How we fly kites in the fall and don't catch a cold. How we fly kites in the fall and don't get cold Gunther kite how to fly

To avoid catching a cold, we now use outerwear made of membrane fabric. Usually this is a jacket and pants, sometimes overalls. We put on a set of thermal underwear on a naked body (not a T-shirt!), it retains heat by repelling moisture from the body. After all, when actively spending time in an ordinary autumn jacket or woolen sweater, children sweat, hence the trouble - the cold wind blows on their wet body and the child gets sick.

The more you wrap the children up, the worse it gets. It turns out to be a vicious circle and parents choose the option of staying at home rather than going out. Membrane fabric protects from the wind; it is not blown, but breathes. If the air temperature outside is not very comfortable, you can wear a fleece jacket on top of your thermal underwear or just take it with you until you feel how the “thermal underwear set + membrane outerwear” rule works.

It is necessary to ensure that the child's body is dry. This can be done by running your hand through the neckline to the back and feeling it for moisture. High-quality thermal underwear does an excellent job of keeping you dry. We bought it from Sportmaster and Champion because we are afraid of fakes and do not skimp on quality. If you take into account the recommendations presented, the child will remain dry, which means he will not freeze.

Walking in any weather helps strengthen our immunity. And in order not to be distracted by the unpleasant wind, you need not only to dress correctly, but also to do something pleasant. Then you won’t even remember the discomfort.

Kites and kites for children

Without rain, mushrooms will not grow, and without wind, a kite will not fly. Windy autumn days are a good time to launch. This activity also promotes increased physical activity of the child. You need to run so that the speed of the kite is sufficient and it does not fall to the ground.

Everything is so simple that there are no questions about how to assemble and fly a kite. Even a child can handle this. There is another benefit - children acquire new skills. For example, when we taught them how to tie a kite and explained the construction, they learned to tie knots in a new way.

The children loved this activity so much that we went further and bought them an aerobatic kite. In their eyes, it looks like a parachute, only smaller. The main thing is that it will not tear the child off the ground, which means it is safe. The children mastered kite control during their first walk and are now only improving their results.

There are traction kites. You cling to them using a special design - a trapezoid. The kite accompanies us on ski trips across the fields in winter, and on the board along the sea waves in summer. Our dad is just interested in these sports. And the children are also slowly practicing their flying skills with such an unusual kite.

The youngest son, Dim Dimych, four years old, has already switched to piloting a traction kite. For safety, we gave him the smallest representative from this line - a snake with an area of ​​3.5 square meters. The range of wind speeds should be 3-5 meters per second.

First of all, we check the speed of the kite without the participation of the child. If control is given without special effort and there are no powerful uncontrollable impulses - we give the kite to our son.

To determine wind speed we use the Beaufort scale

How to choose a kite

Most kites have line lengths up to 25 meters. For older children, they are 11 and 12 years old, this is already possible - they can handle the controls. Freely measure the distance to bushes or trees and the length of the slings.

But this length makes it difficult for Dim Dimych to grasp the meaning of which handle to pull the kite with so that it flies in the right direction. Therefore, especially for him, we unfasten such long lines and install shortened ones 3-4 meters long. An ordinary rope with a diameter of 2-3 mm is suitable for this purpose. With shortened lines, the kite loses its excess thrust and quickly and easily responds to the movements of the child’s hands.

A flying kite brings a lot of joy when a gust of wind pulls a child in one direction or another and the baby runs after a beautiful “parachute”. And if he himself lifts, steers, drops, sometimes especially for dad or mom, this is a “big miracle” - indescribable happiness in his eyes.

At such moments, we all forget that autumn and early winter are a dull time of year. Nature has no bad weather, there are unsuitable clothes and not knowing what to do.

I hope that someone will like our idea of ​​how to spend windy autumn days. And such terminology as “frequently ill child” will remind you less often. Personally, we now try not to miss opportunities and go out any day. The main thing is that there is a stadium, park or field nearby - any area above which there is air space free from wires and tree branches.

The video shows how we launch the kite.

Photo, video and text - Yulena Terekhova

The Chinese have long believed that a kite soaring in the sky takes away all illnesses, misfortunes and worries. In addition, flying a kite is always a spectacular and quite simple activity. The main thing is to choose the right place and take into account some nuances.

What child doesn't dream of flying a colorful kite? What could be stronger than the delight with which children watch a toy soaring in the sky? “Daddy, let’s make a snake!” - says your beloved child. And the father, in response, scratches the top of his head with concern, since assembling a kite and flying it seems especially difficult. But it's not like that at all.

Theoretical minimum

Before you fly a kite, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic concepts:

A lifeline is a thread that is used to control a flying toy;

The bridle is the strong threads woven together that secure the kite to the rail;

Load-bearing area - the size of the projection of the kite onto a horizontal surface;

Load-bearing capacity is the lifting force of one unit of load-bearing area;

The center of pressure is the center of the bearing area.

How to make a toy fly?

How to make a kite so that it floats? To do this, its surface should not be flat, but curve upward under the pressure of the air flow. That is why, when making a kite, it is not recommended to pull the material (paper, oilcloth, fabric) too tightly. Sometimes it is enough to secure just the corners. The center of gravity must be shifted towards the tail, otherwise long soaring will not be achieved.

