vertical made one and know far less about the practical fins give directional stability (see Pelham, p87). problems of making and flying large soft kites– It is worth nothing that in 1909 the airship even though I spend several weekends a year —Baby“ which was designed and constructed at near to some of the leading designers, fliers and Farnborough has horizontal fins and a single ver- their kites. tical fin. Overall it was a broadly similar shape although the fins were proportionately smaller. —Soft Kites“ as a kite type are different to deal It used hydrogen to inflate bag and fins–unlike with, compared to say Deltas, as we are consid- the Kytoon‘s single skinned fin.
  • Kites in the Classroom

    Kites in the Classroom

    ’ American Kitefliers Association KITES IN THE CLASSROOM REVISED EDITION by Wayne Hosking Copyright 0 1992 Wayne E. Hosking 5300 Stony Creek Midland, MI 48640 Editorial assistance from Jon Burkhardt and David Gomberg. Graphics by Wayne Hosking, Alvin Belflower, Jon Burkhardt, and Peter Loop. Production by Peter Loop and Rick Talbott. published by American Kitefliers Association 352 Hungerford Drive Rockville, MD 20850-4117 IN MEMORY OF DOMINA JALBERT (1904-1991) CONTENTS:CONTENTS: PREFACE. ........................................1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION. .3 HISTORY - KITE TRADITIONS - WHAT IS A KITE - HOW A KITE FLIES - FLIGHT CONTROL - KITE MATERIALS CHAPTER 2PARTS OF A KITE. .13 TAILS -- BRIDLE - TOW POINT - FLYING LINE -- KNOTS - LINE WINDERS CHAPTER 3KITES TO MAKE AND FLY..........................................19 1 BUMBLE BEE............................................................................................................... 19 2 TADPOLE ...................................................................................................................... 20 3CUB.......................................................................................................................21 4DINGBAT ........................................................................................................................ 22 5LADY BUG.................................................................................................................... 23 6PICNIC PLATE KITE..................................................................................................
  • Arci Copy C Available to NASA Offices and Research Centers Only

    Arci Copy C Available to NASA Offices and Research Centers Only

    NASA RESF_CH ON FLEXIBLE wINGS By Francis M. Rogallo NASA Langley Research Center Langley station_ Hampton, Va. Presented at the international Congress of Subsonic Aeronautics Gp 0 p_|CE $ cFSTI p_lCE(,S_ $ _arci copy _c_ N_,cro_che _MF) ,ff 653 JuW 65 New york_ New york April .5-6_ 1967 Available to NASA Offices and Research Centers Only, U. NASA RESEARCH ON FLEXIBLE WINGS By Francis M. Rogallo NASA Langley Research Center SUMMARY Flexible wings are wings made of very loose or slack cloth whose configu- ration in flight is maintained by the combination of the aerodynamic forces and the reactions from the load suspension system. Such wings can be completely flexible_ or they may be stiffened in several ways to meet the requirements of particular applications. Wing planforms and the geometry of the load suspension system are also subject to wide variations. The overall spectrum of flexible wings investigated at the Langley Research Center is presented and the state of the art with regard to maximum lift-drag ratios obtained is defined for a wide range of wing configurations. Maximum lift-drag ratios above 3.0 were obtained on completely flexible wings; and for cylindrical-type flexible wings, values of lift-drag ratios up to 17.0 were obtained when the wing had small, tapered rigid leading edges. The flexible wings of most immediate interest are those with no structural stiffening because they have weight, volume, packing, and deployment character- istics potentially as good as those of conventional parachutes, but provide a stable and controllable glide with performance adequate for aerial delivery of cargo and personnel, for landing space capsules, boosters, or hypersonic air- craft, and as emergency wings for aircraft or aircraft escape systems.
  • Creative Design Creative Design

    Creative Design Creative Design

    Number 50 The newsletter of the South Jersey Kite Flyers Volume #3 - 2004 him; he had two grandchildren, Christopher and Empty Place in the Sky ––– Ed Sarah. Spencer By Betty Hirschmann Each of us who knew Ed will have our own memories of him, and will deal with his passing in our own manner and time. If you get the chance, fly a kite and release it into the wind so On April 9, 2004, five days short of his 73 rd birthday, Ed that Ed can enjoy the experience too. Spencer passed away in his sleep. His son Scott and I were at a Good Friday Kite Fly in Lewes, DE, waiting for Ed to arrive. For those of you who wish to get in touch with Nancy, she is at When we got home that night (about the Manorcare Nursing Home Room #153, 1412 Marlton Pike 10:00 pm) there was a message on our – Rte 70, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034. answering machine asking that Scott call his sister Ellen. When Scott called, he ============================================ learned of the death of his father. Ed touched many people, in many ways. What I remember is that he could be Creative Design found out on the flying field with a smile by Dave Ciotti on his face and a chuckle in his heart. It seemed that he had no problems, at least What you are reading is the second draft of this narrative. This that’s the face he tried to show most of article was originally written at the 2004 the time, but life was not always what it MIKE in Ocean City, Maryland, at the appeared to be.
  • A Decade of Kiting Memories by Peter and Sarah Bindon

