By Tim Parish
The modern single line delta kite is designed to be an eye-catching spectacle as it floats about on its flying line at a high angle. Most deltas are designed to fly well in light wind, so if you own one you should get plenty of opportunities to get out and fly. The ability of deltas to fly at very high line angles has helped to make them popular.
By the way, the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet looks like a triangle, and is called Delta. Hence the name of the kite!
Even cheap mass produced plastic or nylon deltas perform well enough to impress most onlookers! Kite shops sing the praises of delta kites, describing them as stable, easy to handle and wonderful fliers.
Despite the emphasis on light wind flying, the delta is actually a very versatile design that can be altered slightly to suit all wind ranges. For example, a high-wind delta is more sturdy and has its towing point more towards the nose of the kite.
Delta Kite Variations
Not all are the same, so how do they vary?
The first thing you might notice after walking into a kite shop, is that the smallest are about a meter (3 feet) across while the largest can be enormous in comparison. Large deltas which pull harder are useful for showing off long tails and windsocks or flying fancy inflatable objects from the flying line.
According to kite shops, 2 meter (6 feet) wing span deltas are the most popular. One of the biggest retail designs in 2008 is the Sweet 16 Delta, which has a span of 5 meters (16 feet)!
The shape of a delta kite floating high in the air sometimes causes people to describe it as a bat or bird kite. Or even a wing kite. This more likely if the delta has a curved trailing edge and extra battens in the sail. In fact the exact shape of a delta is open to much creativity.
Shop bought deltas tend to have fiberglass or graphite rods for spars and plastic or nylon fittings in which to insert the cross spar or spreader. Interestingly, the spars are not attached at the nose end. They float free in the sail material, which helps give the delta its unique and fluid flying characteristics.
Most deltas have a flexible keel attached to the underside of the vertical spar. This aids stability and acts like a vane, helping to keep the kite pointed into wind.
With the cross spar or spreader removed, a delta kite can be rolled up into a narrow bundle for carrying around.
Although most deltas you are likely to see have at least one tail, an expertly made one will fly quite happily with no tail at all!
Regarding sail decoration, strips of different colored material can be joined together before the outline is cut. On the other hand, the appliqué technique involves sticking light but colorful cut-out patterns onto the sail material. Also, printed sail material is used for mass-produced kites.
As mentioned earlier, deltas generally have keels. The keel doubles as the bridle, since the towing point is a hole at the tip of the keel.
Rip stop nylon is a popular choice for the sail material. Special spinnaker fabric is used for light wind them. These fabrics are light, strong and non-porous.
Delta Kites In Action
Here are 2 interesting ways of using deltas that you might not be aware of...
A light wind delta kite can actually be flown for extended time periods in thermal lift. Just like soaring birds or hang-gliders! The skillful single-line delta pilot can actually search around the sky for thermal lift, then let out line as the kite soars up in the warm rising air. This way, long flights can be achieved in almost no wind.
Unless you are a keen fishing person, you might not have heard of the delta fishing kite. Often, simple diamond or sled designs are used for fishing, but some of the most useful ones are deltas. That's because specially designed fishing deltas have extra large wind ranges and the best tacking ability of any other type of fishing kite.
Tacking is when a fisherman attaches a tail or drogue to one side of the kite to make it stay off to the left or right. This way, more than one fishing line can be dangled in the water at once.
Whether used for fun or fishing, it's hard to beat a delta kite!
The modern single line delta kite is designed to be an eye-catching spectacle as it floats about on its flying line at a high angle. Most deltas are designed to fly well in light wind, so if you own one you should get plenty of opportunities to get out and fly. The ability of deltas to fly at very high line angles has helped to make them popular.
By the way, the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet looks like a triangle, and is called Delta. Hence the name of the kite!
Even cheap mass produced plastic or nylon deltas perform well enough to impress most onlookers! Kite shops sing the praises of delta kites, describing them as stable, easy to handle and wonderful fliers.
Despite the emphasis on light wind flying, the delta is actually a very versatile design that can be altered slightly to suit all wind ranges. For example, a high-wind delta is more sturdy and has its towing point more towards the nose of the kite.
Delta Kite Variations
Not all are the same, so how do they vary?
The first thing you might notice after walking into a kite shop, is that the smallest are about a meter (3 feet) across while the largest can be enormous in comparison. Large deltas which pull harder are useful for showing off long tails and windsocks or flying fancy inflatable objects from the flying line.
According to kite shops, 2 meter (6 feet) wing span deltas are the most popular. One of the biggest retail designs in 2008 is the Sweet 16 Delta, which has a span of 5 meters (16 feet)!
The shape of a delta kite floating high in the air sometimes causes people to describe it as a bat or bird kite. Or even a wing kite. This more likely if the delta has a curved trailing edge and extra battens in the sail. In fact the exact shape of a delta is open to much creativity.
Shop bought deltas tend to have fiberglass or graphite rods for spars and plastic or nylon fittings in which to insert the cross spar or spreader. Interestingly, the spars are not attached at the nose end. They float free in the sail material, which helps give the delta its unique and fluid flying characteristics.
Most deltas have a flexible keel attached to the underside of the vertical spar. This aids stability and acts like a vane, helping to keep the kite pointed into wind.
With the cross spar or spreader removed, a delta kite can be rolled up into a narrow bundle for carrying around.
Although most deltas you are likely to see have at least one tail, an expertly made one will fly quite happily with no tail at all!
Regarding sail decoration, strips of different colored material can be joined together before the outline is cut. On the other hand, the appliqué technique involves sticking light but colorful cut-out patterns onto the sail material. Also, printed sail material is used for mass-produced kites.
As mentioned earlier, deltas generally have keels. The keel doubles as the bridle, since the towing point is a hole at the tip of the keel.
Rip stop nylon is a popular choice for the sail material. Special spinnaker fabric is used for light wind them. These fabrics are light, strong and non-porous.
Delta Kites In Action
Here are 2 interesting ways of using deltas that you might not be aware of...
A light wind delta kite can actually be flown for extended time periods in thermal lift. Just like soaring birds or hang-gliders! The skillful single-line delta pilot can actually search around the sky for thermal lift, then let out line as the kite soars up in the warm rising air. This way, long flights can be achieved in almost no wind.
Unless you are a keen fishing person, you might not have heard of the delta fishing kite. Often, simple diamond or sled designs are used for fishing, but some of the most useful ones are deltas. That's because specially designed fishing deltas have extra large wind ranges and the best tacking ability of any other type of fishing kite.
Tacking is when a fisherman attaches a tail or drogue to one side of the kite to make it stay off to the left or right. This way, more than one fishing line can be dangled in the water at once.
Whether used for fun or fishing, it's hard to beat a delta kite!
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