Kite Lines - Vol.2 No. 4 - KiteLife

Contents CopyrightMONUMENTALITY in Kites : A Symposium / 19Why is bigger better? Or is it? Answers from 23 noted kiters covermany shades of gray-as well as the polarities . Included are theories,practical advice and a suggested scale of size definitions .Weight Watching Japan's Giants / 33By A . Pete lanuzzi . The mighty are measured . Pocketcalculator in hand, Pete questions the weight claims forJapan's giants and compares area/weight ratios of 11 kites .The Bedsheet O'dako / 34By A. Pete lanuzzi . A tested American version for a giantkite you can make and fly-to startle the neighborhood .200 Years of Kite Fishing Success / 38By Bill Trebilcock, Principal Keeper, Eddystone Lighthouse,17 miles off Plymouth, England . Kite Lines documents the workingsystem at Britain's last lighthouse stronghold of kite fishing .For the Record / 40Two new kite records are claimed and discussed in Kite Lines :(1) Bernard Stewart's kite-pulled boat trip from the shoresof Washington to his hometown, Victoria, B .C ., Canada ;(2) Six-year-old Angus White's flight of a 24-foot deltain London, claimed as a junior record . His father, John White,suggests a formula for the record and describes his kite, too .The International Exposition of Asymmetrical Kites / 44Announcing a new event to be held in Burtonsville, MD, USA, June 7,1980. Asymmetrical awards, of course! You have plentyof time to think this out (or conclude it's all bonkers) .DepartmentsLetter from the Editor / 6Letters / 8What's New / 12Beautifully crafted kites from Sri Lanka reviewed .Profiles / 36Louise Crowley : Free Spirit .Story and Photographs by John F . Van Gilder .News from Here and There : Stateside / 42News from Here and There : International / 46Directory of Outlets / 43Design Workshop / 48The Super Conyne, proposed as a standard, by Arthur Kurle .Swap Shop / 50Classifieds / 50CoverReal greatness in kites : a giant at Sagamihara, Japan,at the moment of launch, a spectacle that few would believeif it were not for the camera of David Checkley .The scene was shot in May of this year on the kite tour of Japanled by Checkley . Perhaps the picture partially answers someof the questions raised in our symposium on monumentality inkites (pages 19 to 34) . But such a kite somehow stands apart ;it is an answer that does not need a question .© Verve Enterprises, Inc . 1979Reproduction in any form, in whole or in part,is strictly prohibited without prior writtenconsent of the publishers .Kite Lines is the comprehensive internationaljournal of kiting and the only magazine of itskind in America . It is jointly published byFishergate Publishing Co ., Inc ., of Annapolis,MD, and Verve Enterprises, Inc., with editorialoffices at 7106 Campfield Road, Baltimore,MD 21207, USA, telephone : (301)484-6287 . Kite Lines is on file in the librariesof the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian; the National Oceanic and AtmosphericSciences Administration ; the National Geographic; and the University of Notre Dame'sSports and Games Research Collection .Founder : Robert M. IngrahamPublishers : Fishergate Publishing Co ., Inc .,and Verve Enterprises, Inc .Editor : Valerie GovigBusiness Consultant : Kalman IllyefalviCirculation/Reader Services : Judith FaecherDesign Consultant : Weston PhippsMechanicals : Cathy PasqualeBritish Correspondents : Ron Moulton andClive C . O . RawlinsonEditorial Advisory Panel :Guy D . Aydlett A . Pete lanuzziWilliam R . Bigge Robert M . IngrahamLt .Col . Bevan Brown Domina C . JalbertWyatt Brummitt Nat KobitzWood EllisArthur KurlePaul Edward Garber Curtis Marshall, M .D .Melvin GovigRobert S . PriceEdwin L . Grauel John F . Van GilderGary HinzeWill YolenRay Holland, Jr .Kite associations and clubs are located aroundthe U .S . and the world . Kite Lines works forand with all of them and maintains anupdated file on them . Write for informationabout your nearest group .Subscriptions to Kite Lines : One year(4 issues), $9 .00 ; two years (8 issues), $17 .00 .Single copies of current or back issues areavailable ® $2 .50 ($3 .00 overseas) fromAmerica's finest kite shops or the journaloffices . Postage outside the U .S ., its possessionsand Canada is $1 .00 per year additional .Air mail rates for foreign mailings are $3 .00per year additional for Latin America ; $5 .00per year additional for Europe and Israel ; and$7 .00 per year additional for all othercountries . All foreign drafts must be in U .S .dollars through a U .S . bank or the post office .Change of Address : Attach or copy mailinglabel in letter, giving new address . If mailinglabel is wrong, please correct it .Advertising rate sheet and information isavailable upon request .Contributions and correspondence are alwaysinvited . Enthusiasts who contemplate sendingsubstantial material should request our guidelinesfor writers and photographers . Return ofunsolicited material cannot be guaranteedunless accompanied by ample stamps andenvelope, self-addressed . Accuracy of contentsof Kite Lines is the responsibility of individualcontributors. Diverse views presented in KiteLines are not necessarily those of the editor,publishers, staff or advisory panelists .Closing Dates for advertising, articles andnews are : Feb . 20 for Spring ; May 20 forSummer ; Aug . 20 for Fall ; Nov . 20 for Winter.Postmaster : Second class postage paid at Baltimore,Maryland . If undeliverable, please sendaddress change Form 3579 to Kite Lines,7106 Campfield Road, Baltimore, MD 21207 .

Lfromthe EditorWhat a weekend! We've just come backfrom the American Kitefliers Association'ssecond annual meeting and kite festival,held in Manassas, VA . It was as memorableand successful an occasion as anyone couldwant and of course Kite Lines will coverit in a forthcoming issue . For now wehave only the space this letter provides toexplain the relationship of AKA and KiteLines as it developed at the gathering .The chief outcome of the meeting wasa general sense of harmony, brought aboutby the passing of a resolution, as follows :"The assembled members of AKA at thesecond annual convention and festival endorseand support Kite Lines magazine ."The resolution does not bind eitherAKA or Kite Lines to any specific actions,but it serves to reflect the spirit of themembers present . That and the changeswhich were adopted in the bylaws giveboth parties a great deal of freedom . Thejournal's relationship to AKA will bemuch as it is to any kite club, that offriendly reporter, in a spirit of cooperativeindependence . We would very muchlike to have your views as a reader regardingthe directions your journal should take .Though Kite Lines is no longer the officialjournal of the AKA, we carry a publictrust as the research and informationcenter of the worldwide kite community .We are at least as committed to being responsiveto that community as if we were avolunteer organization . As authors of theoriginal AKA bylaws, we of Kite Lines subscribeto those stated purposes . The futureof kiting is our joy . As Wyatt Brummittsaid, "The sky is big enough for all of us ."With a fresh spirit of cooperation inthe air, we feel more optimistic than wehave in a long time . The meeting broughtabout these good feelings . For that wekiters owe the meeting's organizers andparticipants our thanks .For those of you who have stood by invarious degrees of anguish, feel free, asyou may, to love or hate all of us . Yourcomments-by mail, by phone, by kite-are valuable to us, whatever you have tosay . Your ideas guide us and demonstratethat you care . The vitality of kiting and itswarm bonds of friendship cut across allboundaries of politics, creed, nation, age,sex and factionalism . It is that vision whichguides this journal .

LettersCOFFEE STIRRERS TO THE RESCUEI have left for a while Israel and my goodkite friend Alex Cohen and his family totake up a post in the cardiac surgery departmentof Montefiore Hospital where Iwork as a biomedical engineer .On arrival in New York we stayed at ahotel on 44th Street, close to Benihana ofTokyo . Walking past that famous restaurant,we saw an advertisement for NewYork's Benihana/Go Fly a Kite Festival .Not having brought my kite collectionfrom Israel, I raced up to the hotel roomarmed with coffee stirrer sticks and somepaper napkins lifted from a nearby pizzaplace where we ate, and glue and threadfrom the local 69-cent store . I quicklyput together a white Conyne about threeinches tall.Came the big day and we were off uptownto Sheep's Meadow in Central Park .The skies were full of beautifully coloredkites of varied shapes, sizes and types .The whole family was really excitedwhen we received first prize in the smallestkite class-dinner for two at Benihana'sand 10,000 yen . It was a great experienceand welcome to the Big Apple for all of us .Eliezer Astrinsky, Ph .D .Bronx, NYAT THE STAGE BEFORE NOVICEMy son recently gave me a subscription toyour journal . I was so fascinated by thefirst issue d Kite Lines I received that Isent for all the previous issues and havebeen patiently reading them cover to coverat every spare moment . I soon discoveredthat I was at the stage before novice . Asin the practice of medicine, I learned thatfor every fact I knew there were thousandsI didn't know.Eugene L . Lozner, M .D .Tampa, FLTALES FROM THE TAILLESSMy interest in kiting lies mainly in thesingle-line high flying category . Nothingpleases me more than to have my kite upin the clouds, invisible, and my line lookinglike the Indian rope trick .Now to do this it is necessary to have athoroughly reliable kite, and my effortsto make this seemingly simple article havebeen many and varied .I have made quite a few box kites,mostly winged ones, both triangular andsquare, and they have usually flown quitebeautifully . Their main drawback is in thenumber of spars required ; these have tobe kept as light as possible, being so many,and in strong winds some may break . Ifyou are flying in an airfield or on an openmoorland, that is not too bad, but in semirestrictedplaces it could be a disaster .So I turned my attention to single surfacekites, such as the Eddy, Malay, Parakiteor whatever you like to call them . Ihave spent a considerable amount of timeand money on trying to construct one ofthese which will fulfill the statementsmade in many books that they are tailless .They are not . Possibly flown in steady seasidebreezes or in a light wind on an airfield,they may be, but flown in varyingconditions and particularly for high flyingexpeditions they are totally unreliable .Flown with a drogue attached they aremore steady . A drogue needs to be assmall and light as possible to retain highangle flying, so I devised a kite which Ihoped would enable me to use a lightdrogue, which would be more compensatingfor different wind conditions . I didthis by giving the drogue more leverageon which to operate its drag by fixing avery light spar rigidly across the bottomof the kite at the end of the spine . Thetail is then composed of two lines whichconnect to the drogue itself by means ofa swivel link, to prevent twisting . This hasthe effect that immediately the kite turnsfrom the vertical it has to lift the droguemuch more than when the latter is simplyattached to the spine by a single line . Inormally use a six-foot kite and find thata '/a-inch dowel 18 inches long works welland adds very little weight .When making these kites I abandonedvery early on the usual pocket arrangementfor housing the ends of the spars .They simply do not stand up to the strainupon them and eventually wear throughhowever well they are reinforced . Alsothey put too much strain on a small areaof the fabric and tend to pull the kite outof shape eventually . I use rings now, andthe spars are attached by means of tapes,which are readily renewable when required. In making these kites, therefore,I cut off the corners and fold back thematerial so that a small piece of dowelcan be inserted to take the strain of attachingthe ring. The base of the kite is cutback even more so that when hemmed itwill accommodate the 18-inch dowel .There are various ways of designingthese kites-rigid with bowed cross spar,nonrigid with floating cross spar, rigidwith straight cross spar held back by aspacer, etc . I use the nonrigid arrangementin mine. One of the troubles I foundwas that the kite made with a straightspine would frequently dive forwardtowards me, in the manner of a delta . Icorrected this by making the spine angleback from a point about 18 inches fromthe top . The total deflection is fairlysmall-about three inches in a six-footkite-and it means splicing the spine, butit is effective .This is the kite I use for real high flying,and it works . For normal recreationalflying I use box kites . They are tailless,predictable and above all strikinglyinteresting to watch .F . W . ColesBingley, Lancastershire, EnglandA PUZZLE AND A THEORYCan you or any of your staff help mesolve a vexing problem?I have lost at least five good kites thesame way . It's this .In trying to fly a kite over water off adock with an offshore breeze, as soon asthe kite gets about 30 feet up in the air itturns over and comes smashing down intothe water . Can you tell me the reason?Harold SmithPortland, Ontario, CanadaPete Ianuzzi has experienced the phenomenonyou describe and has this theory toexplain it . In the warmer months the normaltendency is for the breeze to betoward the ocean in the morning andtoward the land in the afternoon . This isbecause the land changes temperaturefaster than the water; in the morning it iscooler than the water but by afternoon itis warmer. Warm morning air over theocean rises and is replaced by cooler offshorebreezes. This reverses in the afternoon,when the warmer air rises on theland and cooler breezes come onshore(creating that summer relief that has attractedvacationers since the days beforeair conditioning) . There is a time, forabout an hour in the late morning (fromPete's experience), when the airflow ischanging from sea to land . At this time,at the edge of the ocean, a kite will go upover the land where the air is starting to

Leas . . .Continued from page 8come onshore, but as soon as the air isover the land it will rise and circulate,coming down to the ocean, back to theland, up and down and in again-right atthe meeting of the land and the ocean . Akite up 50 feet will experience this . It isbest to pull in fast and get the kite quitehigh over the land again . If you want tosee what is happening, pull the kite inquickly, making it rise, and then it will goup into the offshore part of the air and asyou let line out it will go out to sea anddescend again . This can be repeated severaltimes if it's your idea of fun .MINISLEDS IN THE NURSERYI enjoyed Mel Govig's article on kite makingwith children (Kite Lines Winter 1977-78). I am especially grateful for his methodsof cutting many kites at once and attachingthe bridle with a piece of tape-theyhave saved me a lot of time this spring!I would appreciate clarification of thesled proportions given on page 65 . Arethe sticks angled as one would infer fromthe dimensions or parallel as pictured? Ifparallel, what are the correct dimensions?My own experience with classroomkites has been mostly with nursery schoolchildren, 3 to 5 years old . Until this yearI used the Minisled published in MargaretGreger's new book, More Simple Kites. Ibring in the almost-completed kite (sometimesleaving the straws to be attached atschool) for the children to decorate . Fifteento 20 feet of string seems to beplenty for this age group . The whole project,including flying, can be completed inabout two hours . (Preparation time is anotherstory-but it's a labor of love .)Carol MasterJamaica Plain, MAWe blush . The dimension on the sled'strailing edge should have been 13 inches ;the kite sides are parallel. Angled versions(a la Allison, Weathers, et al) work well,however, and the kite is forgiving enoughin that size to work with a 12-inch span .In our experience, the sled in the article isas small as a child can make without itsneeding a tail to fly .

