Untitled - KiteLife

14 EURONOTESA new column by Andy King (The Kite Store Ltd .)16 KITE KAOS IN GEORGIA!Intrepid flying in Savannah!18 ST . VALENTINE'S DAY FLYSan Antonio hosts its first Regional .20 8th ANNUAL HAWAII CHALLENGEAughenbaugh sweeps again!23 SOUTHEAST SPORT KITE CHAMPIONSHIPSMiami hosts a winner!Copyright © 1990 by CRIS H . BATDORFF . Allrights reserved .Reproduction in any form, in whole or Inpart, is strictly prohibited without prior writtenpermission of the publisher .Stunt Kite Quarterly is the only magazine inAmerica devoted solely to the sport ofstunt kite flying . Editorial offices arelocated at 356 River Street, Manistee, MI49660, telephone : (616) 723-6338 . StuntKite Quarterly's mailing address is : P .O . Box468, Manistee, MI 49660 .Editor and Publisher : Cris H. BatdorffExecutive Assistant : Susan BatdorffAssociate Editor : Richard PeckComputer/Ancillary Services : Harlan LinkeGraphic Design : Dale KIrchenbergEditorial Advisory Board:Fran GramkowskIJohn PerusseJudy NeugerRoger ChewningRichard Peck3 LETTERS6 STUNTERS NEWSNotes from all over . . . including the KTA wrap-up .13 TIPS . . .More hints and SECRET STUFF!28 CALENDAR OF EVENTS29 1991 KITE BUYER'S GUIDE20 Pages of New, Hot Kites!49 RESULTSWant to know where you finished? We've got it!51 DIRECTORY OF OUTLETSON THE COVER : T .C . Powers at the controls of his Rev atthe South East Regionals .SKQ Photo by Cris BatdorffSubscriptions to Stunt Kite Quarterly:$12 .00 for one year (U .S .A. and possessions);$16.00 for one year (all othercountries) . Foreign drafts must be In U .S.dollars payable through a U .S . bank or thepost office . Single copies of current orback issues are available for $3 .50 eachfrom listed distributors or Stunt Kite Quarterly'seditorial offices .Change of Address:Attach or copy mailing label in a letter,giving new address. If mailing label iswrong, please correct It .Advertising:Rates and information sheets are availableupon request .Non-solicited Contributions:Editorial contributions, including, but notlimited to articles and photographs arealways encouraged . Notification is requiredif contribution is submitted to anyother publication . Return of materials mustbe requested along with a self-addressedenvelope with adequate return postage .Stunt Kite Quarterly reserves first publicationrights in published materials unlessotherwise specified . Guidelines for submissionsare available upon request. Accuracyof contents rests with the individualcontributor, Stunt Kite Quarterly being heldharmless in the event of inaccurate copy .The views presented in Stunt Kite Quarterlyare not necessarily those of the editor,staff, or editorial advisory board .Closing dates:Advertising : eight weeks prior to publicationdate,Editorial: six weeks prior to publicationdate .

Dear SKQ,Why are entry fees so high for themajority of kite contests?Not everyone is in a position to layout $50-$75 to enter a competition .Seems to me that high entry fees limitparticipation to the more financiallywell off .Stunt kiting is in its infancy as far as asport and if we continue to followpractices that limit participation itwill surely hinder its growth .I have two high-school students inmy neighborhood who are avid flyersand they would love to compete,but the contest entry fees are so highthat they are forced to observe insteadof participating .If stunt kiting is to flourish and growas a sport, we must have "new blood"and participation by a wide range offlyers . . . not just a few .Michael DonnellyWind Pilot AccessoriesDana Point, CADear SKQ,I'm a housekeeper from theShilo Inn in Seaside, Oregon . I wishto thank you for giving Seaside theopportunity to see the world's bestkite flyers . All the competitionswere fabulous and I personallywant to thank all the kite flyersthat stayed at the Shilo Inn . Thankyou for all your cheery hellos, yoursmiles, and your kindness .I have never had the pleasureof meeting such a group of specialpeople from all over theworld .I express my feelings for all thehousekeepers from the Shilo Inn .We all hope that someday youwill return (in spite of) the misunderstandingsof otherdepartments . The housekeepingdepartment, the heart of the ShiloInns, enjoyed every kite flyer weencountered .Thank you all, it was truly ourpleasure serving you .My wish for you is that the windsalways be on your side whereveryou may go .Thank you,D.J . KennyHousekeeperShilo InnSeaside, OR 97138

Dear SKQ,I am enclosing a few pictures ofa replica Garber Target Kite Irecently made . The kites, as youprobably know, were used to trainanti-aircraft gun crews duringWorld War II, and were the originalstunt kite . Rather than angling thewhole kite to maneuver, they hada rudder which was moved by thedual flying lines .I built the kite from information inthe May 1945 Popular Scienceand measurements and photos ofan incomplete original kite . Theframe is aircraft-quality spruce( 3/4"x 3/4" for the spine and3/8"x1 3/4" for the cross-spar), andthe skin is 1 .5 oz . spinnaker nylon,instead of the original plasticcoatedrayon . Fin and rudder are1/8" plywood, and eyebolts withwingnuts are used for all bridleand rudder line connections .The kite has 1760 square inchesof area and weighs 31 oz ., andrequires about the same wind as aHawaiian or a Geo-Sport . Themaneuverability seems to besomewhat between the currentdiamond and delta stunters . It hasa terrible oversteer (about 114 extraturn coming out of a spin) .Hope this is of interest to youand your (other) readers . Love themagazine!Best regards,Randy Gordon-Gilmore,Benicia, CA

The Kite Trade Association stagedanother successful effort this lastJanuary in Dallas . This year's tradeshow, the association's third sincetheir breakaway from the AmericanKiteflier's Association, proved tobe the biggest and best thus far .Some 65 member businesses filled 84booths in the 12,000 foot ballroomof the Sheraton Park Central for theoccasion, which ran from January15-20 ."It's been fantastic . . . the best tradeshow that we've ever had ." accordingto KTA President Bob Miletti ofTRLBY Products . "It's bigger than lastyear . . . more professional . . . the qualityof the booths is starting to showsigns that this is a real organizationand a trade group to be reckonedwith ." Miletti wasn't the only showattendee that appreciated the atmosphereof the gathering .Dennis Van Fleet of Sodbuster's SkyToys (IA) commented that it was "Agreat show! It just keeps gettingbetter year after the year . What I likeabout it is that you're able to talk tothe people that are making the kites,you learn exactly what they do ." Thisyear's convention sure made a lot ofthat possible . . . especially in the areaof stunt kites!Better than 2/3 of the exhibitorsshowed either stunt kites or multi-linerelated products . There was almostmore to see than could be graspedin the three active days that thetrade show was open . In addition toestablished lines of products, we wereimpressed by the number of newfirms and new kites represented .Paragon Sports Kites Internationalshowed a new entry to the field withtheir Interceptor (review on page 40)Peter Powell introduced a new quadliner: the Omni (review on page 29)Terry Crumpler of Windwalker Kiteswas on hand with anotherdownsized model : this one of hispopular WASP, called the Guinea .Right next door, fellow Texan BobChilds showed his production modelWizards and a new self-launchproduct called "The Bone" . SharingBob's booth was yet another Texan,Chris Dunlop, who displayed hisstunning sail design efforts in anothernew stunter .There were a number of other newofferings from Texas as well . FrontierKites had three ; the Team Storm(review on page 42) the Sky Rascaland the L'il Rascal . The minds at KiteInnovations have been devoting alot of time lately to production of theTeam High Fly but had time to introducea new 11-panel, 3-color Evolutionand the SS2, a downscaled (9sq, foot) version of their soft stunter .The California contingent was onhand with a plethora of products,both new and redesigned . Action

Peter Powell took time out from hisschedule to put in an appearanceat this year's show . One of stuntkiting's true visionaries, he was both"delighted and concerned" with allof the new stunters on the market ."Let us hope," he told SKQ, "that wedon't forget what all this isabout. . . having fun . That's the idea!"We wholeheartedly agree!Kites unveiled a revamped Star Dart .Top of the Line was on hand withnew sail graphics in all three of theirbig wings . Tom Emery of Air Art wasthere with his Pro Cats . Gene Careylaid out some new display ideas forhis popular winders and even gaveus a sneak preview of a new kitestake which he says he'll be marketingshortly .Coast Kites showed their monumentallypopular Rainbow stunters .Randy Tom of Hyperkites previewedhis new Hotwing in addition to his bigwings and also displayed a customNagel stunter . . . gorgeous!Keely's Kites represented the Stinger1000 and 750, adding a new kite,the Encore, to their repertoire . NightFlight's Jim Reible lit up the show withhis product and also presented theVariflex Aero Light Frame as a superlight aftermarket sparring system .Renegade Kites laid out a numberof new sail designs and color options. Windwing Pro Sport displayedtheir popular kite, the ProSport Elliptical(review on page 30) .

Revolution flyers were delightedwith the showing of the new downsizedRevolution 2 and a whole newbatch of color combinations includingboth Lee Sedgwick AND Sue Taftmodels . Shanti Kite Spools was onhand with their usual great line ofproducts (no pun intended!) andeven some new "secret stuff" . . .a super-lightbraided Spectra .Kelly and Nanette Smith of Haute'Stuff exhibited their line of uniqueitems comprised of wearable kiteaccessories and, of course, theirlatest lighting products. Roundingout the California effort were the folksfrom Spectra Star Kites who used theshow not only to introduce their newAcrobat and Sky Jammer models,

grouping of kite building parts andequipment and also made space intheir display to introduce the newTeam High Fly stunter (review onpage 43) . Westmark Corporation(CT) was on hand to cover the basesin the ripstop department .The strongest of the East Coastshowings were from Florida . Skywardkites showed their entire product lineof NLK's, NBK's, RBK's etc . plus thenew Hawk II (review on page 41) .Jordan Air Kites introduced, in additionto their Hugo and Starwatcher(review on page 45), the Quark TeamKite. The Key West Kite Companypreviewed their Hurricane sport kite .In the not-to-distant-past, onewe'd gotten by what was beingdone on the coasts, we had prettymuch exhausted what was availableacross the country . Not soanymore! In addition to the prolificTexas manufacturers, there were anumber of new faces from the rest ofthe middle U .S.A .Sky Burner Kites (MI) booth showednot only their namesake kite but alsoa newer, smaller version, the Afterburner. Another group of KTA boothholders,the Chicago Fire Kite Com-Bill Baker, of Peter Powell Kites, put uphis usual sensational booth . . . and introduceda couple of new productsas well . Bill's trade show circuit takeshim all over the world to promote thesport and the Powell line . One of theambassadors of the business, Bill discussessome new product changeswith Billy Jones of the Kite Loft .but to announce their retaining ofPrevailing Winds as the newestSpectra Star team .Other West Coast offerings werenearly as plentiful . Catch the Wind(OR) displayed the new packagingfor their new Spiderwings (review onpage 39), which now come in avariety of sizes . They also introducedanother new kite, the Spidermite .Kathy Goodwind of GoodwindsKites/Gasworks Park Kite Shop (WA)unveiled two prototypes of her newkite, the Ultra Zephyr, a Stan Swansonsparred ultra-light .Not to be outdone by the WestCoast assemblage, East Coastmanufacturers had their own representatives!Cobra Kites (NJ), werethere in the persons of Ray andJeanne Merry showing the FlexifoilSplitz . High Fly Kite Company, amplyrepresented by the Gramkowskifamily put together the show's best

pany (IL), previewed the line of custom-madeBee's that have becomepopular in the team's flight routines .Steve Shapson, Force 10 (WI) principal,was in attendance touting themassive kite as well as previewing anew harness system . Right next door,Night Visions Neon, presented one ofthe more spectacular lighting systemsat the show,Kitemaster International (NV) presentedan upscaled grouping of theirRaven, Eagle, and Jacana (reviewon page 46), Wing IT (NV) gaveattendees a look at a prototype oftheir vinyl eliminator for attachingspreaders to leading edges . Wealso got a peek at a forthcomingnew design, the Lite Wait . Skynasaur(CO) showed us the Classic 96N, 74,and 48 models in addition to theirStuntfoil 42 . What's Up, (OH) gave usa look at a whole bunch of productsthat they'll be offering this year includingseveral European offerings .

Speaking of foreign representation. . .it was massive! Highflyer's,of England introduced a newmodel, the Spectre (review on page44) . New to the Liteflight line was theawaited Heavy model (review onpage 35) .From France, a contingentheaded by Julian Wolfe Patrick representedWolfe Design's new BigBrother (review on page 38), LittleSister, and Flashback models . FromHolland, Vlieger Op was on hand torepresent the popular Speedwingline, this year introducing a newlarge size version (review on page48). Canada was represented byCerfs-Volants Azur, Inc . who showedthe SpyroJet line with the addition ofthe new Reflexx99 .All in all, the KTA kept up its reputationas the largest kiting extravaganzaof the year . What's up fornext time around? Sources tell usthat Dallas will again serve as thehost city and a planned connectionwith the nation's hobby retailerslooms large on the horizon . Dates for1992 should coincide fairly with thisyear's event .

