By Tim Parish

Triangular box kites are not quite as well-known as the traditional square box, but they are nearly as old. Like the square box kite, the triangular design has been used for many practical purposes as well as for pure fun flying. The simplest type has just 2 cells. That is, 2 sets of sail cloth are wrapped around a set of long spars with a gap in the middle. Just like a traditional box kite, except there are 3 long spars forming 3 sides instead of 4.

Many big complex 'cellular' kite designs are based on this concept. If you look carefully at some of these, you will find that the triangular box idea is in there somewhere.

The Simple 3 Sided Box Kite

It might look a little simpler than a 4-sided kite, but triangular box kites actually need more parts in order to stay rigid. Like square ones, they can be made permanently rigid or collapsible for easy transportation.

One way to make a triangular kite is to make up 2 triangular frames from 6 short pieces of wood, all the same length. After the frames are ready, 3 long spars are fitted, running through each corner of the triangular frames. Sail cloth is then wrapped around and secured to each end of the complete assembly to form the sail panels. These panels should be about a quarter to a third the length of the entire kite. Finally, a bridle can be attached to each end of one of the long spars. Like the square box, a bridle is not strictly necessary since the flying line can just be attached to a long spar about a quarter of its length in from one end.

If you actually make a triangular box kite that is of similar dimensions to a square one you already have, it will soon become clear that it requires a bit more wind to fly well. That's partly because of those short spars. The extra weight increases the 'wing loading' of the kite.

The Triangular Box Kite Sprouts Wings

Just like the traditional box kite, the triangular type was eventually modified with wings to lift better. This was first done in 1902 by an American called Silas Conyne. This idea was also the basis for the French Military kite of the early 1900s. These kites had some similarities to the more complex Cody military kites, except they used 3 instead of 4 main spars for each cell. Kite enthusiasts still fly winged triangular ones today. Not surprisingly, they are often referred to as Conyne or French Military kites.

The wings of the French Military design were quite short. A single short spar extended out from the top of the kite on each side, forming the pointed tip of the wing. Eventually, as delta kites began to be developed, someone had the idea of merging the 2 ideas. The result was the Delta Conyne which could fly at higher line angles and also stay up in lighter winds.

In the 21st century, just about any kind of kite is available from a shop, either on or off-line. Various kinds of triangular box kites can be bought. They are made from the usual modern kite materials such as rip-stop nylon or mylar for the sails and fiberglass or carbon fiber for the spars. To keep costs down, these kites are usually small to average sized.

In Conclusion

The original simple triangular box with just the 2 cells is not seen much now. However, its influence is considerable. These days, triangular box kites are most often seen as...

* components of large complex multi-cellular kites
* lifters of photographic equipment, in various Conyne configurations
* colorful shop-bought Delta Conyne kites being flown for fun

By Tim Parish

Early in their history, the largest box kites were mainly used for lifting. Of course, many other smaller ones were constructed and flown purely for recreation. Kite enthusiasts, if they had several types of kites, tended to reserve their box kites for the windiest weather.

Earliest Inventors - Hargrave and Cody

Lawrence Hargrave, an Australian, was the official inventor of the box kite in 1892. Hargrave used to link several kites together and even hoisted a very trusting human under the largest of them! According to one academic, the idea of a box structure flying in the air was known here and there around this time. Hence, it's possible that Hargrave was not the very first person to fly a box kite.

The rather flamboyant Samuel Cody, of the United States, later built upon the ideas developed by Hargrave. Cody used a double box concept and also added small wings for extra lift and vanes for stability. These kites were designed for the military, and resulted in a patented man-lifting system in 1901. With this capability, an observer could be hoisted to a great height to provide an advantage on the battlefield.

How high exactly? There is a record of somebody once going up under a Cody kite to more than 600 meters (2000 feet) of altitude! Too bad the airplane was invented just a few years later... A large number of perfectly good Cody kites ended up in moth-balls.

