March 2008

Newsletter, March '08

Wind Bank.

Why, oh why can't we just get average wind for a change?

I've just been to two events in a row (the Kuwait mega flag fly, then Pasir Gudang in Malaysia) at which there was too much wind- and then not enough.

What's needed is a wind bank- somewhere we can deposit excess wind when we have it, and take out again for use when there's too little.  I would be willing to pay for this by way of accepting a lower than unity out-in ratio- and I'm sure other kitefliers would also.  Even if we could get back  50% of our deposits, this would be OK.  Thinking this through a bit further, there's probably even an opportunity for a wind bank to be paid to take wind away from events that would prefer to have none- like balloon shows for eg.  And so, the wind bank operator could have substantial surpluses to on-sell for, say, wind turbines and sailing boats.  What a business model!

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At Pasir Gudang there were three days with very gusty strong winds, during which we used up 6 months of our kite damage quota, one mid range day (Friday), then two almost windless final days- fortunately with brief bit's of useable wind late in the afternoons.  Eight times in two days we had pilot kites disappear towards the main highway.  At one stage I just stayed downwind ready for them as they arrived.  Two landed in the middle of a major intersection and one of these hitched a ride and disappeared before I could get to it.

In Kuwait, the first day and some of the second was a sand storm with 70km/hr winds and 100m visibility, while on the third and final day there was not enough wind for other than intermittent flying.  The three mega flags did not fly at all on the first day, didn't fly simultaneously at any time on the second day, and all had damage by the start of the last day. 

The Kuwait flag had two damaged panels- perhaps from tangled thru cords- the usual cause of this- and one damaged flier (Andrew Beattie), who fell while showing off on the side lines for TV.  Without the use of his left ankle (sprained) and right elbow (broken), Andrew then supervised the final day's flying from a wheel chair (with Kathy and others taking this great opportunity to push him around for a change).  When he fell, I was inside the US flag doing some repairs - and getting a running commentary from those outside.  Kathy's concern for Andrew while he lay there immobile was touching, but she did explain later that this may have had something to do with her uncertainty at that moment as to who's name his insurance policies were in- and she did decline to travel with him in the ambulance on the basis that he was just playing for sympathy.  Last report I heard is that he'll be fine - but will require surgery on the elbow once the swelling's subsided.

The US flag sustained trailing edge damage when released during its first launch.  As far as I could see, this happened because the main line detached as the kite launched, putting all the loads on the side lines which then skewed the kite asymmetrically when the load came on to the trailing edge set as they were released.  It's a fundamental weakness of the super ripstop system that the reinforcing cords don't prevent panels distorting trapezoidally when loaded diagonally.  On the Kuwait Flag (which, of the three, has done by far the most flying) Andrew has mitigated this weakness by doubling the number of lines to the trailing edge.  The solution I favour- and which we rigged to the US flag in time for the third day- is to add diagonal reinforcing cords to each of the 7 loaded cells. 

The Japanese kite also sustained trailing edge damage during release on the second day.  Although the take down line set had been set too short- which can be a cause of this- I think it was just the snap load of the release and subsequent trapezoidal panel distortion that caused the damage.  As for all these kites, it's only a problem in stronger winds and during more violent releases, but fitting diagonal cords should fix the underlying cause and definitely seems to me to be worth doing.

So, heading into the last day, all the kites needed repairs- an average of about 15m's hand stitching each, but there were only two needles (mine) and 25m of thread.

By working the needles in relays and nicking string from some kids toy kite while he wasn't looking- to serve as extra thread- all the repairs were completed just as the sun set, and the wind died.

By this stage, there was not anyone there, who would have given any odds for them all getting up together,

But miraculously they did!

Congratulations to everyone- and especially to the Al Farsi family and their team of helpers- who made this possible.

Some good new things;

Peter Lynn Kites Ltd has developed a breakthrough system for making spinsocks.  By fitting a bulkhead in the shape of a bol just in from the front, they have completely solved the problem that previous spinsocks have of not having enough internal pressure to hold the front open until inflation is complete.  This design self inflates without any handling at all, even from lying completely deflated on the ground.

Also they now offer a 32sq.m pilot kite.  Previously there have always been difficulties with scaled up pilots in that they have tended to "edge"- even to the point of inversion in some winds.  This characteristic is now completely eliminated- and launching is still easy for one person.   Great job!

And the new Cuttlefish- design by Simon Chisnall- is EXCELLENT

And and, the current model 8m AP 'foil is the best light wind traction kite I have ever used. There's just never been anything quite like it for demo buggying in cramped places with bad (or nearly no) winds.  It's effortless zero wind 360's are amazing.  One day , perhaps, you'll even be able to buy one!  

Peter Lynn

Ashburton,

29 Feb '08