The fan is obvious but I wonder if anybody has tips for filling older arcs with the opening in centre back?

I had a cut open pop bottle ring I used to open the fill hole on my Farc on the beach . Weighing down the whole trailing edge with sand.

Any other tips ?

The trouble filling my Farc is one of the reasons it sits in the shed when I am going to the park.

I had the fortune of getting a 1200 of my own this summer. Just today I got the pigtails measured and cut for it. Looking at the single zipper, I envision filling it with the blower just to get it over with and fill it up tight. Any launch or flight nuggets you can send my way? I want to launch and fly next appropriately windy day.

I noticed that the specs on this kite are almost exactly like a 12m Phantom. Do they fly much different?

Quote:

Originally posted by BeamerBob I had the fortune of getting a 1200 of my own this summer. Just today I got the pigtails measured and cut for it. Looking at the single zipper, I envision filling it with the blower just to get it over with and fill it up tight. Any launch or flight nuggets you can send my way? I want to launch and fly next appropriately windy day. I noticed that the specs on this kite are almost exactly like a 12m Phantom. Do they fly much different?

I only had one day with one of these, but I found the ground handling was very bad. I tried and failed the standard Arc launch three times. I only had good results when I hot launched it.

I'm pretty sure I did the hot launch with the kite in a U shape. The open U faced towards the pilot. The belly of the kite at the base of the U was standing up. The wings tips of the kite were, I think, belly down. I few quick steps back got the kite to "stand up" on the ground this way. The kite was willing to top off in this position. With that done launch and flight were easy.

Perhaps if you had more wind the Arc launch would be better. Certainly the extra risk of the hot launch would justify it. Easiest to just have a friend assist you on the launch.

FYI, the depower range on these is fairly limited. The kite I flew had a simplified bar with no trim and only about 15 inches of travel. It flew just fine this way. Enjoy the upwind.

Philip

I haven't flown mine since I got it back.

I managed to bow tie it with ease back in the day. I would suggest using a fan to fill if you can.

It was fast and lifty. Not like my big phanny but I've never flown a 12m one so ?

Has anyone done the mod where you supposedly cut the single skin flaps off the end? I've heard about completely cutting them off or just cutting out the ripstop and leaving the straps on the end. Word is the flaps really make some racket but leaving the straps behind makes them oscillate too. I'm not to keen taking a pair of scissors to a new kite.

I think my realationship with mine is more of a sentimental thing. It's 3 things to me. My 1st arc. The arc that beat me up ! A bit of arc history that I want to keep .... for ??? :duh: :smug:

I decided that I know I will very rarely use this kite and want to keep it mint. No scissors allowed !

The Phantom 1 was a major dissapointment to me after flying my 1200. Same AR as the 1200 but no where near the same speed and power.

I've been considering modding to remove the flaps but I'm lazy and really haven't noticed an issue when the kite is powered and hauling th mail. I love my 1200 and it is by far one of best kites I've ever flown. The 1600 is a PITA and the AR is so high that she is almost impossible to relaunch once she's gone down. But still a riot to fly, MORE LIFT AND GLIDE THAN ANYTHING I've flown ARCwise. Flies in almost nothing.

Depow was pretty good on the Navi bar. About the same, maybe a little less than a V1 but handling goes to poo when fully trimmed.

Upwind on F-Arcs is rediculous. Better than anything I've ever flown. In one race I got a slow start and the leader, on a 15m Speed 3 SA was way ahead. I closed the gap and passed him on the upwind leg because I too two taks to the bouy while he took 4-5. Should have seen the look on his face. Unfortunatrly I had NOTHING when it cam to the downwind leg.

I totally use the inflator for those things. Although I've gotten good at launching with low air it's still pretty sketchy sometimes( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdBV2njwwJg&feature=share...) it can be done. Love the F-arc. Sorry for the Hi-jack

I have no business commenting on how to fill an arc, because I've never flown or inflated one, but could you use a cheap $10 hand pump like the one I got for my LEI? It would obviously take a lot of work, but it seems like it would be better than trying to launch a flat arc.

Just curious, really. I hope my next kite is an arc (g).

The volume is huge compared to an LEI. It would take forever. Battery powered leaf blower is much more up to the task.

Proletariat,

The S and F arcs were PRE-zippers. They only have a Velcro opening on the trailing edge. Newer arcs moved to zipper inlets on the top. They fill much better naturally.

I have been heard to say that if my arc won't fill with the wind available it won't be much fun to fly. This is changing with the newest arcs and very long lines , I think ?

Interesting. That's good to know for the day when I get an arc myself

Maybe I could make a mega pump that moves 1 cubic foot or so of air per pump. I all ready have an idea that involves a 5 gallon bucket and toilet flappers.

"Snake" have your tried these ??
Air Grill

I have not tried an air grill. seams like it wouldn't blow much air. I had a high volume fan from an air hockey table. I was trying to mount it on a board when one of the blades met my finger. It broke off one of the blades and sprayed a mist of blood in our kitchen. After cleaning up the blood, I tried the fan and it was very off balance, so I threw it away.

Once I blew up a queen size air matress via "lung power". I don't recomend doing that to fill your arc.

Does anyone else have an 1200 or 1600 that has the zipper in the center like a phantom? Both of mine do instead of the velcro "butt flap" on the trailing edge. They also have the flaps removed and a leach line installed. I belive they were made like this from the factory because it looks professionaly done and I got them brand new from AWOC. I can't imagine filling the kite without a horizantal zipper. It would be a nightmare being I don't use weights when I fill my kites.

Mine is the Butt Hole and flap model.

I think I see how you can fill without a weight. I am not clear how you launch without a weight? Can you tell me what you do?

The day I tried one of the F-Arcs I was solo. Despite being good at the standard Arc launch I could not execute it with the F-Arc. So I hot launched it. First I filled the kite most of the way up. Then I placed it straight down wind, belly towards pilot and wing tips in the palms-up position**. I tugged a bit to get the wing tips to lift up. Then I held the kite at ground level while it topped off. When it looked full I hot launched.

Yes, you can go for a bit of a ride, but if you have a good safety zone, shoes and some sense about you this need not be a trip to the E/R.

Philip

**Maybe I should call this "belly up", but I always imagine high aspect foils as a pair of arms outstretched with palms facing the pilot. The center of the kite is the chest. The wing tips are the hands. In this configuration the thumbs are on the leading edge of the kite, pinkies on the trailing edge.