20th Century Applications

On the topic of airplanes, notice how similar the oldest of biplanes were to box kites. These aircraft were just kites with a tail and an engine. Take for example, the Bristol Boxkite which is probably the most famous of these aircraft. The earliest plane inventors, including the Wright brothers, tinkered with kites while they planned and dreamt about what they really wanted to build! The early days of flight saw a lot in common between the development of kites and aircraft. The materials were similar, the methods of bracing for rigidity were similar, and so on.

Early in the twentieth century, box kites were used for measuring atmospheric conditions like wind velocity, temperature, barometric pressure and humidity. Large box kites were capable of doing this job over quite a range of altitudes. With their oiled silk sails and flying on steel wire, they were strong and stable, with great lifting power for their size. Eventually though, balloons proved able to reach even greater altitudes for this kind of work.

During the Second World War, another military application for them can be found in the emergency kits issued to pilots in the 1940s. The Gibson-Girl Box Kite could be flown by a pilot lost at sea, with it's line acting as the aerial for a radio transmitter. Some of these pilots might have waited a long time for enough wind to get a distress call out!

Radio enthusiasts have used box kites for hoisting up aerials to a great height! This was practiced over many decades, and probably since the earliest military applications. Who knows, there might still be a few radio enthusiasts out there who use a kite to hang up a really tall antenna! Ham radio isn't as big as it once was, but there you have it, another application for box kites.

Kite Aerial Photography, also known as KAP, is another application that has been going on for quite some time. Designs based around the box kite concept are stable and strong lifters so are ideal for suspending photographic gear. Mind you, weight isn't such an issue in 2007, with lipstick cams and similar tiny devices being available! There are even some kits around that include kite, camera and other necessary bits and pieces.

Into The New Millennium

Since the year 2000, the general trend has been for greater and greater variety in weird and wonderful kites based on the basic box cell idea. Spectacular, colorful, multi-celled, tumbling and rotating works of aerial art provide an attention-grabbing display in the air! Some keen builders do these from scratch, others are available in kit form from kite shops. The most popular materials are rip-stop nylon for the sails and fiberglass rods as spars.

By Kadence Buchanan

In many cultures around the world, the custom of kite flying has been passed from generation to generation almost as a ritual. Kites have been introduced more than three thousand years ago in China and from there the kite flying experience traveled throughout Asia, Europe, and later in America, Australia and other countries around the globe. From the years of Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Graham Bell to the World War II, kites have been used in scientific experiments or as lifting tools for military purposes. Today, kite flying and its contemporary successors, like kite buggying, kite sailing/surfing, or kite jumping, are considered to be joyful, relatively inexpensive and unique recreational activities practiced around the world, almost all year around.

The traditional kite flying involves flying a tethered man-made object with the help of the natural wind. The necessary lift that permits the kite to fly into the open space is generated when airflow over and under the kite creates the right amount of low pressure above the kite and high pressure underneath it. Those practicing kite flying state that running against the wind while holding the string that connects the center of the kite with the surface is a unique experience that one has to practice in order to fully comprehend. Typically consisting of one or more spars (sticks), made by bamboo, rattan, or other flexible but strong materials to hold the pressure powers exercised by the wind, classic kites use paper or light fabric sails, such as silk, and are made in different shapes and/or themes, such as birds or dragons. From the classic flat geometric form of a polyester diamond kite, modern designers have created kites that have three-dimensional forms or are made of sparless inflatable designs.

In recent years, kite flying has developed into a competitive sport where precision flying skills and artistic interpretation are required. But for the rest of the world, kite festivals have become a popular form of entertainment. These can be small local events, like traditional festivals, practiced by the local citizens for hundreds of years, to international festivities which bring in kite flyers from distant countries to display their techniques and distinct kite art forms. Moreover, with kite museums all around the world, kites are exposed to the eyes of the public and attract thousands of new practitioners every year. The world kite museum in Weifang Shandong China, the famous international kite capital, is the largest one in the world featuring a display area of more than 8,100 sq.m.