What's New:Kites, Books,, Sundries7,i oCRAFTSMANSHIP FROM SRI LANKAFrom Great Winds kite shop in Seattlecomes a seven-kite collection of hangable,flyable handcrafted kites from Sri Lanka(Ceylon by former name) . Common to allthese kites is a glassine paper cover of brilliantcolors, light weight and remarkabletoughness . However, in their flight behavior,they are three distinctly differenttypes of kite .First is the cobra, further subdividedinto two cobra kites . One is the DancingCobra, a 15-foot version of the active"dragon" we have come to love in itsU .S .-made Mylar versions, with the characteristic35- to 40-degree angle . The secondis called the Serendib Serpent, a 65-foot streak of color that flies on a 10-knotbreeze at angles over 70 degrees with uncharacteristiclift and little activity exceptthe progression of riffles that make itlook like the snake it's named for . Thehead on the Serendib Serpent is unusual,an elongated hexagon based on the fightercrossbow but with a rigid head stick and afoot stick' that restricts the range of bow(and I presume the range of maneuvering)of the flat bowed spar . The result is adesign I plan to copy in making my nextBermuda-type kite .The Peacock and Flying Fish kites arebasically oriental fighter kites with aprontails-a large frilly tail on the Peacock, asmaller forked "fish" tail on the FlyingFish . Each is fitted with a foot-long backbowedtassel at its head . These kites gainall their lateral stability from the headtassel, without which they would be similarto Indian fighters . They are absolutelyrock stable in winds up to 25 knots anddown to 5 knots. They float on a lightline at about 40 to 45 degrees at 5 knots,settled to about 35 degrees in 25 knotwinds . They cannot be made to dive, althoughat high wind speeds they willsometimes go into one of those frustratingslow power arcs that seem to defycorrection . But in a mild wind, launchingthese kites is like tossing a bouquet intothe air and having it stay there like amovie stop frame .The third type, the Ceylonese Bird andRaven kites, differ only in their colors .They are bird kites with hinged tails andabundant fringes both on the tails and thetrailing edges of the wings . They fly nearlyflat on the wind and would probably glideinto the wind if it weren't for all the fringe .The hinged tail flap, spilling air and rufflingits fringes, causes the whole kite toflap with dramatic realism . Our friendCurtis Marshall would call these kinetickites . They achieve an angle of 35 degreeson occasion, but mostly about 25 to 30degrees-not kites to fly on long lines .The last kite in the collection is a small,flat eight-pointed star with tassel tail . Itflies as you would expect a small flat kitewith a long tail to fly, taking its charmfrom the stained-glass-window effect ofthe brilliant glassine paper . I suggest thatyou remove the tail and save it for hangingon the wall with the kite and fly witha crepe paper or surveyor's tape streamerthat won't tangle like tassels always do .All of these kites fly easily, most ofthem right from the hand ; a novice couldfly them . But an added element in appreciatingthem is their origin .Ken Conrad of Great Winds tells usthat since 1939, the kite maker has beencrafting and selling his kites at one spot onthe beaches of Ceylon . British troops livingthere before World War II are the sourceof the Union Jack motif which sometimesappears on these kites . Kite sales to theUSA have helped this man feed and clothehis family, which includes his wife, motherand 10 children, who live very simply in asmall house . All the family members helpin making the kites . The father does allthe precision carving of the bamboo andthe hand-painting of the designs . His wifeties the knots and the children cut andpaste the appliqued papers . Then the kitesgo off to the beach for individual testing .After 40 years of kite making, thecraftsman knows many subtleties . Convexcurvatures add to lateral and pitch stabili-Kite making in Ceylon : from top, thecraftsman splits and shapes the bamboo frameswhile his wife ties them ; the family group .

What's New. . .Continued from page 13ty . Bowed cross spars, as in fighter kites,add dihedral as needed . Tasseling is justenough to create necessary drag . Thecenturies-old techniques and designs ofCeylon live on, modified and improvedby the care and knowledge the craftsmancontributes from his own mind and hands .Whether or not you know all this, youbenefit from it when you fly one of thesekites. There is no question that you areflying the work of a master .THE SOARING WING IN FABRICWind Mill Kites is now turning out a clothversion of its Soaring Wing kite . The originalmodel in Mylar® was reviewed in thisspace before, where the kite was notedfor its exceptionally high aspect ratio : sixfeet wide by only one foot deep at thewidest part of the wing . The current modelis made of rip-stop nylon stunningly sectionedand sewn . Like its predecessor, itis a bit tricky to launch and recover, butthe flight is worth the effort for a skilled,adventurous flier . Under good conditions,the Soaring Wing can fly at a high angleand its best performance will be when thewind is between 5 and 10 miles per hour .The cloth version is more permanent thanthe plastic one and is quite a good buy at$33 . It's an interesting and novel additionfor the delta* collector . Wind Mill Kites,like many kite producers now, is addingvariety to its line and acknowledging theexcitement of kiting as a spectator sport .*The testers are divided on whether this kite isa delta . In basic structure, the design seems animprobable delta (as a bat seems an improbablemammal) .BASIC AND BELIEVABLEKites, Kites, Kites: The Ups and Downsof Making and Flying Them, by Bruce H .Mitton (Drake line : Sterling PublishingCo ., 1978), 128 pages, pap . $5 .95 .You have to like a guy who suggests asthe first step to building kites that youtake a dollar to the dime store (sorry it'sno use taking a dime anymore) and buy akite and fly it . The premise is that if youcan fly a kite you can build one . BruceMitton writes as one who can and does .What you get in his book is a practical,unpretentious recitation of kiteflying experienceand tips plus basic plans to build16 kites . Mitton's choice of materials(tissue, plastic bags, dowels, matchstickbamboo, crepe paper) is geared to thebudget kite maker . Refreshingly, almosteverything he's written comes, obviously,out of his own experience rather thanfrom "research ." Other assets of the bookare : good coverage of kite safety (includingsome very illustrative pictures), plentyof fine black-and-white photographs anda readable layout . The writing is fresh andpersonal, especially in the amusing catalogof "kite types" (the Runner, the Demolitionist,etc .), as well as the list of "reasonsto fly a kite ." Appendixes includechecklists for the kiteflier and kite builder,a bibliography and an index.Only one fault I found with the book :the bridling instructions are poor .This book adds hardly anything newto the literature . There are better booksto build by, and writers with more depthon the history and aerodynamics of kites .Occasionally, though, a book comes alongthat just breathes the author's love ofkites . I found Bruce Mitton in all thepages of his book, and I liked him .

MONUMENTALITYin kites: a symposiumWHY IS BIGGER BETTER? OR IS IT? KITE LINES ASKS SOME LEADINGKITERS-AND GENERATES A FLURRY OF OPINION AND THEORY, ASWELL AS SOME CAUTIONARY STORIES AND SOLID PRACTICAL ADVICE .I N UNCOVERING THE CONTROVERSIES, WE FOUND SOME ANSWERS TOOLD PUZZLES--ALONG WITH A WHOLE NEW BATCH OF QUESTIONS!G. WILLIAM TYRRELL, JR .Huntingdon Valley, PA . Winner ofStrongest Puller with his Parafoilat Ocean City, MD, 1978. (Above,John Stubbings assists him in NC .)It's the only way to fly!I have a 20 x 20 foot Jalbert, thebiggest he's made, the same as thekites sold to NASA-the biggest inthe world at this point . It's anchoredwith three-inch rope andchain . At Ocean City, I had it tiedto a 6000-lb . truck parked sideways,and it dragged the truck! Itbottomed out the measuring scale .Guys were climbing the rope thebetter part of the day . I used tocharge $200 a day to fly it withbanners at supermarket openingsand such . But now it's a hobby .I'm a bit of an eccentric, so ithelps . I wouldn't have it anyother way .WYATT BRUMMITTRochester, NY. Author of theGolden Guide : Kites ."Monumentality" is a disease, atacit admission that excellence isnot enough .I grant, and defend, the right ofanyone to make a good, beeeegkite-if it's not done merely as acrowd titillator. Ed Grauel's KillerWhale, for example, is a remarkablespectacle, simply because itflies . Even Ed will agree that itdoesn't fly as well as his moreconventional-size kites ; it is,almost by definition, a "sport," acase of giantism .And this, of course, brings usback to Mr. Einstein and relativity .How big is BIG? I think of a sevenfooteras medium and manageable ;others might regard it as muchtoo small or much too big .JOHN SPENDLOVEPreston, Lanes., England. Kite designerand author of the celebratedKite Lines article, "Towards aTaxonomy o f Kites . "Have you ever been flying a kiteof, say, four-foot span and somekid comes up and says how BIG itis? Maybe that happens less withyou in the U .S . than in these kiteforsakenparts in northern England,but still-just what is big?Pelham in his Penguin Book ofKites says that below three feet issmall, but doesn't give ideas forother sizes . So how about a scale?John submitted some suggestedkite size classes, six discrete categoriesin all, with analysis formetric. We hope John will forgiveour liberties, but we found hisidea too good to leave alone . After