From "Frequent Flyer" Ron Fikes of Palo Alto, CA comeseven more new tips and hot items for stunt flyers andbuilders . . .(1) Keep those old credit cards - they make excellent"creasers" when you fold rip-stop over for hems . (Wetried this one . . . it really works! Also found out that theymake good starters for tail wrapping in a pinch .)(2) Trying to put two fiberglass tubes together but thelarge one is a sloppy fit over the small one? How to gluethem - go to the hobby shop and buy a package of SIG"Easy Hinges" . This material can be cut into strips andused as a filler between the tubing . It wicks up the CA(Cyano-acrilate) glue like crazy and does away withthick, slow-drying epoxy usually used to fill gaps .(3) Don't have the right size punch for vinyls and wantto drill instead? Put the vinyls in the fridge or freezer anddrill them after they're cold . ., no squishing plastic . . . justfirm and drills like a dream .Next a few more from Portland, Oregon's Don Lary .Don has been involved with kites for about ten yearsand admits to owning more kites and other pieces ofsky garbage than he'd care to count! A frequentcontributor, Don's offers the following for this "field trip" .The original idea for this next one, according to Don,came from Mike Straw, of Vancouver, BC around 1985 .It's a "Phantom" frame that can be used in front ofstacks of diamond-stunters and was originally usedwith Rainbows .Construction is relatively easy . It is made of 1/4" I .D .aluminum tubing cut to lengths A-C, A-B, and B-C and3 one-inch-long sections which have been flattened,drilled and welded upright in the corners . When completed,the frame is then flown three inches in front ofthe lead kite . This will take the strain off the lead kitewhen flown in large stacks without the necessity ofusing heavy-duty sparring .PHANTOM FRAMEEND OF THE LINEHigh Visibility orange Dacron sleeving helps to findthose "lost" line ends on the field . Source: MikeSterling/Cyborg Kites .

With the winter gone, the Europeancompetitive stunt kite scene wakesup to a very full 1991 . Even during thewinter, local leagues, which STACKhas been very keen to promote,have been held and it is here thatthe development of the sport, atgrass roots level, is beginning totake place .Inspired by Steve Negen's (of RoaringFlamingo's fame) league concept,UK fliers started leagues in 1990 .The idea has spread fast and thereare now some eight leagues establishedin the UK alone with great interestbeing shown by other Europeancountries .Leagues enable Novice,Experienced, and Open class fliers tocompete on a regular basis withouthaving to travel long distances to doso . Usually three figures are pre-publishedand one surprise figure is chosenon the day of the competition .STACK has a league package, writtenby Jacob Twyford (STACK U .K .National Director) and Viv "CaptainBiff" Walters (STACK Head Judge,which is available to anyone whowants it. It is hoped that the leagueconcept will greatly broaden thebase of competition and bring it toall fliers . So far, only individual eventshave been held but with the evergrowingnumber of teams, a move inthis direction can't be far away .1991 sees a number of shake-upson the Team front . The Blitz have splitup and given birth to two new teams .Paul Jobin, former Blitz team leader,will be fielding The Team With NoName, joined by former Blitz teammembers Johnny Claffey, NealYoung, and, rumor has it, Mike Ward .The Blast sees former Blitz membersTony "TC" Cartwright, Andy King andSarah Kent (also a member of thenow legendary Ballet Tutus) teamingup with Laurie Paget (also a BalletTutu) . European Cup winners, theDecorators, retain their 1990 line-upand other U.K. teams include : STACKof Three, Team Merlin, Fliers FX,Organised Chaos, The Bermuda Triangle,and The Wicked Allsorts .The Paris-based Team Flashbackhas also seen some changes .Maxime Fellion and Denis Perriothave left to form a new unit andFlashback, led by Julian Wolfe Patrick,has added two new members intheir place . A Team Flashback II hasalso been formed .Word from Holland is that this yeara number of new teams will be seenwith names like the Crash and All atOnce . Meanwhile, the Dike Hopperscontinue their career with up to sixmembers . The Berlin-based UpAgainst The Wall lost their leader,Mark Heitman, at the end of lastseason, but have found a new memberin his place . Belgium now hasHigh Life; Italy, Team Vulandra ; andSwitzerland, Heaven Sent, so 1991promises to be a very interestingyear .

In terms of events, the calendar isfull . On the 27th and 28th of April,France has the 2nd Open duTougnet, a team-only competitionbeing held in the broader context ofthe Cerroling Festival, which also includesthe annual meet of KAPWA(the International Kite Aerial PhotographyAssociation) . Judges will includethe U .S .A.'s Robbie "Juan"Sugarman, Viv Walters, and HelmutGeorgi (Austria's STACK National Director). A number of French nationalcompetitions are in the planningstage as I write and Montpellierhosts the European Cup, which willinclude Individual and Team competitionin all categories, during the30th and 31st of August and the 1st ofSeptember .Major team-only competitionsseem to be the path that many largefestival organisers have chosen as away of, hopefully, pleasing thecrowd and the stunt fliers and notstealing the limelight from single-linespectacles . In this vein, the famousSchevenningen Festival, in Holland,is staging The North Sea Cup (15thand 16th of June), and the BerlinFestival holds the 2nd Berlin Cup,won by Top of the Line in 1990, theweekend of the 21st and 22nd ofSeptember .In the U .K . Seaham, Sunderland, isholding a pairs ballet and teamevent on the 11th and 12th of May .The Washington, Tyne and WearFestival of the Air is holding a teamonlycompetition on the 6th and 7thof July and the Bristol InternationalKite Festival, September 7th and 8th,sees the 3rd Kite Store Open TeamStunt Kite Championship which waswon by Top of the Line in 1990 . TheKite Society of Great Britain's NationalStunt Kite Championships, withindividual and team competition inall categories, is set for the 28th and30th of June, Blackheath, London .Various other European countrieswill be confirming dates for theirNational competitions in the nearfuture .As a post script to all of the above,it is important to add that Europeanevents have adopted AKA/STACKrules wholeheartedly .Finally, Ashton Park, Bristol is the sitefor the 2nd World Cup Sport KiteChampionships . The event, which ispresented by American Kite Magazineand hosted by STACK, will takeplace on September 14th and 15th .

By Cris BatdorffNow, there are kiteflyers, andthen, there are kiteflyers . . . real live,dyed in the wool addicts . For sure,Savannah, Georgia, is full of 'em!It's not a real long pull up fromthe Florida coast to this picturesqueGeorgia city. Having spent a fewdays involved in kite flying tests, wethought that it would make a pleasantway to kind of meander our wayhome to Texas . Good wind chasedus all the way as we ran in front of alarge area of low pressure workingits way up the coastline . Friday afternoonbrought us comfortably intodowntown Savannah, where wefound our way to Pat Robinson'swell-stocked shop, Savannah Sailsand Rails . The event itself was helda distance away, on the north shoreof Tybee Island, so we spent sometime wandering through the riversideshops . . . and watching the cloudsform ominously overhead .Saturday morning was a sketchin grey . Intermittent rain threatenedto put the damper on the day's activities. In most places, it probablywould have . Not here . . .Genial event co-ordinator, TomMason, was among the first to arrive. "This'll probably clear off," hepredicted . We were incredulous . Itseemed to only be raining harder .But, nevertheless, onto the field wewent, barriers were placed, andtents erected . Under an increasinglysullen sky, the first competitorstaged in at about 11 :00AM and theevent was underway . The matters athand were short lived.We were field directing for thefourth (and last) contestant in theNovice Precision, "Neon Leon"Cusson, when a lightning strike preemptedfurther progress ."Can you hit a landing?" we asked ."I'm not quite done, yet!" was thereply ."Do it!" we instructed .The Windswept Team, Tom and SusanMason . . .first place winners in the ExperiencedPairs Ballet .Which he did . .ped up first place . "OUT!"...and in the bargain wrap .Joe Clark took second, with DoyleDunn and Carlos Looper roundingout the field .The rest of the afternoon wasspent in seminar/forums involvingvisiting Mike Simmons and JohnMacLachlan (the Skyward Edge)along with Susan and myself and theWHOLE of the Kiteflyers Associationof Savannah (KAOS) inside the onlyinside venue for the event, the Dog-Gone-It Cafe (really!) .No one left . Surely the weatherwould clear. It did, eventually, butdarkness had already taken thefield . No matter, it was on to thebanquet and following auction .There were no holds barred as theintrepid group settled into hot food .Chicken, fish, roast beef . . . the wholemagilla . . .and an auction that raisedbetter than $2000 for Special Olympics,thanks to the generosity ofseveral manufacturers who had donatedkites, Most of all, everyonewas having a good time in spite ofthe obvious rain-out . The next daywould be a bigger test!

Sunday morning whistled in onsheets of rain, thunder, winds thatregularly topped 35MPH and warningsof tornados : perfect kiteflyingweather! Undaunted, the membersof KAOS began showing up at theDog-Gone-It ."This won't last long . See, it's lighterover in the west," someone said . Wepoked out head out of the door onlyto be momentarily blinded by aflash of lightning ."I'm beginning to pick up on certainatmospheric negatives, here,' Iresponded ."Not to worry," was the reply, "We'llbe flying by noon!'Indeed, as if some sort of storybooktale, it happened just as predicted.The clouds parted, the sunpopped out, and the winds blew (!)for just enough time to finish the restof the events . All in all, a beautifuland horrendously windy day .In a field littered with NBK's fromthe visiting Miami contingent, it wasBenji Brazell flying a Spin-Off takingfirst place honors in the ExperiencedPrecision. He was followed by RobertBono and Ben Gomez, individualflying members of the Looking SkywardTeam .Bono fared better in the Ballet,picking up a first . Aldo Ramirez tooksecond giving the NBK-flyers a onetwopunch with Bill Lee, flying aRazor's Edge taking third . ExperiencedPairs Ballet went to an intrepidWindswept team of Tom andSusan Mason who flew a gutsy routineto show that their win in Miami aweek earlier was no fluke . An inspiredperformance in spite of the fact thatan early crash managed to unseat aferrule connection on Susan's FireDart and the last 3/4 of the programwas flown with a broken wing . Secondplace went to the Looking SkywardTeam who flew NBK's .Winds that occasionally topped 35 MPHmade for interesting flying, particularlyfor stacked kites!There are big events, and thereare small ones . The size really doesn'tmake much difference . This is onegroup of folks who take their flyingseriously . . .and they take their fun thatway too! We'll be back for this onenext year!Dan Klos at the controls of his megastackof home-made quads . He claimeda new record for quads with 18 .

y RICHARD PECK, SKQ Associate Editorphotos by Edmond GrignonThis year's Hawaii Challenge brought 52 individualflyers and 12 teams to test their skill in the fickle winds ofKapiolani Park . The one thing flyers can count on inHawaii is the unexpected . Unlike last year's strongwinds, this time around participants were treated towhat the natives call "Kona winds" . These are breezesthat blow in off the ocean which caused considerableturbulence as the ocean side of the park is ringed withtrees. Contestants, however, seemed to have a goodtime in spite of the rough going .Several special crowd pleasing events were includedin this year's Challenge . Four new ones were added :Individual and Team Train Kite Ballets along with Individualand Team Quad Line Ballets. These eventsthrilled the spectators and gave 13 individuals and 9teams a chance to show their stuff . Seeing multiplekites with tails, flown in such a beautiful setting seemedto exemplify what kite flying is all about .In a repeat of his last year's performance, ScottAughenbaugh was the flyer to beat . Winning eachevent that he entered, Scott continued to amaze thecrowds with his flying skill, Team High Performancecame up Open Team winners followed closely by thePrevailing Winds . The Challenge showed the internationalflavor of this young sport again this year withteams from both Japan and Australia displaying goodflying skills . In the Experienced Team events, Precisionwas won by Jams, with Team Banzai OSNAS dominatingthe Ballet . In all, 19 events were flown .Each year, the Hawaii Challenge seems to bring tomind its own unique nature . Nowhere else on thenational circuit can be found the beauty, internationalflavor, and relaxed atmosphere that is Hawaii . Allnational contests have their share of serious competitors,but the Challenge seems to be more fun thanbusiness . This year's event was three days in the running,allowing ample time for demonstrations and funevents . The Action Challenge, for example, is a popularcontest which allows all flyers to compete against oneanother just for fun . Having time for demonstrationsallows flexibility in the schedule to accommodateever-changing conditions . Almost everyone wantingto fly his or her special routine had a chance toperform before an appreciative crowd .Each year, the organizers of the Challenge seem tocome up with a quality sponsor . This year, OSNAS, fromJapan, was no exception . Their participation told theworld just how serious Japan is about kite flying .Coupled with the countless volunteers that are theheart of any event, this year's Hawaii Challenge addsyet another success to their record!Winners in the Open class, The High PerformanceTeam. Below, Experienced class top slot went toBanzai OSNAS .Complete event standings in results section

KITES A WELCOMEDIVERSION FOR THETROOPS OF DESERTSTORMThanks to the efforts of a great numberof individuals and kite companies,the troops of Operation DesertStorm have been provided with manyhours of relaxation and recreationalactivity while on duty in the PersianGulf. At this writing, communicationshave been received from bothSkynasaur Inc ., and Color the Sky,two of the organizations involved indonating kites to service personnel .Of particular note is the letter ofthanks received by Color the Skyfrom Air Force Master Sergeant TerryRosta, who contacted the firm afterseeing one of their ads . In part :"Thanks for the great kites! They aregetting a workout! After 15 minuteswith the stunt kites, (the troops are)hooked .""I do want you to know that yourgenerosity is appreciated more thanyou can guess," he continued . "Thethought of war and our own mortalityhas been at the top of our mindsfor weeks . Your gift has made itpossible to push that fear aside forawhile and enjoy life at its . . . simplest ."Master Sergeant Terry Rosta at thecontrols!

