Power Kite Forum

FS Pulse Ground School

pokitetrash - 21-3-2011 at 05:44 PM

So, I got the Pulse 8 today from Stinkyskate. So now how do I fly it? I used to have a 7m Ozone Frenzy. What's the best way to take off and land it, turn it over from a face plant, etc.

Any watchouts for getting spanked unlike my FB's and my Phanny's? All help will be appreciated.

tridude - 21-3-2011 at 05:45 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by pokitetrash
So, I got the Pulse 8 today from Stinkyskate. So now how do I fly it? I used to have a 7m Ozone Frenzy. What's the best way to take off and land it, turn it over from a face plant, etc.

Any watchouts for getting spanked unlike my FB's and my Phanny's? All help will be appreciated.


check your u2u call me

BeamerBob - 21-3-2011 at 05:53 PM

Make sure you have a good 20 mph wind before you try to launch. Position the kite directly downwind and fully power the trim strap................................ Oh, I can't do it. You better talk to tridude on second thought. Love ya man!

frankiter - 21-3-2011 at 06:09 PM

That's some tough love there.......

pokitetrash - 21-3-2011 at 06:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BeamerBob
Make sure you have a good 20 mph wind before you try to launch. Position the kite directly downwind and fully power the trim strap................................ Oh, I can't do it. You better talk to tridude on second thought. Love ya man!


You still pissy about the Phantom 12 scoop from last year? You got your Phantom 12 now give it a rest! :ticking:

Love you too man! In a totally kite buddy kind of way... No broke back kiting for me!!!

ragden - 22-3-2011 at 04:35 AM

you guys are hilarious... lol

Quick thoughts:

Launching - Best done as a side launch. Positing the kite with one wing tip upwind. Weight it down with something. Run your lines out perpendicular to the wind. Pull on the brake lines of the downwind wingtip to get the kite to come up and inflate. Always a good idea to fully depower the kite (pull in the trim strap all the way) when launching this way. This is generally the safest way to launch this kite. You can always hot-launch the kite, but that can get hairy. Side launchs are generally safer.

Landing - Can do this one of three ways. You can either have someone catch it. Have them stand at the edge of the window and bring the kite down to them. Once they grab the wingtip, walk to them so it flags out. It’s always best to ask them to put the wingtip on the ground so it doesn’t flap around. Other option is to backstall it to the ground. Then grab your brake lines and stake them. The kite might jump around a little. Run down to it, grab one wingtip and drag that upwind. Then weight it down. Third option is to just pop the safety. Then stake the safety line. Once that’s done, walk down to the kite, grab a wingtip and drag that wingtip upwind. Weight it down. Popping the safety can cause the lines to tangle sometimes (mostly the bar just spins). I always walk it out perpendicular to the wind after doing this so I can make sure the lines are straight.

Leading edge down crash – Grab both brake lines and give it a really good tug. The kite will reverse launch. Let go of one brake line, and she will spin over. This takes some practice, but isn’t difficult.

Hope that helps!
:)

pokitetrash - 22-3-2011 at 04:38 AM

Great advice guys! Thanks! We've got some great wind all this week so Im hoping to get out with it in the buggy.
:wee:

ragden - 22-3-2011 at 04:39 AM

Start in low winds... Just to be safe. IE: less than 15mph. Then work your way up once you get comfortable with it.

This isnt a high performance kite, but it is still a Flysurfer...
:)

kitedelight - 22-3-2011 at 01:35 PM

couple other thoughts

launching -

obvious thing, but make sure the back zipper is closed. I've made that mistake once.

Some guys don't like to fully depower the trim on launch as they say its less stable during inflation. i usually launch with 1/4 to 1/2 depowered on the trim. you'll see its managable cause until the kite is fully inflated, it isn't as powerful.

definitely dont need lots of inflation like arcs do. but, having a bit of air make it into the the kite before launch gives you more control on the way up. just before launch, just hold the front lines by holding the trimmer really lightly to bring up the front edge to inflate a bit, then tug the front lines to launch when your ready. On side launch this is more tricky cause once the wind catches the front edge, it likes to launch. For side launch, once the kite is set up, before walking to the bar, take a few moments to get some air into the kite (hold up the leading edge a foot off the ground by hand). once on its way up, the kite will fully inflate in the air. Because the kite isn't as powerful till it inflates, hot launches really aren't that bad in the mid to low end of the kites range. as the wind reaches the mid range, just makes sure to steer the kite to the edge if the window once you get it up.

all the best with the new unit!

erratic winds - 22-3-2011 at 01:55 PM

as with any new kite try out all the safety systems BEFORE you need them!

Super jealous of this new toy for you! You gotta get us some video of it pulling the bug!

B-Roc - 22-3-2011 at 02:14 PM

I hot launch it always in the dead center of the window as it is never fully inflated on the ground and doesn't have a whole lot of pull until it is inflated (usually a few seconds or turns after launching).

