I tried to get out and practice a bit today, but it was quite an exercise in frustration. The winds today are gusting between...I'd say 4 and 25 mph.
No kidding.
One minute, I'm flying my vented 1.0 just fine, then it practically falls out of the sky. Then after the wind feels like it doesn't want to cooperate, I switch to the SUL. Suddenly, there's a hurricane, and I'm bailing out to the edge of the window to keep from ripping the kite apart. Then, it calms a bit, and as I fly toward one side, the kite get hit by a sideways gust, and flips it and throws it down. I switch back to the vented 1.0 and can barely launch it. Then it wants to tear itself out of my hands. And then, I can't keep it aloft again.
I've really never been angry while flying, but today, I was pretty frustrated.
Gusting Winds
- Frodos Majik
- Posts: 1358
- Joined: Sun, Oct 29 2006, 08:33 PM
- Location: Calumet City, IL.
Re: Gusting Winds
We all feel your pain Jeff.
Ma' Nature can be so cruel!! 


May Ol Ma Nature never hold her
breath on you.
-------
Ken
breath on you.
-------
Ken
Re: Gusting Winds
yup... the wind can be magnificently frustrating... I've learned to pick a kite and just stick with it... switching kites in and out trying to match the wind is just a pain...
Now, imagine that you are competing and HAVE to fly in that crap... or no wind at all!
Now, imagine that you are competing and HAVE to fly in that crap... or no wind at all!
■
Chris (aka Babbman)
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety...
Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
■
Chris (aka Babbman)
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety...
Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
■
Re: Gusting Winds
I was flying in similar winds today. I went with a vented 1.5 with a 3 wrap frame. When the wind died completely I just took a break. But most of the time I was in the air.
Re: Gusting Winds
Hey, it's the Midwest guys (frustrating winds always!) You will have skills way above and beyond those coastal flyers!
We were out flying yesterday and experienced much the same thing. Elizabeth went from flying her standard Mamba (yes, it's a dual-line) with wind breaks on to setting up her vented and flying for a few minutes, then back to the standard without breaks, then breaks on again. She finally just stuck with that set-up!
Just pick your kite and keep with it, like Chris said. As hard as it seems, it truly will make you a better flyer (or so I am told!)
Ann

We were out flying yesterday and experienced much the same thing. Elizabeth went from flying her standard Mamba (yes, it's a dual-line) with wind breaks on to setting up her vented and flying for a few minutes, then back to the standard without breaks, then breaks on again. She finally just stuck with that set-up!
Just pick your kite and keep with it, like Chris said. As hard as it seems, it truly will make you a better flyer (or so I am told!)
Ann
Last edited by Ann on Sat, Sep 15 2007, 12:49 AM, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Gusting Winds
I almost forgot about that.... Zach and I started with standards yesterday and quickly switched to vented's... a couple of times we had our standards back in our hands but didn't do it....
Today was really gusty but here in Aurora, it was pretty steady so I went vented and stayed that way the whole time...
Today was really gusty but here in Aurora, it was pretty steady so I went vented and stayed that way the whole time...
■
Chris (aka Babbman)
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety...
Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
■
Chris (aka Babbman)
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety...
Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
■
Re: Gusting Winds
If I had a vented 1.5, I'd have stuck with it, but my vented is the 1.0, which is a little slow for what I was trying to work on.
- Knoted4ever
- Posts: 704
- Joined: Thu, Nov 23 2006, 07:46 PM
- Location: Martinton, Illinois
Re: Gusting Winds
Today it was really gusty, with intermittent lulls in the wind... all kinds of choppy stuff happening. i was flying my Vented B-Series with 2 wrap spars, except for 3 wrap in the middle. When someone from work showed up with their daughter, i let them try the Rev while i messed with a dualie light. Flying in such garbage will definitely make you a better flier! When the winds are tame, you will surely have the tiger under better control! 

Tom P.
Illinois_______ (excerpt from E. E. Cummings: "How many winds make wonderful... and is luck The skeleton of life")
Illinois_______ (excerpt from E. E. Cummings: "How many winds make wonderful... and is luck The skeleton of life")
Re: Gusting Winds
The great thing is if you're not having fun, you don't have to do it!
TTFN,
Draftnik
Draftnik
Re: Gusting Winds
Draftnik wrote:The great thing is if you're not having fun, you don't have to do it!
OH UGH!
That's no consolation!
For me, there is almost nothing worse than wanting to fly and not being able too...
■
Chris (aka Babbman)
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety...
Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
■
Chris (aka Babbman)
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety...
Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759
■
Re: Gusting Winds
Dead calm is bad too, but somehow less frustrating.
(As I sit here on a big open field with nary a breeze. -sigh-)
(As I sit here on a big open field with nary a breeze. -sigh-)
- Knoted4ever
- Posts: 704
- Joined: Thu, Nov 23 2006, 07:46 PM
- Location: Martinton, Illinois
Re: Gusting Winds
i'll take crazy, gusty winds over no winds any time! 

Tom P.
Illinois_______ (excerpt from E. E. Cummings: "How many winds make wonderful... and is luck The skeleton of life")
Illinois_______ (excerpt from E. E. Cummings: "How many winds make wonderful... and is luck The skeleton of life")
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