BY CRIS BATDORFFCombine a bunch of winteredoutkitefliers, wide beaches, andbalmy weather . Add a group ofproficient judges, efficient scorekeepers,and dedicated organizers .Throw in some hang gliders, greatfood, and a kite auction. Welcometo the Southeast Sport Kite Championships!The premier running of this firsteverwinter event kicked off the1991 U .S . competition circuit in grandstyle . Sponsored by Sky Festivals, SkywardKites, the Miami Visitors andConvention Authority, and the cityof Miami Beach, the SSKC was alsothe first event of 1991 for the EastCoast Stunt Kite League . It was anunqualified success .Run on the beach directly acrossthe street from South Miami's colorfulart-deco district, the SSKC easilyprovided the most picturesque settingof any event that we have thusfar attended . With the clear watersof the Atlantic only 50 feet from theedge of the flying fields, judges andcompetitors alike found easy relieffrom the sun which brought temperaturesinto the mid-80's each day .Obviously, there wasn't much complainingabout the occasional winddelays from either faction . . . they justgave everyone another opportunityto cool off!Event organizer Mike Simmons, ofSkyward Kites, along with a cadre ofEast Coast Stunt Kite League officials,kept the competitions runningon an even keel for the entire weekend. Timely interventions for somespectacular exhibitions staged byMiami Hang Gliding kept the crowd'sinterest soaring . Appreciative spectatorsnumbered in the thousandseach day .Saturday's round of competitionbegan with a stirring openingceremony . . . a brilliant display ofhang-gliding expertise performed tothe strains of the national anthem . Itwas a moving experience .A view of the "outpost" . . .shelter from the sun for field crews and judges .Temperatures soared into the high 80's each day of the event .Saturday evening saw the continuationof an event begun a coupleof years ago by Bill and Susan Bakerof Peter Powell Kites, . . a kite auctionto benefit R.O.C.K. (Reach Out forCancer Kids) . Following an uncharacteristicMiami buffet of Texas-stylechicken and ribs (YUM!), attendeesgot down to the "serious business" ofbuying kites and related paraphernalia. This year's offering containeda multitude of products donatedfrom manufacturers across thecountry and produced a final tallythat exceeded $6000 .Competition began on Saturday,directly after the opening ceremonieswith Masters Individual Ballet .Wife Susan, flying to the theme from"Ice Castles", carded a win over theOld Man (me!) . Happily, I manageda second place finish just in front ofBilly Jones who was flying for the KiteLoft.Action in the Intermediate IndividualPrecision, which ran concurrently,saw Henry Dimmick edgingout Warren Saunders by .3 of a pointfor the win . Third place in the contestwent to Mike Moore .The Novice Precision event waswon handily by Mike O'Boyle oversecond-place finisher Jeremy Moore .Wayne Liebe wound up in the thirdspot .Experienced Team Ballet waswon by Tom and Susan Mason, theWindswept team, from Savannah,GA, by a narrow .03 point . Finishingin second were the Liberty Flyersfrom Washington, DC . Third placehonors went to the Looking SkywardTeam from (you guessed it!) SkywardKites of Miami . But the Liberty Flyersweren't done once the ballet hadconcluded . . .they went on to aneasy win in the precision event,outscoring the Jordan Air Force by 3points .The next event on the schedulewas the open-classed Individual Innovative. Fulfilling the requirementsof its name, the contest proved justthat . . . innovative . Dave Simpsonemerged with the victory with a stunningdisplay of simultaneous two-kiteartistry . Second place honors wentto Billy Jones who ate, drank, andwas visited by a vivacious younglady (Susan Baker!), all while flying!John MacLauchlan, Skyward EdgeTeam-member took third with a greatsolo-flying exhibition . Alone in fourth(bloodied, but unbowed!), was BillBaker of Peter Powell who flew theafternoon's tour-de-force . Bill andhis crew set up a ground display oftanks and kites as the crowd wastreated to a Peter Powell rendition of

Saddam Hussein's demise . fabulous!Hat's off to this intrepid group!Concluding Saturday's run ofevents, the Masters Individual Precisionwas won handily by Master'snewcomer Bill Hanson . Second placewent to Susan Batdorff followed byBill Edison in third .Sunday was a repeat of beautifulweather but the wind took an earlyvacation sending competitors backinto the Atlantic for more relief . Fortunately,the wind lulls were short-livedand the schedule was, more-or-lessheld in tact . After another brillianthang-gliding display by Miami HangGliding, things got off to anothergreat start .First up . . .the Experienced IndividualBallet. In the first of his backto-backfirst place finishes, QuinnRickman took a 21 point victory fromTed Dougherty, who was visiting fromTexas. Robert Bono of the LookingSkyward team took third .In the Precision event, it was Quinn,again, with a 3 point clinch over RayMelikian . Ted Dougherty added tohis ballet finish by taking third placehonors .First place in the Intermediate IndividualPrecision went to Mike Moore(second in the ballet) . Second positionwent to Ben Gomez with anarrow margin over Chris Belli .The SSKC was the first event of theyear to include a Pairs 'division . Thefirst-time running of the Pairs, in thiscase, was done along with the Teamevent . The idea was to factor out thetop three finishing pairs for separateawards once the overall team winnersslots were filled . The interestingpoint here was that the top threefinishers in the entire event WEREpairs, . . thus, they got double awardsfor their efforts. First place went tothe home-town Skyward Edge whoflew a repeat of their AKA GrandNational routine . Second placehonors went to another Florida team,Jim Bunce and Ruth Bradley, theHurricane Squadron . Third placewent to the Deja Vu team of Cris andSusan Batdorff .Quadline Precision, anotheropen-classed event, was won by T .C .Powers who flew a technically beautifuldisplay with a full-size Revolution .The second position was nailed downby Dennis Kucmerowski, flying a PeterPowell Omni, with a scant .03outpointing of Bob Hanson, whoflew a Revolution 2 .The first running of the SSKC was agrand success . This has to be one ofthe best venues possible . . . highly visible,beautiful weather, appreciativeaudiences, and an attentive staff .We've every notion to expect thatthis will become one of the showcaseevents of the circuit! See you therenext year!

The Flying Circus Team in the Masters Ballet .The "Turk", Ralph Offredo, handling announcingduties .Anything to beat the heat!His Highness Herr Dolphin & Company .a complete listing of all scoresappears in the results section .Team High Fly . . . a study in concentration .

A view to the "nylon jungle" .The Black Sheep Squadron in Masters Precision .Yes. Figures may be flown from either direction . . .says so right here!PHOTOS BYCRIS & SUSANBATDORFF

APRIL 20-21, CALIFORNIA OPEN IN-TERNATIONAL S .K.C ., Fiesta Island,Mission Bay, San Diego, CA. Contact: ROME-AERO Enterprises, 129Samoa Ct . San Ramon, CA 94583-1421 . (415) 723-ROME .APRIL 27-28, PHILADELPHIA KITE FES-TIVAL, Fairmont Park, Philadelphia,PA. Contact : Sky Festivals, P>O>Box 7317, West Trenton, NJ 08628 .(215) 736-8253 .MAY 4-5, FOUR WINDS KITE FESTIVAL,Featuring the CANADIAN NA-TIONAL STUNT KITE CHAM-PIONSHIPS . Kortright Centre forConservation, Toronto, Ontario,Canada . Contact : ColleenDupuis, Kortright Centre, (416) 832-2289 .MAY 4-5, BEHIND THE REDWOODCURTAIN KITE FLY, Eureka, CA .Contact : Eireka Chamber ofCommerce, 2112 Broadway, Eureka,CA 95501 . 1-800-356-6381 .MAY 5, 10TH ANNUAL FRANKENMUTHSKY FEST, Frankenmuth, MI . Contact: Kite Kraft, 245 S . Main,Frankenmuth, MI 48734 . (517) 652-2961 .MAY 11-12, GREAT LAKES S .K .C .,Grand Haven, MI . Contact :Mackinaw Kite Co ., 116 WashingtonSt ., Grand Haven, MI 49417 .(616) 846-7501 .MAY 24-25-26, EAST COASTS . K .C . VI,Wildwood, NJ . Contact : Sky Festivals,P .O . Box 7317, West Trenton,NJ 08628 . (215) 736-8253 .JUNE 8-9, 9TH ANNUAL SUMMERGAMES KITE FLY, Myrtle Beach, SC .East Coast Stunt Kite League Event .Contact : Klig's Kites, BarefootLanding, Hwy 17, N . Myrtle Beach,SC 29577 . (803) 272-5768 .JUNE 8-9, 9TH ANNUAL ROGALLO KITEFESTIVAL, Jockey's Ridge StatePark, Nags Head, NC . Family FunFly. Contact : Kitty Hawk Kites, P .O .Box 1839, 3941 S . Croatan Highwayat Jockey's Ridge, Nags Head,NC 27959 . (919) 441-4124 .JULY 6-7, 3RD ANNUAL CHERRY STUNTKITE COMPETITION, Traverse City,MI . Contact : Grand Bay Kite Co .,121 E . Front St ., Traverse City, MI49684 . (616) 929-0607 .JULY 13-14, BELGIAN STUNT KITECHAMPIONSHIPS, Central Beach,Ostend, Belgium. Contact : DIDA-KITES, Gistelsesteenweg, 586, B-8400, Oostende, Belgium . 32 (0)59-50-27-45 .AUGUST 17-18, NEW YORK STUNT KITECHAMPIONSHIPS, Mitchell AthleticComplex, Uniondale, NY . Contact: Suzanne and Bill Edison, (914)937-2838 .

MODEL : OMNIFABRIC WEIGHT: 1 .5 oz . ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS: fiberglassWIND RANGE : 6-25 MPHCONFIGURATION : double-rhomboid (721/2 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : novice/intermediateMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $99.00MANUFACTURER : PETER POWELL KITESQuad-line flying has shown, in thepast year, that it has the potential toprovide just as much enjoyment asthe more traditional two-line stunter .Events specifically designed to testthe expertise of those who fly themare beginning to show up on therosters of virtually every competition .It seems an inescapable fact thatnew multi-line kites are beginning toshow up as well .Accordingly, for the second year ina row, Peter Powell has introduced aquad-line kite at the KTA trade show .Their newest effort, the Omni, is aproduct that flies quite unlike anythingthat we have ever flown before .This is evident from the first time thatthe flyer takes hold of the lines .To begin with, all four of the lines a rethe same length . The handles,molded and color-coded, arestraight instead of bent . The controlis quite precise .As the kite takes off, the mostprevalent aspect of the new designcomes into play . It is, indeed, omnidirectional. Left or right, up or down :it makes no difference to this one!Its performance brings up an examinationof the Omni's design .For all intents and purposes, theOmni is two "joined" diamond kites .It is the way in which they are combinedthat makes the productunique . Instead of the usual side-tosideorientation, they are joined tailtotail. Subsequently, the kite issymmetrical to the horizontal crossspreaderas well as left-to-right .The effect on performance is startling. The Omni handles all fourmovements : forward, reverse, andside to side with equal speed andalacrity . There is neither hesitationnor tentativeness . No coaxing is required. These four basics are performedwith simplistic efficiency andwith about as much speed as theflyer may wish to achieve .Stops and starts are razor sharp .Spins are done precisely on center .At times the kite can become a realblur and, given its symmetrical design,one might have doubts as to"which way is up?" Not a majorproblem though . At first glance, wethought that the sail graphics on theOmni were "cute" . The truth is thatthey are nearly a matter of practicalnecessity . . .one arrow points to theside, the other towards the sky : instantreferencing for spins and otherspeedy maneuvers!We found the Omni a whiz ongroundwork . On hard sand, our usualflying surface, we were able to zipthe kite back and forth from oneedge of the window to the other,without ever launching . The Omnijust slid along . . . at a pretty good clip,too . Off-wind, the performance wasjust as crisp . One of the prettier maneuversare wing-stands . The kite'ssymmetrical design makes this a presentationmove .Quality of workmanship on theOmni is good . Both of our modelswere early production types andwe took the opportunity to give thema good workout . Two afternoons ofbashing and crashing about onrock-hard sand showed neither theworse for wear . Even in the hands ofnovice flyers unacquainted withmultiple lines, the Omni took all thatwas dished out . The Powell reputationof building kites that you canpass onto your kids remains intactwith this new kite .Our models were equipped withfiberglass spars and did need a bitmore breeze than we might haveliked to function well . We have nodoubt that lightweight models willbe made available as the Omnigains in popularity .That quad-line kites are here to stayseems to be a foredrawn conclusion. The Omni would seem to representan advance in multi-line performance. We think that you'll like thisone!CB/SB

The Pro Sport Elliptical from Windwingis actually the second generationof a kite that we first saw offeredlast year at the California Open inSan Diego . The older Pro Sport hasundergone some major changeswhich center mainly around thetreatment of the wingtips . Unlike itspredecessor, which utilized the usualpointed wing ends, the new versionsports an elliptical tip . Theoretically,the design improvement should reducethe drag, while improving liftand maneuverability .Accordingly, that was preciselywhat we were looking for when wetook the new Pro Sport out to thefield . We weren't disappointed .We flew the kite on 100' of 1351b .Spectra and hit winds in the middleof the advertised 3-25 MPH windrange right off. With a steady 12 MPHat our backs, the Elliptical jumpednoiselessly into the air . . . and stayedthat way . The lower part of the sail,comprising the trailing edge is constructedof a clear (reflective) polymer. As it is a solid (if flexible) piece ofmaterial, there is virtually no placefor noise to be generated . . . only aheavy swooshing sound can beheard even from observation pointsdirectly beneath the kite . Further,the polymer portion of the sail reflectslight beautifully . The Ellipticalwould qualify as one of the prettierkites that we've flown even with lesserperformance numbers .Graphite sparring has been used tocomplete the high-tech package .(By the way, the Pro Sport Ellipticaldoesn't even come in a carryingbag . . . a durable clear tube is provided. It's a nice presentation but itsure doesn't fold well)Levels of performance fluctuatedwith the attentiveness of the flyer .The kite flew very quickly and wasbasically unforgiving . This is not toimply that it flew poorly . . . quite theopposite . Certainly, though, it's nokite for the beginner . There was asignificant amount of oversteer . Ifthe Elliptical is given too much slack,it will wrap you up very quickly . Withthe lines kept taut though, the kitecan provide plenty of excitement .MODEL : PRO SPORT ELLIPTICALFABRIC: ripstop nylon/polymerFRAMING MATERIALS: graphiteWIND RANGE : 3-25 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (70 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL: intermediate/advancedMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $179 .00MANUFACTURER: WINDWING DESIGNSWith the lines on the fingertips, thekite zips through most types of turnswith comparable ease . The leastdegree of control is found in undercutturns . Unless it's up to speed, theElliptical can be lost here quickly . Thishappens primarily because of thekite's speed . . . it simply spins out of airand there is a pause as it attempts toregain forward momentum . We noticedthat the effect was more pronouncedin light breezes .This ability to spin out of air alsoshowed up in tight, successive turns .The kite would handle the first couplevery nicely and then, consistently,begin to rotate around its axis . Normally,we might have termed this aproblem . With the Elliptical, however,we found it largely a controllablevariable . It's wholly a matter ofpersonal preference .Groundwork with the Elliptical wasa treat . The kite landed quickly andefficiently at nearly any point in thewindow . We experienced no tentativenesswith this maneuver at anytime . In consideration of the kite'srelative small size (70"), its groundperformance was exceptional .We found the Elliptical to be morequick than fast . Though its groundspeed was in the higher-than-averagerange, its one of the quickerresponding kites that we've yet flown .This kite will test a flyer's co-ordination! It also generates some prettyfair heft for its size .Construction of the Elliptical is good,though we have no figures on thedurability of the polymer portion ofthe sail . There isn't much seaming toworry about ripping out . Interestingly,there is no formal T-fitting onthe kite . The aluminum connector issimply inserted between the spineand the sail tensioning elastic . Itssmooth and, in this kite, seems towork .The Pro Sport Elliptical is one of thebetter examples of the ingenuity thatkeeps the development of the stuntkite moving forward . Windwing hasproduced in its sail a pleasing blendof two materials . It has also combinedtwo technologies, that of thestunt kite and that of windsurfing .The resultant product looks as goodas it flys . This one will keep you rightup there on your toes!CB/SB