I added a landing strap to mine and use that to land the kite in the center of the window with a steady tug and forward walk. Prior to that I just grabbed each leader in a each hand and backed the kite down in a controlled stall (after fully depowering it on the trimmer).

Landing and securing the kite solo is tricky in the higher limit of its wind range if you are alone and on a sandy (no stake grip) surface.

kitedelight - 22-3-2011 at 02:45 PM

B-roc, how did you add that landing strap to the kite? Did you buy in somewhere or was it a DIY project? I have been thinking of adding one to mine.

pokitetrash - 23-3-2011 at 03:17 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by erratic winds
as with any new kite try out all the safety systems BEFORE you need them!

Super jealous of this new toy for you! You gotta get us some video of it pulling the bug!


I need a GoPro! Its on my list of this to do. I'll get some kind of vid, even if its filmed in DroidX-A-Vision!

pokitetrash - 23-3-2011 at 03:19 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by kitedelight
B-roc, how did you add that landing strap to the kite? Did you buy in somewhere or was it a DIY project? I have been thinking of adding one to mine.


X 2

shaggs2riches - 24-3-2011 at 06:32 AM

I've questioned this before too. Possibly removing lines from bar and attaching a piece of rope the right length at one of the stopper balls via larks head knots????? My questions would make me wonder if this would interfere with safety systems??? Particularly FDS. I'm thinking this is why you only see then on kites with safeties like the re-ride from ozone.:dunno:

ragden - 24-3-2011 at 07:13 AM

Not sure adding that line is a good idea. Though, not sure it would actually cause a problem with the safety. However, if you spin the bar for some reason, that line might get wrapped around the power lines, which would be bad. Course, I could be seeing this in my head wrong.

Personally, I like having a clean bar and lines, if possible. Grabbing the stopper balls to back-stall the kite works fine for me. To each their own though. Figure out what works best for you, and go that route.
:)

B-Roc - 24-3-2011 at 04:48 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by kitedelight
B-roc, how did you add that landing strap to the kite? Did you buy in somewhere or was it a DIY project? I have been thinking of adding one to mine.


It was a DIY project and it is easy. It does not intefere with the FDS as the Outlaw has the same bar / bridle setup and it comes standard with a landing line. It can wrap around the power lines but just spin the bar to unwrap it. Its not used on the pulse because its a "water" kite and for whatever reason that line seems to be deployed only on "snow" kites.

I made one landing line out of muletape because I had it laying around the other (on my Gin) I made out of amsteel.

To make the landing line get a piece of suitable line about 1 - 1.5 feet longer than the bar. Tie a loop in the middle of the line. The loop is for staking the kite so the loop only needs to be large enough to hold a stake or fit around your spreader bar hook. I added tubing to the loop to keep it in shape and prevent chaffing from the kite stake.

Slide the stopper balls up on the lowest knot on the rear leaders. Fasten the landing lie between the knot and the stopper ball (sorry, I don't know the name of the knot I used but its a hitch with a twist - easy to remove but it binds down on itself so it won't come off under load). Slide the stopper ball down and cover the landig line knot and the leader knot.

Cost you about $2 and 5 minutes worth of effort.

Make sure your loop is as close to dead center as possible. The landing line only needs to be a 3-4" longer then the bar so it hangs down for easy gripping but doesn't dangle and get in the way. Trim tthe ends if necessary.

To land the kite I still back it down on both leaders but you can just tug the landing line and it will collapse and back stall.

I made it more for staking the kite and it makes self setup and landing a lot easier as it secures the kite nicely to the ground with little effort.

kitedelight - 24-3-2011 at 07:04 PM

thanks,
ya, same idea, not so much for landing but rather for staking the kite. mmm, maybe i'll give it a go one of these days.

pokitetrash - 25-3-2011 at 02:54 AM

All good info guys! I went out yesterday but the wind was blowing 18 - 25 so I figured it was not the best day to try a new kite.

Sooooon!

rocfighter - 25-3-2011 at 05:32 AM

Big Baby!!

pokitetrash - 25-3-2011 at 05:36 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by rocfighter
Big Baby!!


Damn right! This baby likes his bones on the inside!! :wow:

BeamerBob - 25-3-2011 at 07:50 AM

Even though everything in your brain is saying no, you would've been impressed with how well the kite handled that wind. I went out one day and wanted to see how the Montana 9.5 flew in high winds. Probably 18-22 that day. I found that I could fly all over the window and do small 4-6' jumps with just a little movement overhead and pulling in on the bar. Try it after you have a little time flying the kite. Bones on the inside are a good thing.

kitedelight - 25-3-2011 at 09:20 AM

got a few visuals if your interested...

here is a side launch video from FS.
http://www.vimeo.com/13224200
in side launches, I usually just fold over the tip thats facing the wind and put a backpack over it. I fold it over so the small bridle lines don`t tangle with my bag during launch.

another look, far less detailed though
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIgJSX9tvYA
there is a video for packing up too done by the same guy. FS keeps the bar attached to the kite, so, bit different than some other systems.

keep us posted on you experiences with the kite.