much debate among the Kite Linesstaff, and an imaginary debatewith John Spendlove, we decidedto print a version that incorporateshis concept but allows for morecategories and also a bit more leewaybetween them . For example,different types of kites, thoughthe same in their longest dimension,can vary decidedly in theirimpression of size . We hope publicationof this chart will stimulatediscussion and possible futurerefinement .ROBERT S . PRICEBurtonsville, MD . Physicist, leaderof the Maryland Kite Society andbuilder of large box kites .One system of classifying kitesis by manageability, and in thissystem there are two sizes of kite :one that a single person can managein most circumstances andone that requires more than oneperson . To manage a kite I meanto launch it, fly it and recover it .If the kite is sufficiently powerful,it can lift or drag the flier andthus become unmanageable . Myfeeling is that an 8-foot long boxkite is a comfortable size for oneperson to manage . A 16- or 18-foot wing-spread delta is probablyalso in this class .Another system of classifyingkite size is by structure. One categoryof kites would include thosekites made with simple, solid sticksof common wood . Another categorywould include those withhollow wooden or bamboo spars .There are kites with exotic materialspars-aluminum tubing, fiberglass,etc. Of course, there aresparless kites, too, such as theParafoil .The main reasons for buildingkites larger than one person canhandle are to make the flyingoperation a cooperative, teamaffair, to develop lift for a specialoperation (such as a man-lift), orto make the kite visible at a greatdistance .The lift goes up as the square ofa linear scale factor while the requiredsection modulus of thecompressive members goes up asthe cube of the scale factor . ThisBob Price showing off one of his elegant hollow-spar boxis why hollow spars become desirablein larger rigid kites .I don't see why there is any particularlimit to the size of a kitethat could be made to fly-it isjust that landing and launchingwould become very difficult . It ismore reasonable to fly en-trainusing smaller kites .RICHARD S . ROBERTSONAustin, TX. Leading Texas kiterand the father in a family of sevenactive kiters .I would really have missed anenjoyable phase of kiting if Ihadn't made large kites . Making alarge kite that will fly just as wellas a small one is a real challenge . Iremember some years ago when Imade an 18-foot turkey vultureaccording - to Hod Taylor's plans . Ientered it in the Largest Kite eventin our contest and it wasn't aslarge as some that were entered,but it flew as no other kite aroundcould fly . The wings flapped andthe kite found its flying positionand stayed there . The spectatorsenjoyed watching the vulture flymuch more than the kite that won .Flying a large kite is like catchinga big fish . The pull of the lineis both thrilling and challenging . Igenerally tie the line to a car, treeor backstop, but if the wind is notRichard Robertson's well-made eagle and centipede kites .kites.too strong, I just "hang on ."One of the thrills of a large kitelike my 100-foot centipede is theoverwhelming spectator interestand desire to participate . Ask foreight volunteers to help you launchit and you end up with 25 .ALBERT F . RIEDERERCornwells Heights, PA . Winner ofLargest Kite award at the GrandNational Kite Festival, Ocean City,MD, September 23, 1978 .What really got me into largekites was one year at the BenFranklin fly in Philadelphia . Somestudents from Drexel Universityhad a Bermuda kite made withhalf-inch pine bolted with 1/."bolts and with 60 to 80 feet oftail . It took up the entire quadrangle. I couldn't believe somethinglike this would fly . I decidednext year I had to fly a large kite .I had flown Eddys since I was sixyears old . A buddy and I got theDan Lirot plans for a 30-foot deltaand built it and flew it-and itreally got into our blood . Everytime I flew it it was as if it werefor the first time . It drew a crowdand it totally involved the children. You get a million kids aroundyou. I only spent $20 to $25 on itat the time .It's awe-inspiring . It does drawattention, it draws interest to thetotal love of kites . Also biggerkites are easier to fly once you getit together . But just the look ontheir faces is something to behold .You don't even look at the kite!You look at the spectators . That'sthe reward .EDWIN L . GRAUELRochester, NY. Kite designer andexperimenter .While I have always felt thatgiant kites made more sense thanvery tiny ones, I have never felt acompelling urge to spend muchtime on making or flying the monsters. The four big ones I havebuilt were made purely to determinehow large these kites couldgo and still be handled satisfactorilyby one person .But the interesting thing is thatonce these big fellows are in theair, they invariably attract moreattention and more discussionthan similar kites in smaller sizes .It has been my observation,both as a judge and as a competitor,that large kites almost invariablywin the prizes in most kitingcompetitions (except for thesmallest kite classification) . It'spretty tough to let the big kites,representing many hours of work,go away without a prize, evenwhen things aren't exactly equal .So, if a purpose of kite flying is towin awards, the larger the kite thebetter.There are at least two other advantagesin making and flying giantkites. First, the larger the kitethe more forgiving it is in over-

coming construction errors andpoor workmanship ; and, secondly,big kites make a fine group projectfor planning, constructionand flying .In summary, in my opinionthere is a time and place for giantkites for a limited group of kiteenthusiasts who are willing to putup with all the disadvantages inorder to achieve the unusual .RICK KINNAIRDLaurel, MD. Local kite personalityand Captain of Kinnaird's CodyKite Crew .If you expect to win a contestwith a big kite-you will not . I believethat most judges are prejudicedagainst large kites becausethey don't understand them . Butyou win in the hearts and mindsof the spectators . You do it forthe glory-you can't be ignored!The problem is the judges scorelarge kites the same as they domuch smaller kites and your errorrate may be the same or less-inproportion . For example, a wavyseam isn't such bad workmanshipin a really large kite .When you're building a largekite, you spend a lot of time conceptualizingfinal details, the trimof the edges, etc . Once you set itup you find ways that work a loteasier . In some larger scales (myCody, for example) the kite fightsagainst itself. The problems aremagnified in relation to size . Youhave to solve the relation betweenvolume and surface area . If youtry to maintain the strength ofthe wood, the diameter increasestoo much .You've got to be in shape to flyit . I pulled a nerve (got "kite elbow"),putting strain on my shoulderand chest muscles . Use a pulleyand a strong, coordinated crew .One man alone is good, but there'sa chance you'll hurt yourself .CURTIS MARSHALLBaltimore, MD . Well-known physicianand designer of large kites .Monumental kites are not "better"than small kites, they aremerely different . Just as one personmay prefer a kite which is sostable that it appears to be nailedto the sky, another decries suchperformance and wants an "active"kite . The best kite size, then, isthat which pleases the builder andflier, but why does that relativelysmall minority prefer kites ofmonumental dimensions?The sky is a big place . It usuallyencompasses slightly less than halfof all one can see . When a kite isflown at sufficient height to beabove ground turbulence, it is apparentthat, at 200 feet, a fourfootkite appears almost lost inthis immensity. A large kite flyingat such an altitude offers more tothe appreciative eye .In addition, observers seem tobe impressed by sheer size alone .Rick Kinnaird and Carolyn Staples trim their Cody in a hotel room .Often heard is an exclamationthat it is "bigger than I am ." Formost of us who build kites, knowledgethat others appreciate oureffort constitutes a large portionof whatever rewards are realized .The builder of large kites alsofeels the "bigger than I am" awefor his own creation . An additionalreward is his appreciation that thekite is a worthy adversary whosestrength is pitted against his own .Although the pull of the kite maywell be such that it could draghim along as the wind speed rises,one hopes his intelligence will exceedthat of a nonsentient kite sothat he will remain in control .The effort one expends in the fatiguingoperation of landing a largekite may easily satisfy or even exceedhis daily requirements forexercise. It can also satisfy allmembers of a team in that alltheir physical efforts are neededto withstand the pull on the line .A large kite is to be distinguishedfrom a kite train ; even though theaggregate area and generated pullof the train may be great, a trainis still not a monumental kite .Curtis Marshall, aided by Rick Kinnaird, readies one of his giants .However, there can be a fine lineof distinction when one considerscertain articulated kites .I like to look upon kite size, notin terms of actual sail area, but interms of whether it can be flownby a child, a single adult or a team .The latter category, of course,could also be one person, aidedby a power winch or even a carand pulleys .With the increasing interest inthe use of kites to lift payloads,including cameras, thermometersand wind-speed measuring devices,as well as wind-powered lamps,there has been an associated movetoward increasingly larger kites .A large kite, when simply scaledup from a small kite, flies in analtered manner. The greater thesize, the more obvious the difference. This alteration in flight characteristicsresults from two predominantbut interrelated factors .First, the inertia of the mass ofthe frame and the sail cause aslowing of the movement of thekite and create a kind of majesticserenity . This slowing is perhapsmost apparent in kites which entrapa mass of air which then addsto the effective mass of the kite,such as the Parafoil . Second, alarge area of sail behaves in a differentmanner than does the smallarea in any given turbulence situation. The large kite reacts moreslowly and demonstrates an "averagingeffect" with regard tosmall areas of turbulence withinthe air mass . This difference is notreadily seen when a large kite anda small kite are flying togetherhigh in the sky, but becomes apparentwhen they are broughtdown into the ground turbulence .At this time, the sail of the largekite would be seen to ripple in responseto the air currents, whereasthese same air currents will tossthe small kite hither and thither .As to disadvantages, a large kitecan be exceedingly dangerous . Itcan injure the flier's hands, notonly with rope burns but also bysimple crushing action . It is usuallywise to use large diameter line inaddition to leather gloves for protection.One must remember that the kitecan easily rise from a low speedground wind into a high speedwind at a few hundred feet . Theaccompanying sudden increase indrag on a large kite can reversethe roles of "flier" and "flyee,"and the person who, a momentbefore, thought he was in control,can find himself dragged intobrush, off a dock or into traffic,to mention but a few unsavorypossibilities . It is always wise tohave a safety limit line attachedto a car or a tree . However, a lineunder heavy tension is very easilycut and a sharp edge on car trim,a fence pole corner or even astring from a small kite can part a1200-lb . test line in a fraction of asecond . The resulting "whip" ofthe suddenly freed heavy line canbe quite injurious .The crash of a large kite is potentiallydangerous as frame piecescan fly off even if an observer issufficiently alert and agile to escapea direct hit . From this pointof view, a large Parafoil is harmless,but any large kite can injurea bystander if a crosswind catchesit when the line is still at a lowangle and sweeps it across an area .To guard against this unpleasantoccurrence, it is wise to allow thekite to rise to a high angle with ashort line, and then to pay outthe line far above the heads of theonlookers .Another dangerous aspect offlying large kites derives from thepossibility of a frame memberbreaking loose and falling like ajavelin . This is not an uncommonoccurrence with experimental designsbut relatively rare when oneflies a proven kite design .With small kites, one tends to ignorethe specific patterns of stressin the frame and in the sail . Thisis justifiable in that the stresses

are of low force, so that dowelstrength and tape reinforcementexceed by many times the forceswhich will be encountered . However,with large kites and theirmuch greater forces, one cannotafford the extra weight necessaryif one is to use a safety factor astremendous as those used in smallkites . Thus, one must calculatemuch more closely and try to staynot only within a relatively modestsafety factor, but also to employthe heavy reinforcement onlyat those exact places where stressesdictate their need .A somewhat different aspect ofdesign enlargement is the importanceof flexibility . Whereas smallframes can often be glued to rigidity,large frames in most configurationsmust have flexibility designedin . When a large frame encountersexcessive forces, it must be ableto flex. A rigid frame could, underthe same circumstances, simplycrack . Heavy machined aluminumjoints in a frame should be plannedwhenever possible to give with thestress, not to withstand the stressthrough brute force .Carrying this approach somewhatfurther, one must even plotthe areas of stress within the sail .The required strength of both theframe and sail, however, can bematerially reduced by multipleshrouding . Whereas a two- or threelegbridle would have to withstandperhaps 200 pounds pull at eachattachment point, a 40-leg bridlewould divide the load so that eachattachment would have to withstandbut 10 pounds or so . In addition,the use of a great number ofcarefully planned bridle pointscan be used to actually create thedesired form of the sail by judicioustrimming of the length ofeach line . This is clearly demonstratedin the bridling of theJalbert Parafoil.Certainly, the larger the kite,the greater the cost, not only ofmaterial but also of time . Whileone might well be willing to constructa small inexpensive kite ona throw-away basis, one takes adifferent attitude toward an endeavorwhich occupies months ofwork and an expenditure of ahundred dollars or more . Paperand dowels are fine for small kites,but the same design, when allitems are multiplied by a factor of10 or 20, would demand and justifythe use of more durable materialssuch as nylon, aluminum andfiberglass. The cost obviously isnot increased by a mere 10 or 20times but would well escalate by ahundred times.For those who enjoy monumentalkites with all their problems,costs, dangers and joys, may theirdifficulties be overcome and theirhopes satisfied. On the other hand,for those who do not wish to becomeinvolved with these monsters-don't!Bill Bigge at work amid his compact clutter on the kite field .ROBERT M. INGRAHAMSilver City, NM . Founder, Amen.can Kitefliers Association .Many kitefliers, especially in thebeginning, think in terms of "big .'They want to build and fly a kitethat will simply overwhelm spectators with its awesome size .Big kites are not all that impressive once they are in the air . Withno standard of comparison, theyappear far from their actual sizewhen in the broad expanse of thesky . The effect is lost .Kites in the monster categoryare difficult to build, difficult totransport, difficult and dangerousto fly .Flying monster kites shouldonly be done in tightly controlledcircumstances, in remote areas faraway from buildings, crowds,power lines, etc ., and by a competentcrew.WILLIAM R. BIGGEGermantown, MD. Physicist at theNational Bureau of Standards antauthority on measures in kiting .A very large kite is visible for along distance . It is more impressivethan a smaller one. It provides itmany cases a focus for a group offort . A very large kite that flies isan achievement .A large kite is more capable oflifting a payload, such as a camera,than a smaller kite . A very largekite may perhaps be defined asone so large that the payload de .creases with increasing size . In thesame vein, one may define a verysmall kite as one so small that thebuilding time (or total cost) increases with decreasing size .A large kite is more likely to bestructurally critical. For geometrically similar kites, the stress ineach part is directly proportionalto the size. The wind force requiredfor flight (proportional tothe square of the stalling speed) hproportional to the size . The maximumallowable wind force without structural overload is independentof the size . Thus for agiven detailed design there is afairly definite limit to how muchit can be scaled up and be strongenough to fly .For structural reasons, largekites may have such refinementsas hollow spars, materials withbetter specific strength or stiffness,bracing, trusswork or multipointbridles .A very large bowed rectangular(or circular?) kite with multiplevertical and horizontal sticks andmultiple bridle lines can for structuralpurposes be scaled as follows :Suppose the kite is four feethigh and has sticks one foot apart .(It has more than three bridlepoints-say about 10 or 12 .) Akite 32 feet high and weighingabout 512 (!) times as muchwould be aerodynamically similar .That is, it would have the samestability characteristics . To havethe same structural characteristicsit would have sticks four timesthe diameter and two feet apart,that is about four times as manysticks . Stick cross-section 16 timesas large, 4 times as many sticks, 8times as long, means stick weightis 512 times as large .If the limiting factor is bendingload on a section of a stick betweenbridle points (at stick crossings),then :The above is just an illustrationin whole numbers of the suggestionthat stick spacing vary with thecube root of the size and that thestick diameter vary with the twothirdspower of the size .It turns out that the stiffness ofa stick section increases more thanthe strength as the size goes up .This seems to mean that the bridlelines must be relatively bettermatched . On the other hand, bridlelines on a very large kite shouldperhaps be even longer than proportionalto the size of the kite .The long bridle lines may have appreciablesag and stretch . It seemslikely that the amount of work involvedin properly adjusting thebridle lines increases faster thanthe number of lines .It seems very plausible to methat a kite can be made with alarge number of sticks and bridlelines to a large fraction of the stickcrossings, the kite weight to bemore or less in proportion to thecube of the size, and that the sizebe much larger than is usual, thekite perhaps launched with theaid of a special structure in astrong, steady wind . A kite that isnot expected to be able to landundamaged can be much largerthan one that is .A further advantage of a largekite is that the drag of the line isproportionately less . This is probablyinsignificant for a very largekite-it is not likely to be flownon a long line anyway . More fundamentally,a smaller kite whichis as sophisticated structurally as alarger kite can be reduced inweight as the fourth power of thesize . Then the line diameter is reducedas the square of the size, sothe line wetted surface is in thesame proportion to the lifting surfaceof the kite for the same linelength . The optimum wind is indirect proportion to the size . Theexpected wind speed seems to bethe basic determinant of optimumsize, subject to constraints such asspace, materials and workmanship .Reverting to an earlier question,one definition of optimum size ofa kite of a given design is : that size,depending on materials or technique,at which accidental asymmetrybecomes a threat at thesame windspeed as structuraloverload .GUY D . AYDLETTCharlottesville, VA. A leading apos- tle of rotor kites.A kite afloat in the blue-beautiful,mind-liberating . A BIG KITEon high-better? If so, to whom?The beholder? The creator?The biggest and highest kite-agreat fabrication flauntatiouslyaloft in the welkin-does this creationof ultimate upmanship, thisextravagant ego-extender/expander,justify the painstaking timeconsumed, treasure expended andperils assumed by its daringcreator?Yes! And no!In this limited space I list a fewof the many positive and negativeaspects of monumental kiting .Judge them as you will .(1) As far as I know, no generalsolutions have been found for theNavier-Stokes Equations of fluidmotion . For certain kinds of motion,special solutions becomeknown most usually as the resultof patient accumulation and correlationof empirical data-data acquiredby direct experimentationand observation . As a fluid denizen,a kite is subject to the samelaws of fluid motion as are crea-