.We got our first look at the muchrumoredNorth Shore Radical whileattendingthe AKA Nationals this pastfall at Seaside, Oregon .There are a number of innovationsat work on the North Shorewhich we've not seen offered beforeon production kites . Most apparentof these is the adjustable outhaulline on the bridle . Our test modelprovided us with 10 settings tceither shorten or lengthen the distancethat the bridle clip lies in relationto the spine .The effect of changing the bridleouthaul line can dramatically effectthe performance of a stunt kite . Onesetting might enhance the kite'sturning ability, another emphasizestraight line flight, and so on .Two of these positions are convenientlymarked in red or blackfor reference in the owner's manual .High and low bridle clip settings aremarked in like fashion . While onlyfour of the combined positions areexplained in the manual (ie . red-red,red-black, etc .), the correspondingchanges in the North Shore's flightcharacteristics point the way for theenterprising flyer to gain those attributesthat he may be after .As a further modification, the NorthShore comes equipped with twospine spars : one Easton carbonaluminumfor light breezes (2-12 MPHaccording to the manual), the othera stiff wound graphite for heavierwinds (12-20 MPH) .The adjustable outhaul line, with it ;ability to alter performance, makesit extremely difficult to assess theNorth Shore's basic flyability . For thatreason, we flew the kite principallyfrom the factory's pre-set marks . AlthoughTOL's instruction manual recommended100-150 lb . test line, webegan our tests with 100' of 80 lb .Spectra and had no problems .Those pilots who have had theirhands on any TOL product will findmany similarities . Even though thesparring is quite light, the North Shorecan be a fistful . There's a lot of sailarea up there! Even in light (3-6 MPH)breezes, the similarity in feel to theTeam Hawaiian was palpable . ThereMODEL : NORTH SHORE RADICALFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS: carbon aluminum (Easton)WIND RANGE : 2-20 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (100 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : intermediate/advancedMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $250 .00MANUFACTURER : TOP OF THE LINE KITESis a kinship in the deliberateness oftracking and turning . Perhaps themost appealing of the North Shore'sattributes is this solidness .The kite was able to hover with itsnose into the wind at the very edgeof the window for practically anyamount of time . At the median settings,the North Shore evidenced anamount of understeer on downwindturns . We could correct the difficultyby adjusting the outhaul lines but notwithout altering some other aspectof the kite's performance . Interestingly,the understeer did not comeinto play in square or angular turnswhere the North Shore's marks werewell above average .The North Shore's sail, althoughstandoffs are employed, is still cutwith a generous amount of billow .The sail, in theory, is allowed to fill asincreasing winds dictate, moving upand down a small amount of leewayon the end of the standoff while stillpresenting a three-dimensional surfaceto the wind . The effect producedis a slowing of the kite . Reactiontimes are slower than some butabsolutely predictable . There arethose who will view this as a limitation. In fact, where a precision performanceis required, excessivespeed can be anything but an ally .Like the Hawaiian, the North Shore'spotential as a precise flyer is excellent.In the landing-relaunch department, the North Shore got high marksAgain, the outhaul adjustment cancome into play with its ability to emphasizeparticular performance features.On the factory settings, thekite has excellent 'floating" ability .We were able to perform this nose upslide at virtually any point in our testsand, on a couple of occasions, managedto slip the North Shore acrossthe entire window .Workmanship on the North Shore isgenerally good . Windward facingseamsare flat-felled and the trailingedge is double stitched . Our testmodel had some problems with theT-fitting which necessitated theregluing of the ferruling sleeve thatsits under the fitting . Our kite was aprototype model . Subsequentchecks with TOL assured us that theproblem had been rectified on productionkites . We'd also like to seethe retaining vinyl on the spine moveddown slightly to further retard themovement of the T-fitting in crashes .An overview of the North Shorepresents us with quite a group ofnew ideas! The kite is adjustable to adegree that is quite new to the general . While eral it kite is true worldthat thekite can be changed to emphasizedifferent aspects of performance, itmust also be stated that an emphasisof one aspect will often produce acorresponding de-emphasis of another. We liked the factory settingsbest .There are obvious similarities betweenthe North Shore and other TOLkites, notably the Team Hawaiian .Yet, it is different enough bothin design and performance capabilitiesto take its rightful place in theconsiderable Top Of The Line arsenal!CB/SB

.We suppose that there are a fewstunt kite flyers out there whose careersdidn't begin with diamondshapedstunters . . . but there aredarned few of them . And for goodreason. Not only are they superbperformers, but they are purely fun tofly!The TRLBY has, over the years, becomeone of the true standards forentry-level flyers . It seems appropriatein their 10th anniversary year, toreview what we consider to be oneof these standards : the poly-sail threepack .Coming up with suitable flyers forthe TRLBY is no problem . . . any passerbyat a local beach or park will dojust fine . We were fortunate in findingan advanced flyer who had, amazingly,never taken the controls ofone . The reaction of this competitionveteran? "These kites with theirwonderful 50' tails can't help butentrance both the flyer and the bystander. They bring a smile to all .Fun, fun, fun . Relaxing . Takes yourcares away ." Yep . The same thingwe thought when we flew our first seta half-dozen years ago .From a performance standpoint,the diamond stunter is not a speeddemon . It's not slow either . . . it's justcomfortable. When it comes totracking, it's as good as the best . Itcan cut turns that 95% of the deltashapedstunters on the market canonly dream about . The tubular tails(included with the TRLBY package ;as are lines, handles, and instructions)are natural crowd pleasers and dodouble duty as air brakes in higherwinds .Durability? We have run over allof our six packs, at one time or anotherwith our motor home (by accident,of course!) with no significant damage. Suppose you happen to get arip in one of the brightly coloredsails . . .no problem : simply get out aroll of clear tape and voila . . .good asnew . Try THAT with ripstop! Oh yes,you can also bash, crash, and smashthe TRLBY with impunity . They willsimply pop back up for more . ItMODEL : TRLBY 3-PACKFABRIC WEIGHT : duraplyFRAMING MATERIALS: fiberglass (solid)WIND RANGE : 6-25 MPHCONFIGURATION : diamond (36" x 36")SKILL LEVEL : novice/intermediateMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $39.95MANUFACTURER : TRLBY PRODUCTSseems almost ludicrous, given theirnearly indestructible nature, theythey're also guaranteed . Virtuallyevery part of the kite is covered byTRILBY . . .most for 3 years.some for thelife of the kite!The big question is that if all this isavailable for a price that is generallyless than $40, why fly anything else?This brings us to a discussion of whatthe TRLBY won't do ; or at least won'tdo easily . For the novice, it may seema discussion of trivialities, but for thecompetitor there is a little more validity.First, the TRLBY needs a fairamount of breeze to function asintended . . . generally 7MPH + . Thiscan be a drawback as flyers whohave acquired increased skill levelsbegin to push both themselves andtheir equipment . Secondly, there isnot as large a wind window presentedto the flyer . Thirdly, there aresome maneuvers that are exceedinglydifficult, if not impossible, with adiamond-shaped stunter. Gracefullandings, sidewise "floats", andgroundwork (wingstands, walking thekite, etc .) are among them . We haveimmense respect for those few flyerswho are precise enough in their controlto perform a successful wingstandwith a stack of diamond-shapedstunters on the other end of the lines!In increased wind, there is alsosome distortion that occurs as thedihedral of theTRLBY does its job . Thisdistortion is a natural occurrence . Itis the way in which the kite works . Italso speeds up the kite and produces .but no some problems noiseWith respect to pull generated, wefound the TRLBY 3-pack in the averagezone . . . not nearly enough to beuncomfortable but sufficient to providegood feedback. We might alsonote that all three kites need not beflown at one time . They are easilydetachable so that the flyer can utilizeeither one, two, or all of them . Ifyou should tire of two-fisted flight,there is also the alternative of hookingone line through BOTH bridlepoints and flying the TRLBY as a singlelineunit!Kites may come and go in thisworld of high-tech, mega-perform ance, . That's flying all machines welland good . There's another adage,however . . . if it ain't broke, don't fix it .For ten years, the poly-sailed TRLBYhas maintained that standard . It is,without doubt, one of the best placesfor a potential flyer to begin his loveaffair with a new sport . For those whohave already had their love affairblossom into an enduring relationship,the TRLBY is also quite capableof rekindling the fire . Super-duperhigh-tech is great . . . but your kite bagisn't really packed without a set ofthese!CB/SB

MODEL : 3/4 VORTEXFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz . ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS: graphiteWIND RANGE: 5-30 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (81 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : novice/intermediate/advancedMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $145 .00MANUFACTURER : HIGHLY STRUNG KITESWe took delivery of our first 3/4Vortex at the AKA Grand Nationals .Our previous experiences with kitesfrom Australia's Highly Strung Kiteshad been good ones, so it was withcommensurate anticipation that wetook the 3/4 onto the field in low-tomoderatebreezes of 6-12 MPH . Flyingon 90' of 1351b . Spectra, the kiteproved above average in nearlyevery respect . A good tracker, the3/4 got high marks in straight-lineflight and in wide turns .We experienced a bit of oversteerthat was accentuated in slower air .As the winds picked up a bit, and insubsequent high-wind testing, theproblem abated . It seems to us thatthe kite's best performance showedabove 9 MPH, where it was fairlyquick . The 3/4 Vortex negotiatedsquare and angular turns with ease .Interestingly, there were no characteristicbobbles at the finish of theacute angles . The oversteer seemedto be confined to tight turns done insequence . The bridling seem a bittouchy at first but once we had gottenused to it, we were able to adjustout just about all of the negativesthat we wanted to eliminate .We had a much easier time withboth landings and relaunches thanwe expected with a down-sized kite .There was little evidence of thecharacteristic slurring that usuallyaccompanies the smaller kites . Themoderate aspect ratio of the 3/4Vortex is undoubtedly coming intoplay here . The result was that the kitefunctioned well off-wind, behavingmuch like a full-sized product . Inshort order, we found that we couldaccomplish wing-tip maneuvers,drags, and the like, with relative ease .The potential for groundwork withthe kite is large .Overall, the kite's stability was good .We were able to force it into stalls thatwere nicely recoverable, particularlyin better wind. There also seems to besubstantially less pull than one mightexpect as the 3/4's larger counterpart,the full-sized Vortex generatessome pretty fair heft . In part, wesuspect that this may be due to thelighter weight graphite sparring materialsused in the smaller version . Thegraphite sparring is also responsiblefor the virtual lack of distortion evidentin higher winds .Workmanship in the 3/4 Vortex isexcellent . All fittings are solid, no -nonsense . At first, connectionswethought that the heavy bridle linesleaned a bit towards overkill, but theycertainly presented no problem inflight . Comments from flyers invitedto try out the 3/4 Vortex for the firsttime were quite positive . "Good highwind fun, the kind that keeps youreyes sharp and runs quick,' was theremark from one, "a good kite for theprice" ."Sturdy all around,' came fromanother . . . 'this would be a good firstkite .' We also found that the graphics,which reverse the color -patternfrom one wing to the next, were a hit .The 3/4 Vortex will keep you onyour toes . Like other down-sized kitesthat we've tested, this one must beactively flown . Although it is notparticularly unforgiving, it's best notto let it get away from you . If there'stoo much slack in the lines, the kitecan dump air and lapse into anunplanned float . Again, this is a lowwindoccurrence which clears upcompletely once the wind comesup to speed .In stack, the 3/4 Vortex is evenbetter. Any trace of instability vanishesquite quickly with even two onthe line . Additionally, one of themost interesting stack arrangementsthat we've seen to date is availablefor the 3/4. Unlike the usual in-linestacks, this kite can be had in a piggybackconfiguration. These doubleunits can then be stacked in line foran even greater impression . It's quitea sight and an attention-getter aswell!If you're in the market for a good,small, moderate-to-high-wind performerand don't feel like peeling offan entire week's wages to get it, the3/4 Vortex may well be worth a secondlook. It's a solid kite for the cash .And for those who like stacks and arelooking for something really unusual,the 3/4 Vortex piggy-back stack willcertainly fill the bill!CB/SB

