Fly indoors? How? |
This area is under construction:
Our clubs indoor flying
sessions start again in October... as soon as it starts I hope to shoot some video clips
and pictures that will aid in the teaching of learning to fly indoors. I hope to have a
step by step method online this fall... with short video clips documenting each
step. Check back later for updates, pics, video clips and kite tuning info regarding
windless flight.
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10-23-99 first installment of
learning to fly indoors. |
This Friday Bill, his wife Ruth, Tom and I were the only fliers at the
weekly indoor fly. We experimented heavily with flying quads indoors.
It wasn't near as bad as we had thought. Rev-1 UL was easiest to keep
up - though hardest to maneuver. Rev 1.5 took a little more effort but
was much easier to control. The Great Decca was the best of both
worlds. But enough about that - Let's get started with some dual line
basics for indoor flying.
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Why? and who should fly
indoors? |
As many of you know, I really learned to fly indoors before learning
to fly outdoors. This is what happens when you get into the sport in
the dead of winter. Learning to fly indoors was a great asset when I
moved outside, because flying indoors really teaches the flier the
subtle finesse controls and tricks that are very helpful when flying
outdoors. The other reason to fly indoors is - it allows you to enjoy
the sport year round, even if you don't live in areas that offer kite
friendly weather conditions. Even if the weather is good outdoors,
INDOOR kiting is still great fun and in additional to being great exercise,
it's also very challenging.
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The Equipment
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When learning to fly indoors it is important to have the proper
equipment. There are many SUL (super ultra light) kites available on
the market, but as of this text there is really one kite that is
recommended by pretty much everyone as 'the best beginner' kite to
learn with...
The "Wren".
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The "Wren"
which sells in the area of $100.00 (U.S.) It's not the most advanced
kite as it won't do tricks as easily as high performance indoor kites
like those offered by Prism (3d, Ozone, Vapor) but it's slow speed and
mushy response make it the best choice for anyone wishing to learn to
fly indoors. I think of it as a trainer, much like a new pilots learns
on a trainer aircraft rather than a Beechjet.
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Below Kevin flies a Wren
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Another factor to consider is line length, which can be as long as the
ceiling of your indoor flying location is high... but when starting
out I recommend line lengths
of 11-13 feet. Shorter is
often easier, but getting to short doesn't allow the kite enough float
time and keeps the new pilot moving more frequently because the kite
can't travel the extra distance that is allowed with longer
lines. If you stay in the 11-13 foot range you should do
fine.
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Dan flies his home made
wren clone on 13 ft lines.
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Attach one end of the lines to the kite using a larks head knot, of
course. On the other end - (you use handles outdoors). These tend to
be to big and cumbersome indoors and eliminate the subtle tactical
feedback you get from the kite. When flying indoors you need to 'feel'
the line tension, the slack, the amount of pressure applied to each
line in order to really become a skilled pilot. Much like a good
fishermen keeps a finger or two against his fishing line so that he
can detect slight disturbances and vibrations affecting his line.
Experience tells him his line is dragging against a underwater plant,
may get snagged in a stump, or has some interest by the critter he's
after.
A indoor pilot also learns to detect what the kite is going to do
next. In some cases you control the kite indoors, but at other times
you respond to what the kite does on it's own, so that the pilot and
kite are affecting each others actions as a team. For this
reason experienced pilots generally use no straps or
handles.
I recommend simply using the typical heavy sleeving that comes on good
linesets. You can sleeve your own home made line sets or buy
them already sleeved. It is customary to have loops in the
sleeving to attach to kites that we fly outdoors. Indoors we just hold
these loops with our fingers. This allows good tactical
feedback.
Some people like to use 'small' finger handles. These are inexpensive
and very light weight. You can use them if you like but they are not
necessary.
Another helpful tool is a pair of home made training sticks.
Like the use of training wheels on a bike, training sticks will aid a
new indoor flyer enough to learn - then can be taken away once the
basics become instinctive. The sticks give additional length to the
new pilots reach allowing the indoor flier to give more pull when
needed and to allow the flier to take up slack more quickly. Taller
people with longer arms tend to pick up indoor flying more quickly.
With the aid of training sticks smaller people can also benefit from a
longer reach.
