Fun Fly with kites
Over the centuries, kites have been put to work on all kinds of surprising tasks: helping build suspension bridges, catching tasty fish far offshore, even hoisting submariners aloft to scope out potential targets. But without a doubt, Kite Aerial Photography is one of the most creative applications, one that can achieve beautiful results in practiced hands.
For most people, kite flying conjures images of gossamer diamonds bouncing lazily above a tail of bows, of Mary Poppins, of Charlie Brown and the kite-eating tree. Anyone who has flown a stunt kite, however, has an entirely different gallery in mind: by day, brilliantly-colored deltoid kites carving perfect loops and boxes in the air; by night, a shadow floating among the moon and stars.
Starting at less than $100, stunt kites are miniature hang gliders you control using two lines. Pull gently with your left hand, push out with your right, and the kite loops gently to the left. Pull hard with your left, the kite turns into a dive. Keep pulling, and the kite recovers in a full loop.
Once you've mastered the stunt kite, you can spend a lifetime of lazy afternoons learning to master the wind.
Power Kites are long scoops of nylon designed to grab a big chunk of wind. Strong and fast, power kites require skill and experience to be handled safely; it doesn't take much imagination to understand what happens when a thin line travelling over 100 m.p.h. impacts a needed appendage. In strong gusts, power kites can be unmanageable, pulling you off your feet and even dragging you along the ground.
But they are fun.
Around the world, enthusiasts are discovering new ways to harness the power of these kites. Buggies, surfboards, and snow skis let you convert the energy of the wind into a thrilling ride and a platform for amazing stunts. A dangerous variation called kite jumping uses a stack of power kites to pull you off the ground, with nothing more than good luck ensuring a soft landing.
Not all forms of power kiting require expensive equipment, however, or are even recent inventions. On a particularly gusty day by a large pond, young Ben Franklin realized how his homemade kite might be put to work: "I found that by lying on my back and holding the stick in my hands. I was drawn along the surface of the water in a very agreeable manner ... I began to cross the pond with my kite, which carried me quite over without the least fatigue and with the greatest pleasure imaginable."
You've got your kite, your line, and about a pound of sunblock; what more do you need? Essential information that will allow you to decide when to fly, where to fly, and how to fly safely - all available on the Internet. Or just enjoy watching kiters at play, and the artistry of the well-made kite.
Before you go out, make sure there's enough wind with Intellicast's wind maps for North Carolina and South Carolina. Intellicast provides an excellent wind speed map for the whole country and KiteLife Magazine provides online versions of all of their articles. The Wings Across Carolina Kiting & Okra Society (W.A.C.K.O.S.) has little to do with okra and everything to do with members getting outside and doing what they love: flying kites of every size and description.
The W.A.C.K.O.S. meet the first and third Saturday of each month for several hours of flying and socializing at Frank Liske Park.
Don't forget to bring your kite, your camera, and plenty of sun protection. Join at kites event at NC. And remember, April is National Kite Month !
For more information about the W.A.C.K.O.S . and the Fun Fly, visit their web page or contact Jim Martin at JMartJR@aol.com.
Wings Across Carolina Kiting & Okra Society
Acknowledgment:
http://www.wackos.org/
http://www.nationalkitemonth.org/
http://www.kitetrade.org/NationalKiteMonth/
http://www.kitelife.com/kitelines/
http://sln.fi.edu/
http://www.askites.com/
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~et3m-tkkw/
http://w3.win.tue.nl/en/
http://www.intellicast.com/Sail/World/UnitedStates/Navigation/