The Encore is the follow-up to VinceBobrosky's successful Stinger design .It is basically a full-size kite that, inVince's own words, "is a rather radicaldeparture from my previous efforts. "There are some vague parallels tothe Stinger, but those are confinedmainly to sail graphics . Beyond that,the Encore is almost completely differentboth in appearance and performance. The Stinger becameknown for its slow, precise attitudewhile this newest effort may best becharacterized as more of an individual'skite with quite a bit morespeed designed in .MODEL : ENCOREFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz . ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS: graphiteWIND RANGE : 5-25 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (103 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : intermediate/advancedMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $230 .00MANUFACTURER: STINGER STUNT KITE CO .The Encore is a moderate aspectratiokite . The nose is cut improbablywide . Bridles are set at shorter lengthsthan we were used to in Vince's previousdesigns . When we gave him acall to inquire as to their shortness, heresponded by giving us a new set oflengths to try out . . .BIG SURPRISE! Ourinitial tests with the Encore hadshowed a kite with significantamounts of oversteer . That changedquickly with the new settings .In winds of speed (10+ MPH), flyingon 100' of 1351b . Spectra, we foundthat the Encore flew well . As a balletkite, it may be termed as excellentdepending on your individual crite ria .There are two small fiberglass battenswhich are inserted in sleevesfrom the tail of the Encore . Thesebattens run to a point about 7/8 ofthe way to the nose . The protrudingends are then fitted into vinyls on thelower spreader bars and constitutestandoff spars of a fashion . Thesebattens help maintain the integrity ofthe sail in lower winds . In addition,they augment the channeling of airin flight rather like stabilizers . They area help in relaunch situations as well .There is still a bit of evident oversteerin the Encore which will be adelight for those who fly in a mannerwhich utilizes it . The kite is able to belanded and relaunched at virtuallyany point . Likewise, it will dowingstands with ease . A sharp pullon the upper line will cause the Encoreto flip from one wingstand toanother on nearly the exact samespot. Without much practice, wewere able to hit 6-8 in a row, each apicture of the one previous .Undercut turns performed at theside of the window will put the Encoreinto an immediate "float' whichcan be carried nearly halfway acrossthe field with ease . There is occasionalslurring in the take-offs but itcan be controlled to a great degreeby keeping a careful eye on theamount of slack in the flying lines .As might be expected, the Encoreis an excellent spinner, although itoccasionally slows its speed onceinto the spin . It doesn't cause the kiteto lose much altitude, however, andcan't be viewed as a problem .The kite's wide nose makes forgenerally excellent turning ability . Weexperienced nearly no difficulty withany sort of curved turn . Alternateflying styles of push and pull turning,however, produced a bobble onthe end of angled turns . This, in retrospect,is probably. i n response toindividual flying styles .The Encore also makes noise . . .something that we were not used toin Vince's kites . Don't worry though,decibel levels aren't so high as to beoverpowering!Workmanship on the Encore canbe expected to be up to par . Ourmodel was a prototype and the onlycasualties were both wing-end arrownocks . If they expect folks usethe Encore to its fullest advantage,these could certainly be beefed upa bit by the manufacturer .Those devotees of strict precisionmay not find the Encore initially totheir liking . There is an element ofoversteer in this new kite . Its presence,however, is by design . TheEncore wasn't plotted out as a kitefor the beginner . Its place seems tobe in the hands of that flyer who islooking for a specialized product tocarry out specific functions . If youare one of the increasing number offlyers who finds that their love affairwith their kite has extended groundward,the Encore may well be worthchecking out!CB/SB

Among the various stunt kites tcreach the shores of the U . S . in the lasscouple of years, the Big Brother andits companion, the smaller Little Sister,are insofar as we are aware, theonly entries from France . The creationsof Julian Wolfe Patrick, theyare unusual both in design andflyability .We were first made aware of thisnew line of products last summerand they have only recently becomeavailable for general distribution. Our initial reaction to the BigBrother was quite positive . What immediatelyimpressed us was that thekite was virtually soundless in flight .Further, it handled wind speeds itthe low single digits very comfortably .The graphics were pleasing and thegeneral quality was very good .When we learned about the retailpricing, however, we decided thatwe had better take an even closeslook . . . a $450 price tag is going to puta sizeable dent in ANY wallet! Whattranspired was several months o1very close observation .The Big Brother has a number o1items in the plus column . The workablewind range seems to be fromnear 2 to better than 20 MPH . . . thebest performances gained were itthe area of 9 . Interestingly, we havenever had to make a bridle adjustment. Getting the kite to make noiseof any great amount is a problem,Flyers intrigued with high decibellevels will find the kite boring if notunnerving .Off-wind, the Big Brother ranks withthe best that we have ever flown .We found it controllable to an extremelyhigh degree . Virtually anyground work in our repertoire washandled with ease . Downwind,much of the same . . . square corners,odd angles, both tight and sweepingturns were smooth and concise .Landing and relaunches presentedno problems either. Factually, perf ormance-wise, the Big Brother simplydidn't give us many negatives .There is a small element of oversteerthat should be noted that shows upprimarily in undercut turns done offwindthat can put the kite into anose-up float .MODEL : BIG BROTHERFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 Oz . ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS: graphiteWIND RANGE : 2-25 MPHCONFIGURATION: delta-type (99 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : intermediate/advancedMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $450.00 (appx.)MANUFACTURER : WOLFE DESIGNSThe kite flies extremely lightly . Thiscan prove an initial difficulty if youare used to more "weight" on theend of the lines . Most certainly, it is aproduct for the finesse flyer . Althoughit will, and has, taken some veryheavy-handed treatment, the BigBrother prefers careful control .There are a number of reasons forthis particular flight preference . Theyalso go a long way in explaining whythe Big Brother flys as it does . Fromappearances, the kite has beenspecifically designed to use standoffsas sail stretchers . When they areinserted, a degree of camber is impartedto the sail which gives theleading edge a recurve shape . Thetrailing edge has, likewise beenmade in a subtle curve . The centerpanel of the sail is cut more generouslythan many other products,lending to the kite's excellent handlingof low wind situations . Further,it is attached around the spine by aVelcro-type fitting enabling the flyerto make tensioning adjustments astime stretches the surface . Subsequently,the face presented is threedimensionaland taut as well .From a quality standpoint, all sailseams, save the leading and trailingedge are both wave and straightstitched . The leading edge, comprisedof two layers of ripstop, isdouble straight stitched . The trailingedge is similarly done . Spars are heldinto the vinyls by way of an insertmade of neoprene which seems towork very well . The same setup holdsthe lower spreaders in position in theT-fitting .There are no retaining vinyls usedon the leading edge to retardspreader movement . . . this is somethingwe'd like to see changed . Thestandoffs, which are made of hollowgraphite are fastened to the sail bymeans of tie-wraps like one mightfind at an electrical supply store . Thearea is reinforced by no less than 10layers of fabric . At first we doubtedthe durability of the fittings but after200+ logged hours of air time, theyhave come up none the worse forwear . All in all, this is a very solid kite .The Big Brother is not a kite foreveryone . . . by the same token, however,the Mercedes-Benz was notdesigned as a mass-consumptionauto . The price tag cannot be ignored. Neither can the potential forperformance . We're inclined toagree with whoever said : "You getwhat you pay for ." This one's worthit!CB/SB

MODEL : SPIDERWING IIFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz . ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS : filament-wound (fiberglass)WIND RANGE: 2-18 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (78 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : intermediateMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $119 .95MANUFACTURER : CATCH THE WINDNote: The Spiderwing 11 is the secondkite in a modular kite series byCatch The Wind . The grouping iscomprised of four models, each of aseparate sail configuration, with interchangeablesparring sets. Becauseof the greatly differing performancelevels, we have decidedto review each as a separate kite .The Spiderwing II is an interestingexercise in kite building . The secondin Catch the Wind's interchangeablewing series, it sits in the middle o1the wind range for the entire line . Wechose initially to fly it on the high endof its intended spectrum in breeze,,of 12-15 MPH .Flying on the Spiderline providedwith the kite (as are a pair of flyingstraps), the kite showed us a gooddeal more than we had initially expected. (Earlier flights with a prototypeset had proved questionable insome areas) There was a momentarystall, rather like a very short halt,just after the Spiderwing hadlaunched . It was almost as if the kitewas deciding a direction in which toproceed . Then it took off like a rocket .This brief pause happened on nearlyevery launch for the duration of theafternoon . The kite lost no altitude,just delayed slightly before beginningits sustained flight .The Spiderwing's performancewas generally above average, althoughit was obvious that we wereat the kite's upper wind level . Therewas considerable wing distortion thatwas accentuated by gusts. It showedup primarily as wing-tip oscillationalthough there was also a fair amountin the inside leading edge in tightturns . It was not unusual but rathercharacteristic of kites at the upperlevels of their range .Tight and angular turns showed upas good numbers for the Spiderwing .We experienced varying amounts ofoversteer which didn't appear to besevere and was reasonably controllable. The kite's turning ability wasenhanced by its overall speed, whichwas likewise above average . Attimes, the Spiderwingeven peared aptoaccelerate in turns thoughline pressure was kept constant . Accordingly,the pull generated by theSpiderwing was a bit more than mightbe expected for a kite of this size .Off-wind flying was good but requiresa light touch . Although wewere able to land and relaunch thekite with comparative ease, its lackof standoffs made us pay more attentionthan we might have had itbeen so equipped . Once it is on itsback, it's fairly well down . While theaddition of them would probablyenhance the kites low-wind performanceas well as undoubtedly improvingits relaunch capabilities, itmay be that their addition wouldhamper the modular approach thathas been taken with the Spiderwingline .At first glance, the Spiderwing appears to have been constructed veryquickly . The graphics employed aresimple . . . construction is straight forward. Seaming is basic . . .no frills . Thissays nothing about the kite's ability tohandle accumulated hours of airtime . It appears the kite can take it .We presently have about 5 hours onour test kite over varying wind conditionsand have found very littleevidence of stress .The one item that we did encounterproblems with lies at the T-fitting .The lower spreaders are held in placefirmly by a rubber band-type item .This rubber band fits over two clipswhich one might find on a ball-pointpen . These clips are glued to thelower spreaders, one per each . Dothey work? Yes . Do they present a"professional" type package? No .The problem is that our rubber bandsbroke (or were misplaced) . Perhaps,if the clip system is going to beretained, a couple of spares mightbe packaged for easy replacement .The Spiderwing II is an exercise toattempt to produce in modularizedform, a "kite for all seasons" . It hasbeen constructed within certainparameters . To do otherwise woulddefeat the purpose of the idea . Theconstraints of having to utilize thesame sparring in each sail designpresent a set of limitations to whichconcessions must be made . The kitesproduced fly well . Whether or notother specific products can outperformeach individual Spiderwingdesign is a moot point . Certainly few,if any, will come close to the totaldesign concept . There is, most likely,something here for everyone!CB/SB

MODEL : INTERCEPTORFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz . ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS: graphite (AFC .2540)WIND RANGE : 7-25 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (99 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : intermediate/advancedMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $149 .00MANUFACTURER; PARAGON SPORTS KITES INT'LWe caught our first glimpse of theInterceptor at the AKA Nationals lastfall . It was just through the cameralens, though, and we never got to flyone . The KTA convention in Dallasafforded us our first chance to nab acouple from Paragon's Craig Wong .The models that he set up for us wereboth "S° versions utilizing heavygraphite frames (AFC 2540) .From the onset, it was obvious thatthese units were intended for significantlyheavier winds . They were ashade smaller than the usual "fullsize". The kites fittings used werepositive and heavy . Although standoffswere employed, they were onthe short side . Still, the sail was quitetaut .Undaunted by the obvious, wetook the Interceptors out in somevery light wind (4-5 MPH) . The performanceswere below average . . . thisparticular model simply wasn't designedfor this low stuff! As the windpicked up, so did the kites' effectiveness. At 8+MPH, we began to geta glimpse of the capabilities of thisparticular model . Flying on 110' of1351b . Spectra, the Model S's cutsome very nice figures . Straight linetracking, tight and wide turns, andangular maneuvers all got markssignificantly above average .As the winds breached the midteens,the Model S's really started toget into it . Surprisingly, the kites werenot as fast as we had anticipated .This made the Interceptor a naturalfor team flying . There are a couple ofother factors that will help the teamaspect, as well .The first of these is the Interceptor'srelatively small amount of pull . This isa real plus in high wind . Lighter teammembers won't have to struggle tohold their ground with this one .The second factor is the near absenceof either over or understeer .The kite can be very accurate .Couple this with an available windowof better than 170 degrees andbetter than average overall stabilityand the Interceptor begins to lookeven sweeter .Turning our attentions to the Interceptor'sconstruction, we not iced some "echoes" of anotherkitemaker. The seams and generalconstruction reminded us of GeorgeEdmonds' Geosport . Checking withParagon's Craig Wong confirmedthe notion : the two are close friends .The kite is, like most of the "MarinaGreen" products, very well made .Reinforcement is applied in the usualstress points and appears very clean .All seams are rolled and zigzagstitched . The trailing edge is bothsingle and zigzagged .Retaining vinyls are placed bothabove and below the spreadervinyls on all wing fittings . This willpresent some problems when sparplacement eventually has to bedone, but in the meantime, they'regoing nowhere! Vinyls on our highwindmodels are thick-walled . This isone very solid kite!The nose on the Interceptor is cutwider than many kites . This serves toenhance the flexibility, and thereforethe turning ability of the kite . Ourtest models had only one flaw : thatbeing that the spine could have beena bit longer. When the retainingbunji cord was tightened, the resultantpressure on the sail worked topull it towards the center from thestandoffs rather than tighten it on anose-to-tail basis . There are two waysto deal with the situation : either raisethe bridge (lengthen the spine), orlower the river (shorten the sail) . Whenwe contacted Craig, he had alreadyremedied the problem in the secondmanner on production models .The Interceptor S was built to withstandsome pretty significant wind .We have little doubt that it wouldcontinue to function, distortion-free,into the 30's . Although we testedthem primarily as team kites, theyhave obvious capabilities as individualperformers. Those fliers whoare looking for great amounts ofpulling potential or blinding speedshould probably take their searchelsewhere . They have, however,earned a place in our kite bag . Theirpotential as a mid/high range teamkite is too good to be ignored!CB/SB

