bcooper79
Posts: 32
Registered: 6-13-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: STOKED!!!!
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HQ4 Fluxx 2.2
Hello everyone. Its been a LONG time since I posted on these forums so hopefully this site is still active. Well, I finally bit the bullet and bought
my first kite. As the thread title says, I'm picking up an HQ4 Fluxx 2.2. Its on a 2 line control bar, not straps. I figured a control bar is the way
to go since I eventually want to get into the de-power kites and maybe some surfing on our local lakes. Anything I should look out for with this
particular kite? I'm about 220lbs so I dont expect to get pulled to much, I'm waiting for a bigger kite with a more aggressive AoA for that. This is
just something to get me in the air while we are all on lockdown.
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tomdiving
Posts: 404
Registered: 3-4-2017
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Mood: thankful for this site
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if you're getting a bar type kite, get 3 or 4 line instead of 2. relaunching by yourself with the 3 or 4 is a breeze. relaunching a 2 line kite is a
PITA. if you're always going to fly with someone else, and you are taking turns flying and helping relaunch, that's a different story.
tom
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tomdiving
Posts: 404
Registered: 3-4-2017
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Mood: thankful for this site
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and remember that kites of this type are measured by wingspan, not square meters. the fluxx 2.2 might be around 1.6 to 1.8 sqm.
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Windstruck
Posts: 3339
Registered: 5-16-2015
Location: St George, UT, USA
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Mood: Get in my buggy!
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Nice to hear from you and congratulations on your first power kite. Remember, the ideal number of kites = N+1 with N being the number of kites
currently owned.
Maybe I'm taking what you wrote too literally, but you mentioned getting yourself up in the air as compared to getting the kite up in the air. I would
take that to mean you intend to get pulled off the ground with your kite. I don't know this particular kite but a small fixed bridle kite of this size
can pull you off the ground in a good wind. Going up will be fun; coming back down, maybe not so much. In all likelihood you'd get yanked off the
ground and then dropped like a stone.
Getting air is best left for much larger depower kites. Big gentle giants will allow you to leave and return to earth with grace and all bones intact.
Have fun, be safe, and hopefully we'll meet up some day!
Born-Kites:
RaceStar+ (3.0m, 5.0m, 7.0m, 9.0m, 14.0m)
RaceStar (9.0m, 11.0m)
NasaStar-4 (2.5m, 4.0m, 5.5m, 7.0m)
NasaStar-3 (custom 3.2m)
Flysurfer Kites:
Peak-5 (2.5m)
Buggy:
Peter Lynn BigFoot+ nose & tail; midsection VTT rail & seat kit; home-brewed AQR
NAPKA Member US2815
SWATK Member UT0003
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bcooper79
Posts: 32
Registered: 6-13-2008
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Mood: STOKED!!!!
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No no no, no jumping yet. I know this particular kite isnt for that. And having only ever flown one once before, I'm no where near ready to be
jumping...lol I just meant the kite...haha
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tomdiving
Posts: 404
Registered: 3-4-2017
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Mood: thankful for this site
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the midnight scheme is gorgeous, even more so in the air. if it has handles, and you want a bar, keep your eye on ebay for the 60cm flexi bar that's
been selling for 45 bucks. oddly, it's not there right now (neither is there $45 line set) but i expect that they'll show up again soon. they kept
running 3 day auctions. even more oddly, they're not on amazon right now. they were both going for 15 bucks more each there.
edit - lines just showed up on amazon and they're now only 5 bucks more than they were on ebay.
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Windstruck
Posts: 3339
Registered: 5-16-2015
Location: St George, UT, USA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Get in my buggy!
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Quote: Originally posted by bcooper79  | | No no no, no jumping yet. I know this particular kite isnt for that. And having only ever flown one once before, I'm no where near ready to be
jumping...lol I just meant the kite...haha |
Well that's a relief. Every year or so we get someone on here that has watched too many YouTube videos and gets a crazy hair up his nose to go
Superman-ing.
Have fun with this and beware the dreaded N+1. 