    A Decade of Kiting Memories by Peter and Sarah Bindon

    THE In this edition Spring 2020 INSIDE: A decade of kiting memories by Peter and Sarah Bindon Also in this edition: ALSO IN THIS EDITION: Thailand and Malaysia Kite Tour Kite Competition – Mike Rourke wins again! KAP made easy with Alan Poxon Sarah Bindon takes the Questionnaire Challenge John’s new kite ...tails Alicja from Poland kite workshop Annual General Meeting NEW Chairman – Keith Proctor NEW Membership Secretary – Ian Duncalf A message from Keith; At the 2020 AGM I gave up the role of Membership Secretary that I Ian had held since 2011/12, and handed it over to Ian Duncalf who I believe is much better qualified to improve and update the system to allow online membership application and Keith with outgoing renewal. I took on the role of chairman but I’m still not sure how this Chairman Len Royles all came about! So this is my first official post in the NKG magazine. This year I think will be described as an “annus horribilis” for the Len stood down as disruption of everyday life as we know it. I fear that for a lot of people, Chairman after six life will never be the same again. We have never experienced this years but will continue before. But if we all follow the guidelines about staying at home, to play an active part washing hands, keeping your distance from others we can pick up in the Group by taking our kite-flying again, possibly later this year and if not then next year. the childrens’ rainbow Good luck and good health to you all and your loved ones in the delta kites to festivals.
  • An Introduction and Brief History

    An Introduction and Brief History

    KITES An Introduction and Brief History SKY WIND WORLD.ORG FLYING A ROKAKKU - FLYING BUFFALO PROJECT HISTORY From China kites spread to neighboring countries and across the seas to the Pacific region. At the same time they spread across Burma, India and arriving in North Africa about 1500 years ago. They did not arrive in Europe or America until much later probably via the trade routes Kites are thought to have originated in China about 3000 years ago. One story is that a fisherman was out on a windy day and his hat blew away and got caught on his fishing line which was then when these areas developed. blown up in to the air. Bamboo was a ready source of straight sticks for spars and silk fabric was available to make a light covering, then in the 2nd century AD paper was invented and is still used to this day. PHYSICS Kites fly when thrust, lift, drag and gravity are balanced. The flying line and bridle hold the kite at an angle to the wind so that the air flows faster across the top than the bottom producing the lift. THE PARTS OF A KITE 1 THE SAIL • This can be made of any material such as paper, fabric or plastic. • It is used to trap the air. The air must have somewhere to escape otherwise it spills over the front edge and makes the kite wobble. This can be done by using porous fabric or making it bend backwards to allow the air to slip smoothly over the side.
  • The Kiteflier

    The Kiteflier

    THE KITEFLIER ISSUE 66 JANUARY 1 996 PRICE£1.75 MAKE YOURSELF A WINNER WITH T~E C~.A.IN" "WVIT~ N"O N"A.1VIE A.IR"'QDRN WE'RE SECOND TO NONE RRISTOL KTT'£S ICIT'E 97 Trafalgar Street STaR£ BRIGHTON l b P itville P lace BN14ER Cot ham HiJJ T e i/Fu 1ST FOR CHOICE BRISTOL 01273 676740 BS66JY 1ST FOR SERVICE Tel: 0117 974 5010 1ST FOR QUALITY Fax: 0 117 973 7202 THE CHAIN WITH A COMPETITIVE EDGE Chain With No Name Members Roll of Honour includes: Team Member of Airkraft, 1995 World Cup Wmners KOSMIC Team Member of:XS, UK Masters Class Team KTT'£S 153 Stoke Team Member of Airheads 16 1 Ewell Road Ne win gt.on C h u rc h SURBITON Stree t Leader of Phoenix, 1995 UK National Pairs Winners KT66AW LONDON Top Placed UK Flyer at Tei/Fax: N16 OUH 0 181 390 2221 Tei/Fu:: London Arena Indoor Competition 0 171 275 8799 Power Kite Specialists Individual Masters Class Flyers Kite Festival Organisers Winter Sport Kite League Organisers WHO ELSE CAN OFFER TIDS MUCH EXPERTISE? WA.YON UIGU 6 Harris Arcade KTT'£S READING 3 Capuc hin Yard RGJ IDN WE FLY THEM AND FLOG THEM Churc h Street Tei/Fu:: HEREFORD 01734 568848 Te l: 01432 264206 Dear Reader Welcome to the first issue of 1996. With this issue members will find a copy of the 1996 Kite Society Handbook, with a comprehensive list of Kite Retailers and Kite Groups. TABLE OF CONTENTS It is at this time of year that we review the cost of producing The Kiteflier as well as the general costs of Letters 4 running the Kite Society.
  • Kiting Summer 2007 Volume 29 Issue 2