When you've got a successful kiteon your hands, it seems only fitting tointroduce an update now and then .This is exactly what Mike Simmonshas done to his basic Skyhawk . Thisnew version carries the same basiccenter panel design with the changesshowing up on the outer wings .Unlike its predecessor, the Hawk IIis equipped with dual standoffs .butwith a twist : the outboard of the tworuns from the trailing edge to an extensionof the lower spreader vinylon the backside of the sail . This is thefirst adaptation of this type that wehave seen in some time . It is faintlyreminiscent of the old Vertical Visuals . The Griphon intent here seems tobe that of a sort of "battenless batten" . It works . . . kind of .Like most of Skyward's line, theHawk II works the ground with ease .Turning, likewise, is in the above averagecategory even with the presenceof significant oversteer . Likethe companion NLK, NBK, and RBK,the II's oversteer is engineered in .It's also designed to be easily controllable. It accounts for the kite'sability to float, or sideslip, with comparativeease . It also accounts for asomewhat diminished wind window(about 155-160 degrees) .By comparison to other kites in theline, the Hawk II is a fist full . Even inbreezes of 10-12MPH, the pull can besubstantial . Although the kite is a fairperformer, it is a heavy flyer . Thisquality doesn't persist on a proportionalbasis out to the edge of thewindow . On the sides of the wind,the II is quite light in its touch but canbe tentative in its execution . Wewere unable to place the kite on theground with great precision, althoughgetting it there was certainly not adifficulty .Launches are accomplished easilybut can be a bit provisional at thesides of the window . Our model hadan obvious preference for thedownwind side . Takeoffs after pullingthe kite into a wingstand wereeasier, by far, in that direction .MODEL : HAWK IIFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz. ripstopFRAMING MATERIALS: graphite (AFC 2400)WIND RANGE : 2-30 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (102 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : intermediate/advancedMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $175 .00MANUFACTURER: SKYWARD KITESSquare and angular turns werehandled cleanly and without fanfare. The Hawk II goes through thesepaces nicely but with a heavy hand .This is not to imply that the kite isslow. . . it's not . . . but it's no speeder either. We suspect that the sparringutilized would make these evenbetter in high wind situations .There is a modicum of noise producedby the Hawk II . It comesmainly from the fact that the outerportions of the sail are not held in ataut position by the outboard standoffs. Again, it is a nice resonant buzzthat many will enjoy .Workmanship on the "II" is quitegood, but there area couple of minoritems that need to be addressed .First, the outboard standoffs need tobe capped on the upper ends . Ourskept wanting to force their waythrough the holes in the vinyls createdfor the wing spars . Secondly,we'd like to see the vinyls themselvesbeefed up a bit . The sparring of theHawk II is on the heavy side, so thepotential is certainly therefor higherwind usages . The present vinyls arethin-walled and give in to distortion inthose situations . (Subsequent checkswith Skyward have informed us thatthe vinyl problem has been dealtwith) .All of that notwithstanding, theHawk II is a kite that loves to fly . Thereis also something to be said for thecomparative pull generated . Evenbreezes in the mid-teens will give theflyer a fair tug . In the speed department,the Hawk II is slightlyabove average . These two itemscombine to produce a kite that isquite capable of giving the flyer agood afternoon's exercise . Oncethe winds pick up, we have a feelingthat this could turn into a real workout.The Hawk II is a second generationkite . It's reasonable to expect thatthere be improvements made in thebasic design . . .and there are . Flyerswho enjoy ground-work as part oftheir flying routine will find an ally inthis kite . The built-in oversteer maytake some getting used to, but thepayoffs are worth the effort!CB/SB

When we first saw Frontier Kitesnew Team Storm at last January'sKTA show, our first impression was . . .Wow! . . . that's a whole bunch of sail!It's going to pull us right out of oursocks! With a wingspan of 100" anda spine of 43", it's truly one of thebigger sail areas available in whatmight be referred to as a "standard"size kite .MODEL : TEAM STORMFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz. ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS : graphiteWIND RANGE : 6-25 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (100 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : intermediate/advancedMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $230 .00MANUFACTURER : FRONTIER KITESAccordingly, a couple of weekslater, with the wind buzzing backand forth between 15 an 20 MPH, weput our standard 1351b . line back intothe bag in favor of 120' of 3001b .Spectra . Turns out that we couldhave probably gotten away with2001b . but in the gusts, we sure appreciatedthe extra poundage!The Storm proved to be singular inone overwhelming aspect . . . its speed .The kite is beautifully slow . Slow, yousay? You bet! And virtuallyunshakable . Completely solid . Therewas virtually no trace of either overor understeer . The Storm's low aspectratio design allowed it to performwhatever command we gave it withsteady deliberation .The kite's pull is solid and remainssteadily so for such time as it's kept inthe power zone . It is a uniform pull,with an absence of jerks and jostles .The pleasant part here, is that thekite moves slowly in spite of the heft.What this means is that the Storm canbe taken overhead, turned directlydownwind, and landed there withonly a moderate amount of forwardmovement . . . this in fairly stout wind .In the same turn, the Storm functionswell off-wind . It lands quietlyand takes off without bobble orfanfare . There is no slurring or dipping .If the takeoff position is from a wingtipstand, the Storm will simply proceedslowly across the field at whateverheight above the ground the flyer iscapable of maintaining .When a kite of size moves slowly inlarge winds, it is usually for one of tworeasons : either the bridles are set inthe wrong position or the kite wassimply designed to perform that way .In the case of the former, there isusually a characteristic "porpoising"as the kite tries to override the setting. Happily, there is a completeabsence, of any "fishy" maneuveringon the part of the Storm . We mustconclude that the design was one ofintention .The Storm is very stable, its reactionsbeing predictable in nearlyevery case . One flyer's commentwas that the Storm flew as if thecontrol lines were rigid . . .a move onthe part of the flyer resulting in acorresponding move by the kite . . . noless, no more .There is a moderate amount ofnoise produced by the Storm . It isnot particularly overwhelming . Thisin spite of the fact that the kite isequipped with four standoffs . Thesestandoffs "divide" the trailing edgeof the kite into three sections . Theoutermost of these three is wherethe tension is least, subsequentlyproducing the noise . It's possiblethat a stiffer outboard standoff sparmight alleviate the problem .In the quality department, theStorm gets good marks . All seams,save the trailing edge are doublestitched . The trailing edge is rolledand single stitched . There are retainingvinyls below both upper and lowerspreader connections on the leadingedge . There are also retaining vinylson the spreaders themselves assuringthe same fit each time the kite isassembled . Quick change bridlesare also employed along with heavyduty line clips . Dacron is used toreinforce stress points .We could, in fact, find only onearea for suggested improvement .The lower spreaders must be insertedthrough the T-vinyl each time theStorm is assembled . A ferrule on theend of one serves as the centerconnection piece for the other . Thisfitting, because of its frequent removaland replacement, has a tendencyto enlarge the vinyl and becomesloose very quickly . We'd liketo see a solid fitting that either remains"attached" to the spine or is treatedin some other way so as to retardmovement .The Team Storm holds every potentialof becoming a team kite ofnote . Potential flyers should be preparedto respect its size and pullingability . It is not a kite of speed . . . infact, it ranks with the slowest that wehave tested . That is appropriate forits intended function . . .team flight .This is going to be a good one!CB/SB

.There's a lot of Ted Dougherty itthe new Team High Fly . . .and a numberof the innovations that we firstsaw utilized in his Evolution kite . Thislatest version of the Team High Fly, forinstance, boasts the same T-fittingand wing end pieces . Our test modewas also equipped with Easton carbon-aluminumspars which gave itan extended low end wind range .Accordingly we chose to begin ourflight tests right down at the bot tom .2-4 MPHMODEL : TEAM HIGH FLYFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz . ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS : carbon/aluminum (Easton)WIND RANGE : 3-25 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (103 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : novice/intermediate/advancedMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $195.00MANUFACTURER: HIGH FLY KITE CO .Flying on 110' of 801b . Spectra linethe Team High Fly scored well aboveaverage in nearly every category .What we noticed right away was thekite's great stability . At one point, weput the kite directly overhead andgrabbed both lines with one hand .The High Fly stood stationary for nearly2 minutes . It was easily controlledand very forgiving in all circumstances.For a kite of it's large size, the HighFly is not a big puller . A lot of this cancertainly be attributed to the overalllightness of the product . Still, thecomparative small weight vs . sizedidn't detract from the kite's abilityto hold a smooth track. We werealways aware of the kite's presenceas it gave us good feedback even inthe real light stuff .Speed, similarly, is not a primeconsideration for the High Fly . Itsmaneuvers are performed withnearly deliberate slowness . This flightcharacteristic held true whether thekite was directly downwind or out onthe edge . This should help things outnicely in situations where the kite'smaneuverability is under inspection .There are a couple of things thatmay account for this characteristic .The first is that there is a fair amountof billow in the sail even though thekite is equipped with standoffs . Atthe lower end of the wind spectrum,the sail can be seen to move forwardtowards the flyer in the turns ratherlike a tacking sailboat . It seems, attimes, as if the lower spreaders couldalmost be a bit longer . That, however,would negate one of the verypositive aspects of the Team High Fly .It is one of the more forgiving kitesthat we have tested . At very fewpoints in our tests did we becomeinvolved in "unplanned" maneuversthat we felt we could not escapefrom easily .The only situation which presenteda bit of problem was that the TeamHigh Fly showed a tendency to losealtitude coming out of upwind turns .Pulling on the upper lines to gain lostaltitude sent the kite into a vaultingsemi-stall at the turn's apex . It was,however, predictable and could becompensated for without muchproblem .The real forte of the Team High Flywas enhanced by its great stability .That was its offwind capabilities .There is a marked bit of oversteerthat may take some getting used to .Once mastered, though, the kite iscapable of precise landings andtakeoffs . It will also wingstand withease . The only real difficulty encounteredregarding the touchysteering is the slight bobble after sharpturns as the kite overcompensates inthe return to straight-line flight .Those who like sound with theirflights will find the Team High Fly inthe mid-range of the decibellevel . . . this owing to the looseness ofthe trailing edge . There isn't so muchas to prevent you from hearing yourmusic, but it will certainly let you knowthat it's there .We noticed an absence of retainingvinyls on the leading edge of theTeam High Fly. In time, the spreadervinyls are going to want to travelalong the wing rods . A similar situationis present on the spine T-fitting . Thatelement on our test model slid inboth directions with impunity . Onceagain, as the hole in the sail for thefitting is barely 1 inch in diameter,retaining vinyls or a workable substitutemay be in order lest the fittingtravel in crash situations .The Team High Fly was producedas a high-performance stunter thatcould be offered in several optionpackages . The kite is also available,according to High Fly Kite Co .,sparred in either graphite or the morestandard filament-wound epoxy (K-75). The other consideration wasthat it be made at a price thatwouldn't maximally stress the publicpocketbook . To that end, the TeamHigh Fly is pretty well on target. You'regoing to see a lot of these in the skythis summer!CB/SB

MODEL : SPECTREFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz. ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS: graphiteWIND RANGE : 3-35 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (82 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : novice/intermediate/advancedMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $170 .00MANUFACTURER : HIGHFLYERSThe Spectre from Highflyers (England),was presented to us by oneoath companies principles, SteveWalton, during the AKA Grand Nationals. "This is our 'novice' kite," hehad said ."Why the grin?' we replied ."Give it a try. . . ." he shot back .Now we understand!The Spectre is a fuller-sailed versionof the extremely responsive Bantam(reviewed in Vol . 2, No. 4) and it haslost little in the translation . Our lowwindtests in 3-6 MPH revealed thatthe Spectre was quite at home .Marks in nearly all categories weresignificantly higher than average .Flying on 90' of 801b . Spectra, wewere particularly impressed with thekite's landing-relaunch abilities . Evenin winds which were plainly less thanthe kite would have preferred, wingwork was easy and fun .The available wind window wasanticipated, and the Spectre wasspeedy enough to make good useof it . Even more of a surprise was theamount of pull generated . It didn'tpull us off our feet for sure, but evenin 5 MPH you are well aware thatthere's something out there at theother end .Plainly, though, the Spectre wasdesigned for a touch more wind . Thisfact translated to over-rotation in thetighter turns. It also showed up in thetime that the kite took to recoverafter sharp, angular maneuvers .Subsequent flights in 15-19 MPHshowed no trace of the over-rotat ion .Flights at speed, however, didshow us something else . This wasa very fast kite! It wasn't quite as fastas the Bantam, but it certainly didn'tmiss it by much . The same smoothnessthat we had noticed in lowbreezes carried through to the highwind as well . Corners involving anglesof any sort were a breeze . Likewise,smooth curves of any size weredone with ease . . . and quickly! It'seffect was to raise our confidencelevel . . . and we all know what thatmeans!The responsiveness of the kitecombined with our newly heightenedsureness to temporarily override ourcommon sense . Within seconds wewere attempting what is called bysome the famed "spiral of death" .You know . . .that high-wind maneuverwhere the screaming power diveterminates in a blinding spin with thekite bare inches off the ground . . . followedby the grim realization thatyou have absolutely no idea of whento pull the kite out to avoid a realgood bash . You guessed it . ..WHAM!Sure we broke it . . .we'd have brokena pick-up truck had it been one!Surprisingly, however, the damagewasn't done to a wing spar. Nope .We broke a ferrule . . .about a 5-minuterepair and right back in business .A discussion of sparring brings upanother interesting point . The upperspreader is very tight in terms oflength . So much so that when thecharacteristic rubber bands are attached to the wing and center vinylsfrom the lower spreader, the effect isto lessen the tension on the sail . Theupper spreader bar is also locatedquite a distance from the nose . Asthe bridle adjusting line runs from theupper wing vinyl to the lower, settingsare kept rather far outboard . This mayaccount for the over-rotation at lowerspeeds .Workmanship on our Spectre wasexcellent . Stoppers are placed belowboth upper and lower spreadervinyls to ensure no travel . This has,likewise been done above the T-fitting to retard movement in crashes .Reinforcement has been placed atall stress points .The Spectre has been touted as anovice kite . . . and it certainly fits thatdefinition . It is easy to fly by almostanyone who should happen to pickup the lines . But for a pricey retail of$170, it had better be a lot more thanthat . Happily, it is . The Spectre maybe just the kite for someone whowants to start at the top . The pricewon't buy you experience, but it willget you a kite that will keep pacewith each hour of learning .CB/SB