tures such as flying birds, swimmingfishes or human-fabricatedemulations of these living things .Altering a fluid's relative velocitywith respect to an immersed body,its density, its viscosity, or thephysical size of the body containedtherein causes a subsequent changein a dimensionless similarity criterionthat is well known to aerodynamaticksas Reynolds number.(For more on this, please ask yourfriendly scientific reference librarianfor an elementary treatise onfluid mechanics .) Briefly described,a large Reynolds number indicatesinertial forces tend to prevail inthe fluid flow about a body ; conversely,a small Reynolds numberis indicative of the prevalence ofviscous forces . Most kites performat low Reynolds numbers . Sincethere is virtually no way an impecuniousadvanced experimentercan trifle with air density or viscosity,he must perforce hope forhigh air density, low viscosity andhigh wind velocity on any day hewishes his kite to perform at arelatively high Reynolds numberorhe can make a similar but largerkite . Assuming constant atmosphericconditions, doubling alllinear dimensions of the kite (notthe angles!) will effectively doubleits Reynolds number, quadrupleits area and cause it to weigh eighttimes as much if similar materialsare distributed in similar locations .Unhappily, even though it containseight times as much materialmeat,the big kite will be less rigidand much more fragile than its halfsizeprototype-beware! Scientificinvestigation often commands aheavy price and high risk .(2) Besides satisfying the curiosityof Science, the big kite mayserve the minions of Mammonand the Military : big kites can bebig advertising signs, can bringdown or keep away formidableenemy aircraft, can be designed toloft ponderous loads-or scientificpackages . (But a train of smallkites can assume the duties orgood works listed except for thecrosswind display of a single largesign-but perhaps a banner signfrom a kite train might suffice .)(3) The "monu-mentality" virusoften tempts the faded, jaded "kitechampion" or self-anointed "expert"to embrace BIG-ness withthe self-serving intention of merelycommanding the unwashedmultitude's naive awe and admiration-Brobdingnabianbalm forthe thinning pates of past panjandrumswearing wilted laurels .(Please take notice : If this writeris caught in the act of launching amonstrously large kite-howeverfurtively-be assured that the activity-overtor covert-is purelyundertaken in the finest spirit ofscientific enquiry.) Remember :a five-foot kite flying at 500 feetlooks just as impressive as a 50-foot kite at 5000 feet! And thePete lanuzzi and Rick Kinnaird handling o'dako multiple bridles .larger kite may very likely containsufficient material to fabricate onethousand of the smaller ones!In conclusion :Much can be learned from designing,constructing and flyingvery large kites . But BIG-ness maybe extravagantly expensive, dangerous-andDUMB .A . PETE IANUZZICatonsville, MD. Diving engineerfor the U. S . Navy and indefatigablekite maker and flier.I wish that the people makingup kite contests would stop givingawards for the "Largest Kite ."They should, at least, be morespecific ; for instance, "The kitewith the maximum wing spread"or "The kite with the maximumprojected area." After having seenthe sky wallowing that most ofthese monsters do, I would like tosee the award go to the best flyingkite with a width or length of over10 feet, or something to that effect .The prize for big kites should begiven for the same qualities as theawards for normal size kites ; thatis, workmanship, originality of design,beauty in the air, etc ., butmaximum credit should be givenfor a kite that launches smoothly,climbs well, behaves in the air, fliesat a high angle and is retrieved ina neat and orderly manner . Theidea of rewarding just plain BIG-NESS, in my opinion, is a badpractice . I believe that kiteflyinghas reached a level of maturitywhere we can reward qualityrather than just monstrosity .ANDREA BAHADUREast Haddam, CT. Owner of GoFly a Kite, Inc .Large kites are very spectacular,of course, very showy . The disadvantagesare getting them aroundand shipping them . They are usuallyspecially handmade and haveto be put together on the site .They are good for publicity,though . The news media peoplealways circle in on the big kitesandthey are exciting to fly.HARRY N. OSBORNELynnwood, WA . Director, NeedleTrades Department, EdmondsCommunity College .The Edmonds Community CollegeKite Team was originallyformed at the end of 1976 as arecreational outlet for studentsand faculty. Our attempt at theworld's record for large kites wasin response to a challenge from alocal radio station . Countless manhours went into the kite's construction. As it turned out, we did notestablish a world's record becauseof drunken spectators . Securitywas very poor. We will try again,probably during the spring of 1980 .This time we would like to workin advance with knowledgeablepeople . One of the problems weencountered when we began ourattempt was a total absence of informationor guidelines. How doyou measure square footage? Whattype of kite is acceptable? Howdo you go about certifying theattempt?The ill-fated Edmonds Community College kite of 1977 .Since so many people worked sohard for so long, and since thekite did fly, in our opinion, I allowedthe students to claim therecord, locally .TAL STREETERMillbrook, NY. Sculptor, creatorof kites and author of the book,The Art of the Japanese Kite .Larger kites are generally moreexpensive and time-consuming tobuild and inconvenient to storeand transport and they require alarger number of skilled fliersworking together as a team. Thesedisadvantages add up surprisinglyto their specialness-that is, theirrarity. The time, labor and uncertaintyheightens that momentwhen, almost to a person in myexperience, everyone says it willnever fly-but it does . It goes upslowly and majestically and momentarilyblocks out the sun andinvariably everyone is a little bitawestruck by the improbability ofthis behemoth actually flyingoverhead . There is an intake ofbreath and, coupled with the kitesmile, which accompanies all kiteactivities, there is just nothingquite like it .DINESH BAHADURSan Francisco, CA . Kite entrepreneurand fighter champion in India .I have about 10 very large kites,the newest a 350-foot-long dragonin silk by White Bird Kites .The large kites look fantastic ;smaller kites are harder to photograph. But I personally don't caremuch for them . They tie in withthe American concept of power,to draw attention and to dragpeople across the ground . The bigkites in the kite festivals makenews every year . But I like kitesto be delicate, peaceful, romantic .Some people seem to need the bigkites for power, but there's nostyle left .MELVIN E . GOVIGBaltimore, MD. Ardent and versatilekite man .Size alone seems to attract somefliers, especially youthful ones .For myself, I believe display is importantand adds to the level ofspectator appeal at any kite outing .However, I dislike the large kitesthat either don't fly well or aresimply grotesque . How many timeshave we seen an otherwise finekite day spoiled by a kite- and lifethreateningmonster made ofkhaki plastic and brown tape? Gallumphingacross the sky, it clearsaway the smaller kites and annoysfliers and spectators with threateningsweeps, and usually finallycrashes in a tangled mess. Ugh!However, I have been thrilled bysuper size (six-foot or larger) Bermudakites, large well-built deltasand large box kites. Love them!But more than size is involved .I cannot remember a more spec-

We've all seen kites like thishuge,crude and dangerouscraft that can give our sport ablack eye (literally) . Mel Govig assembling his multihued Guatemalan-style kite .A stack of three birds byHod Taylor. The lead kite is a20-footer and the other twoare 18-foot span .tacular (monumental) sight thanJack Van Gilder's train of 100kites flashing in the sun and cloudsat Ocean City, Maryland, last year .Also I hold in memory a pictureof an India fighter kite with asilver ribbon tail at the SmithsonianKite Carnival in the early 70s .This tiny kite with its 100 feet orso of tail drew pictures in the skyand held the crowd spellbound .Finally, two-line control displayscan be breathtaking, such as SteveEdeiken's Rainbow Stunters andAndrew Jones's Flexifoils-verybig displays I've been privileged tosee-with kites of moderate size .I love to be thrilled by a spectacularkite display. I rarely havefelt that thrill at size alone .RAY HOLLANDRoswell, NM. Kite manufacturerand experimenter .Large size demands respect . Thekiteflier has to know what he isdoing or he can get in trouble .A large kite may be capable ofpicking up a person-and that canbe serious. Even kites that are notthis large can cause trouble . Theyrequire special know-how forlaunching . They can start up andcatch a gust and turn right backdown, with- enough speed andweight to cause personal injury . Ihave been there . It was a large experimentalkite, and I dodged it,but I tore a muscle in the calf ofmy leg getting out of the way .Also on a large kite you can geta bad string burn or you can havethe line wrapped around yourhand or a few fingers, to keep itfrom sliding, and you will wishyou hadn't!But if you respect them, largekites can be impressive. The dragof the line becomes relativelysmall, the sag from the ground tothe kite is reduced and high flightscan be made . But if the kite becomestoo large it is an aircraft inthe eyes of the law. For years thedividing line has been five pounds .Any kite weighing this much ormore comes under Federal AviationAdministration regulations .That should be looked into byanyone flying large kites .In testing some large kites whichwe made for the Lawrence RadiationLaboratory (for lifting instruments),we anchored the kite to asection of telephone pole, overwhich were piled other sections ofpole . The kite was flying normallyuntil a dry tornado (dust devil)happened along, perhaps doublingthe wind speed at the kite. Wewere not aware of it until we sawthe telephone pole section hoppingacross the field, dragged andlifted in a series of rough bounces,heading right for a highway withheavy traffic . Our anchor hadbeen pulled apart spreading theoverlying poles like jackstraws,and the pull of the kite picked upthe pole section to which it wastied . Fortunately, it was not tiedvery well . After about a 100-yarddash, the loop of anchor lineslipped off the end of the poleand the kite relaxed and settledharmlessly to the ground .These experiences taught me torespect large kites .KAREN SCHLESINGERNew York, NY. Manager of Go Flya Kite store .The trend in our store is to largekites. I have a 22-foot delta byMaxwell Eden, custom-made andvery expensive . My 11-foot and12-foot kites can't keep up withthe demand . Jalbert's J-15 andJ-25 do well, too. They are a teamworkthing, really, and it's a struggle,a thrill . People want a challengewith kites now .KEN CONRADSeattle, WA . Owner of the GreatWinds kite shop in Pioneer Square .For business reasons, I've stayedaway from big kites . Customersburn their hands on them, and soon . However, in Hamamatsu, Ireally enjoyed the big kites andages old traditions . Spectators hada sense of when the kites were goingup and coming down andwould stay clear of the kites . Idon't see that kind of awarenessover here .H . J . (HOD) TAYLORAustin, MN. Current President ofthe Essex Kite Group, England,and noted maker of giant kites.I have made a large number ofkites over the last 10 years, spendingall of my time during our fourmonths' stay in Florida each wintereither working at the benchmaking them or flying them .I became interested in kiting observingthe enjoyment Scotty(Walter Scott) was getting out ofhis kiting activity. I started outmaking five- and seven-foot kitesof every kite that I saw picturedin the kite books that I could getAn example ofvery successful scalingup : a larger-than-normalRogallo Corner Kite constructedas a single cell by "Rog" himself .my hands on at that time . I didreceive a lot of help from Scottyat that time and Mrs . Scott of lateyears with material .It was soon evident that I had tomake them larger if I was to seewhat the kites looked like in flightabove the 50-foot height that Iwas flying them at that time, sojust naturally made them larger . Inow fly the larger kites up to 200feet but very seldom above that .I will not say that bigger is betterbut I must say I have noted that itis the large kites that interest thespectators and draw the crowds .With the large kites, the flier mustassume the responsibility for thesafety of the spectators . We havea standing rule that we will notput a kite up or keep it up unlesseveryone stays behind the kiteflier .While my eyesight is not thebest, I do get around very well,can make kites in a simple way byusing tapes and glues and do reallyenjoy my kiting, making between70 and 100 small kites for thechildren each year. It bothers meto have the newspapers harp onmy blindness in connection withmy kiting activities . I actuallyhave seven percent vision in theone eye that I can use .JOHN F. VAN GILDERSeattle, WA . Insurance agent andstalwart of the Washington KitefliersAssociation .In my opinion, flying a verylarge kite is a lot of trouble . TheBad News : (a ) they tend to giveyou rope burns ; (b) they presenttransport problems . The GoodNews : (a) the sense of accomplishmentis vast (if successfullyflown) ; (b) they usually draw acrowd-good for the ego .The Question : "Is the trouble e-qual to the return?" We have a familyjoke about the city cousin visitingmy wife's farm as a child whowas warned that he'd be spankedif he rode the horse while wearinghis good trousers. He did, theydid and he stated, through tears,"Yeah, Ma, but it was worth it ."I think every collection shouldhave one .

