SSSL Nomenclature

SSSL: Single Skin, Single Line kite.

Lift: Aerodynamic lift forces that enable kites to fly.

Drag: Aerodynamic drag forces that pull a kite in the wind direction

Lift/drag ratio (L/D); Aerodynamic efficiency; tangent of the flying line angle.

Centre of gravity (C of G): Where the sum of a kite's weight forces act.

Centre of lift (C of L): Where the resultant of lift forces act.

Centre of pressure (C of P): Where the resultant of lift and drag forces act

Recovery: Returning to stable central flying after a lean or lateral displacement.

Weaving instability (WI): Repeating lateral movements, sometimes building to looping out.

Weaving unstable (WU).

Hanging off (HO): Flying stably to one or other side of the wind direction.

Falling off (FO): Moving slowly to one side of the wind, sometimes correcting.

Diving over (DO): sudden onset dive over to left or right.

The Three Nasties: HO, FO and DO.

Lateral area: Keels, flares and other vertical (as opposed to horizontal) area.

Span: the kite's width

Chord: the kite's length (excluding tail).

Aspect ratio (AR): Width relative to length, technically; span squared divided by area.

Angle of attack (A of A): angle that the wind strikes a kite's lifting surfaces at.

Leading edge (LE): A kite's front edge.

Trailing edge (TE). A kite's rear edge.

Luff: When a kite's leading-edge dips under the wind, causing the kite's line to lose tension

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Stall: When a kite falls back, will not climb to its apex, or won't launch. .