MODEL : STARWATCHERFABRIC WEIGHT: 1 .0 oz . ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS: graphiteWIND RANGE : 2-16 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (96 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : intermediate/advancedMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $190 .00MANUFACTURER: JORDAN AIRThe Starwatcher, from Jordan Airwas introduced to us at the AKAconvention at Seaside, Oregon . It issimilar to, and yet completely differentfrom the Hugo (named after thehurricane), which is manufacturedby the same firm . The similarity is thata un-compromised bit of Dean Jordangoes into each one . This is noticeableboth in the execution of thesail graphics and the manner in whichthe kite handles its intended windsituation .The Hugo, befitting its namesake,is mainly designed for higher windadaptations . The lightweight graphi te-sparred Starwatcher is geared forextreme low winds . Accordingly, webegan our testing in breezes whichran the gamut of 5-9 MPH, then laterthe same day, 15-17 MPH . We flewthe kite first on 90' of 801b . Spectra,then switched as the wind increasedto 110' of 1351b . What we found wasa kite that seemed to feel at home inmid-range wind, though clearlypreferring the more ticklish situationspresented at the bottom of therange .The Starwatcher is a standard-sizekite . . .8' right to the inch, yet it tips thescales at under 9oz . It has a longerspine than its big-wind counterpartand the trailing edge has been cutto a deeper arc . The result is that theoversized center portion couples withsharper wingtips to produce thesnappy performance needed tohandle light wind . The design alsohelps to noticeably reduce the kite'spull once the wind breeches thedouble digits .For a kite of this size, there is significantlyless pull than one might expect. It didn't hurt the performance,though . For all its light weight, theStarwatcher is a cold tracker . . .smoothand straight .Although the kite handled all turnseasily, it did want to drop altitudeslightly in spins . It also had a tendencyto slow a bit with each successiverevolution . This was only evidencedin very low breezes and we foundthat we could alleviate the situationby pulling slightly on the upward lineat the bottom of each turn . Therewas no evidence of either over orundersteer in any flight.The kite landed and launchedeasily once we got used to the ideathat it would rather be in the air! It'slight enough that on occasion, itlaunched on its own . Although itmay be viewed as skitterish by some,the Starwatcher will accomplish wingwork neatly as long as the properamount of finesse is used . Sure, youcan wham the kite without worry of itbreaking up, but with a little practice,the Starwatcher is also capable ofbeing very light on its ground legs .Most anyone can fly the kite : it willtake longer to fly it to its fullest potential.Once the flyer acquaints himselfwith the handling attributes of theStarwatcher, he will find himself incommand of a significantly enlargedflight window . The kite is ableto float across the wind in situationsthat would find many others on theground .The Starwatcher got better thanaverage marks in the stability department. This is attributable to thekite's enlarged center panel and theuse of standoffs to tension the sail . Aunique feature of the Starwatcher isits standoff attachment system . Theyare actually fastened to the trailingedge by a snap system . This ensuresthat the same cross-section is presentedto the wind (a depth of 7 1/2")while producing an extremely cleanback side of the kite. You won'thave to worry about hooking linesover the standoff vinyls here!Dean Jordan feels strongly abouthis kites . Each one is guaranteed tobe free from manufacturing andparts defects for 90 days . We doubt,however, whether he ever has tomake good on his claim . . . the qualityhere can only be characterized asexcellent . After all, what can you sayabout a kite maker who doesn't levyan extra charge for custom graphics?The light-wind Starwatcher is a kitethat can, certainly, be flown byeveryone . . . it is an easy performer andquite forgiving . And yet, it is not a kitefor every flyer. Light wind flyingrequires a more special, lighter touch .The Starwatcher nearly demands it .Once the element of finesse isbrought into play, the kite can beflown to its true potential . . .a superlativelightweight!CB/SB

MODEL: JACANAFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz. ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS: graphiteWIND RANGE: 5-25 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (100 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : intermediateMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $199 .95MANUFACTURER : KITEMASTERS INT'L (Tori Tako)The Jacana, re-introduced at theyear's KTA convention, is the" Big Boy"of Tori Tako's three kite line . With awingspan of 100" and a spine lengthof 38", it's a big kite in anyone'sbook. New sail graphics and someconstruction changes have made iteven more appealing . In a stunt kiteworld in which we are constantlybombarded with mid-size products,the Jacana is a like a pleasant triphome .We first flew the kite in a low windsetting (3-5 MPH) on 90' of 80lb Spectra . Its line performance was lessthan stellar . There was a noticeableamount of oversteer which we eventuallycorrected by shortening thecenter portion of the bridle lines .Obviously, we were not working witha light-wind product . It flew, butplainly we were at the bottom limitsof the acceptable wind range .About two week's later, we unsleevedthe Jacana in 18 MPH windsand hooked it to the end of two 120'lengths of 3001b . Spectra . . . BIG difference!If you've been resting on yourbackside all winter, this is one kitethat will quickly identify all of thosesagging muscle groups .The Jacana scored above averagein all categories and exceptionallywell in a couple of them .Evidence of low-wind oversteer wasreduced to a slight bobble at theend of the turns . The kite trackedsmoothly with slightly more zip thanone might expect from a full-sizeproduct .One of the more enjoyable pointswas the Jacana's enlarged flightwindow . We were able to work iteasily through 170 degrees and insome cases, further. Performanceoff wind was notable, with wing tiptouches, landings, and relaunchesall handled in very stable fashion .In spite of the fact that the Jacanautilizes two standoff spars on eachside of the wing, and employs wingbattens to boot, it still generates a lotof noise . True, it's fairly resonant noise,but folks are still going to hear thisone from waaaay down the beach!There are a number of ideas employedin the making of the Jacanathat we liked . The leading edges arethree part systems, the ferrules ofwhich fall beneath the spreader vinyls. These ferrules are cut into threepieces and the vinyls are glued directlyto the center portion . Slippageof the vinyls is virtually impossibleplus, if an exchange needs bemade to replace the occasionalbroken rod, the vinyls/ferrules comeoff without a struggle . . . nifty!Reinforcement has been added atall the proper stress points . The trail ing edge of the Jacana has beensingle stitched and zig-zagged . Allkite graphics save one front panelare rolled seams . The arrow nocks onthe ends of the standoff spars havebeen heated and flattened aroundthe bunji cord to prevent them frombeing accidentally jettisoned duringflight . Wing battens are secured byVelcro tabs and are made ofgraphite .The only item that we might questionis construction of the vinyl T-fitting. Rather that drilling the vinylstraight through to accommodatethe spine, the rod is inserted throughone end then out through a hole inthe side . . . an arrangement moreconventionally used in leading edgetreatment . The fitting then protrudesthrough a 1" diamond-shaped holein the sail . The problem arises as theupper part of this hole rides up overthe vinyl fitting . As pressure on the sailincreases in high wind, the tendencyis for it (the sail) to ride down on thefitting . This could lead to tears in thefabric rather quickly . A crash on thenose and the resultant forwardmovement of the spine could acceleratethe situation .As an overview, the Jacana wasa delight to fly . On the particular daythat we chose to test it in the windsthat it was designed to handle, itproved a runaway favorite for everyonethat flew it . It's a large, powerfulkite with the wherewithal to handleturns and groundwork easily . It is aloud kite . . . it is a brassy kite . . .and whenthe conditions are right, it's gotenough in the performance departmentto back it up!CB/SB

The Probe Ultra Light is an interestingpackage of new ideas . At base, thekite is an exercise in simplicity of design. There is nothing fancy aboutthe design . . . no frills, no excesses . Anexamination of the kite reveals anumber of items both present andlacking . The leading edge wing tipsare bare spars with end caps . Overthese end caps are stretched tabs ofelastic from the sail which are, in turnheld in place by the next larger sizeend cap. It works!The lower spreader rod, a onepiece item, is secured to the bareend of the spine rod by a length ofsurgical tubing . Lower bridle endsare cross-tied to the spreader beforeit is placed onto the spine . There is noconventional T-fitting . . . and that workstoo!The actual spine rod fits inside acase of Dacron which forms a stiffenedkeel on the face of the kite .The total package presents itself asan 83" kite that weighs only about 61ounces . With a spine of only 181inches, it also presents us with one ofthe higher aspect ratios that we havetested .Initial testing of the Probe UL wasdone at the low end of its 2-20MPHspectrum . In light wind of 3-5 MPH,the kite garnered numbers well withinaverage . Lines used were 801b .Spectra at a length of 90 feet . TheProbe UL tracked well and handledsweeping turns with comparableease . Likewise, square and angularturns went well . Tight, repetitive turns,however, showed a bit of problem .The UL is capable of turning extremelyquickly . . .so quickly, in fact,that we found ourselves constantlywatching so as not to pull the kitefrom the air . A couple of items conspireto bring about the condition :first, there are no standoff spars onthe Probe; and second, the sail isfairly taut . We were able to "pull" thekite from the air at virtually any pointby a yank on the lines .This is not to say that the Probe UL isdifficult to fly . In fact, we found itMODEL : PROBE ULFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS : filament-wound (fiberglass)WIND RANGE : 2-20 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type (83 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL : novice/intermediateMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $69 .95MANUFACTURER : K-LINE KITESquite flyable . Unlike most higheraspectratio kites, the Probe ULlaunches straight up virtually everytime . . . there is little or no slurring fromany point of takeoff. It proved to beabove average in the stability columnand utilized a good deal morewind window than comparably-sizedproducts .The lack of standoffs leads to onefurther problem that is commonto flat-sailed kites : when it is down, itis truly down . Althoughwe were ableto pick the kite up from the leadingedge, the diminished sail size makesthis a difficult option . The savinggrace here is that in most instances,the kite is forgiving enough to avertmost unplanned ground contacts .In many cases, such as a downwindturns performed on the sides of thewindow, an uneven pull on both lineswill "shoot" the Probe through theturn with ease .The Probe UL's long (38 inch),straight, trailing edge, produces goodamounts of sound even in the lightestwinds . This same long edgecombined with a bridle that locatesthe clips at a fairly outboard positionallows the kite to "float" across thewind window in a nose-up attitude .While most pilots view this as a deficiency,the malady is controllable,to a high degree, by the flyer andcan add some interesting variancesto the standard flight routine .There are relatively few things thatwe would change on the ProbeUL .There are no stops on the leadingedge either above or below any ofthe vinyls . At lowered wind speeds,this presents no problems as the vinylsare attached by running the sparthough the end, then out the siderather than by a drilled hole throughboth "sides" of the tube . It may provea different story in high winds . Likewise,upper bridle points are attachedaround the leading edgespar above the upper vinyls . Theyare free to ride towards the nose . Asimple slipping of one part of thesecuring loop below the vinyl providesan easy alternative . We'd alsolike to see some stops added on thelower spreader to prevent the bridlelines from sawing on the tubing thatattaches it to the spine .Workmanship on the Probe UL isgenerally good . Although itis essentially a two-piece sail, thesewing is well done and fittings areclean .At a suggested retail of $69 .95 theProbe UL holds the prospect of genuine light-wind flying at a price thatwill be within the grasp of many . Thatit will improve the skills of the flyer is aforedrawn conclusion . . . light air is,perhaps, the hardest situation tomaster. While there are a host ofother products that may perform thesame function in better fashion, itseems doubtful that they will do so aseconomically!CB/SB

The large version of the Speedwingis an exercise in simplicity . In fact,when we opened the bag, wethought that some parts had beenleft out . Only three spars comprisethe working skeleton of the kite . . .twoleading edge rods and a lowerspreader . There is no spine . There isno upper spreader .Bridling is, as might be imagined,unusual . Basically, it is a three-pointcrossover system that ties into thelower spreader vinyls and a metalring which is line-suspended from thenose . The effect is that which weused to get when we played "catscradle' as children .OK . So would it fly? That was thequestion we asked ourselves whenwe positioned the bridle on the marks,lifted the kite by the clips andwatched as the nose assumed adownward attitude of nearly 35 degrees. The answer was a qualifiedperhaps'In light winds of 3-4 MPH, we hadto adjust the Speedwing significantlybefore it would take to the air eitherwith or without assistance from a fieldcrew. At that point, the kite flewmarginally. Perhaps we had pickedthe wrong day . Certainly, we hadpicked the wrong wind .Another afternoon rolled aroundwhich saw the breezes at 12-15 MPHand, again, we unsheathed the largeSpeedwing . This time, we had gottenit right! Bridle adjustment on the kiteis critical . Positioning the settings onthe marks, we found that the kitewould only hop around, just off theground . Following the instructionmanual, we set the clips 114" closerto the nose and the kite shot into theair .Lacking the structure to confinethe billow of the sail, the Speedwingis an unusual flyer . When gusts hit thesail, it billows, flexing the spreaderrod, and narrowing the profile that ispresented to the wind . This can makethe Speedwing somewhat jerky inflight but not overly so .MODEL : SPEEDWINGFABRIC WEIGHT : .75 oz . ripstop nylonFRAMING MATERIALS : filament-wound (fiberglass)WIND RANGE : 5-30 MPHCONFIGURATION : delta-type, no spine (69 inch wingspan)SKILL LEVEL: intermediateMFGR'S SUGGESTED RETAIL : $130.00MANUFACTURER : VLIEGER-OPWide turns which utilized theSpeedwing's bowing lower spreade r proved good with one very interestingpoint . We could only force theSpeedwing so far. In the case of adecreasing radius turn, there is apoint at which the kite will turn notighter. No amount of additionalpressure on the lines would force theSpeedwing to go deeper into theturn . It simply stayed at its maximum .This could be a real asset in the precisiondepartment . Square and angularturns were handled by the kitewithout problem .The large degree of billow in thesail had yet another positive attribute .We found that we were able to pullthe Speedwing out of the wind quiteeasily, particularly overhead, let itfall, and then save it before it crashedby pulling on the lines to "re-inflate"the sail . It's a nifty looking, and quitesafe maneuver with this kite!Lacking standoffs (we're not sureexactly how they might be attachedon a kite of this configuration), thekite's landing-relaunch abilities aresomewhat impaired . When we didcoax it to the ground, it was generallya good solid landing, though wehad to be careful to not let the kitefall too far backwards lest it collapse .Not that this presented much problem. . . the Speedwing is launchablefrom nearly any position . The flyer justmanipulates the rear edge of the sailto a facing position, jerks the linesand the kite will take to the air .It will also take a dead-on, pullingon the lines, ground bash at speed,better than any filament- wound fiberglass-sparred kite that we haveever flown . There is not much thatcan be broken .As there is little tension on the trailingedge of the sail save that presentedby the lower spreader andinduced by the wind, the noise levelof the Speedwing fluctuates a gooddeal . It can be pleasantly quiet onemoment and quite resonant the next .As a precision flyer, the Speedwingcan stand on its European record .We see it, however, as a kite withgreat design capability as a highwindmachine . At that, it may beone of the best in the business!CB/SB