The leading edge of the kite must be carefully taped or reinforced to avoid turbulence. For those who do not yet know how to fly a kite, it is better to give preference to flying models that have a long tail- it gives the correct balance to the entire structure.

Another important element- this is a bridle that should consist of two threads. But such a kite is quite difficult to control, so beginners are better off using a triple bridle.

Home workshop - manufacturing stages

1. To assemble the simplest type of kite, you need to take two thin pine, bamboo or plastic slats 30 and 50 cm long. We measure 15 cm from the end of the longer plank and fasten the small slats at a right angle using strong threads. This creates a crosspiece for a flying toy.

2. At the ends of the planks you need to make round notches into which a thin, strong thread is pulled. You should get a quadrangular frame.

3. Then you need to take thin paper or oilcloth and cover the existing workpiece. To do this, the resulting frame is placed on a sheet of prepared material and outlined with a pencil or marker, adding a small distance to the allowances for fastening.

4. The pattern is cut out, after which the frame is thoroughly lubricated with glue and attached to the material. You can decorate the kite with felt-tip pens, drawing cartoon characters on it (which will delight your children), or depict the slender legs of your beloved woman on it (which will delight you).

5. Now you can start attaching the bridle. To do this, take a spool of fishing line, which is attached to the left corner of the workpiece. Then you need to stretch it to the nose of the kite, and from there to the right corner to determine the length of the bridle. Cut the thread and attach the tip to the right corner of the kite (you get a long thread from one edge to the other). Now we take the reel again, fasten the fishing line in the bow of the structure, measure the distance to the left corner of the kite, add another ten centimeters, cut it and tie it to the middle of the first thread.

6. The tail of the kite can be made from a thin cord or strong nylon thread, measuring 3.5-4 meters. The tail can be decorated with paper bows.

7. Flying a kite is impossible without a leash. To do this, a long strong thread is tied to the bridle, at the end of which you can tie a small stick for ease of control.

Flat flying structures

Such kites are the simplest and most famous. The frame is made of pine or any other light wood. The covering is made of film or paper. Paper does not provide structural stability, so it must be durable (micalette, tissue or rice). If film is used, it should have poor stretch, but at the same time stick well to the frame (it is best to buy acrylic).

What does a snake monk look like?

This flying model got its name due to its resemblance to the hood of a monastic robe. This kite is perfectly centered, so a two-lead bridle is sufficient to launch it. The tail is used as a balancer and should be light and thin. It is better to choose dense material for such a kite, since under gusts of wind it wrinkles too easily and falls.

Bow flying design

This is one of the varieties of flat kite. The frame is built from a pair of slats, which ensures lightness. In this case, the front rail gives rigidity to the entire structure, but there is greater sensitivity to wind. Beginners are not always able to master flying this type of kite the first time.

Box design

This type of homemade kite looks quite solid, but is quite simple to perform. He doesn't need a tail. Moreover, such snakes can lift small loads, so you can place a small digital camera in them, after turning it on for video recording or burst shooting. This way you can get completely unique aerial shots. But the box-shaped structure stays well in the air only in strong winds.

How to fly a kite: choosing a place

To ensure that nothing interferes with the flight process, you should choose open areas without any obstacles. Trees, kiosks, and buildings located nearby interfere with the direct passage of air flow and create unnecessary turbulence. Perfect fit sea ​​coast with its breeze (unless, of course, you have to jump over the bodies of vacationers). It is better to stay away from roads, airfields and power lines.

How to fly a kite (instructions)

First you need to determine the direction of the wind by simply slobbering on your finger. Now the kite is solemnly presented to a friend (girlfriend, child, wife). You need to stand opposite your assistant, who must hold the kite above his head, perpendicular to the ground. The wind should be blowing at your back, the reel with the line should be in your hands.

So how to fly a kite? First, you need to slowly move away from your friend at a distance of about 20 meters, while unwinding the leash. Having given the command: “Let go!”, sharply pull the rail towards you. If the wind is strong enough, the kite will soar in the air, and all you can do is watch its flight in raptures. Otherwise, you will have to run around the field a little more until the structure catches the air flow.

How to fly a kite correctly different strengths wind? If it only flies when the person driving it runs, then the wind is too weak. With fairly strong air currents, the flying structure floats in the air with ease, and no additional effort is required. The optimal wind speed for launching a paper model should be 3-6 m/s.

If the tension of the leash thread is too strong, then it should be unwound a little. If the wind subsides, the snake is pulled towards itself. To return the structure to the ground, you need to gradually reel in the rope and go home with a sense of accomplishment.

Who didn't fly a kite as a child? For many of us, this was a favorite pastime to do. with my own hands there was no difficulty. We made the simplest kites made of paper and rejoiced at how our creations flew in the wind. Now in stores you can find the most different models kites, from small children's kites to huge professional ones. And now, having already become parents ourselves, we go with interest to the sports department to buy this bright toy for our children. Let's remember together how to assemble a kite, and in what ways it can be lifted into the sky.

Assembling the kite

Regardless of the level of complexity, all kites consist of a standard set of components. The most important thing in any kite is a strong frame that holds the shape of the structure during flight. It can be made of two or more slats. A canvas made of lightweight material is stretched over the frame, which creates an obstacle to the wind and allows the kite to soar in the air. It is important to know that when launching the kite, it must be positioned in such a way that the canvas is in front of the frame, and the wind hits it. In some kite models, a tail made in the form of beautiful ribbons is attached to the canvas, which is designed to smooth out gusts of wind and stabilize the kite in the air.