If you have never tried to fly a kite, perhaps next time you are out in the open you should attempt to have your own personal experience. If you decide to experiment with kite flying, please be very careful of the area you select to try this type of recreational activity. Remember that electricity polls or mountain cliffs can prove to be a rather disastrous and dangerous experience not only for the kite, but most importantly for you! Be careful and enjoy your new kite flying recreational activity with family and friends. Practice and see your kite flying skills "fly up high!"

By Robert G Murray

There are obvious differences between water re-launchable and dry-land-only trainer kites, but do you know that each kite comes with it's own drawbacks? If you're not sure what the drawbacks of each style are, or even if you don't know how they work, then keep reading and find out.

Dry Land Only (Open Cell) Trainer Kites

Trainer kites that are designed solely for use on dry land, called open cell kites, are made up of 7-15 rectangular tubes that are open on one end. The tubes are sewn together with the open ends facing forward and form the kite itself. As air flows over the kite, some is forced into these openings which inflates the kite and gives it it's shape. Because these cells are open on the end these kites are called open cell or ram air kites.

What Are Open Cell Kites Good For?

The main advantage of an open cell kite is that they are designed specifically for land, where the main risk is popping it - crashed hard enough, the cells making up the kite can burst and render the kite useless. With the open cell design, it's possible for air to escape the kite when crashed, making damage less likely. Since 95% of all the skills that you can learn with a trainer kite can be learned easily and effectively on dry land, the durability of an open cell kite is a great advantage.

Water Re-Launchable (Closed Cell) Trainer Kites

The defining factor of a closed cell kite is the inclusion of a one way valve on the open end of the cells in the kite. This valve makes it possible for air to enter and fill the kite, but traps it in the kite and keeps it inflated - this is why these kites can be used in water. If crashed in water, an open cell kite will fill with water and sink, where a closed cell kite retains its shape and can be re-launched.

What Are Closed Cell Kites Good For?

Because they float, closed cell kites are good for using on the water. If you are in an area where the only open spaces to fly a kite happens to be in water, or if you just like to get wet, then a closed cell kite might be for you. However, because close cell kites get their shape from trapped air, it's much more likely that they will be damaged in a hard crash - and this is their main disadvantage. Although it may seem that a water re-launchable trainer simulates kiteboarding more realistically, it only allows you to practice one more exercise than a land-based trainer would.

In reality, neither type of trainer kite will make you learn faster or better than the other. Instead they are just suited to where you want to fly them - which begs the question, do you want to be dry or wet when you start learning?

By Robert G Murray

Amongst the myriad of terms that describe kiteboarding kites lay a few that cause great confusion. The terms traction kite, trainer kite, and traction-trainer kite are often thrown about freely, yet no one ever clarifies their definition. What exactly are these types of kites, and how do they differ from each other? Without further ado, let's clarify this issue.

A traction kite is any kite that provides a lot of pull for the user, regardless of size. A small kite used in high winds can be a traction kite, provided that it fulfills the former requirement; a large kite in low winds is also a traction kite, because it certainly generates a lot of pulling force. A kite can vary anywhere between 2 m2 and 100 m2 and be considered a traction kite as long as it provides enough pulling force - its size does not matter.

A trainer kite is a small kite that varies between 1 m2 and 3.6 m2, and is used to teach kite handling basics. A key requirement with this type of kite is to not be so powerful that it overwhelms the user - it needs to be small enough to be safe for an inexperienced flyer. Any kite that is too powerful, usually anything larger than 3.6 m2, is not considered a trainer kite.

So, what is a traction-trainer? A traction-trainer is any kite that is small enough to be a trainer kite, yet is large enough to generate large amounts of pulling force; trainer kites that range between 1 m2 and 2 m2 are too small to do this in most conditions. However, trainer kites between 2 m2 and 3.6 m2 can easily produce massive amounts of power and can be classified as traction-trainer kites - kites in this size range are commonly used to pull snowboards, skis, rollerblades, and landboards.