Born-Kites:
RaceStar+ (3.0m, 5.0m, 7.0m, 9.0m, 14.0m)
RaceStar (9.0m, 11.0m)
NasaStar-4 (2.5m, 4.0m, 5.5m, 7.0m)
NasaStar-3 (custom 3.2m)
Flysurfer Kites:
Peak-5 (2.5m)
Buggy:
Peter Lynn BigFoot+ nose & tail; midsection VTT rail & seat kit; home-brewed AQR
NAPKA Member US2815
SWATK Member UT0003
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IndestructibleYoungMan
Posts: 28
Registered: 2-8-2017
Location: Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Shut up... I think I felt a breeze!
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Hello bcooper, welcome back to the kiting world!
As you can see, I am more or less a newbie like yourself. I started on a 2 line kite just like you, and it took about a week before I knew 100% that
I wanted a 4 line kite. I bought one shortly thereafter and I haven't looked back.
A 2-line kite is like an RC car that only drives at one speed, in one direction, and without the ability to break - i.e. it gets dull fast. A 4-line
kite is like an RC car that allows you to throttle, brake, and go in reverse. Way more fun!
Basically a 4-line fixed bridle kite will offer a much broader learning experience, and you can treat a 4-line FB like a 2 line when you begin. You
don't have to worry about the brake lines until you have more experience. Then you can try tricks like reverse launches and use a little break action
to get your kite to turn more quickly.
If you already bought the Flux then you havent made a mistake, fly the kite, learn, and enjoy it. That said, if this sport is for you I imagine you
will find yourself wanting to upgrade after you have clocked about 10 hours on it.
Also, the guys on here are first class and offer the best advice with the most heart I have seen anywhere on the internet. Ask them anything and they
will help you, they've kept me from making some serious mistakes in the past.
God bless and have fun brother.
"They will soar on wings like eagles..." Isaiah 40:31 NIV
Quiver:
Helmet +
Prism Tensor 3.1
Trampa 15 degree short kiteboard
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tomdiving
Posts: 404
Registered: 3-4-2017
Member Is Offline
Mood: thankful for this site
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flexi bars back on ebay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-Flexifoil-65cm-Power-Kite...
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bcooper79
Posts: 32
Registered: 6-13-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: STOKED!!!!
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Todays Lesson....
Got the kite in today. This being my first one, first impressions are good. Good looking kite for sure. The bar is pretty comfortable to hang on to as
well.
What was today's lesson?
This is not a low wind kite. Was in 5-7mph winds and was having a hard time keeping it powered up. It collapsed several times on me.
I was having a hard time launching it, but I'm thinking it was just due to the low wind.
Overall, the limited time I did have it in the air, it was pretty cool. My wife came out and was quite surprised at it. She was thinking "big deal,
its just a kite"...then she saw it in person. So that was refreshing.
Once I'm done with school stuff tomorrow, I'm going back out.
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abkayak
Posts: 2271
Registered: 1-7-2012
Location: a.b. NY
Member Is Offline
Mood: loving life and becoming wise in simplicity
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 the excitement of a 1st kite coming and getting it in the air can only be eclipsed by the 2nd one
2 line is great because soon you will be fluent and feel comfortable enough to hand it to a buddy...or even a spouse
at that point have a 3m 4line on the ground ready to go and really have some fun
imo
US-31...Cquad set/ 2.5 Bullet/ 2.6 Viper/ 2.9m Reactor/ 2- 3.5m Bullet/ 3.6 Beamer/ 4m Buster/ 4m Toxic/ 4m Ikon dp/ 4.5 Bullet/ 4.9m Blade/ 5.6
Twister/ 6.6m Blade/ 7.5 Apex/ 9m Fuel/ Phantom I 9,12,15,18/ 2 Flexibugs/ PL Big Foot/ landboards
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bcooper79
Posts: 32
Registered: 6-13-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: STOKED!!!!
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Quick Update...
Today was windy in north central Texas. 14+ mph winds, so I figured I'd give it a go. Holy smokes!! For a little 2.2m wing, she has some pull in the
stronger winds. I'm 220-230lbs and I had to squat to keep from getting pulled around the field.
Today's lesson...phone a friend...lol
Since this is a 2 line kite, it was a chore to try and launch solo only because it would either try and power up and launch on its own before I was
back at the bar or half way back the wind would catch the trailing edge and flip it over. So I think having a second person out there with me would be
a HUGE help.
Overall, I'm loving this thing and already thinking about kite number 2.
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