Ozone Part 3 : Frenzy flight school

Part 3: flight management/control tips

wingtip folding

Sometimes in difficult conditions, or during aggressive maneuvering of the kite, the inside wingtip of the turning frenzy can fold in, in some cases becoming entwined in the bridling. This is nothing to worry about, and is a common occurrence on modern kites due to the strong curve in the wingtips which helps to facilitate quicker turning and better overall stability.

Should the wingtip start to fold, try the following:

ease off on the turn (bar pictures here of stages one and two, see notes)sheet in – this will help recover the affected tip( pics 3 & 4 see notes)sheet out to regain forward speed (pic 5)Also, you can point the affected tip towards the ground and let gravity help you to sort out the problem.Shaking the bar from side to side will help untangle a caught wingtip in conjunction with stage 4.

Avoidance: how to stop it happening in the first place

It's worth trying not to be super aggressive in the turn, particularly at the edges of the window. This is when tip folding is most likely to occur.

Also, try sheeting in slightly as you start the turn. This has the added effect of speeding up the turn. Remember to sheet out back to your ‘sweet spot’ on the bar to re-accelerate the kite back up to normal flying speed and help keep it inflated. Try to do this as soon as the kite is pointing in the required direction, if not slightly before. With practice this becomes second nature and you’ll soon find yourself pulling quicker, tighter turns holding more power.

Overview

Smooth progressive movements for turning help the kite to hold its shape better as it alters its position in relation to the wind. As you develop a better feel for the kite you can be faster, but always be smooth. Smoothness is the key.

Luffing/Nosing over

Note : always use personal judgement before attempting recovery. If in ANY doubt, pull the safety immediately. All recovery techniques should be mastered in light winds first to allow experience to be gained. Please be careful and use appropriate safety equipment.

There is a point where attempting recovery can result in reopening the kite in the centre of the window. As you can imagine this can have severe consequences so the following diagram is included as a guide.

Over flying: method 1

Keep the kite near to the centre of the zenith. As the kite starts to go overhead, sheet in fully to back stall the kite. This pulls it back into the wind window. Once at zenith return the bar to its normal position, this is very important as you don’t want to back stall the kite into the power zone. Once recovered, aim the kite for the top edge of the window, this will help you to remain in control.

Method 2

If the kite is looking like it’s about to over fly due to a sudden increase in wind, you can gently pump the bar to slow down the kite. Be careful as doing this too vigorously (especially in a strong gust) may result in an unexpected jump!

Method 3

Additional brake can be applied by twisting the bar downwards, effectively shortening the brakelines and helping to slow down the kite. This method is often enough on its own if the kite is only over flying slightly.