Power Kite Forum

wind

newkiteman - 8-18-2008 at 02:02 AM

I took my kite out yesterday and had it flying quite well actually. Then out of no where I had the kite stable and flying in the middle of the wind window and all of sudden for no apparent reason it folding over and collapsed dropping out of the sky. Any reason for this? I was flying in some good wind and was flying it outside the window. Any info is appreciated just curious on this matter.

dustin.burch1 - 8-18-2008 at 04:18 AM

i am a newbe so take what a say with a grain of salt

but when i fly the same thing happens to me sometime and i looked it up but it seems that the wind can be diffrent at diffrent levels IE 0-15feet its 10mph and 15-20 its 5mph in the other direction i think its called shear

could ( and likey ) be wrong thou

acampbell - 8-18-2008 at 08:06 AM

What kind of kite? Some are more stable than others. Wht kind of wind velocity? I'll bet dustin has it right; there is almost always some sort of wind gradient that puts faster wind higher up. Even with our normally smooth coastal wind I've seen abrupt changes and cases of shear.

f0rgiv3n - 8-18-2008 at 08:31 AM

Also, two cents from an inland flyer-- Where do you fly? Is is wide open? do you have buildings, or trees or any large obstructions around you? General rule is any obstruction can affect the wind 7x as far as the height of the obstruction.

newkiteman - 8-18-2008 at 08:58 AM

I have a PANSH 5m. Right now I am flying in the desert so I have a lot of open space with not really much around for obstructuions. I was flying in probably about 7 to 10 mph.

Bladerunner - 8-18-2008 at 09:07 AM

If you were at the edge of or truly outside of the window it makes perfect sense. It's called over flying the window. Mine is good at that ! Try turning the kite before it hits the edge or just giving a touch to the brakes to slow it down and hold it back.

Even if you were sitting with the kite stable at the edge a slight chance in wind speed can shoot it too far forward or make it lose pressure . Again you must react with the brakes or a turn.


Quote:
Originally posted by newkiteman
Any reason for this? I was flying in some good wind and was flying it outside the window. Any info is appreciated just curious on this matter.

awindofchange - 8-18-2008 at 01:04 PM

Where in the desert are you? If you are close to us then swing by our weekly fun fly and I would be more than happy to help you out. If your around the Vegas area, contact me off list and I will let you know where & when we are flying so you can meet up with us and the other pilots in our area.

newkiteman - 8-19-2008 at 02:19 AM

Wrong desert awindofchange. I am deployed over seas in a different desert. Bladerunner I have a typo in my post I meant to say that I was NOT flying it outside the wind window. I had it stable and flying in the middle of the wind window when the kite just misteriously folded up and collapsed falling out of the sky. The other advise you gave me was awesome though and will definetly use it when needed.