The kite is controlled from the ground using a rope or thread, which is also called a lifeline. It should be very strong, but light enough so as not to interfere with flight.

The thread is wound on a special convenient spool. Often kite manufacturers make the ropes with carabiners so that people can release them. The place where the thread joins the kite is called the frenulum. Depending on the number of attachment points, this can be:

• A single fastener bridle that requires no mid-air adjustments. The snake is corrected only by its tail.
• a bridle with a keel, made in the form of a single piece from a cloth of the same material. Also requires no adjustments during flight
• a bridle with two or more fastenings, which involves controlling the kite. To do this, it has a ring that allows you to adjust the flight angle.

How to fly a kite

Flying a kite is easy, the main thing is to choose a suitable place and catch the wind. To do this, we find a large open plot of land, preferably on a hill, where air currents move from bottom to top. If you are surrounded by trees and houses, it will be more difficult for the kite to rise due to the uneven wind, and it will only be able to stabilize at a height of about 50 meters.

Important to remember:

• Never fly a kite under power lines, near highways or airports, or during a storm with thunder and lightning. Even if the place seems perfectly flat and spacious to you, and the wind in a thunderstorm is simply ideal for flying a kite, such games can be life-threatening.
• Never fly heavy kites over people or animals. If you lose control, this entire structure with a rigid frame can fly towards a person at great speed and injure him. If you want to play with your children on the beach by the sea, a lightweight paper kite that will not harm anyone is suitable for this.
• Wear sunglasses when flying a kite in sunny weather. If you are engrossed in the game and looking intently at the sky, you may not notice how bright sun will harm your eyes.
• Be sure to protect your hands. Use gloves and a reel. Do not wrap the line around your hands under any circumstances. A strong gust of wind can lift the kite up, and the quickly unwinding thread will burn your skin.

Before sending your kite into the sky, place it facing you, stand with your back to the wind and pull the threads. Flying a kite depends largely on wind speed. If the wind is strong enough, the kite can be launched directly from your hands, placing its nose in the wind and slowly unwinding the rope. If the wind is not very strong, you may need help. Spin the reel 15-20 meters, pull the thread and ask someone to throw the kite up. It happens that the wind is weak near the ground, but quite strong above. This is evidenced by the swaying tree tops. In this case, the kite will only fly at a certain height. But in order to raise it to this height, you will have to run a little against the wind.

Carefully monitor the thread tension. If the wind has died down and the tension begins to weaken, wind the thread onto the spool or simply pull it towards you. If the wind gets stronger, the rope needs to be unwound a little, or, for example, you can take a few steps in the direction of the wind. When the kite begins to fall and the situation cannot be corrected, release the rope so that the impact on the ground is softer.

Controllable kite

When you have the opportunity to control the flight of a kite, it is always interesting. Only to fly such kites you need strong wind, because in a weak wind, holding two reels in your hands, you will not be able to run backwards. It is advisable to have an assistant during startup. But you can also cope on your own, although most likely not on the first try.

As the kite takes flight, keep your hands at chest or hip level. Try pulling the right thread towards you. You will see the kite fly to the right. If you pull left hand, you can straighten it or tilt it, respectively, to the left. Movements should be smooth. If you pull the strings, the kite will quickly fall. Do not unwind the thread too much. First get used to the kite's maneuvers. And after a little training, release it higher. Don't worry if the threads get twisted a few times, it won't affect the control in any way.

In skillful hands, the kite can draw various figures in the air, and also perform tricks such as the figure eight, loop and spiral descent. If you are not yet able to control the kite, do not worry, very soon you will master all the subtleties of flight, and your kite will soar in the air for hours to the delight of you and your children.

This is a complete instruction on kites. It includes sections on basic flying techniques, wind corrections, introductory maneuvers, kite improvement, etc.

Kite lovers call it the “Bible”

Note:

All kites, without exception, are subject to the laws of physics. Depending on the wind strength, mass and design of the kite, its behavior changes, but again without contradicting the laws of physics. This manual and the author who wrote it do not bear any responsibility and make no guarantees regarding the use of kites, either in accordance with the piloting rules or outside of any rules. This manual does not tell you how to make a kite or about kite history, we would just like to convey the basics of piloting and lift the curtain a little on these fragile but graceful creatures - kites.

Chapter 1 - All about wind and terrain

Wind characteristics

Most people don't spend much time defining wind, or thinking about wind at all. Sailors, pilots or others whose profession involves wind will be an exception, because for ordinary people the average wind has little effect on their daily life and, as a rule, they do not notice any minor changes.

There are different types of kites. The kite-wind connection itself is a system in which the wind is the engine, no engine - no flight.

Experienced pilots, and those who are directly involved with the wind, have the habit of watching the wind almost constantly, even when not flying. They look at flags, trees, circles on water and other signs of air movement in space.

Wind awareness is what transforms you from a wind enthusiast to an experienced flyer. Therefore, regardless of your level of training, we want to warn you that the wind is not to blame for anything! Many began to think that the wind should listen to them and do what they say, but we will disappoint you, everything is exactly the opposite, it is you who must “listen” to the wind, predict its behavior, because the wind is on its own, and it has the right to do whatever he pleases. If you learn to cope with the energy of the wind and direct it in the right direction, then you will become one of the best air conquerors.