SOUTHEASTCHAMPIONSHIPSFEBRUARY 23-24,1991.INDIVIDUAL PRECISION - NOVICE(Final)1 Mike O'Boyle 76 .902 . Jeremy Moore 75 .203 . Wayne Liebe 72 .634 . Duane Horton 72 .365 . Martin Hathaway 72 .336. Jane Hawkins 68 .267 . Mike Giannini 66 .268 . Tim Welch 65 .939 . Bill Garrett 62 .9010 . Alex Curbelo 62 .1311 . Dave Eaton 58 .76INDIVIDUAL PRECISION - INTERMEDIATE(Final)1 . Henry Dimmick 79 .962 . Warren Saunders 79 .663 . Mike Moore 77 .434 . Spot Ramirez 75 .505 . Cheri Jenkins 75 .406 . Chris Belli 73 .537 . Paul Phillips 71 .768. Terry Nergaard 69 .909 . Aldo Ramirez 69 .8310 . Chris Cooper 67 .8311 . Robert Sterling 67 .3012 . Lucia Phillips 66 .6013 . Mike Lowack 65 .0014 . Julie Straehle 60 .1315 . Joey Herring 56 .16INDIVIDUAL BALLET - EXPERIENCED(Final)1 . Quinn Rickman 84 .302 . Ted Dougherty 81 .803 . Robert Bono 80 .804 . Dave Arnold 80 .105 . Benji Brazell 77 .166 . John Grodzinski 76 .907 . Ben Futreli 73 .868 . Bill Lee 73 .009 . Jim Younce 70 .0010 . Ray Melikian 67 .06KAOS KITEFEST '91RESULTSMARCH 2-3,1991....INDIVIDUAL BALLET - INTERMEDIATE(Final)I . Michael Moore 84 .762. Ben Gomez 81 .703 Chris Belli 81 .564 . Aldo Ramirez 79 .135 Paul Phillips 76 .806 Lucia Phillips 74 .367 . Spot Ramirez 73 .668 . Henry Dimmick 70 .009 Cheri Jenkins 68 .8010 . Chris Cooper 62 .2311 . Terry Nergaard 60 .43..INDIVIDUAL PRECISION - EXPERIENCED(Final)1 . Quinn Rickman2 Ray Melikian81 .7678 .703 . Ted Dougherty 76 .404 . Jim Younce 76 .165 Benji Brazell 74 .766 . Robert Bono 73 .607 . Dave Arnold 73 .438 . John Grodzinski 72 .50INDIVIDUAL BALLET - MASTERS(Final)1 . Susan Batdorff Big Brother 87 .602 . Cris Batdorff Big Brother 86 .903 . Billy Jones Phantom 86 .304 . Ruth Bradley Squadron Dart 84 .005. Bob Hanson Thunder Hawq 83 .136. Roger Chewning Flexifoil (3) 82 .937 . Frank Loudenslager Aroara 82 .168 . Jim Bunce Squadron Dart 82 .109 . Mike Lathrop NBK 81 .3310 . Susie Edison Flexifoil 81 .0011 . John MacLauchlan NBK 80 .8312 . Bill Edison Flexifoil 79 .4613 . Arlene Anderson Aroara 79 .0614 . Pete Dolphin Team High Fly 78 .8015 . Fran Gramkowski Team High Fly 78 .4616 . Steve Santos Team High Fly 77 .93INDIVIDUAL PRECISION - MASTERS(Final)1 . Bob Hanson Thunder Hawq 91 .002 . Susan Batdorff Big Brother 88 .403. Bill Edison Peter Powell 86 .164. Ruth Bradley Squadron Dart 86 .065. Cris Batdorff Big Brother 85 .966 . John MacLauchlan NBK 84 .337 . Mike Lathrop NBK 83 .638 . T .C . Powers Phantom 74 .439 . Pete Dolphin Team High Fly 71 .2610 . Jim Bunce Squadron Dart 68 .1611 . Billy Jones Phantom 67 .33TEAM PRECISION -EXPERIENCED(Final)1 . Liberty Flyers Trilogys 74 .202. Jordan Air Force Jordan Airs 71 .20TEAM BALLET - EXPERIENCED(Final)1 . Windswept Fire Darts 77 .232 . Liberty Flyers Trilogys 77 .203 . Looking Skyward NBKs 71 .364 . Kapitol Air Korps Jordan Airs 70 .735. Screeming Klig-ons Fire Darts 65 .83TEAM BALLET - MASTERS(Final)1 . Skyward Edge Hawk Its 93 .502. Hurricane Squad Squadron Darts 88 .833. Deja Vu Big Brothers 88 .334 . Edison Flight & Power Phantoms 88 .305 . Team High Fly Team High Flys 86 .366 . Flying Circus Aroaras 86 .237 . Highflyers Team High Flys 86 .06INDIVIDUAL INNOVATIVE - OPEN (Unclassed)(Final)1 . Dave Simpson Spin-Offs 84 .132. Billy Jones Peter Powell Wing 78 .663 . John MacLauchlan NBK 72 .934 . Bill Baker Peter Powells 71 .935 . Randy Halton TOL, Tsunami, 20 .00INDIVIDUAL QUADLINE (Unclassed)(Final)1 . T .C . Powers Revolution 84 .762 . Dennis Kucmerowski Omni 81 .133 . Bob Hanson Revolution 2 81 .104 . Bill Edison Revolution 70 .305 . Billy Jones Phantom 50 .43INDIVIDUAL PRECISION - NOVICE(Final)1 . Leon Cusson2 . Joe ClarkPhantomSpin-Off77 .8377 .303 . Doyle Dunn North Shore 68 .464 . Carlos Looper (Home made) 67 .00INDIVIDUAL PRECISION - EXPERIENCED(Final)1 . Benji Brazell Spin-Off 78 .332 . Robert Bono NBK 70,873 . Ben Gomez NBK 68 .174 . Bill Lee NBK 65 .005 . Drew Commins Hawaiian 58 .906 . Aldo Ramirez NBK 48 .90INDIVIDUAL BALLET - EXPERIENCED(Final)I . Robert Bono NBK 83 .602 . Aldo Ramirez NBK 77 .233 . Bill Lee Razors Edge 76 .374 . Ben Futrell NBK 75 .335 . Ben Gomez6 . Gary ShallbetterNBKWASP74 .4366 .777 . Benji Brazell Spin Off 64 .03TEAM BALLET - EXPERIENCED(Final)I . Windswept Firedarts 73 .80(Tom & Susan Mason)2 . Looking Skyward NBKs 63 .73(Robert Bono/Ben Gomez)

9TH ANNUALMARCH 1-3,1991INDIVIDUAL PRECISION - NOVICE(Final)1 . Phil Petersen 88 .202 . Dru Hansell 86 .133 . Gary Miyata 85 .874 . Chester Koga 85 .405 . Janice Gull 81 .876 . Shea Gull 80 .53INDIVIDUAL PRECISION - EXPERIENCED(Heat 1)1 M . Takahasi 94 .00'2 Jeff Burr 90 .67'3 Hiko Tsuchida 89 .00 ;4 Jan Ozolins 88 .67*5. Klyph McKormick 87 .006 . M . Aoki 85 .677 . H . Saitoh 85 .008 . Raymond Taylor 84 .009 . Russell Satchwill 83 .3310 . Shizuo Daigoh 71 .33INDIVIDUAL PRECISION - EXPERIENCED(Heat 2)1 . Bert Sumida 82 .33'2 . George Vance Chun 81 .93'3 . Ross Tyson 80 .40'4 . S . Satoh 79 .67'5 . S . Seto 79 .206 . Tomas Sasaki 77 .277 . Marls Ozolins 76 .938 . Y. Yamaguchi 75 .009 . Yumi FujimorI10 . T . Kikuchi74 .8072 .93......INDIVIDUAL PRECISION -(Final)EXPERIENCED1 . Hiko Tsuchida 85 .272 . S . Satoh 84 .473 . Bert Sumida 83 .734 . Jeff Burr 83 .535 . George Vance Chun 82 .676 . Jan82 .207 . Ross Tyson 81 .938 . M . Takahasi 79 .47INDIVIDUAL BALLET - EXPERIENCED(Final)1 . S. Satoh 82 .002 . Chris Banal 81 .733 . Klyph McKormick 80 .034 . M . Aoki 79 .135 . Bert Sumida 78 .576 . Russell Satchwill 77 .837 . Yumi Fujimori 76 .838 . Raymond Taylor 76 .079 Jan Ozolins 72 .0310 . George Vance Chun 69 .4311 . Ross Tyson 65 .3012 . Y . Yamaguchi 65 .1013 . Tomas Sasaki 64 .23INDIVIDUAL PRECISION - OPEN(Final)1 . Scott Aughenbaugh 92 .422 . Alan Nagao 89 .833 . Alan Guillen 86 .004 . Darrin Skinner 85 .335 . Jim Richey 79 .676 . Kathi Larrabee-Ramirez 77 .257 Robert Hamilton 72 .008 Chuck Bradford 68 .929 Laurie Richey 61 .17INDIVIDUAL BALLET - OPEN(Final)1 . Scott Aughenbaugh 93 .532 . John Oliver 90 .273 . Alan Nagao 87 .174 . Darrin Skinner 86 .435 . Phil Castillo 84 .776 . Alan Guillen 82 .377 Jim Richey 78 .938 . Robert Hamilton 76 .179 Kathi Larrabee-Ramirez 73 .4010 . Brian Hirose 52 .97TEAM BALLET - EXPERIENCED1 . Banzai/Osnas (Final) 95 .202 . Dandy 74 .83HAWAII CHALLENGETEAM PRECISION - EXPERIENCED(Final)1 . Jams 69 . 782 . Dandy 52 .783. Air Affair 16 .00TEAM PRECISION - OPEN(Final)1 . Team High Performance 96 .622 . Prevailing Winds 92 .673 . Tokoya No .1 91 .404 . Tsunami Flight Team 90 .205 . Zephyrus 82 .65TEAM BALLET - OPEN(Final)1 . Team High Performance 95 .102 . Prevailing Winds 93 .603 . Tsunami Flight Team 89 .204 . Zephyrus 82 .905. Tori Tako 81 .706 . Killer Bees 81 .277 . Tokoya No 1 78 .73.INDIVIDUAL INNOVATIVE - Unclassed(Final)1 Scott Aughenbaugh 96 .002 . Alan Nagao 90 .473 . Phil Castillo 88 .024 . John Oliver 76 .005 . Bert Sumida 75 .63INDIVIDUAL (TRAIN) KITE BALLET - EXPERI-ENCED(Final)1 . Johnna Doyle 69 .472 . Raymond Taylor 62 .30INDIVIDUAL (TRAIN) KITE BALLET - OPEN(Final)1 . Scoff Aughenbaugh 88 .002. Alan Nagao 79 .673 . Chuck Bradford 75 .30TEAM (TRAIN) KITE BALLET - EXPERIENCED(Final)1 . Jams 59 .77TEAM (TRAIN) KITE BALLET - OPEN(Final)I . Tori Tako 83 .932 . High Performance 83 .303 . Zephyrus 82 .174 . Team Hawaii 78 .40INDIVIDUAL QUAD-LINE BALLET - EXPERI-ENCED(Final)1 . Raymond Taylor 76 .772 . Chris Banal 75 .133 . Shizuo Daigoh 67 .13INDIVIDUAL QUAD-LINE BALLET - OPEN(Final)1 . Scott Aughenbaugh 83 .272 . Bert Sumida 83 .173. Alan Guillen 82 .174 . Alan Nagao 80 .23SAN ANTONIOREGIONAL RESULTSFEBRUARY 23-24, 1991INDIVIDUAL PRECISION - NOVICE(Final)1 . Keith Anderson 24 .82 . Tony Perez 23 .33 . Larry Whitacre 22 .84 . Michael Ramos 21 .35 . Henry Clark 20 .66 . Tom Farnsworth 19 .77 . Ralph Pyle 18 .58 Albert Almendarez 18 .09 Chris Hammock 17 .110 . Blair Gray 14 .411 . Cheri Duchene 13 .512 . Efren Garcia 11 .913 . Paul Smith 11 .214 . Nancy Almendarez 10 .1........INDIVIDUAL PRECISION - EXPERIENCED(Final)1 Abel Ortega 24 .22 Donald Corley 22 .63 Gary Smith 21 .44 Greg Hernandez 21 .25 Craig Shrader 21 .16 Michael Blackshear 18 .17 William Steel 17 .28 Frank Kenisky 14 .9INDIVIDUAL BALLET - NOVICE(Final)1 Tom Orlik 24 .62 Nancy Almendarez 21 .73 . Ralph Pyle 21 .04 . Blair Gray 20 .25 . Tom Farnsworth 19 .96 . Brandon Kivell 19 .57 . Keith Anderson 17 .9INDIVIDUAL BALLET - EXPERIENCED(Final)1 . Abel Ortega 25 .62 . Tamara Joyce 21 .83 . Frank Kenisky 21 .14 . Greg Hernandez 19 .4PAIRS PRECISION(Final)1 . Team Dillo 23 .62 . Team Storm 21 .43 . Wind Dancers 12 .1PAIRS BALLET(Final)1 Team Storm 20 .02 Team Dillo 19 .53 Wind Dancers 12 .5