Weight Watching Japan's GiantsA. PETE IANUZZI, POCKET CALCULATOR IN HAND, QUESTIONSTHE WEIGHT CLAIMED FOR JAPAN'S LEGENDARY MAMMOTH KITES .There is a story that has beenhanded down from book to bookabout a giant kite which was builtin Japan some time ago . The datevaries depending on which bookyou read, some putting the dateas early as 1909, others as late as1936. Apparently the kite wasflown for several years in successionand may have been the samekite rebuilt each year . A goodguess is that it was a new kiteeach year built using some of theparts from the previous year's kite .A kite that big would almostcertainly be badly damaged onlanding .This great kite was known as thewan-wan or the wan-wan-dako andit was designed and built in thecity of Naruto on Shikoku island,probably by the master kite makerNagajima Gempei. There is someagreement from the varioussources that this monster was anoval-shaped kite, 60 to 65 feet indiameter . One source puts it at 90feet in diameter, but that sizeseems highly unlikely .I make this last statement on thebasis of a photograph of anotherkite, the Hoshubana o-dako, whichappears in several places . This pictureshows a nearly unbelievablerectangular kite propped up on itsside, with its flying team of 5 3 menand a Shinto priest standing infront of the kite . The caption statesthat the kite is 36 by 48 feet . Ifthe kite is that size, the men are711011 tall-a possibility forWatusis but a bit tall for Orientals .Assuming the men are 511011tall, the size of the kite scales outas 24 by 35 feet . A kite 90 feet indiameter would have about seventimes the area of the monster inthe picture! Even if we accept thefigure of 65 feet in diameter, thewan-wan would still be about fourtimes the size of the kite in thephotograph .The size of this kite is very interesting,but I am puzzled by thefact that so many sources reportthe weight of the wan-wan withoutgiving any thought to the impliedresults . The weight is given as aminimum of 1700 pounds and amaximum of eight tons, with severalreports at about 8000 pounds .The Guinness Book of World Recordsgoes further, to nine and ahalf tons. I just don't believe it .I have built a large, heavy kite .It is rectangular and 6x8 ft. i nsize, giving an area of 48 squarefeet . A wind of about eight milesper hour is required to fly it andit weighs 5 .24 pounds, which isabout 1 .7 ounces per square footof area. Also for comparison, mostkitefliers know the Peter Powellstunter kite . It is a heavy plastickite which flies best in strongwinds, as at the seashore . It weighsabout 1 .9 ounces per square foot .Now let us consider the wan-wan .If it is 65 feet in diameter, it willhave an area of 3 318 square feet .(I am not quibbling about the lossof area for the oval .) If this kiteweighs 8000 pounds, it will weigh38 .6 ounces per square foot, whichis ridiculous . If we take the lowestfigure quoted, 1700 pounds, theweight works out at 8 .2 ouncesper square foot, still not veryreasonable .To get some idea of what one ofthese kites might actually weigh,let us assume a monster-typeweight of 3 .0 ounces per squarefoot . Then the wan-wan wouldweigh about 622 pounds . That, asfar as I am concerned, is an absoluteupper limit . My educatedguess for the actual weight of a65-foot wan-wan would be 250 to350 pounds, or a surface load of1 .2 to 1 .7 ounces per square foot .Anything from 800 pounds up issheer nonsense .That photographed big rectangularkite mentioned with its 53-man flying team would be 16.3ounces per square foot if itweighed 800 kilograms . At a reasonableloading of three ouncesper square foot, it would weigh324 pounds . However, if it were35 by 24 feet, which seems morelikely, it would probably weighabout 160 pounds. That is still apretty husky kite .I have prepared the accompanyingchart of large kite sizes andweights from two sources : (1)available published information,from which I have taken averagevalues for the sizes and weights ofthese large kites, since there isconsiderable variation from bookto book (the exact values are notvery important ; after all, what is1000 pounds more or less whenyou are discussing a kite thatweighs 8000 pounds?), and (2)actual measurements and weightsof large kites which I have flownor know have been flown recently .As you can see, none of the kitesin the second group goes abovetwo ounces per square foot andthese are not low-wind kites.TAL STREETER REPLIESI cannot believe that the Japaneseare mistaken or exaggeratingthe weight of their giant kites .This seems improbable as manyof us have raised the question tothe Japanese on many occasionsand have been reassured that theweights are correct . No doubtPete Ianuzzi's question will serveto urge the Japanese kite expertsto settle the matter to everyone'ssatisfaction .The improbability of the giantkite's flight is in itself a keystoneof its appeal over the centuries .As long as we don't quite believeit, it's a heck of a lot more interesting-don'tyou think?

The Bedsheet O'dakoBy A . Pete lanuzziIn an effort to make a big display withoutlavish investment of time or cash, sixMaryland Kite Society members eachmade one or more large kites in theJapanese style using U .S .-available materials-kingsize sheets and pine sticks . Wesoon called this kite the Bedsheet O'dako .The original plan was to join the kitesin train for a man-lift, but we found thatthese kites, with all their bridles, were difficultto link together . All the same, theymade a great show flown individually .I worked out the plans and ripped allthe sticks from pine for the big endeavor .The sheets, on sale, were in the garishmode, but made fairly striking kite covers .VARIATIONSThe Bedsheet O'dako allows for considerablevariation in dimensions and materials .For example, any size of sheet may beused . Also, an artist might favor use ofsolid color cloth sewn in sections or simplywhite sheets, canvas-like, to paint .MATERIALS• Sheet for cover and extra fabric for thetwo tails-about 4 to 6 inches wide andabout 30 to 40 feet long . Tails take abouta quarter of a sheet .• Sticks of clear straight-grain pine orspruce : 5 longerons, 7,,z x '/.I section andof a length to fit your cover (about 10feet) ; 5 ribs, 3 /+e x 3 '411 section, length to fitcover ; and 2 diagonals, 1,4 x 3/41 1 . Note thatthe shape of the kite is determined by thebridling and not by the sticks, which areflexible, serving mainly to tauten the cover .• Line for bridles : about 20-lb . test isadequate because there are so many ofthem . Cotton or polyester is recommended,not monofilament or anything elastic .• Flying line : at least 100-lb . test .Clothesline is not a bad idea-it's strongerthan you need but it's good to hold onto .INSTRUCTIONS1 . Start by drawing the design on theback of the sheet (pencil works fine) .Find the center by folding . Measure in 6'/4 iifrom the selvage edges and 5 1 1 up from thebottom . Then divide into four equal spaces.2 . Hem the edges of the sheet, using tworows of stitches for strength . On the topand bottom, leave the original hem stitchingand add one extra row .3 . Remove stitches in pocket areas, thenstitch 22 pockets (as shown in sketches) .Use a stick (about 3/4 x 1,4 x 611) to checkpocket size . It should fit easy .4 . At the intersections of all ribs andlongerons, mark the cover for four bridleholes, as shown in detail drawing C .5 . Attach 21 bridles, each about 16 1 long,at all marked intersections, without sticksin place . A large, upholstery-type needleis good for this . Use a bowline knot ifyou know it . Any knot that will not slipwill do . The loop should be about 3 11from kite cover to knot . For the five locationsat the top of the kite, tie bridles inthe criss-cross format shown in the sketch .6. Transport the kite in stickless and taillessform and assemble it at the flying site,passing the sticks through the cord loops .7 . Bow the kite on the back, using 20-lb .test or stronger line, to curve at least 611deep at the top and about 8?? deep at thebottom, but the rib one up from the bottomshould be 10 11 deep (or deeper forstronger winds) .8 . Adjust the bridles in a wind-shelteredarea . It is easiest to place the kite upsidedown at an angle that corresponds withthe normal flying angle (about 30 degrees) .With the kite in this position, leaningbackward, it's convenient to adjust thebridles . Adjust them to a uniform tension,to pull evenly on the kite when it is in itsproper, bowed shape .I like to handle the lines in horizontallayers, getting each row uniform, tyingthose lines together, then doing the nextrow . After all layers are tied, I bunchthem together and trim them so they areabout the same length . Then I tie all ofthem together in one big slip knot .FLYINGTake your flying line and tiea big loop on the end, then alark's head knot around all thebridles just above the slip knot .Attach two tails, using short pieces ofstring, to each side of the kite . By now, ifyou didn't bring any, assistants shouldhave materialized like magic . Have themhold the kite up for launch . Walk outplenty of line (at least 150 feet) . Put onyour gloves and fly!For transport, leave only the five ribsin the kite and roll it up in a neat package .To keep the bridle lines from tanglingafter flight, they can be braided togetherwith a chain knot (see sketch) before youtake the kite apart . A.P .I ./V .G .

Profiles . . .Louise Crowley: FreeStory and Photographs by John F . Van GilderSpirit