So start observing the wind, become one of those thoughtful observers who always notice the slightest change in the wind.

Wind has two characteristics: Smoothness (smoothness) and Strength!

Let's talk first about SMOOTHNESS (SMOOTHNESS)

Finding a smooth wind for flying is as important as finding a smooth road for a comfortable ride. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a “steady breeze,” just as there are no absolutely perfect roads without bumps and holes. Although it seems to you that the wind is often stable and even, and that it is just a mass of air moving from one place to another, there are still a lot of nuances. The wind is influenced by many factors, such as friction with the ground, which slows down its movement, and obstacles such as trees, buildings and hills create quite a few barriers to the wind, including temperature changes, which also greatly influence the wind regime.

Let's look at the wind in the pictures, the direction of the arrow will indicate the direction of the wind, and the length of the arrow will indicate its speed.

If the earth were completely flat, the wind would look like this:

Friction of air with the surface of the earth causes air near the ground to move more slowly than in upper layers, even if the wind is quite strong.

You can even test this for yourself; on a windy day, you can simply take a horizontal position in relation to the ground and feel how much the wind force has changed. In other words, the closer the wind is to the ground, the more it slows down, this phenomenon creates the so-called boundary layer - the area from the ground level to the level at which the wind is no longer affected by friction. Everything above the boundary layer is called free flow or free flow.

Here's what you need to know about the boundary layer; its thickness varies. And, as a rule, the kite is best kept in free layers, since boundary layers are less stable.

The boundary layer is the layer that we cannot change, but we can learn to work with it. But there is such a thing as Turbulence, and it's definitely bad news.

Turbulence is caused by anything that gets in the way of the wind, be it a rock, a tree, a building or any other obstacle, even your kite generates some turbulence. Turbulence downwind of an obstacle is called its aerodynamic shadow. All wind shadows gradually disappear, depending on the distance from the obstacle, but this does not happen immediately.

For example, the shadow from ordinary wood extends for several hundred meters, while a large building can leave a shadow one and a half kilometers long.

The difficulty with flying in turbulent conditions is that you will experience sudden and unpredictable changes in wind direction and strength. Depending on the severity of the turbulence, it will be either easy or, in extreme cases, impossible to cope with.

FORCE is different important characteristic wind

When defining wind and talking about wind strength, let's immediately determine the average value of wind force, and often this figure is 5 m/s. At one point or another, the strength of the wind, in other words its speed, will change.

Probably for a better understanding of the wind strength you should look at the Beaufort table. It was developed by Admiral Sir Francis Beaufort in 1806 as a standard guide for describing wind force on sailing ships. We have modified the table and slightly adjusted it to the kites to make it clearer for you.

Beaufort table:

Choosing a place to fly.

There are two main things to consider when choosing a flight location: the terrain and the safety of the launch area.

Terrain – as we already know, flying into turbulence is not an easy task. And turbulence occurs due to obstacles, but not only those that are on the ground, but can also be caused by unevenness in the shape of the ground. Let's look at how air flows over a hill:

On the windward (front) side of the hill, the air flow is compressed and accelerated. This part of the hill is good for piloting, and this ideal shape of the hill can even help smooth out the turbulence that will form on the back side of the hill. As you already understood, with reverse side the wind and its flow will be noticeably different from the flow in front of the hill. Wind flowing over a hill creates turbulence that can range from moderate to severe, depending on the strength of the wind and the shape of the hill.

If a slight incline has a positive effect on flight performance, then you would probably decide that a steep incline would be good place, but is this really so? let's figure it out...

A sharp break at the foot of the cliff causes the wind to hit a dead end, creating a zone of turbulence. And the gap in the upper part, as exemplified by the back side of the hill, also forms a zone of turbulence. That is, as you already understood, the rocks are not better place to fly a kite.

The ideal place for flying would be a huge wide area, ideally without any trees or obstacles. The most best advice It is advisable for you not to fly the kite downwind of trees, buildings or geological formations, and to avoid areas of turbulent shadows.

Safety

We will talk a lot about safety, you will often hear about it from your friends, kite shop owners and other specialized kite organizations, and all because the kite in the sky, although controllable, is not predictable, just like the wind is not predictable. You can injure others, injure yourself, and damage equipment. Even in a moderate wind, the speed of a kite can be about 100 km/h, and I think you understand that there is nothing pleasant in the fact that something from the sky will fall on you at such a speed. Tight slings pose an even greater danger, so do not neglect safety tips.

Here's another one of the most basic safety tips that you should definitely heed - stay away from power lines! Everyone who says that kites do not conduct electricity is a lie, and if the kite is wet and you launch it in a thunderstorm, then this is an even greater danger!

The most important advice is to be aware of those around you. The most common example: a beautiful day, perfect wind, there is only you and your kite, but soon your kite attracts people, ahhhhhhhs are heard, there are more and more spectators)

Some children are attracted to your kite and they run around chasing it, you are flattered, you try to show some trick, the kite performs imaginable and inconceivable pirouettes, it seems to you that everything is just perfect, but it is not so, you are in trouble! Because no matter how good you are, how prepared you are, there are rules and they must be followed! The wind is not a predictable thing, and if your situation is similar to this, then we advise you first of all to tell their parents about the danger for children, tell them that the best and safest place is behind the back of the pilot.