It is easy to see how traction kites, trainer kites, and traction-trainer kites can be confusing. Each term describes a kite that fulfills different requirements, and these requirements only overlap in a very narrow range - the size range between 2 m2 and 3.6 m2 that defines traction-trainer kites. Outside of these sizes, traction kites and trainer kites are very different things. With that, we understand the difference between these types of kites!

By Tim Parish

These tips assume the kite itself is in good condition and flies well. Even in that case, things occasionally get interesting. Oh yes! All sorts of unexpected things can happen when you're kite flying with a single liner. There's too many for 1 article so here are just 4 issues, with a little discussion and some suggestions for each.

Avoiding Trees And Other Obstacles

This might seem a bit strange since you can't steer most single-line kites. However, kites get caught in trees often! The first thing I do when walking into a park or reserve to fly a kite is to test the wind direction. This is easily done by throwing some grass or dust into the air. Once the kite is up, it will tell you exactly where the wind is coming from. You might find you have to move a little, to give the kite the most room possible.

Despite having enough room in the general wind direction, you might find your kite flying far over to the left or right. Here's a few reasons, starting from the most likely:

* a thermal is passing through
* the wind strength has crept up and the kite has become less stable
* the general wind direction has changed
* something has failed on the kite

So, if the kite is heading over some tall trees, you need to act quickly! You can't assume that the kite will be fine and eventually return to center. It probably will, but then I've been caught out more than once! It's best to scoot across in the opposite direction, which will encourage the kite to center itself and hence fly away from danger.

Another situation is where the kite is heading over some obstacles, but it is quite high. In this case, it pays to just keep an eye on things. If anything starts to go wrong, you have time to wind in line or walk backwards so the kite ends up upwind of those kite-eaters below!

For example, if the wind dies suddenly, it's easy. Just reel in line to keep the kite in the air and also to keep it away from the obstacles. If the wind picks up and the kite starts to loop, it's trickier. Winding in will usually make the looping worse, but you have no choice. You have to act! Often, the situation improves as the kite gets lower, due to the wind being slower near the ground.

Bringing Down A Kite Quickly

This is sometimes necessary when weather conditions aren't great, but you decide to go kite flying anyway. However, with the first few spots of rain, there are no excuses. The kite has to come down quick, or you are in danger of operating a very long lightning rod! In these circumstances, just throw the kite winder on the ground and take in line hand over hand as fast as you can.

However, if the kite is large and pulling strongly, it might make more sense to just walk quickly downwind. Bring down the line as you go, hand over hand, with the winder on the ground behind you. With the kite grounded, you can take your time winding on all the line.

Towing Up To Find Faster Air

Here's a little kite flying trick that sometimes comes in handy in very light conditions. This is worth trying if the breeze won't quite support the kite at ground level. You've tried time and time again to get the thing in the air, but it keeps on sadly sinking back to earth after a promising hover or 2. All you need is just one more knot or so of wind speed!

Because air gets slowed down near the ground, chances are that you will find that tiny extra bit of wind up higher. Let out plenty of line, at least 50 meters (150 feet) and drag the kite into the air. Pull in line or jog along just fast enough to keep it climbing until it reaches a good line angle. You might be surprised to find that the kite has no trouble staying up now!

Anchoring

It's almost never necessary to actually tie a knot when anchoring a kite. All you have to do is find a roughly cylindrical object, for example a small tree branch, a pram handle or a railing of some sort. Then, put at least 5 wraps of line around the object and you should find there is no tendency to slip! Just leave the reel or winder on the ground.

Another approach is to bring along a stake, which can be hammered into the ground, before you wrap the line around it. Actually, using a stake is sometimes the only option when you are kite flying in a large open area away from the beach.

Probably the best idea when kite flying at the beach is the sand anchor. This is just a bag or bags which can be filled with sand after you arrive. No winding here, you just lodge the reel under a bag that is heavy enough to do the job. The bags weigh practically nothing and are easy to transport in your pocket or carry-bag, depending on how big they need to be.

Stay tuned for more tips in a following article...