My first impression of Louise Crowleywas "Free Spirit ." She had it written allover her . She stood there, small, rumpled,about my age (middle), Conyne in hand .It was beautifully crafted and beautifullypainted with an Alaskan Indian design .We met in the Exhibition Hall ofSeattle's Pacific Science Center . The WashingtonKitefliers Association spring kiteexhibition was in full swing, the roomwas full of people viewing kites, floor toceiling, and making kites all over thetables and floor . There were a dozen importantthings needing doing but at themoment nothing was more importantthan to thoroughly examine this obviouslywell-constructed, well-designed kite .Where did she get the design? "Well, amajor in Anthropology should have taughtme something," was her reply ."Just wondered if you might want tohang it up somewhere in a corner," shecontinued, a little uncertainly, thumbshooked in rear pockets of well-worn jeans,managing a slouch while her squintingblue eyes searched upward to the ceiling .Of course we wanted to hang it up .In the middle .Over the next few months it came outpiecemeal that Louise had been flyingkites since she was a kid . Things had interfered,of course, like raising a family . Thechildren came all at once to Louise andGeorge : Roger, now 29, Bruce, 28, andKevin and Martin, 25 . Not much time forkites for some years . Things calmed downenough for making some kites with theboys . Then came more interruptions, theprotest meetings about this and that : thearboretum needed defending, the neighborhoodshielded from high-density highrisebuildings, the shopping district keptwithin bounds-that sort of thing .One day Louise came back to kiteswith a vengeance . She was in the localkite shop and mentioned wistfully thattwo bucks was a lot of money just to seea kite show (the one at the Pacific ScienceCenter) . The shop suggested she use oneof her kites to get in . "Take one in hand,act as if you belong there and just bargein ." She did-it worked-and Louise hasbeen busy ever since making kites .A Crowley principle is that her kitesshould be stable . Not everyone followsthis, and Louise admits, "Different strokesfor different folks ." Her preference is forConynes, double Conynes, deltas-kitesthat sit up there, kites that bring out thepatterns in the sky . She seeks the danceand play of the clouds, the good tug onthe line, the restful relaxation of floatingdesigns ."I'm lazy," she'll have you believe,"and fighter kites are too much work .They abuse the eye . Get tangled and bashthe earth . Bother others' kites ." Still, shelikes challenge .Louise reports on the phone that shehas finished a Russell Hall kite . Typical .She's not afraid to tackle anything-andit's a stable flier . Recently she made afine-flying Professor Waldof box kitewithnothing to guide her but a picture .Another part of the Crowley style isthat she names her kites, in the manner ofPat Hammond, San Antonio's Kite Lady,who was probably the first to claim thatnaming kites makes them fly better .Louise likes to "personalize the relationship"this way, using names like Pete (asin Peg-Leg) for her seagull, because itreminds her of a Seattle pet by that name .Characteristic was her approach toconstruction of her seagull kite . The patternjust didn't seem right to her . Shelooked up the facts about gulls and foundthat the average female herring gull is 22inches, beak to tail feathers . Scaling upthe pattern in mathematical proportion,she wound up with a seagull kite some 65inches from wing tip to wing tip . And itslong wings slow the flapping motion sothat the bird looks more natural-alive .Here are some of her other kites :"Nazgul," a character from Tolkien, is ablack plastic delta which found its wayhome after dangling its broken string forsix miles before being hauled down by anhonest man . A fiery colored Conyne is"Aries ." Another, of every color in therainbow, is "VIBGYOR" (an acronym forthe colors in spectrum order) . An octagonalflat kite had less-than-sufficient tailon its test flight, causing a sensationalcrash earthward, and came up dubbed"Venus," as mentioned in Velikovsky .Even the Great Dane papa-dog does well ;it's named "Pycho," a great Danish astronomer. But his son is plain "Rowdy,"because he is .Part of the Crowley philosophy is thatkiting need not be expensive. Her scroungingabilities are legend . She knows strategicdumpsters personally . "Unraveled plasticparty leis make the neatest tails ." AndOpposite page : LouiseCrowley assembles her handsewnnylon double Conyneat Seattle's Gasworks Park .She's seen clipping a low-windpanel into the kite (the sectionis removable for high winds) .Top, Crowley lifts herAlaskan Indian motif Conyne.Detail to the left shows theengineering of the center strut,which is wrapped at the joint.Above, Crowley's seagullkite, "Pete," scaled up andrefined .Right, "Venus," hermany-tailed star .small swatches of rip-stop nylon justnaturally look good when attached toeach other with her machine-fine handsewing. Given the materials, she couldmake 'most anything fly ."Line is a problem, though," shemourns . "There is just no substitute forgood kite line ."You can see that here in Seattle wehave learned a lot from Louise Crowleyand we're glad to have her-our beautifulperson, a Free Spirit of the skies . 0

For 23 years, Bill Trebilcock, PrincipalKeeper of the Eddystone Lighthouse, 17miles off Plymouth, England, has beenkite fishing. Within minutes of launch, hehas his fish-usually a bass, sometimes apollack, like the four pounder in the picturehere. Trebilcock believes that Eddystoneis Britain's last lighthouse strongholdof kite fishing. The other towers nowhave "chopper pads "-platforms aroundthe top for helicopters . As all good kitersknow, helicopters and kites don't mix .Kite Lines is pleased to document the system,as described by Trebilcock himself.TREBILCOCK'S RIGGING METHOD200Yearsof KiteFishingSuccessHere round the coast of England we haveseveral lighthouses which are just talltowers set on the largest rock of extensivereefs . These reef areas are by and largevery good fishing areas ; but, as the firstkeepers some 200 years ago found, mostof the time one cannot even get a line inthe water and over the rocks .Looking down from 133 feet from thegallery and seeing one's supper swimmingpast is a great spur to inventiveness . Theearly keepers went through many ideasbefore settling on a kite . Their kites andline were a bit on the rough side, but theycaught fish . Over the years the kites andgear have been improved, but basicallythe method and kite I use do not differvery much from theirs .Before I describe the set-up and method,I must point out that the problem wehave to overcome is not flying a kite upbut down . We want our kite to fly downfrom 133 feet to 20 feet above the seaand there be very stable but maneuverable .One big advantage we have, of course,is that whatever the wind we can alwayskeep it behind us and have no other buildingsor power lines to worry about .The kite I mainly use for fishing I alsouse to pass both mail and small spare partswhen it's too rough for the relief boat tocome near . The largest package I've liftedwas 25 pounds of weight hoisted off theboat's deck and carried about 400 yardsback to the lighthouse . So you can seethat kites are to us on this station notonly a means of getting our supper butfor use as a communications medium .However, back to our fishing kite . Ihave several of various sizes but all scaledup or down from the same standard kitewhich has been found to be the best inperforming what we require .The kite I use in breezes from force 3to 6 is four feet in length, a diamond shape,but with the two wings just over twothirdsof the way from tail to top . It'smade flat and two bamboo sticks about 3 /e -inch thick are lashed together to form across . Then a light line is led round theedge, and the cover, in this case light duckcanvas, is sewn to it . A bridle is fixed tothe face (opposite side to the sticks) andsewn so it is made fast through the canvasand round the sticks . This bridle startsabout four inches from the top and endsat the tail . The main line fixes to this, atwhich point a piece of line is also fixedabout two foot odd . On each wing of thekite is a ring or loop of cord which thisstray line fixes, when we set things up .It will from here be clearer if I rig up

as if I were going to fly . Standing on thegallery or walkway round the lantern,back to the wind, you will appreciate wecan launch and fly in the wind to our rightor left as the wind comes past . We will decideto fly to the right . To start, our baitgoes on a 20-foot length of 30-pound testnylon line . This goes to a swivel, then 90feet of '/4-inch rocket line is fixed to thetail end of the kite . The main line fixes tothe bridle and the short length of line istied to the right wing and is adjusted sothe kite flies level, not rising or falling,and in fact acts much as a sailboat's mainsail. If one were going to fly left, the strayline would have gone on the left wing .To adjust the kite to fly steady, if overa 3 breeze, one needs to position a weightabout 40 feet down the tail-about 8ounces for a light breeze to about 7pounds in a 6 to 7 breeze . When the kiteis flying level and steady, I let out slowly .As the kite gets to about 300 yards fromthe tower, the weight of the main lineand extra wind drag bring the kite downso at about 350 yards the kite is flyingsteady about 20 feet above the sea withthe hook about 80 feet down . If I wereusing just a fish bait I would keep flyingsteady . A fish taking the bait upsets thetrim and the kite flies up, usually bringingthe fish out in the air . A quick retrieveand the kite goes higher and keeps thefish well clear of the rocks .The favorite method is to use a featherlure or spoon when the kite is at 20 feet .A very slow retrieve makes the kite flyright, slow down to the left and quick retrieveup . So one is able to work the lureover about 50 yards . Again, a fish taking,up goes the kite, self-striking . It will beobvious that slight alterations in trim andone can fly higher or closer from thewater . The thing to watch, of course, isany tide pull on the tail, which tends toupset the trim . Also, very gusty days it isbetter to fly, say, 40 feet from the sea soany upset can be corrected before thekite goes in . If the kite does go in, a longsteady pull until it surfaces, then a quickretrieve, and it will fly off okay .I would give a word of warning aboutusing this method from a tower, cliff orbridge . Have a good heavy main line andwatch that you don't get pulled over, asin a 5 to 6 breeze the pull is quite strongand a sudden gust or a big fish could pullyou over . The main line, of course, needsto be heavy, as a kite in the water still sailslike a sail boat and exerts quite some pull .I use a 1/-inch diameter cotton line andbelieve me for an hour's fishing in astormy breeze you need to wear glovesand to be fit .This story will start its journey toAmerica by kite as at the moment theweather is too bad for a boat to get near .An amusing story to end .Some 18 years ago, serving on WolfRock, a tower like this further down thecoast, we had been having a lot of troublewith some new engines, so the chief developmentengineer of the company himselfcame to stay for a few days to sort thingsout . He made it obvious when he saw meget the kite out that it proved his idea ofkeepers that they were all nuts . I saidnothing, but prayed I'd get a bite, andJackpot! I was fishing with a six hookfeathered trace, and first bite, five niceplump mackerel-and one red-faced engineer. Could he have a go? So I taught himhow, and couldn't get near the kite forthe rest of his visit (darn him) . He wroteme later and said that the therapeuticeffect of his kiteflying had done him theworld of good . I guess at least if you don'tcatch fish it's exercise and fun, but it'salways a bonus with a nice fresh fish .Bill TrebilcockPrincipal KeeperEddystone LighthousePlymouth, England

Kite Traction Record EstablishedIt is difficult to break a Guinness worldrecord in kiting . It may be even more difficultto establish an entirely new categoryof record, as for example was done whenWilliam R . Bigge flew the most kites fromone line, 261, in 1974, creating a recordthat the Japanese have subsequently surpassedextravagantly .One chap who has broached FortressGuinness is Bernard Stewart, 28, of Victoria,B .C ., Canada . He has reported toKite Lines that on July 5, 1979, he andtwo crew members (Barry Hiebert andShannon MacLeod) used a train of eightFlexifoil kites to pull a boat from CrescentBay, WA (14 miles west of PortAngeles) across the Strait of Juan deFuca to the Victoria inner harbor, adistance of "23 miles, not including tacking,"according to Stewart, who took anindirect route (a crow-flies route wouldbe closer to 20 miles) . In any case aninteresting feat, it took 5 1/2 hours toaccomplish in a 12-foot inflatable Zodiacboat and reportedly will appear in thenext edition of Guinness as the new "longdistance record" (properly the kite tractiondistance record) .It is probable that the best such effortever made was that of George Pocock ofEngland in 1827 with his consummate invention,the Charvolant . Harry EdwardNeal in The Story of the Kite said :Probably the longest single journey made byCharvolants was a 113-mile trip across the Britishcountryside . Three of the carriages made thetrip, each carrying several passengers . They rolledover the high ground of Marshfield Downs,passed through Shippenham, Calne, and MarlboroughDowns at 20 or 25 miles an hour, anamazing speed in that day . IPocock was not the first to employkites for pulling ; the Samoans sailed theircanoes between islands by kite z and BenjaminFranklin as a boy took a cross-pondswim by kite power . Ben speculated in hisautobiography, "I think it is not impossibleto cross in this manner from Dover toCalais ." Over 150 years later, SamuelFranklin Cody³ proved him right by crossingthe English Channel (in the oppositedirection) from Calais to Dover on the

evening of November 5, 1903 . The American-borncowboy, sharpshooter, showman,kite inventor and pioneer Britishaviator used a collapsible 14-foot canoepulled by a train of his kites .Perhaps the very earliest known exampleof kite traction, though, was in thebirthplace of kites, China, across the Chinaplains, according to Gordon Gillett ofSouth Carolina . Gillett could be calledthe contemporary dean of the tiny fraternityof kite sailors . Six 10-foot GordonGillett Tow Kites were purchased andused by Briton Keith Stewart in a reenactmentof the Cody accomplishment, crossingthe English Channel . Stewart (norelation to Bernard) in his Amphi-Kat (a10-foot catamaran) traveled from CapGris Nez beach, France, to Folkestone,England a He took 4 hours 20 minutes andsix-in-train steerable Gillett deltas to traversethe distance of about 24 miles . TheAmphikiting, Ltd ., Co . has applied thesystem to its Amphi-Kart, a land vehiclewith balloon wheels for rough terrain .Gillett has been experimenting withkites as boat sails for about 14 years andbecame well known in 1977 from a PopularScience magazine article . Gillett usestrains of four to eight deltas and concentrateson management of kites as validalternatives to conventional sails ratherthan on record-setting for distance . He isplanning instead to set a speed record next .spring, aiming for 40 miles per hour . Hefeels the potential is there-for perhaps60 miles per hour . To him, this is moresignificant than distance, which he says isonly a question of "how long you can gowithout being bored to death ."All of which is to take nothing fromAngus White, age 6, pulling up John White's24-foot delta, London, October 29, 1978 .the proud efforts of Bernard Stewart . Heis now planning to further establish hisrecord by crossing from Victoria to Seattle,WA, "within the next three months-astraight-line distance of approximately 75miles ." And, evangelistically, he plans tohold a kite tow race in the Strait of Juande Fuca on the first Saturday with suitableweather in May, 1980 . All interested kitersare invited to enter and compete for asubstantial prize . Participants will be requiredto bring their own kites, boat, safetyequipment and extra kites ; chase boatswill be provided . For further information,contact Bernard Stewart, 1615 BelmontAvenue, Suite 207, Victoria, B .C ., CanadaV8R 3Y9 ; telephone (604) 595-1369 .Junior Record ClaimedJohn H. White writes to Kite Lines fromLondon, England :I wish to claim a world junior kiteflyingrecord on behalf of my son Angus Whitewho, at the age of 6 years 8 months, between12 :05 and 13 :00 hours GMT onSunday, October 29, 1978, flew my 24-foot span delta wing for 55 minutes entirelyon his own . The only help he hadfrom me was to hold it up and launch itat the start and to wind up the line as hepulled it in hand-over-hand at the end ofthe flight . The wind was extremely lightaboutforce zero to force one-so thatconstant tugging was required to keep thekite airborne . Altogether, he let out about400 feet of 240-lb . nylon line and the kiterose to about 200 feet . This took placeon Clapham Common, South London, inthe view of several other kitefliers whowere also having difficulty in keepingtheir kites aloft due to lack of wind .I enclose a photo of Angus pulling thekite up during an earlier unsuccessful attemptto get it flying on the same day .The kite, which I call my Autumn TintsDelta, is made from brown, yellow andred rip-stop nylon, obtainable in the U .K .in widths varying between 34 and 38inches . Thus, it is about nine feet long inthe center and the wing area is approximately108 square feet .I trust this letter will constitute a challengeto other young kitefliers to do evenbetter . Maybe we shall eventually hear ofa 5-year-old hauling up his or her parent's30-footer and still managing to stay firmlyon the ground!Might I suggest a formula for comparingjunior kiteflying achievements :In a later letter, John gives further detailsof the type of kite Angus was flying :It is a scaled-up version of one of mystandard Folded Keel Deltas . Instead ofsewing a separate keel on the bottom, Imake the kite from one piece of rip-stop,forming the keel by folding the material inthe middle . This, of course, also producesa swept-back trailing edge . I make bothnarrow and wide versions as shown in mysketches below .The 24-foot kite flown by Angus is athree-times blow-up of the wide versionof my FKD .