To make a set, buy a piece of wood dowel from your local hardware
shop. A piece in a standard length (around 3 ft.) costs only a couple
bucks and can be cut to a working size. We've found that cutting two
pieces of about 14 inches in length works well. The dowels come in
different diameters which really doesn't matter. Buy a diameter that
is comfortable in your hand. Usually 1/4 to 1/3 inch in diameter is
used. Once cut to the desired length. Use a steak knife or other
tool to cut a slight line around one end of the stick. This is where
you will attach one end of your lineset. The cuts in the dowel allow
you to tie the lines around the cut area and will stop your lines from
sliding off the end of the stick.
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Typical 11 and 13 foot
line sets on a single winder
No handles are needed
simply
hold on to the sleeving loops
Option finger handles will
work
but really aren't needed.
Dowels, different
diameters...
any size will work
Close up of cut in the
dowel to
keep the line from slipping off
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Indoor Flying Technique
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Once you have your equipment setup, the best way to learn to fly
indoors is by performing some basic maneuvers. The first to learn is
the "up and over". Stand the kite up against a wall or
have a friend gently hold it upright while on the ground. Back up so
that you have plenty of room around you. And remove all slack from the
lines. Holding your sticks or your loops, apply pull to both lines
equally to make the kite lift off the ground and climb. Once the kite
is at about a 45 degree angle from you, pull the lines back over one
shoulder and turn your body so that you continue to face the kite as
it passes over your head. With the kite heading nose down... as it
reaches about eye level pull one line or give one line lots of slack
by reaching forward with one hand. This will make the kite turn from
nose down to nose up position. At this point return your hands to a
even position from the kite and give slack to land both wing tips on
the ground. Before the kite falls over (it won't stand on it's
wing tips for long, re-launch and repeat the steps above.)
Another option to pulling both arms over one shoulder is to pull both
sticks up and behind your head (a wrist will pass by each ear) and
just as you can't bring your arms back any further rotate your body to
face that kite that has passed over head and is now behind you. The
kite will continue to go straight and is now headed toward the ground
on the opposite side of your body from where it started. Just before
it hits the ground (when it is about eye level with you.) pull one
line (or give one slack) allowing the kite to turn. Once it has
rotated from nose down to nose up position. Evenly position your
hands together once again to stop the kite from rotating. Give both
lines slack and let both wing tips of the kite settle to the floor.
Just as they do - pull both lines again to repeat the maneuver. See
how many repeated up and over moves you can perform. Once you've
gained a bit of experience perform the same maneuver without letting
the wing tips touch the floor.
Also as you pull the kite upward during the launch, take a step
backwards. The backward movement of your body provides a small amount
of air to full the kites sail as if you had a gentle breeze 'indoors'.
As the kite passes over your head and you turn to keep facing it -
it's a good idea to take a step backwards the opposite way (away from
the kite). Getting into the practice of always backing slowly
away from the kite will aid greatly in keeping it in the air.
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Tom demonstrates the basic
"up and over" maneuver.
This is Tom's 4th indoor flying session
1.5
mb mpv/avi movie
of up and over
(right click, select save as)
And save to your hard drive.
Then click on it to view it
Bill demonstrates the use of
training sticks
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Next maneuver the 360 |
After getting comfortable with the up and over the next step to move
into would be the 360. The move is as the name implies. You fly
the kite 360 degrees around your body position.
You
can often use the forward momentum of the up and over maneuver to
get your first 360's started. Just as you pass the kite
over your head during a up and over, start to make your turn of the
kite a bit earlier. Also don't turn it as much, we don't want to
change it from nose down to nose up position... we want to simply turn
it from nose down to nose to the side position. Once you make
the turn to the side, lead the kite around you by pulling it along as
you rotate your body in a circle. Again it is very helpful to also
walk a bit backwards as you rotate. This means you will be walking
backwards in a 'donut' shaped circle rather than standing in one spot
and spinning. The backward movement helps keep air pressure in the
sail, and leading the kite a bit with your arms/training sticks...
helps keep the kite moving in the proper direction. Download and view
the accompanying animation for a visual example.
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1.3
mb mpv/avi movie
of 360 maneuver
(right click, select save as)
And save to your hard drive.