By Tim Parish

Power kites and traction kites have only been around since the 1970s. That's not a long time compared to some other categories of kite, such as Chinese kites or Box kites. However, quite a bit of traction kite development has taken place, so it's interesting to see just how far this kind of heavy-pulling kite has come. It's use in a wide range of sports has exploded since the turn of the millennium!

1970s

A very significant early power kite was the Flexifoil. Way back in the 70s, it was a 2-line design by Ray Merry and Andrew Jones who worked in England. Flexifoil is now the name of a kiting company.

1980s

An improved foil design called the Sparless Stunter was being sold, by the late 80s. Designed by Ted Dougherty, it had 6 cells and a square outline. However, it was soon overshadowed by even more advanced kites...

1990s

Ted Dougherty also designed the Quadrifoil, which appeared soon after the Sparless Stunter. The Quadrifoil traction kite was one of the very first 4-liners in the history of power kites. Rectangular in outline, it was first seen in competition in 1990. This name became a brand, and many later versions of the original Quadrifoil were sold as the Competition C1 and C3. There was also a Q2000 range and lastly a Competition X range of Quadrifoil kites. All these later kites were roughly elliptical in outline, and weren't actually designed by Ted Dougherty.

While all this was happening, a kite designer from New Zealand called Peter Lynn was just as busy. Peter came out with the 2-line Peel kite in 1991. Being made in fairly large sizes, right up to 10 square meters (1080 square feet), the Peel was most often used for traction. Unlike most kites used for traction, the Peter Lynn designs are not parafoils. People were still buying the Peel kite in the late 90s.

Another kite which was sold in the mid 90s was the QuadTrac, again by Ted Dougherty. A 4-liner, construction and sales were handled by a company called Skynasaur. The kites themselves were often referred to as 'Skynasaurs'.

Later in the 90s, one of the original designers of the Flexifoil kite continued his success with a range of 4-liners called Skytiger. Sticking with the rectangular outline like the Flexifoil, the Skytiger kites were reliable and stable traction kites. The original range was eventually followed by the 'Hi' series. The new kites were designed to pull even harder, for a given sail area.

Some designers were developing traction kites for pure speed. These were a bit trickier to fly though! A good example of this was the Predator, by Peter Mirkovic of Sky Kites. In the late 90s, this was the most successful design in the U.K., being used a lot in buggy races.

2000s

Probably the most interesting development in the new millennium was how paraglider manufacturers entered the traction kite market! In particular, a well-known French company called Ozone. This company has built paragliders since the early days of the sport so it's no surprise that the kites they produce are very high quality.

Another development was the introduction of 'depowerable' designs that flew on all 4 lines, with smoothly adjustable pulling power during flight. Earlier designs without this feature flew on just 2 lines, with the remaining 2 lines being used for steering and a limited amount of depowering.

Power kites have become more specialized in recent years. Take for example, 3 kites from Ozone that were available in 2007. The Ozone Fury is 'entry level' meaning nice and stable for new kite flyers. The Yakusa is designed specifically for buggy racing. Another design, the Access, is sold as an all-rounder although it was originally designed for snow kiting. With its extra line, it can be de-powered instantly in an emergency. For example, if you are hit with an unusually strong gust of wind.

Hope you enjoyed this short history of power kites. How much further can designers push the limits of lightness, strength and super-accurate construction? We've seen relaunchable kites, depowerable kites, the 5th line, so what might be the next big thing?

By Tim Parish

The Cody Kite has a double-box design and sports bat-like wings and horns. Despite the design being over 100 years old this is still a well-known kite. Not every modern builder tries to be authentic in dimensions, coloring or materials, so there is great variety in modern versions!

Most Codys are flown purely for the fun of it, either singly or stacked together in a train. Others are used for KAP (Kite Aerial Photography) due to their stable, high-lift properties. Another common use for high-lift kites is hauling up 'line laundry' such as inflatable figures, windsocks and spinners.

The Classic Cody Kite

It's easy to see the origins of this kite's basic construction lay in the Hargrave double box kite. Cody was after even more lifting power and stability though. Also very influential was the old American Blue Hill Meteorological kite design of the time.