ILLINOISWilliam E. Temple writes with good n ews :As of July 4th, 1979, our group becameairborne as a Chicagoland kite club .A number of us kitefliers have been kickingthis around for a couple of years . Weadvertised and had our first publicizedfly-in at Shiller Woods Forest Preserve, inthe northwest suburbs of Chicago, andshowed off for the public .I flew a J-30 Parafoil that Dom Jalbertmade for me some years ago . The windwas from 8 to 20 miles per hour so I hadto stake it out . I also flew the stars andstripes on the line . We plan to fly once amonth at Shiller Woods and we have hopesof holding our first competitive fly in 1980 .In May, the WIND Radio-sponsoredkite contest at Grant Park drew a verylarge crowd and many experienced kitefliers. (There were also very many inexperiencedkitefliers .) Charles Sotich wonin the Most Unique category with a replicaof Snoopy's dog house ; it flew well . KathyTemple and I flew 28 kites on one lineand won an award .Later in the spring we had the honorof meeting and flying with ProfessorTsutomu Hiroi of Japan, here to participatein' the Cherry Blossom Festival atBill Temple flying a kite in Comiskey Park ona snowy March 4, 1979 . The Chun Kingcompany asked Bill to test to see if windconditions were favorable there for a kitecontest on Mothers Day . Bill discovered theyweren't . "There were swirling winds that willmake a reel of a kiteflier," Bill said . The gameeffort, however, was televised nationally .Lincoln Park . It was a pleasure to watchthis man fly his kites and to talk with him .We each received an autographed copy ofthe master's book from Japan Air Lines .MICHIGANThe 5/20 Kite Group's admirably activeseason was climaxed by its outstandingeffort, the Detroit Kite Kaleidoscope,July 22 to 28 . The group's newsletter followedup with pictures aplenty andbreathless prose, from which we quote :The Detroit Kite Kaleidoscope-aweek-long parade of workshops, demonstrationsand displays-culminated in acolorful kite festival on Saturday . Boydidwe have our hands full!Co-sponsored by the Renaissance Center,the Detroit Free Press and the 5/20Kite Group, Kaleidoscope proved to bethe highlight of our summer a ctivities . TVand radio appearances by Hank and Nancy[Szerlag] and great newspaper coverageall provided the kind of publicity anevent like this demands . The display itselffeatured 30 kites of various types-includingthe Heggs' 50-foot delta and an historicalNavy Target Kite (designed by PaulGarber) . Both kite shops in the area, TheUnique Place in Royal Oak and Sky LineKite Shop in Detroit, donated kites asprizes . Also, from Nantucket came AlHartig with his contribution of Valkyries .The kite building demonstrations as wellas the sale of sled kite kits were verypopular parts of the entire production .Don't ask how we managed to assembleand pack 1000 kits! That episode stillconjures up overwhelming fatigue fromall 14 participants .Saturday's competition brought out150 enthusiasts . Although morning showersundoubtedly reduced the field ofPart of the 5/20 Kite Group's display insidethe huge Detroit Renaissance Center . Plansfor next year are already underway witha tentative date of middle or late June .entries, we felt it was more than adequatefor a first time effort . All concerned werepleased with the entire affair and havecommitted themselves to a second annual .MONTANAArt Foran sends word from Clancy, MT :At the Clancy school in June I gavethe first and second grades a kite fly . Wehad three bags of fun and Mary and Iwere run quite ragged for half a day .Schoolkids fly in Clancy . Afterwards, theywrote Foran more letters than he could answer .NEW YORKJim Linnen sends news from the Long IslandKitefliers Association :We had a great time here helping setup a kite fly in April for the BrookhavenNational Laboratory at Upton, L .I ., NY,as part of their Energy Options Expo . Theturnout was super (about 300 people) .I called the New York FAA for clearanceas we had a high flier event . It wasgreat! A large red delta took to the sky,climbing fast and furiously towards zenith. It was a certain winner . All of asudden it broke free from its line andstarted to drift away trailing a line segment. The red delta continued to climb aswe watched . The winner was announced :the red delta, much to its owner's surprise.We awarded the prize and expressed oursympathy to the owner (for the red deltawas a beautiful kite)-when-a Parafoilowner who had also been flying high inhopes of first prize reported that he hadthe red delta's line segment fouled in hisflying line and was reeling it in carefully .The kites gently came down from the skyand, wow, what cheering! It was so muchfun to see these men so happy, and thecrowd clapped and the judges all laughedand clapped .The Largest Kite event was also funny .Two brothers built an enormous Conyne

kite and had a flying line that could havepulled a building down . They went intoan act, holding each other down as if thekite were taking them up . Great show!When we called for the kite and its ownersto come to the judges' stand, they gentlylanded the giant kite while the crowdlaughed so hard . It was a really funnyscene . A great time was had by everyone .OHIOThe Ohio Society for the Elevation ofKites enjoyed a full summer, according toits newsletter, "Shoot the Breeze ." Forexample, on May 28 members attended"Come on Down, " a downtown Clevelandcelebration, where Mike Weletyk flew hiskite train for the pleasure of all. He alsoattracted a photographer from the ClevelandPlain Dealer and was subsequentlyfeatured on the paper's first page onMemorial Day .Also in the newsletter was the followingOSEK story :President Tom Rask received a callfrom the administrative staff of FranklinUniversity (named after Ben, of course)in Columbus, OH . They were envisioninga huge kite for an unusual groundbreakingceremony . Tom created an 8 x 8 footEddy kite with a Ben Franklin cartoondrawn on it .On the eventful May day, "the windsrose to the occasion and so did the kite,"said Tom . A large wooden key was suspendedfrom the kite line along with asmall charge of flash powder . When thekey touched an antenna attached to abulldozer on the ground, the powderflashed and the bulldozer was started byremote control . BAM! ! ! A key unlockstradition . The silver shovel is replacedwith a kite . Long live that kiting spirit .TEXASRichard Robertson sends an update fromhis family in Austin :In spite of the loss of a leg and a lungto cancer, John Robertson, 21, continuesto fly kites with skills acquired throughthe last 14 years of participation inAustin's annual kite tournament . Shownhere, he is flying a golden eagle with twinkeels joined with a 13-foot wing spancreatedin the Robertson living room.Struck by osteogenic sarcoma in thesummer of 1975 and the amputation ofhis right leg, he went back to high schoolfor his senior year between chemotherapytreatments and lung surgery and graduatedvaledictorian of his class . He adjusted histennis game to one leg and a crutch andcontinued to play competitive doubles .John Robertson shows a great spirit in Texas.Further surgery on his right pelvic arealast summer (1978) set him back againbut he returned to the University of Texasin the fall and joined the wheelchairbasketball team and sang with the LonghornSingers .John is one of the seven Robertsonclan who have been active in Austin andkiteflying circles for a number of years .George Craig, Linda Ruth Holland (of AirplaneKite Co .) and her friend Max Brinson underkites displayed at the Southwest Modelers Show .George Craig reports :The Southwest Modelers Show, Dallas,is one of the best-managed, most populartrade shows in the country . It draws togetherhobby manufacturers, suppliers,distributors, wholesalers and dealers for aweekend of exhibiting and demonstrationsand is open to a very appreciative public .There are no sales .This year on June 2-3, the show had110 booths, displaying model airplanes,boats, gliders, cars, trains-and last butnot least, for the very first time in theshow, a magnificent display of kites . Encouragedby AKA and Kite Lines, sponsoredby Earl Page Realtors, Inc ., ofIrving, TX, and organized by George Craigof Jason Aerokites, the 8 x 30 foot boothdisplayed a beautiful collection of kites,kite literature and kite accessories .The kite booth proved to be a verypopular event with other exhibitors andthe public . The Show Committee has alreadyexpressed hope for a repeat at the1980 trade show .Thanks for operating the booth gomainly to George and his wife Orie LeeCraig and to The Sky's the Limit andEureka-Paper Tiger kite shops in Dallas .The 38 exhibitors included : AirplaneKite Co.; Eole, Inc . ; Gayla Industries, Inc . ;Kro Flies Kites ; Precision Formed Plastics,Inc. ; Quicksilver Kites ; Rainbow StuntKite Co . ; Rogallo Flexikites ; Spectra StarKites ; Striegel Mfg . Co . ; Ultra Kites ; What'sUp ; and others .WASHINGTONThe Washington Kitefliers Associationcontinues its never-flagging pace of kiteactivities, including-for just one example-the Seafair Festival on July 28 . Warren("Stormy") Weathers of Oregon was thereand wrote to Kite Lines :Yesterday Joy Nagode, a local novicekiteflier, joined me on a visit to Seattleand the Seventh Annual Seafair Kite FlyingFestival . What a thrill it was to meetJohn Dusenberry, J . C . Young, Bill Lee,Dave Checkley, Ken Conrad and the otherfamed members of WKA . What a gang! Ifeel a little guilty about running off withso many of their marbles, but they wrotethe contest rules, and according to theirrules, we won the marbles ; which meansthat of the four events we entered withWinged Victory kites, we walked off withthree firsts and a third .Joy started it off with a first in thenovice class . I acted as helper on the officiallong line (high start) launch and shebrought in a first .The next event, also a timed-altitudethat Joy and I both entered, was a stringtanglingmess . But Joy, bless her soul,broke free and managed to place third,keeping us in the running .In the "Most Beautiful" event, havingnothing better to do, I entered a rip-stopnylon Winged Victory with the militarycolors and markings of the 1930s . At theend of the required three minutes, WingedVictory was the most beautiful kite stillflying .In the "Biggest Kite" event, I entereda 9 x 16'/2 foot Winged Victory and againoutflew the competition . As I recall,Winged Victory was the only big kite stillflying at the end of three minutes . Noway did I out-purty 'em or out-big 'em, Isimply outflew them .It is a little difficult to believe that wedid so well ; the only reason I can think ofis that maybe Bill Lee, J . C . Young and acouple of the others either didn't enter orhad an off day .News from Here & There continues . . .

