Gusting Winds

[Jeff]

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.

[Frodos Majik]

We all feel your pain Jeff. Ma' Nature can be so cruel!!

[Babbman]

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!

[Mike]

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.

[Ann]

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

[Babbman]

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...

[Jeff]

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]

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!

[Draftnik]

The great thing is if you're not having fun, you don't have to do it!

[Babbman]

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...

[Jeff]

Dead calm is bad too, but somehow less frustrating.
(As I sit here on a big open field with nary a breeze. -sigh-)

[Knoted4ever]

i'll take crazy, gusty winds over no winds any time!