In general, the better you choose where to fly your kite, the less likely it is that something will go wrong. The launch site should be clearly visible and preferably more topics better. Be careful, have common sense everything will be fine with you and your kite!

Chapter 2 - First flight

Most people who ride bicycles did not learn to ride it right away; there were many falls, bruises and disappointments, but they did not give up and sat on the saddle again and again, making new attempts. You should not forget about this when learning to fly a kite. If you don’t succeed right away, try again, don’t give up after the first two or three failures. If you have never flown a kite and there is no one nearby who can teach you, do not worry, we will try to help you, here are some tips for this:

1) Almost every kite you can buy comes with instructions, so be sure to read them all. If it is not there, you can contact the store where you purchased it, they will help you. The instructions usually contain useful information both about the kite in general and about the launch.

2) I hope you have read the previous chapter and have an idea about choosing a launch site. You must identify one or a couple of places that are ideal for launching.

3) Check the wind speed (strength). For your first launch, the ideal wind will be 8 m/s, more is also good, but not so easy.

4) If possible, take an assistant with you; having one will make the launch much easier. Also take with you a piece of dowel, or something like a screwdriver, this will be your ground anchor, we will talk about it later.

Assembling a kite

When assembling, simply follow the manufacturer's instructions; usually everything is described in detail in the instructions. Kites have differences, but general outline they are all similar. Almost all of them are made of clear vinyl tubes and struts, which, roughly speaking, are the frame of your kite. When assembling the kite, make sure that all the tubes fit firmly and completely into the spacers, because a poorly secured frame can simply fall apart in the sky, or if the slightest fall occurs, the kite will have to be reassembled.

As a tip, you can put a small roll of electrical tape in your briefcase; if some spars constantly pop out, you can secure them in this way.

Once your frame is assembled, carefully inspect the straps. For perfect launching all lines
must be separate from each other and not twisted with the kite frame itself. The key to a good launch is careful preparation. If there are no loops at the ends of the lines yet, be sure to learn how to make them; there are special instructions for attaching lines to kites. Typically, power lines are attached directly to a swivel rig, which helps reduce line twist.

Another common mistake when starting up for the first time is that the handle is incorrectly taken into the wrong hand, this is the case if the bar consists of two separate handles. From the outside it looks funny, you want the kite to turn right, you pull the right handle and it flies to the left)) So be sure to make sure that you have the right handle in the right hand, usually the right one is indicated by some kind of red element, if your hands don’t have this, you can color them yourself.

IMPORTANT: When buying a kite, measure its tubes and all other parts, this is necessary in the event that your kite breaks and one of the parts is lost, you can find, buy and replace it.

Lay the lines directly to windward, the length usually varies from 30 to 45 meters. Lines shorter than this length reduce the kite's response time to your control, and the kite moves too quickly, which is not good for first launches and learning.

Launch

So, you took the kite control sticks, red in right hand As you already know. Have your helper hold the kite by the base or center of the struts. There should be tension in the lines between you and your assistant. From your assistant's point of view it should look something like this:

Pre-launch control:

1) Check the area where your kite is expected to fly, preferably for people or other hazards.

2) Look back, there should be a lot of room for maneuvers and your movements.

3) Make sure all lines have the same tension.

4) Make sure there are no other kites in the sky that you could collide with in the sky.

Well, it seems like you have already learned how to fly a kite, it soars in the sky, you are delighted, but there is still a moment, what to do if you do not have an assistant, or he simply cannot this moment help you, sit at home and wait? No! Definitely need to learn how to fly a kite on your own!

Self-launch

Self-launch requires more preparation and patience, and the launch method differs depending on the air kite model; we will analyze the launch on models such as Delta and Diamond. There are a large number of shapes and sizes.

1) Lay out the lines directly on the windward side, place the handles so that the right (red) one is on the right hand. Remember about the ground anchor? Now we need it, you should secure your control handles in the ground in the form of an anchor. Stick the anchor into the ground at an angle away from the kite, and place the handles with lines on top of the anchor.

2) Grasp the kite itself and, walking as if with your back backwards, pull the lines, making sure that the anchor is not torn out of the ground. When flying a Delta type kite, you need to position it so that its base is towards the ground and tilted slightly back. And the diamond kite should stand on a side stand, with its nose buried on the ground on one side and the other pointed upward.

3) Now we return to the anchor, take the kite control handles and check the tension of the lines again, but you need to do this lightly, because if you pull them too hard, the kite will begin to try to take off prematurely, or simply fall to the ground.

4) Do not forget about the rules of pre-launch control.

5) Further movements in order to lift the kite (kite) off the ground should be done in this way: take a couple of steps back:

There is also such a useful technique for launching a Delta type kite:

If you are launching your kite on a beach where there is a lot of sand and your anchor cannot be securely anchored, do the following. Lay the kite flat on its "back" i.e. outer part, and sprinkle sand on the bottom edges, especially on the corners. Then you return to the control handles and carefully pull them. The kite should begin to rise and be filled with wind, the sand will slowly but surely crumble freeing the kite and lifting it into the sky.

So, you have learned how to fly a kite, you can now hone your skills. But here’s something else I’d like to say and warn. If you decide to move away from the kite for a short time and rely on the anchor, then this may backfire on you. You can't, remember IT IS FORBIDDEN leave a kite ready to fly unattended!

Separately, I would like to tell you about the independent launch of kites by type Parafoil.