The main materials for Cody's smaller kites were very fine cotton cloth, bamboo for the spars and hemp lines for the rigging and bridle.

However, in his bigger kites, the sails were usually silk. Also, more use was made of American hickory for the spars, since this material has greater strength than bamboo. Like the early Hargrave kites, the sails were tensioned up to be drum-tight.

Cody's main interest was making and flying man-lifting and multiple kite systems. He was the inventor of a clever system of sending up a whole train of his kites, with a 'lifter' kite on the bottom containing the passenger.

The Modern Cody Kite

Some modern Codys are a real contrast with the original big kites. Shop bought 'contemporary Cody kites' tend to be smaller, easily rigged and colorful. Despite the modern construction materials, the general shape plus the wings still make the kites' origins unmistakable.

Some people like to stack their Codys up in the air by flying several at a time. Usually all the same design though, unlike the old man-lifting system.

What about prices? I've seen retail Codys anywhere from under US$25 to around US$500! That's the difference between a toy and a high-quality flying machine.

Cody Kites In All Sizes

The smallest one I've come across is a design that can be built from plans in around 3 hours. When all is done, the resulting kite weighs just one gram and has a 25 cm (10 inch) wingspan! So small, it can be flown indoors at walking speed.

Now for the other end of the scale. I've seen a photo of a massive Cody kite. It's black, and the little toy soldier standing near one corner turns out to be a real person when you look closer! The kite stands nearly 7 meters (22 feet) high and has a 10 meter (33 foot) wingspan.

History

Now for some background on Cody himself, who was born in 1867 and died in 1913. His full name was Samuel Franklin Cody, and to this day he is highly regarded in England for being a real pioneer of aviation in that country. The 'Father of British Aviation' in fact.

Somewhere around 1898, when Cody was taking his Wild West show around England, he became interested in building kites. He competed with his step-son Leon to make the largest and highest-flying kites possible. Finally, in 1901, they patented the classic winged box kite that people today recognize as a Cody Kite.

In December of 1901, Cody offered this design to the War Office which at that time was involved in the Second Boer War. To prove its suitability for aerial spotting, he flew it at various locations around London, at heights up to 600 meters (2,000 feet).

The British Navy sat up and took notice after this, and even paid him to look into using kites as observation platforms. Later, Cody did a few demonstrations for the British Navy, including a 1908 demonstration on a warship when the observer was Cody himself.

Cody's achievements were not the end of his man-lifting kite system. Since then, enthusiastic people have re-created the system, and demonstrated it at kite festivals. The Cody Kite will continue to lift things and people for a long time yet!

By Tim Parish

How long is the history of stunt kites? Or, since when have kites had 2 or more lines attached for doing tricks and stunts? Here's a few details if you're curious!

The Beginnings

During the second world war, some naval antiaircraft gunners were trained using steerable 2 line kites that flew like modern stunt kites with two control lines. A pilot on the ground would fly the kite around, making it hard to hit. I've seen a photo, the kite itself really looked like a diamond stunter. A fairly big one, standing about as tall as the man holding it. The concept was developed by Paul Garber, a U.S. Navy Commander. Perhaps the history of them starts right here!

Decades of Popular Stunt Kites

However, until the 1960s, 2 line stunt kites for the general public weren't to be seen. These kites really started to become more popular in the 70s. Most kite flyers have heard of the Peter Powell Stunt Kite, which Powell came up with in 1972. At last it was much easier for anyone to buy and fly them. His design was a diamond with a very long, inflatable tail. The idea at the time was to trace big patterns in the sky with the tail! Surprisingly, this design is still popular today.

A lot of manufacturers came out with delta shaped stunt kites in the 80s. Watching or competing in kite flying contests became a cool thing to do. At this point in the history, team flying became a spectator sport with stacked kites performing colorful precision maneuvers in the breeze. People flew deltas, diamonds or flexifoils, depending on their preference. Apart from the still-popular Peter Powells, these kites had names like Hawaiians, Hyperkites, Flexifoils, Trlbys, Rainbows and Skynasaurs.

