Very frequently asked questions about stunt kites
Stunt kites and power kites questions and answers list is useful especially for beginners!
It is always prolonged!
This is a guide for a beginner to power and traction kites (beginners guide for kite). I help you to find the right kite to learn traction kite flying.
HQ kites 4 line power kites: Recommended 4-line power kites / Recommendation for beginners 4-line allround traction kiting
Which HQ kites 4 line power kites do I recommend for beginners?
- HQ Kites 4 line: HQ Kites Beamer V Power Kite 2011
– a new series, 4-line power kites are optimal for beginners in size 2. High quality, fun factor. Good price, processing, great variety of sizes for beginners flying by various wind speeds. I recommend size 2 for beginners! Sie 3 – 4 for experienced flyers. The kites are reasonable priced, but perfect for flying! So, you really get what you pay for!
At what wind force do power kites, foil kites and traction kites fly?
Of course there is null wind and there are power kites / foil kites / traction kites, which are used indoors, i.e. in halls. My answer by the kites relates to foil kites flown on the beach or grassland.
You can get exact results in the following way:
- It is highly advisable to buy e.g. WeatherHawk SM-18 SkyMate Hand-Held Wind Meter, Yellow
.
The device is relative expensive, but it provides you with accurate wind information to ensure packing out the kite bag is worthwhile.
How do I define the average wind force? The average wind force for me is the minimal and slightest wind force, that is constantly reached at a 2 m height from the ground. In other words, how minimal weak is the wind force?
My experience is that I can fly HQ Series Symphony Professional Kite (2.2 Rainbow)
That is, calculated in BFT: from 2 BFT wind rate, or 6-10 km/h average wind force one can let a power kite / foil kite / traction kite fly.
Can it be great fun? I don`t know it – one should have a try and decide for himself – it isn`t much fun for me to fly by a weak wind speed under 8-10 km/h…
One has just too much work to keep the kite in the air lest it constantly collapses and deflates.
Weather forecasts are not always a guarantee, that there is sufficient wind at the place where you want to fly…
The question, at which wind rate a kite can fly, can`t be answered definitely to 100%. It depends on the model!
Many producers indicate a lower wind area – you should stick to this figure, so that the kite can stay in the air.
Power kite or stunt kite as a beginners guide for kite / kiting?
Advantages of power kites to regular stunt kites
- robust through no spine
- easy to learn
- small to pack
- very fast to set up
- launching with no problems or helpers
- noticeable draught by larger power kites
What one can do with power kites / foil kites / traction kites
- tricks! That is, flying special figures
There are really much more smaller differences. But I prefer foil kites! I like to fly very much, when I feel the wind, and I see power kiting as sport – it works just super with a power kite, which is quick to set up and to launch.
From my experience as a coach I admit that power kites for beginners are easier to learn than stunt kites
For kite buggying a power kite is the best type of kites because of the brake – for kite jumping and landboarding power kites are often used, because they have a very good parachute effect.
But: I have never seen anyone flying kite figures, and I have myself never flown complicated kite figures – it doesn’t simply work.
size kite: Size of the foil kite – what size of foil kite / traction kite / size flexifoil power kite do I need?
The size of the foil kite / power kite / traction kite is measured either in wing span or square meters. One should take into consideration a pilot`s experience, his / her weight, height and very important, wind conditions!
What size power kite is best: A simple rule of thumb:size kite: the size of the power kite in qm2 + wind speed in maximal < 7
In inland a gust of 4 – 5 Bft can easily develop from 2 – 3 BFT average wind force.
I wouldn`t recommend the beginners 4-line power kites above 3 qm2, unless they weight 100 kg.
You can´t falsely buy 4-line power kites of good quality and small size! In this case you would use a small 4-line power kite as a heavy wind kite.
I recommend people with normal weight over 60 kg a power kite with a wingspan from 1,8 to 2 m long, larger power kites to people with over 75 kg body mass and more flying experience. A 2-line power kite with a wingspan of 1,6 m is best suited for pilots who weigh between 40 – 55 kg.
What is a trainer kite – trainer-kite
A trainer kite is a power kite with 2 or 3 flying lines and a control bar. The control bar prevents the beginners from stretching the arms out and thus making the kite uncontrollable. A trainer kite is stable, has no drag / lift and doesn`t get damaged so quickly.