Parafoil(eng. parafoil) - a soft fabric shell wing, inflated through the air intakes by the incoming air flow. Lifting force is created due to the flow of counter-current air around the wing profile. This term is often used to describe a frameless type of kite. Parafoil consists of upper and lower shells, ribs, and stabilizers. Ribs define the profile of the wing and divide the wing into sections.

The peculiarity of such a kite is that it will fly only if the air intakes are filled with wind. There are cases when sand or other debris gets into them and the kite stops flying as before, you have to land it and clean the sections.

To launch a kite with the help of an assistant, no special work is required; your assistant must stand behind the kite, grasp the canopy on both sides and position the air intakes in the wind so that they are filled with air during the first toss, and you, in turn, will simply have to pull the lines and the kite will soar into the sky.

The technique of starting it yourself without help is almost more difficult. To do this, you need to position the kite with its outer side facing the ground, with air intakes from the wind, sprinkle it with a little sand, but only the part that is closed from sand and other debris. Then move back to the control handles (bar), take a couple of steps back, and tighten the lines. With this tension in the lines, the front edge of the kite, which is not currently covered with sand and has open sections for air intake, begins to rise and fill with air. A couple more movements, a step or two back, and the kite, having straightened all the sections and filled them with air, goes straight into the sky.

Launching into a stronger wind alone is, in principle, possible, but there is a possibility that while you are walking to the control handles, the kite will fill with air and spontaneously begin to take off, and if you did not take care of the ground anchor, then your kite can do a lot of trouble.

Chapter 3 - Piloting Basics

Steering

You can already lift a kite into the sky, but you are having difficulty controlling it, we will try to help you with this:

That’s actually the whole story with control) Whatever maneuver you want to make and no matter how difficult it is, there are basic concepts for piloting, and they involve turning right and left. But nevertheless, let's take a closer look at each of the movements.

When flying straight the kite does not necessarily have to move vertically upward, the concept of a kite flying straight means that it is moving in a straight line in the sky. The figure below shows options for moving straight:

There is a big difference in kites by type, model and design, and accordingly some fly better straight, some are better at various tricks, more nimble or less controllable - it all depends on the type of kite, but also on the design, because For example, one delta may perform some maneuvers better than another. The best thing you can do in this case is to experiment with various types and brands of kites.

When you pull the right stick towards you, the kite reacts accordingly by starting to turn to the right, but not necessarily that it will fly exactly in right side sky, it still depends on the correctness of your movements and on what you need from the kite. It is enough to simply set the direction of the kite and it can easily, for example, move from the left to the right edge of the wind window.

In each of these pictures below, the kite is turning right (left turns work on the same principle):

No matter how many kite loops you make, your kite will always remain in the sky and controllable. In order to unwind lines that have become twisted during kite loops, it is enough to point the kite in the other direction.

Body positions

The correct position for piloting is one that allows you to enjoy control and relax at the same time. There is nothing complicated, just stand up straight, arms at your sides, elbows bent, elbows pressed to the body, or close to the body, gaze fixed on the sky at the kite. The movements are smooth and purposeful, that is, either to the left or to the right, there is no need to invent anything and try to pull the lines particularly strongly or to the side.

Remember:
All unnecessary movements only waste your energy and nothing more.
Keeping your hands above your head will not make the kite fly higher.
Holding the controls tighter will not improve your kite control.
Moving your hips will not change the position of the kite
Keeping your hands further apart will only make it more difficult to control.

Focus on the flight, watch the kite and at the same time think through its trajectory, try to control the kite to move it across the sky as you want. Some special additional or sometimes unnecessary movements will only attract the attention of other people but will not add anything positive to your flight.

Don't forget to smile))) Flying a kite should be fun ;)

First maneuvers

Let's go back to the moment when you just learned to fly a kite, and of course you want to perform some kind of maneuver, or even just a meaningful element of piloting. Let's try to help you with this:

When launched, the kite flies upward:

Your control handles are placed at the same level, the kite can yaw left or right. If the kite turns to one side, add a little tension to the opposite line to even out the direction of the kite.

If the kite turns left, pull a little to the right.

If he turns right, pull slightly to the left.

When you reach a certain height, pull the right handle and point the kite to the right, being careful not to overdo it. The movement should be smooth, do not allow the kite to make a kite loop (loop).

After this, when the kite has flown about 1/4 of the loop, pull the left control stick so that the kite makes a left turn well above the trajectory of the first right turn. Then fly the kite straight without overdoing the left turn to avoid a loop.

Then RIGHT again and STRAIGHT

Congratulations!! You have just made a horizontal figure eight. Now do it again!

Most The best way mastering kite flying means trying something new again and again and honing the maneuvers you have already learned. Over time, you will understand that the main thing in piloting is refinement and precision, that delicacy is much better than brute force.

Note: Never drop the controls while the kite is in the sky, this can lead to dire consequences. Some models of kites can then glide over long distances, and the control handles “dangling” behind them pose a direct danger to everyone on the ground; without human control, they can be dangerous!

Landing

There are three types of kite landing, but we will specifically focus on the first two: random, normal and what we call “Eagle has landed”, the third method is the most difficult and requires individual skills.