AUSTRALIAThe Australian Kite Association continuesto hold flies at Royal Park, GatehouseStreet, Melbourne, on the first Sunday afternoonof each month . The membersalso put out a newsletter . Recently notedwere the use of kites in the AustraliaCouncil program of Artists in the Schools .The club often mounts workshops anddisplays . The big event of the year is theMoomba Kite Fly day, usually held onthe first Sunday in March .Helen Bushell, a prime mover in theAustralian Kite Association, has prepareda second edition of the 13-page booklet,Four Standard Australian Kites . It is availablefor one Australian dollar plus shippingfrom the Association, c/o Helen Bushell,Secretary, 10 Elm Grove, East Kew 3102,Victoria, Australia .The Kite Fliers Association of South Australia(Adelaide area) held a general meetingwith election of officers and a barbecueon June 24, as reported in its newsletter. . Graeme Blakey is the new president .Regular informal monthly kite days havereplaced advertised public kite days forthe year . The new address of KFA-SA is11 Linwood Avenue, Aldgate 5154, SouthAustralia. A family membership is $6 .00per year, except when first joining, whenit is $3 .00 (in Australian dollars) .CANADAGarry Woodcock reports on the CanadianNational Exhibition Kite Festival of 1979,held on August 26 :Good weather and over a hundred entrants,including many new faces, madethis year's annual event a great success .Kites and their people at the Canadian National Exhibition Kite Festival : Top, two box kitesmade by William Pase (a Professor Waldof and an original inverted design) beside an airplanekite by Jim DeLaurier . Below, pear tops, a Cody box and a colorful tissue craft wait to compete .Largest kite was Ross Smithrin's rednylon square kite (about 12 x 12 feet)with his hometown flag of Trenton, Ontario,sewn into the center . The TorontoKitefliers' barrage kite took second andTerry Wedge was third with a combinationRussell Hall/dragon, a great lightwindkite .William Pase of Ottawa won BestHomemade with an impressive ProfessorWaldof facsimile . He also flew a uniquelongitudinal cruciform kite of deceptivelysimple design and excellent flying characteristics. Dr . James DeLaurier, longtimekite enthusiast, was second in this classwith his aerodynamically sophisticatedMylar airplane kite .Best in the 100-year-old kite designcategory was Ellen Kow's arch top, thenGarry Woodcock's pear top, and thirdwas Ranjit Savundranayagam's colorfultissue paper fighter .Young kitemaker Mike Sues won theSmallest Kite trophy with his tiny 1 x ½-inch diamond . Garry Woodcock tooksecond with a 24mm . Conyne, and EdnaKow was third, flying a teeny Malay .Runaway (literally) winner in theOpen and 100-year-old-category timeflightraces was Mohammed Zaib's marvelousdouble-winged tissue paper fighter .Largest kite in timed flight was taken byBunton Savundranayagam, second bymaster kite craftsman Dick Kow andthird by Stephan Podrabinski .The Kite Store's Ray Wismer and JimCollins and Len Nieuport of the EastToronto Kite Club did a fine job of judging; Ken Lewis, as always, organized theevent . Our new Toronto Kitefliers signedup quite a few new members on the spot,and Ken gave us promotional commentary .In an earlier report, Garry announced theformation of the Toronto Kitefliers . Theirfirst newsletter was published in May, andtheir home airfield is Humber Bay Park,where breezes always blow . The groupheld a kite making course in May for 60playground supervisors of the TorontoParks and Recreation Department . Clubmembers have attended several kitingevents in their area and Garry's kiteMountie (line climber) is a mascot for theclub . Membership in the Toronto Kitefliersis $2 .00 a year, $1 .00 for new members(with The Kite Store in Toronto payingthe other $1 .00) . Address is c/o GarryWoodcock, 1055 Shawnmarr Road, # 68,Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5H 3V2 .

ENGLANDAnother new kite club has emerged inEngland . In fact, it has been active forover a year . It's the Northern Kite Groupand it counts on its roster such notablekiters as Martin Powell, John Spendloveand Richard Hewitt . Mike Ware is Chairman. The club's new newsletter reflectsthe members' year-round communitymindedactivity and varied kiting tastes .The N .K .G . may be reached c/o the Secretary,Martin Powell, 213, Manchester Road,Rochdale, Lancashire OL113 RB, England .IRELANDTony Horan sends word of the Irish KitefliersAssociation :The Association grew out of two kiteflyingchampionships organized by thefour companies listed below [Aer Lingus,Irish Raleigh, Japan Air Lines, Jurys HotelGroup] . These championships were heldin October 1977 and May 1978 . Followingthe very good response to the second ofthese, a meeting was called by the fourcompanies and the I .K .A . was formed as aresult of this in July 1978 .We are extremely fortunate and thankfulto have these companies as sponsors .They have backed us in many ways,including financially, with little return tothemselves .We have a small membership, 30-40people ; however, we find that a greatnumber of "regular" nonmembers turnup at all our events, which is encouragingand demonstrates the real interest there isin kiting in Ireland .I enclose a list of the association's[monthly] activities for this year up toAugust . Our Championships this yearwere particularly successful, with approximately120 competitors and about 2000spectators! Our sponsors donated four"weekend" holidays as prizes for thisevent . There were also numerous prizesof t-shirts, posters and hand-painted Japanesekites .We have produced one newsletter,which was a bit amateurish, to say theleast . However, we are at present preparinga second "very professional" one . Wealso print a hand-out which we give tokids at our fly-ins .However "amateurish" the LK.A .newsletter may be as print, it has goodinformation and a fine writer, N . Corcoran,who describes the Dun Laoghaire Festivalwith the legendary Irish facility . The IrishKitefliers Association may be reached c/oTony Horan, 39 Herbert Park, Bray,County Wicklow, Ireland .JAPANA sequel to the story on the death ofShingo Modegi (Spring 1979 Kite Lines)came to us from his son, Masaki Modegi,via mutual friend Dave Checkley :Last Thursday (November 9, 1978),we held a memorial service for my father .One hundred fifty people came . Afterwards,we had a special memorial kite flyin honor of my father by Harumi pier(near the center of Tokyo, on Tokyo Bay) .We were very moved when a certain Mr .Yoshida gracefully flew his kite to somefuneral music being played .We decided to award him the ModegiCup until the next contest .Dave Checkley added some wordsabout Shingo Modegi's legacy, the TokyoKite Museum, now run by Masaki :Tokyo's first kite shop dealing exclusivelyin kites and kite books is now anadjunct to the kite museum in an upperfloor of the Taimeiken restaurant building.Masaki Modegi sells kites here yearroundand carries a full assortment of fineJapanese kites, kite-making kits (includinga new series developed by ProfessorTsutomu Hiroi) and American kites, suchas Jalbert Parafoils and models from TheKite Factory, Seattle .The Taimeiken Kite Museum serves asthe headquarters for the Japan Kite Association,the large club founded in 1969by Shingo Modegi. Enthusiasts who wishto join JKA may do so by sending amoney order for 2000 yen (about $10 .50U .S .) to the Japan Kite Association, c/oRestaurant Taimeiken, 1-12-10 Nihonbashi,Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103, Japan . Overseasmembership includes subscription(by airmail) to JKA's biannual magazine,which, although printed entirely in Japanese,contains many pictures of kite eventsin Japan as well as drawings of kite designs .MALTAThe Malta Kitefliers Group has maintaineda regular schedule of four kite flies a year,often held at Ta' Qali airfield . Their annualnational competition was held September9 at Bahar ic-Caghaq, according tothe newsletter prepared by AlfredDarmenia Gay, the group's secretary .Especially noted was George Attard's kitetrain, the first to fly in Malta, consistingof 78 diamond-shaped kites . Other kitesmentioned included the group's own redand white delta with black Maltese cross,a "Charlie Chaplin" kite, a multicoloredcaterpillar and a tetrahedron which "flewwell" and was made of drinking strawsand paper and stiffened with -inch dia .Kites in Malta compete ata national fly in September .Right, first place winning greencaterpillar in flight . Below isAlfred Darmenia Gay, Secretaryof the Malta Kitefliers Group, a :he prepares to fly his eight-meteThai snake bearing a tail lettered toadvertise the sponsor of the competition,"Coolie Squashes." Bottom, in the juniordivision, brothers Patrick, Robert and ShirleyMifsud proudly show their playing card kiteshardwood dowels .Alfred passes along an interesting constructiontechnique in the newsletter :"I experimented with plastic tubing andI found out that held over the flame of acandle the tubing could be `welded' atany angle required . I then proceeded tocut pieces of tubing 2mm . long at a 60-degree angle and `welded' them to formthe multi-angle joints for the corners of atetrahedron . At first I burnt one or twopieces as well as my fingers but progressivelyI got the plastic tubing hot enoughto fuse without it getting too hot and losingshape or too cold and not bonding at all ."I wonder if anyone else has tried thismethod of fixing spars together . Once the`art' has been mastered there is no limitto the variety of joints that can be producedto suit different kites ." (Write to theMalta Kitefliers Group at 2, Princess AnneFlats, Ball Street, Paceville, Malta .) 0

Right, Art Kurle under his Super Conynedirectlyunder it. Below, the kite itself, its paintjob a bit flaked from hours of flight . Note thatthe triangular pattern of paint on the lower,supplemental plane gives it an eye-foolingthree-dimensional photographed appearance .Spray painting or use of colored Mylar adds tovisual appeal . Art says the kite's construction isconventional but a bit time-consuming .DesignWorkshopThe SuperConyneBy Arthur Kurle IWhen I was a kid, the ultimate kite tobuild, after having progressed through theusual two- and three-stickers, was theFrench war kite . Although the complexitydaunted many a young builder, thosewho persevered were always rewardedwith a stable, reliable kite that could belaunched from the hand and could becounted on to carry all the string theneighborhood could muster .It wasn't until many years later that Irealized that the war kite was a variationof a design patented by Silas Conynearound the turn of the century . Silas's kitediffered from the war kite by being completelycollapsible ; the wing stick was removableand there was no rigid connectionbetween the upper and lower longitudinalsticks . Both versions are still popular today,but I seldom run into the French war kitename anymore; it is usually "rigid Conyne"or "standard Conyne" and rightly so .Hence, Super Conyne .I did some experimenting with therigid version around 1970 with a view tomaximizing performance . I found thatadding a supplemental wing made thisgood kite a great kite . Stability was unaffected,but string angle and climbingspeed were greatly improved .Although I still don't fully understandthe aerodynamics involved, somethinglike this happens : The lower wing causesa slot or Venturi effect between the twowings which gives the lower wing lift wayout of proportion to its size . There is apronounced low pressure region betweenthe wings ; the covering on the triangularcells bulges outward, rather than inward,as is usual in the standard Conyne . I suspectthat air flow around the upper wingis augmented in some way ; at least theupper wing seems never to stall . This lattercharacteristic (not stalling) gives the kitea phenomenal rate of climb . I have seenclimbs so fast with this kite that it coaststhrough the zenith just from the momentumbuilt up during the climb .I built a contest version of this kitewhich won the "Best Use of AerodynamicPrinciples" award in the Smithsonian KiteCarnival . I still have this kite ; it's a bitseedy from about 25 hours in the air, butit still flies just as well as it did then .I would like to propose this design as afiducial or standard kite by which to judgetwo categories of kite performance : lineangle and rate of climb . Both of thesecategories are a measure of aerodynamicefficiency . Any subjective judging factorscan be cancelled out by two (or more)kites flown side by side in the same air .Complicated scoring systems and measurementtechniques can be dispensed with ;in a side-by-side contest, the winner isimmediately obvious . This type of eliminationcompetition would be interestingto spectators too, something like a tennistournament . I am not suggesting that wedo away with conventional scoring systems,but it seems that kite festivals havea tendency to degenerate into beautycontests, with minimal recognition beinggiven to flight performance . Let's put theinnovators, the tinkerers, the flight techniciansback in the ball game .

MATERIALS• Sticks (20) are 5/32 " square spruce,sugar pine or hard balsa . The small wingbraces can be considerably smaller . Dowelsor any sort of take-apart construction arenot recommended .• String for outlining the upper wingand the trailing edge of the lower wingshould be 12- or 15-lb . braided nylon ; donot use monofilament . I use a glue gunfor assembly* but standard gluing andassembly techniques will work well . Exactsymmetry is very important ; use a squareand tape to keep things straight and trueas you work .• Covering is 1/2-mil Mylar® . I do notrecommend cloth or any porous materialfor covering ; performance will be compromised. If you can't find 1/2-mil Mylar,heavy kitchen plastic (freezer wrap) maybe used, but it may give you some shrinkingand/or stretching problems .• For adhesive to apply the covering, Iuse Goodyear Pliobond ® . It's somewhatmessy but very effective . When yourfingers start sticking together, clean upwith lacquer thinner .CONSTRUCTION TIPSWhen applying the wing covering, donot pull the outline string in more thanhalf an inch . The upper wing coveringshould be loose enough that it hangsdown about 1 1/2 inches when the kite isinverted . The upper wing covering passesover the top of the cross stick and is notglued to it .The bridle should be made of 30- or40-lb . test braided nylon line ; this weightwill minimize tangling . Adjust the threepartbridle carefully so that each partcarries its share of the load ; otherwise,the frame will bend in flight . Do not use atwo-leg bridle .FLYINGThis kite will not fly in light winds ; itneeds 4 1/2 knots . With 8 to 10 knots, itwill outfly anything in sight . You can getslightly better low-end performance bylengthening the cross stick to 42 inches .Lengths more than this may invite instability. The finished kite should weighabout 4 1/z ounces .One last thing : this kite is a pain in theneck to fly-literally . It's because of thehigh line angle, but for kitefliers that's anice kind of pain .