Kite Flight Path When Jumping?

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Wheeler
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:54 am

Kite Flight Path When Jumping?

Post by Wheeler »

So I have been starting to jump and was hoping for some help.

Especially in lighter wind, i travel downwind and the kite loses all its power and sinks to the ground. I have noticed I tend to move my forward hand farther forward therefore bringing the kite back to the power zone (and beyond sometimes) faster or ealier then it should maybe. I found leaving my front hand closer in to the bar helps.

Any tips for an intermediate jumper for where and how my kite should be flying?
Chris B
Posts: 529
Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2004 10:36 am
Location: New Brighton
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Post by Chris B »

Two questions

What type of kite?

What size?
Slingshot Kiteboarding/Midwest Mountaineering Regional Team Rider
Wheeler
Posts: 16
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2007 9:54 am

Post by Wheeler »

14m SS TD2,
Tighe
Posts: 5274
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2002 10:06 pm
Location: Here, Now

Post by Tighe »

Love that kite. Super nice float.

Steve's description in this post is pretty spot on.
http://www.windancing.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=8485

What I have found with the T2s is that you can pull the bar all the way in once airborne and it will stay with you as you come down. If you pendulum underneath it, pull in your adjustments strap a bit (not during the jump obviously). I bring the kite down hard into the power zone coming out of a jump, landing going almost dead downwind then power the kite up by carving across the wind. If you continue to travel toward the kite you won't be able to steer it back up (cause it isn't "flying" yet) and it will just continue to the ground. The arc that I take across the wind will depend upon how windy it is. If it's really windy, I'll do a wide arc (no fear of depowering it too much) in light winds I'll take a quick tight arc back across the wind so that I don't stall out the kite.

Also don't forget to let out on that bar as you start on your path across the wind. Letting that bar out a bit starts that wind flowing over the canopy again and generating lift.

Its all timing and technique. When you stick it there is nothing like it. If I'm out, introduce yourself and I'll keep an eye on you and see if I have any pointers.

ride on
Tighe
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