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1-3 mph - Calm, smoke rises vertically.
4-7 mph - Smoke shows wind direction, vanes do not move.
8-12 mph - Wind felt on face, leaves rustle, vane slowly moves.
13-18 mph - Leaves and small branches move, light flags extend.
19-24 mph - Leaves rise up and braches move, flags are flapping.
25-31 mph - Small trees sway, flags flap and ripple.
32-38 mph - Large branches in motion, whistling heard in the air.
39-46 mph - Whole trees in motion, resistance while walking against wind.
47-54 mph - Whole trees in motion, strong resistance while walking against wind.
55-63 mph - Slight structural damage, weak shingles blow off roof.
64-72 mph - Trees uproot and break, heavy structural damage to buildings.
73+ mph - Look out!! Be somewhere else!
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Never fly a kite near electric lines or poles.
Never fly a kite with metal parts or lines that will attract electricity.
Never fly a kite in the rain because the kite's string can carry electricity.
Do not fly a kite if there is a risk of thunderstorms or lighting.
Never fly a kite near the edge of a steep hill or slope.
Never fly a kite near ditches, stones, trees, and traffic.
Do not use wire or fishing line as kite flying line.
Know the wind conditions that you and your kite can handle.
Be aware of other safety hazards when you set up your kite.
Always remember: If your kite does get caught up in a tree or pole, leave it alone! Climbing high places to rescue a kite can be deadly.
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Anyone can fly a kite, whether you're 3 or 103!
Flying a kite can be done by anyone with a little patience and by following a few basic tips
Select an area that is free from trees, power lines and other obstructions. Large parks, vacant fields and soccer fields are perfect.
Wait for the wind. Winds of 7-15 kmph (5-12 mph) are ideal. Winds blowing at that speed can be felt on your face. Leaves and twigs will be in motion. Wind between 12 -20 kmph (8 - 12 mph) will extend flags out. Flying is possible in winds of 3-6 kmph (2-3)mph) if your kite is light enough and you patiently work the kite into the air.
Turn your back to the wind. Have a friend walk your kite out at least 20 metres (60 feet) downwind, holding the kite loosely. Pull the line snug. When the kite catches a breeze, pull on the line until the kite gains altitude. If necessary, walk backwards to keep the kite aloft. Be careful to look behind you to ensure your safety.
If you are alone, place an anchor such as a tent stake or peg into the ground. Tie your kite line around the peg and walk the kite out yourself to a distance of 20 metres or so.
Pull the kite line snug and prop the kite up to get it ready to launch. Return to the peg where the line is tied and pick up the line. Pull on the line when you feel a breeze.
Once the kite begins to lift off pull on the line to increase altitude.
That is all it takes to launch a kite and have pleasure at the end of your kite line.
To land the kite, release tension on the kite line to allow the kite to slowly drift to the ground. If the kite is pulling hard and will not land when you let out some line, place a peg in the ground and tie your kite line to the peg. Then reach out for the line and walk towards the kite pulling the line down hand over hand. This will "walk the kite down" to the ground where you can safely pack it up for another day.
Some useful equipment to have with you:
a long tent peg (30 cm or 12 in.) and perhaps a hammer to put the stake into firm ground;
a pair of gloves to protect your hands. Kite line can burn and cut as it slips through your hands, pulled by a strong kite in the wind.
Special Safety Reminders!
Do not fly near power lines or traffic!
Large kites should always be securely staked out and the kite line tied to the stake prior to launch.
If your kite gets away and gets tangled in power lines do not attempt to get it down!
If your kite is tangled in a tree or high altitude spot do not worry about retrieving it. A lost kite is better than some broken bones. You can always make another kite.
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Appliqué: Ornamental shapes and figures cut from one fabric and sewn to another.
Batten: A lightweight spar used for stiffening or adding curvature to a sail or wing. This serves to add effective sail area and reduce drag.
Bridle: A series of lines that connect to the kite sail and frame to help support the kite and/or to orient the kite at a proper angle to the wind.
Carbon: Today's spars are made of carbon fiber, which is a stronger material that is lighter and stiffer than fiberglass. Also know as graphite spar.
Dual Line: Refers to sport or stunt kites that utilize two flying lines for control.
Fiberglass: A material composed of glass fibers in an epoxy matrix. This is an excellent kite material that combines strength and flexibility with relative light weight. It comes in several forms from solid fiberglass rod to hollow tubes.
Frame: The collection of carbon or fiberglass spars that form the skeleton of the kite.
Freestyle: When a kite is referred to as "Freestyle" it is typically a good all round performer, capable of many tricks but having a generally steady pattern of flight. A style of flying which includes tricks of more or less difficulty put together in rapid succession.
Graphite: A material composed of carbon fibers in an epoxy matrix. It is lighter and stiffer than fiberglass, however sometimes it is not as durable and it is more expensive. It can be found in solid rod form and hollow wound or protruded tubes.