Flexifoils were similar to the parafoils which had been invented in the early 60s, but had a flexible spar running the entire length of the leading edge. These flexifoils flew really fast through the air!

Any history of stunt kites would not be complete without mentioning one particularly notable design of the period, the Mirage. This was a cleverly designed tailless delta that managed to win a lot of contests in the mid to late 80s. The design was inspired by the writings of two kite experts, David Pelham and Peter Ianuzzi. In those days, flyers would do 3 compulsory maneuvers rated 1-10 plus a 1-3 minute freestyle demonstration.

The 'big wing' stunt kites were also invented during the mid 80s. These kites were deltas with wings up to about 2.5 meters (8 feet) across. The first of this kind was called the Hawaiian Team Kite.

Starting in the 90s, the early parafoils were developed into traction or power kites. The main idea here was to get pulled along on a surfboard, kite buggy or snowboard. However, some of these parafoils remain in use as sparless ones by a lot of people because there's nothing rigid to break! But say 'stunt kite' today, and it really means 'delta stunt kite' to most people.

Since the 90s

Rip-stop nylon has become the favorite material for kite sails. This material is tear-resistant, light and doesn't let any air through. It is used in all types of modern stunt kites.

The Stardust CAD is an example of a sparless one. A beginners' kite, it's hardy and doesn't have a huge pull. There are plenty of parafoil stunt kites on the market, with the main advertising catch-phrase being 'nothing to break, just have fun'.

A more high-performance kite is the Prism Stylus range of kites. These come in ready-to-fly packages which include Spectra lines, winder, flight straps, and a tiny stuff sack or bag for storing and transporting.

Seattle Airgear is a company that is very serious about designing, making and flying these. They use aeronautical engineering know-how to develop their kites. For the more discerning flyer they produce the WindDance Dual-line Parafoil Stunt Kite. The design of future ones will likely be affected by new space-age materials that allow even more lightness and for the delta, stiffness.

By Yageur Fecuent

Go Fly a Kite

Before aircrafts, balloons and rockets took over the job of
photography and meteorology in the 19th and 20th century,
kites were used. They aren't just simple toys anymore.

Marconi used kites in his early radio experiments, and in
World War II, airmen were provided with a box kite and
transmitter, known as the 'Gibson Girl', along with their
rubber dinghy. Some radio hams still use kites. During World
War II, kites were used for anti-aircraft target practice,
for man lifting and to deter enemy aircraft.

In China, kites were used for military signaling during the
sixth and eighth centuries. In 1232, thousands of kites
were release over enemy lines inciting prisoners to revolt.
During the Peninsular War leaflets were dropped from kites.
Kites were used as a form of airmail between Maryland and
Virginia during the American Civil War.

During the 19th century, kites resembled birds of prey in
England and France for hunting grouse and partridge. China
has used kites with loud noise-makers attached to drive
game.

Reportedly, a kite was used to carry the first line across
the Niagara River in order to build the bridge from New York
State to Canada. In the same way, kites have been used to
carry telephone wires.

Many kites are elaborately decorated. The Artistic Kite
Group promotes kites as an art form. For centuries in the
East, kites have been used for fishing. This is done to
reach places you normally can't get to and to prevent the
'plop' sound associated with casting your line in the water.

The art of training falcons and hawks to hunt is very
ancient and breathtaking to watch. Some falcons fly at
heights up to 1000 feet but many never bother flying over
200 ft. By attaching a bait to a high-flying kite, you can
train it to fly higher than 200 feet.

Many people find kite flying to be relaxing, and a good way
to unwind. It also gets you out into the fresh air and
provides a bit of exercise.

Kites are now use for kite-sailing, kite-surfing, kite-
skiing and kite-buggying. There are two kinds of kite
races. One is the upwind kite race where contestants drag
strong pulling kites upwind and the other is downwind kite
races where contestants launch a kite and runs downwind
without allowing his kite to touch the ground. The first is
purely a test of strength