Then click on it to view it
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Taking what you've learned
outdoors |
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Often outdoors zero wind is harder than indoors, because even with
zero wind outdoors, there are still like teenie weenie breaths of
air (.25 mph, 1/2 mph etc.) that can mess you up - especially when
doing 360's or any maneuver where the teenie breath of air is from
behind the kite. Larger zero wind or SUL kites handle no wind
outdoor flight very nicely, (VP, Vapor, Ozone, Feather, Flashlight)
The larger of these will fly a bit slower and float better which is
easier when starting out and allows for slow flat axels
and more.
Many indoor techniques can be applied... but when learning with
longer lines (outdoors - start with 30 ft.) it's best to determine
where those little teenie breaths of air will be coming from and
keep them at your back. This means that you'll walk backwards a bit
as you power the kite to the top of the window... then you'll need
to master the 'walk away' maneuver where you regain the ground
you lost by walking backwards (Dodd's training tapes demonstrate
this nicely) as you fly the kite downwards and walk towards it,
the goal is to end up where you started. If practiced and done
properly - you can use this body forward and back technique to fly
the kite all over the sky. Here's an important tip... as you
pump/power the kite upward when it's low in the sky pull back
on the lines as it's high in the sky pull 'down' on the lines
(Prism's "Advanced way to fly" video demonstrates this
move very well). Just remember to ease down on the lines (toward
your feet) by bending down at the waist, as the kite climbs higher
(often while walking backwards) and then give slack as you move
forward allowing gravity to pull the kite forward - but giving just
enough slack to allow the nose to raise up and slowly float the kite
down. Moving forward (giving to much slack) will pancake out the
kite to much and will make it stop abruptly. Making it either fall
out of the sky... or if the move is intentional... and you have the
skills, you can turn/rotate the kite back at you, or initiate
a 540 trick or similar trick.
Above, note the up and over move... the outdoor move is similar
except that it's not an up and over. It's a up and downward turn
then down the same way you went up. Note on the video clip (the
pilot - "Tom") stays in one spot to keep the clip simple
and to the point... but as you advance it's actually best to
move forward with the kite to slow it's decent. This forward
movement is a little harder to learn as it needs to be "just
enough" so as not to let the kite pancake out and
"stop" unless that is desired... or move not enough which
makes the kite descend faster than is desired or needs to be.
To take this movement
a step futther. When flying the kite horizontally... parallel to the
ground from side to side. As the kite is even with the ground or
nose up a little- you'll need to pull a bit and/or step back a
bit. As you make a downward turn and the nose is down past parallel
with the ground.... you'll need to move forward slightly
(always gaining ground and giving slack when ever possible! which is
when ever gravity is powering the kite forward).
If flying loops or figure eight type patterns around in the sky -
you'll find the experienced outdoor zero wind pilot constantly
ungulating back and forth... fore and back... constantly
exchanging 'air power' and 'gravity power' as the kite flies. It can
be a good workout! It's also helpful to adjust the kite nose
forward a bit to increase it's forward speed and to slide any outer
stand offs inward a little to reduce drag at the wind tips. If
possible - moving inner stand offs inward will increase the wind
size (adding more lift) as well as decrease the keel size (reducing
drag). Which makes it easier to fly in zero wind. Prism kites are
designed to offer you these adjustments. (See the kite tuning
section of the Prism website... brought to you by Mark Reed of Prism
and yours truly) (will add video clips demonstrating this text
a.s.a.p.
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More will be added soon to the
basics - but for now let's fast forward to a trick |
Here is a small
sample of the tricks you can do indoors. In addition to axels,
helicopters, side slides, 540's etc... which I hope to show here
in the near future. This is a quick explanation of how to perform the
fade. You do a up and over and then reach/walk forward as the kite nears
the ground. This will 'pancake' (flatten) out the kite so that it
moves nose away from you and has it's belly down. At this point give the lines a
smooth pull followed by slack during the flip. If timed correctly the kite will flip over on
it's back, nose toward you. At this point since we have no wind... you
will need to walk slowly backwards to keep the kite in a stable or rising fade. |
700k
mpv/avi movie
of indoor fade maneuver
(right click, select save as)
And save to your hard drive.
Then click on it to view it
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MORE
TO COME - CHECK BACK SOON
Back to Ron's Kite page
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I
enjoy hearing your comments
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