    Kiting Summer 2007 Volume 29 Issue 2

    Modegi & Co. In Waasshhiinnggttoonnashington Sleepover at Tookkiioki CCaammppCamp TTTuurrurnniinnggning JJaappaanneessee!!Japanese! National Kite Month NNAABBXX::NABX: VVVegas Buggying Ocean Shores Convention John Freeman’s Rockaway Bikini Festivals: Guam, France, China, IIttaallyyItaly,,, TTTexas, DC, Maryyllaanndd,,yland, OOrrOreeggoonnegon CONTENTS National Kite Kite Plan Cervia 33 Month 22 John Freeman 32 Everything’s Whole lotta fly- wants you to molto bene in ing going on have his bikini the Italian skies North KAPtions Berck-sur-mer What happens in American 5 Carl Bigras looks 24 34 Buggy Expo down on Canada France, doesn’t stay in France! Hi-jinx in the low desert Lincoln City Zilker Park Weifang Today a kite fes- 8 Indoors 25 Still flying in 36 tival, next year On stage and Austin after all the Olympics indoors in these years Oregon Sporting Life Guam’s Convention Throw your own Kites & Wishes 10 26 Preview 38 regional party Ray Bethell has It’s a XXX get- his shirt off on a together in beach again Ocean Shores K-Files MIKE/MASKC Smithsonian Amidst the 12 Glen and Tanna 27 Things are ducky 40 52 Haynes are on the beach in cherry blossoms, wrapped up in Ocean City, MD the Japanese kitemaking triumph Voices From Ft. Worden The Vault 14 Fancy sewing in 28 Wayne Hosking the Northwest is swarmed by 2 AKA Directory children 4 President’s Page 6 In Balance 7 Empty Spaces In The Sky MAKR 11 AKA News Fightin’ Words 20 29 Fancy sewing in 16 Event Calendar 20 Building an the Midwest 17 AI: Aerial Inquiry American 17 FlySpots tradition 18 Member Merchants 41 Regional Reports 52 People + Places + Things Toki Camp History Lesson 21 Greg Kono 30 On the cover: The Roby Pa- The journals of moves in with goda, built by Bermuda’s Philip Philippe one of Japan’s Jones, shadows the Washington Cottenceau greats Monument.
  • 0417 INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY 0417/02 Paper 2 (Practical Test A), Maximum Raw Mark 80

    0417 INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY 0417/02 Paper 2 (Practical Test A), Maximum Raw Mark 80

    www.XtremePapers.com UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL EXAMINATIONS International General Certificate of Secondary Education MARK SCHEME for the May/June 2010 question paper for the guidance of teachers 0417 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY 0417/02 Paper 2 (Practical Test A), maximum raw mark 80 This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and candidates, to indicate the requirements of the examination. It shows the basis on which Examiners were instructed to award marks. It does not indicate the details of the discussions that took place at an Examiners’ meeting before marking began, which would have considered the acceptability of alternative answers. Mark schemes must be read in conjunction with the question papers and the report on the examination. • CIE will not enter into discussions or correspondence in connection with these mark schemes. CIE is publishing the mark schemes for the May/June 2010 question papers for most IGCSE, GCE Advanced Level and Advanced Subsidiary Level syllabuses and some Ordinary Level syllabuses. Page 2 Mark Scheme: Teachers’ version Syllabus Paper IGCSE – May/June 2010 0417 02 Contact list Address correctly added with name 2 marks Field names identified 1 mark Data types Size numeric 1 dp Price currency 2 dp Number Integer 1 mark Stock item yes/no 2 marks Ignore ID field – or other key fields © UCLES 2010 Page 3 Mark Scheme: Teachers’ version Syllabus Paper IGCSE – May/June 2010 0417 02 Heading 100% correct 1 mark Search on Skill level is Beginner 1 mark Sort on Make ascending 1 mark
  • Jet Ski for the Song of the Same Name by Bikini Kill, See Reject All American. Jet Ski Is the Brand Name of a Personal Watercraf