Random (emergency) landing, in its essence, is not a method of landing a kite, since in most cases the kite falls to the ground due to the inability to land it correctly, or simply because there is no desire to do it carefully. The only disadvantage of this method, besides the aesthetics of piloting, is that you can easily damage the kite. If, for example, one of the spars is broken, it is not so difficult to repair it, but who wants to do this instead of flying a kite. The usual reaction of a person who, for one reason or another, could not hold the kite in the sky and watches it fall uncontrollably, is to grab the handles tighter and pull them towards himself, while taking a step or two back.

This is what 90% of all beginners do, and it's true. But you don’t need to do this, as you already understand, since by pulling the lines and pulling them towards you, you will only accelerate the kite and it will fall to the ground with more force than if you did nothing. The whole point is that the entire flight depends on how tense the lines are; if there is no tension, there is no flight. If you release the kite, it practically stops in the air, and then flies to the ground like an ordinary leaf. All that is required of you is to try to reduce the tension, if possible, you can quickly run towards the dome. This is the most reliable and safe way save the kite during an emergency landing.

Normal A (recommended) landing is the planned landing of the kite at the point where you would like it to land. This takes advantage of the fact that the kite loses speed and thrust as it descends into the edge of the wind window, whether it is the right or left edge, it makes no difference.

When landing, you need to move the kite at a slight angle to the edge of the wind window, feeling that the thrust has become less, and when there are only a few meters left to the ground, you need to make a slight left turn, this will allow you to bring your kite parallel to the ground. After which it is possible to completely loosen the lines, or another movement of the hand, but only to the right and the kite will very gently land on the ground by itself. Congratulations, the landing was successful..

With practice, you will realize that you can sit anywhere and wherever you have planned.

Kite packaging, assembly

When you are finished flying, take a few minutes to pack your kite properly. To do this, make sure that the lines lie parallel to each other and are not tangled with each other, the next time you want to fly a kite you will not have to spend time untangling the lines. Next, disconnect the lines from the kite (kite) and carefully wind them up, then if the structure has tubes and other frame parts, they should be disassembled and carefully placed in a special case, which, by the way, should come complete with the kite. After them, put the kite itself and lines in the case. Another piece of advice: if you have time, you can check the lines to see if they have stretched, because after long flights there have been cases when they stretched and became different lengths.

Repair

Cases when a kite breaks are unfortunately inevitable. Whether it is a regular puncture of the dome, or broken parts of the structure, repairs cannot be completed without special repair parts. The best and most commonly used canopy repair material is nylon ripstop, the same material your kite is made from. You can purchase it in specialized stores that sell kites. Typically, the puncture is repaired on the spot in a matter of minutes, and you can once again fly your kite into the sky. Repairing spars without special spare parts is practically impossible, and when using them on site, repairing the kite is not always quick, but it is doable.

If it seems to you that you cannot repair the kite yourself, or are simply afraid of doing something wrong, then you can always contact specialized stores, which most often double as kite clubs, they will definitely help you!

Chapter 4 - Study of flight conditions and modes

So what conditions are needed to fly a kite? First of all, of course, the strength and density of the wind, its speed, the model of the kite and its configuration. There is probably no need to explain that in weak winds kites do not fly, there is not enough power. In this section we will study the kite's response to wind conditions and how to influence the kite's response. And also what should be done if the conditions do not meet the norm.

When you fly a kite, your kite is usually downwind. As you know, in the sky it moves across a large space, and depending on the direction of the wind and the area (part) of the sky in which it is located, its behavior changes.

Central line is an imaginary vertical line straight downwind.

Wind center- this is the zone in which the kite has good speed and maneuverability. The first maneuvers are usually done in the central part of the wind. The size of this area is not fixed, but varies depending on the strength and speed of the wind, weather conditions and kite designs.

Window edge is an imaginary line from the center line to the ground, extending to the right or left of it. A kite located at the edge of the wind window has minimal thrust, which means it is less maneuverable.

Between the center and the edge the kite will fly normally, but slower than in the center. It is worth remembering that the wind zone increases in proportion to the strength of the wind; in a strong wind the zone will extend to 120 degrees, and in a weak angle it decreases to 45.

Chapter 5 - Advanced Piloting

Having studied the previous chapters, you already know how to launch and land a kite, learned how to perform some maneuvers, as well as control the flight. In general, we learned everything you need to have a pleasant time with a kite. But what to do if you don’t want to stop there, and for you kite tricks are something more than just daily entertainment. In this case, we suggest continuing to study advanced skills:

Flight control

As you probably understand, there are two ways of piloting: the game form and the practicing form.

When you fly a kite in a playful way, your piloting is limited to some simple tricks and you are not striving for anything new, your main task is to relax, have fun and give a smile to others. This style of piloting allows you to escape from the thoughts that bother you and suggests relaxation and inner peace.

The practicing form is significantly different from the gaming form, as it has purposefulness and a high degree of concentration. A person who wants to progress in piloting skills is aimed at specific tasks, studying specific maneuvers and behavior of the kite. Naturally, there is no reason to separate one from the other as things that are completely distant from each other; one does not interfere with the other, so to speak. You can easily play for a while and practice new skills for a while.

Level flight

Horizontal flight is performed along the horizon, from left to right or from right to left, in a straight line. Doing this is not as easy as it may seem at first glance.