Icarex: A trade name used to denote rip-stop fabric woven from polyester fibers. This results in a cloth that is somewhat lighter and more fade resistant than nylon rip-stop fabric. The disadvantage I believe is the fabric is not as durable as normal rip-stop nylon.
Leading edge: The spar on the side of the kite running from the nose to the wing tip.
Line Set: The strings, which are used to control the kite. These lines come in a variety of weight and lengths. Stronger weight lines being used for stronger winds and bigger kites.
Moveable stand-offs: Let you fine-tune the performance of your kite in different wind conditions. They control the amount of lift the kite generates and thus affect it's speed, turning, and precision.
Mylar laminate: Is a lightweight, very low-stretch material that has revolutionized the sail making industry. It is lower in stretch than our woven fabrics, and we use it strategically to control the airfoil shape the sail takes under load. Used correctly, Mylar also prolongs the life of your sail by keeping it from stretching out over time.
Quad line: Kite utilizing four flying lines for control. This allows a flyer the ability to not only steer left and right like a dual line, but you can maneuver the kite to fly sideways, spin like a propeller, and forward or backward in the wind window.
Rip-stop: It is the type of cloth used for kite sails and is usually made from nylon or polyester. Rip-stop refers to the type of weave that incorporates smaller fibers with larger fibers creating squares of reinforcing fibers in the cloth which make it resistant to tearing. The idea being that a tear will stop at one of the reinforcing fibers.
Rip-stop polyester: A strong, lightweight sailcloth developed originally for America's Cup sailboats. We use it in kites because it is exceptionally strong and lightweight with very low stretch. Polyester absorbs less water than Nylon, so you kite will stay lighter on humid days. It also has better resistance to UV rays from sunlight, so its colors will last much longer without fading.
Sail: The cloth material or lifting part of the kite. The material is usually made from rip-stop nylon, polyester, or sailcloth.
Sleeving: A short 'sock' which encloses the ends of flying lines and helps to preserve strength and prevent wear.
Spar: The rod or sticks used as the frame of a kite.
Spectra®: A synthetic fiber used in making kite line. It's best advantage is it's great strength to weight ratio and low stretch characteristics. It is more slippery than Kevlar allowing for more wraps in a line without loss of control or breakage. Two disadvantages are that it is expensive and due to its low melting point, it is easily cut by other types of line.
Spine: The center rod that runs lengthwise down a kite.
Spreader: These are the spars that run horizontally across the span of the kite opening the wings. Also known as a cross spar. Most stunt kites will have two lower spreaders, which run from the spine to the leading edge, and one upper spreader, which runs from leading edge to leading edge.
Stand-off: A short length of carbon, or fiberglass which runs between the trailing edge and lower spreader, that serves to tension and hold the sail open. It prevents the sail from collapsing when flying a kite on the edge of the wind. It is sometimes called a whisker.
T-Connector: Attachment where the spars for the spine and lower spreaders are joined.
Tail: A length of rip-stop nylon, or plastic which is attached to the kite for visual effect or to cause drag on a single line kite. Also the term to describe the lower end of the spine.
Train: Linking two or more kites together on a single line to form a train of kites. There are basically two methods of doing this. A conventional train of kites passes the flying line through the mid line of all the kites on the train. Not all kites are suitable for this method. Another method is called branch training. In this application, each kite has it's own individual flying line that is connected to a main trunk line. The kites fly themselves off the main trunk line appearing as branches of a tree.
Tow point: The part of the bridle where the flying lines are attached.
Winders: Lines are stored on winders. Ensure that when lines are wound on that you wind them off the same side of the winder. This will stop any twists forming in the lines. A figure 8 or pro-winder works best.
Wind range: A term used to describe the range of winds that a kite will fly well in. Usually given in mph.
Wind window: A half moon in which the kite flies, determined by the length of the lines. At the edges of the window the kite will slow and has a tendency to fall.
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1. Highest Altitude - Single Kite
Type: Box Kites
12,471 feet, more than 2 miles!!
2. Highest Altitude - Kite Train
Type: 8 Box Kites
31,955 feet, more than 6 miles!!
3. Longest Kite Flight - Duration
Type: Parafoils
180 hours, more than 1 week!!
4. Fastest Measured Speed
Type: Dual Line Stunters
108 miles per hour!!
5. 1st Aerial Phot w/ Kite Borne Camera
Type: Delta Kites
May 30, 1895
6. Largest Single Kite
Type: Airfoil
5,952 Square feet!!
7. Largest Delta
Type: Delta Kites
1,406 feet!! - 75ft wingspan!!
8. Most Consecutive Days Flying
Type: All types
366 days in a row!!
9. Most Kites on 1 Line
Type: Diamond Kites
2,223 kites at once!!
10. Most Dual Line Stunters in a Train
Type: Delta Stunt Kites
179 kites at once!!
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