    Jet Ski for the Song of the Same Name by Bikini Kill, See Reject All American. Jet Ski Is the Brand Name of a Personal Watercraf

    Jet Ski From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Jet skiing) For the song of the same name by Bikini Kill, see Reject All American. European Personal Watercraft Championship in Crikvenica Waverunner in Japan Racing scene at the German Championship 2007 Jet Ski is the brand name of a personal watercraft manufactured by Kawasaki Heavy Industries. The name is sometimes mistakenly used by those unfamiliar with the personal watercraft industry to refer to any type of personal watercraft; however, the name is a valid trademark registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and in many other countries.[1] The term "Jet Ski" (or JetSki, often shortened to "Ski"[2]) is often mis-applied to all personal watercraft with pivoting handlepoles manipulated by a standing rider; these are properly known as "stand-up PWCs." The term is often mistakenly used when referring to WaveRunners, but WaveRunner is actually the name of the Yamaha line of sit-down PWCs, whereas "Jet Ski" refers to the Kawasaki line. [3] [4] Recently, a third type has also appeared, where the driver sits in the seiza position. This type has been pioneered by Silveira Customswith their "Samba". Contents [hide] • 1 Histor y • 2 Freest yle • 3 Freeri de • 4 Close d Course Racing • 5 Safety • 6 Use in Popular Culture • 7 See also • 8 Refer ences • 9 Exter nal links [edit]History In 1929 a one-man standing unit called the "Skiboard" was developed, guided by the operator standing and shifting his weight while holding on to a rope on the front, similar to a powered surfboard.[5] While somewhat popular when it was first introduced in the late 1920s, the 1930s sent it into oblivion.[citation needed] Clayton Jacobson II is credited with inventing the personal water craft, including both the sit-down and stand-up models.
  • The Fighter Kites of Korea

    The Fighter Kites of Korea

    The Fighter Kites of Korea In many countries throughout Asia, flying a kite usually means fighting with a kite. In India, Japan, Thailand, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Malaysia, and Korea, kite battles fill the skies at seasonal tournaments and festivals—and even in the streets after school. Fighters compete to cut each other’s kites out of the sky. Kites climb, swerve, and dive, trying to avoid the deadly friction from a competitor’s line coated with finely crushed glass or diamond dust. Just how popular is this sport? Perhaps seven of every ten of the billions of kites in Asia are fighter kites. And which do international competitors think are the toughest and fastest fighter kites in the world? The fighter kites of Korea. The Korean fighter kite is the country’s signature kite, the bang-pae yeon, a rectangular, bowed “shield” kite with a hole in the middle of the sail. Master kite makers cut the hanji (paper) sail a centimeter or two wider at the top than the bottom so that the kite will be rectangular after it is bowed. The frame uses five bamboo spars—one each across the top and the “waist” of the kite, a “spine,” and two diagonals. The spine and diagonals are carefully tapered toward the bottom, and the spar at the waist is very thin so that it will bend easily in the wind. The kites are made in different sizes, with larger kites flown in heavier winds. The width is usually two-thirds of the length, but some fighters prefer the speed and maneuverability of a width four-fifths of the length.
  • A Brief Introduction to North American Fighter Kites and the Line Touch Game

    A Brief Introduction to North American Fighter Kites and the Line Touch Game

    A Brief Introduction to North American Fighter Kites and the Line Touch Game “North American style” fighter kites are small (~ 20” x 18”) single-line kites that you can maneuver by controlling the line tension. They are a smaller, faster, high-tech version of the traditional fighter kite flown in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and many other places. Traditional Indian fighter kite (back side). Bamboo North American fighter kite (front side). Carbon spine and bow, tissue paper sail. fiber spine, bow and stays; polyfilm sail. Flying a fighter kite is simple, but it takes practice to get good at it. When you pull on the line, the kite flies forward in a straight line. The harder you pull, the faster the kite goes. When releasing line, the kite spins. So, to make the kite go to the right, you wait while releasing line until the nose is pointing right. Then, start pulling. It’s all about the timing and knowing how your kite behaves when given slack. Pulling line into a pile at the flier’s Slipping line. The kite will be Kite in a low, horizontal pass. feet. The kite will be moving, spinning, perhaps hovering Attacking a kite to the left? perhaps to a high position. low over the sand. Escaping from one to the right? North American fighters have evolved to perform well in the line touch game. Fliers start ~10’ apart with kites in the air, away from each other in a neutral position, with about 100’ of line out. The starter (who may well be one of the two fliers) starts the point by yelling “Top” or “Bottom”.