Sport kite
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Developments in multi-line kites in recent years has allowed forms of kite flying to develop into a sport. Kite competitions have much in common with figure skating, with competitors being judged on their performance in compulsory figures as well as a "ballet", which involves artistic interpretation of music. Performances are done as individuals, a pair of pilots, or as a team. Team flying is typically the most spectacular, with up to eight pilots and stacked kites with tails flying within inches of each other and narrowly averting disaster, while performing all manner of figures and formations in the air.
The most common configuration for a sports kite is a roughly triangular "delta" shape, with two lines for control. These kites are normally constructed from lightweight ripstop nylon, with spars made from carbon fiber tubing. The strings are made from braided nylon which is light, doesn't stretch and stays slippery even when wrapped many times. To control the kite, the pilot pulls on the right hand line to turn right, left line to turn left, and so on. Using combinations of pulls and pushes (to give slack to the lines), complex tricks and patterns can be flown. These range in difficulty from turns, loops and landings, to maneuvers where the kite is flipped and turned end over end, wrapping the lines or floating on its front or back.
Some pilots also fly four-line (or "quad-line") kites, which are controlled with a pair of handles, each with two lines attached to the top and bottom and attached to the kite at the top and bottom. To control the kite, the pilot pulls on the lower line to turn the kite in that direction. Skilled use of these handles allows a quad-line kite to perform in ways that are difficult or impossible with a dual-line kite. Unique quadline maneuvers include reverse flight, axis spins, hovers, and side to side flight.
Other aspects of sport kiting includes "power kites" which can be used to tow wheeled buggies or surfboards (kite surfing).
External links
- Trick kite descriptions (http://www.idemployee.id.tue.nl/p.j.f.peters/kites/)