Most likely, you will not be able to perform these maneuvers “cleanly,” since to perform them cleanly requires not only training, but also the ability to concentrate and maintain constant control. You need to learn to concentrate your attention on your hands and transmit commands to the kite exactly as you want to see in its movement. You will feel the line tension increase or decrease depending on what part of the sky your kite is in. The best exercise To control the snake, you can’t imagine, try to walk the snake, as shown in the figure above from top to bottom, reaching the lowest border, which can be a meter from the ground.

Direct flight

As a next exercise, try to mentally “draw” straight lines in the sky in any direction, not necessarily along the horizon. Use the same skills of concentration and complete mastery of the kite and you will succeed, because nothing is required of you other than complete control. As you understand, performing this or that trick or maneuver that was planned earlier is much more difficult to write out some ordinary maneuvers in any order.

Throttle control

This concept involves increasing or decreasing power by simultaneously tightening or releasing both lines. Controlling such a plan is a high level of preparation. Remember, steering and throttle power are two different things: steering refers to the change in power relative to the tension of one line relative to the other, and "throttle" refers to the tension on both lines at the same time. However, most often you will use both styles at the same time.

Vertical figure eight

It is performed in almost the same way as the horizontal figure eight, with the exception of one thing: in the upper layers of the air the kite moves more slowly. To perform this trick on top level you will need to draw smoother lines through the center of the figure eight.

The first mentions of homemade flying kites are found in Chinese chronicles of the 2nd century BC. We invite you to repeat the feat of the ancient Chinese: refuse to buy a kite in a store and make it yourself. And then note it in your chronicle.

HANDMADE - KITE MASTERIM

1. To make a simple flat kite, you will need two thin slats made of pine, bamboo or Chinese plastic. One is 50 cm, the other is 30. At a distance of 15 cm from the edge of the larger rail, fasten the 30-centimeter one at a right angle crosswise with strong threads (or strong tape). This will be the serpent's cross.

2. We make circular notches at the ends of the slats. Now feel free to connect thin thread all ends of the cross. This will give you a feeling of satisfaction and a square frame of the kite.

3. The covering is made from thin paper, for example, tracing paper. It's great to use a cut-up plastic trash bag. The lighter the material, the easier it will be to send the kite to the skies. Place the frame on a sheet of the selected material, trace it with a pencil, leaving small allowances, and cut out the shape along the contour. Now let's lubricate the frame with glue and stick it to the material.

4. If there is no store advertising on your package, it doesn’t matter. The drawing is the face of a snake. Using a marker, draw on it your favorite politician, the legs of a woman you know, a smiling Freddy Krueger, or just a call to care for environment. Remember, all the neighbors in the area will be able to study what will happen on the kite, and it’s good if this increases their cultural level.

5. Now we make the bridle. One end of the fishing line is attached to point O, stretched to point N and then to point P, fasten at P. (We pulled to point N to determine the length of the bridle). Another thread is fixed at point N. We measure the distance from N to P, add another 10 cm and tie this length to the center of the first thread. It is important that both halves of the long segment are the same, otherwise the kite will fall to one side.

6. The tail of the kite is added to point G. It is customary to make it from a thin cord 3-4 m long; and usually several paper bows are glued to the tail at an equal distance from each other. The tail is needed to improve the aerodynamic qualities of the device.

7. For the lifeline (this is the name of the thread on which the glider holds the kite), a fishing reel with fishing line is suitable. Attach the end of the fishing line to the bridle, and the kite is ready!

NEGLECTED CASE - SENDING TO THE SKY

The idea of ​​flying a ready-made kite is still in the air.

1. When choosing a place to fly a kite, you should pay attention to open areas. Any nearby wind barriers, trees, stalls, statues of leaders, etc. the wind will be turned away from the true path and give it unnecessary turbulence. The sea coast is ideal for kites. But if you have to catch the breeze by jumping on bodies laid out on the beach, you can take a closer look at other spaces. The selected clearing should not be located next to a busy highway (glider pilots often run with their faces raised to the sky and pose a danger near roads) and away from power lines and airfields.

2. After slobbering on your finger, find out the direction of the wind. Hand the kite to your friend, whom you prudently took with you, and stand opposite him, but so that the wind blows at your back. Let the reel with the handrail be in your hands. Take a few steps back while unwinding the line. Please note that your friend should not be typing SMS at this time: the kite should be held with both hands above your head, trying to position it perpendicular to the direction of the wind.

3. Having moved 15-20 m away, shout to your friend: “Let go!” - and jerk the rail towards you. If the wind is decent, the kite will rise up on its own, and you will only have to stand with the reel, joyfully watching its flight. Otherwise, you will have to run a few more meters until the wind catches the kite.

4. If the kite flies only when you run, it means the wind is weak today. Even if it’s a shame to admit it after the marathon you just completed with a lifeline in your hand. In a normally blowing monsoon, the flying structure flutters in height while it is simply held at arm's length. The optimal wind speed for a beginner is 3-6 m/s. At a lower speed, only the lightest structures will be able to rise; at a much higher speed, the kite will be torn from the hands and will only be subject to the control of a kite specialist.

5. If the handrail pulls too much, you need to unwind the reel a little. Flight when the wind subsides is regulated by pulling the kite towards you. With a successful combination of circumstances, the kite will dangle in the air for several hours, and you will have time to take a break from the hustle and bustle.

6. To finally go home, the snake is pulled to the ground, gradually reeling in the rope. Announce to the children and onlookers gathered around that today you will not start anything else except the engine of your car. Maybe this will help them break up.