There are some reasons why beginners shouldn`t start with a 4-line kite: One gets quickly tangled up in the flying lines (Handles mixed up, etc.), keeps the ams stretched out, brake lines can be mixed up, Handle kites are less safe to fly than 3-line trainer kites.
It makes no difference, whether you call it a trainer kite, training kite, or beginner´s kite.
What is a power kite?
A power kite is a type of kite size, which is used in different kinds of sport:
- Landboarding with power kites – one has a supersize skateboard with huge rollerblade wheels
- Buggy kiting – one has a buggy and is pulled along by the power kite
- Kite jumping – one uses the kite to jump in the air and to be pulled along the grassland
The kites are also defined according to the size: Power kites are as a rule bigger than kites for beginners, with the size from 2 m wingspan width, or from 1,5 qm power kite surface.
The kite size upward is unlimited!
Snow kiting – to fly power kites / traction kites / foil kites when it snows
I`m often asked whether one can fly a power kite when it snows!
Surely you can! The material of a power kite enables you to kite at a freezing temperature.
It is not recommended to kite when it is beginning to snow (it will snow into air inlets)!
I kite my HQ Series Symphony Professional Kite (2.2 Rainbow)
No wind – what should I do? Fly R/C Helicopter!
So you are on the grassland and have no wind to kite?
Or do you want to go out on a 0-wind-day, breathe in some fresh air and have some fun?
A new trend is R/C Helicopter
Recommendation for tall and small ones are the following models, which are bought very often:
- Syma S107/S107G R/C Helicopter – Colors may vary
- SYMA S108G 3 CH Infrared Mini Radio Controlled Marine Cobra Helicopter Gyro
When a RC-Heli is too complicated, you can also try to fly R/C planes
The following is a list of the best accessories for power kite / traction kite.
Recommended / Recommendation power kites for beginners
Which power kite do I recommend for beginners?
- HQ Symphony Beach
- HQ Symphony professional
- Think also about this: kite killer (traction kite accessoires) – safety while flying! They ensure a safe landing in critical situations, e.g. releasing the handles.
Recommendation suitable best kite flying lines / spectra kite line sets for stronger power kites over 2 m wingspan or 1,5 qm2 surface / Kite string – kite cord
I recommend to use stronger line sets for medium and large 2-line power kites. Power kites over 2 m wingspan or ca. 1,5 qm2 surface should be equipped with at least 150 kp, better 175 kp, lines, so that the lines may not tear by a wind speed of 4 – 5 m/s.
2-line power kites with 2,5 m wingspan or more require at least 150 kp breaking load. I had once a string torn because it was too weak – it wasn´t funny! Think of gusts – they generate pulsating loads. 25 m – 30 m cords are ok.
I recommend line sets from 300lb x 80ft x 2 Infinity Spectra Kite Line with Winder
Power Kite / Kite Accessories
- KAINDL Windmaster 2 Windmesser inkl. Tasche- hough expensive, but a very reliable, superb accessory
- Kite Killer (Tractionkite Zubehör) – safety is above all! They ensure a safe landing of the kite in critical situations, e.g. after releasing the handles.
- HQ Winder-Set Drachenleine Dyneema 175 kp / 2 x 25 m – superb for medium (over 2 m wingspan) and large (over 2,5 m wingspan) power kites, such as HQ Symphony or HQ Symphony Speed.
Recommended power kites for advanced kiters
Which power kite do I recommend for advanced kiters?
- HQ Symphony professional
- Kite Killer (Tractionkite Zubehör) – safety is above all! They ensure a safe landing of the kite in critical situations, e.g. after releasing the handles.
Recommended speed power kites
These are extremely fast power kites, which require a great flying skill, but one has much fun flying them!
- HQ Series Symphony Kite (Speed 3.2)
– a great fun faktor! Dynamic and maneuverable! In size 3,2 m is awesome, tractive, fast and powerful!
- Kite Killer (Tractionkite Zubehör) – safety is above all! They ensure a safe landing of the kite in critical situations, e.g. after releasing the handles.
Recommended power kites for advanced pilots 4-line allround traction kiting
Which 4-line power kites do I recommend for advanced kiters?
- HQ Kites Beamer V Power Kite 2011
Recommended / Recommendation 4-line power kites for experienced / highly advanced kiters
No longer toys! Pure fun generators that make anyone addicted to them: Power kite recommendation for advanced kiters wishing more power!
- HQ Kites Beamer V Power Kite 2011
- HQ Kites Scout II Power Kite 2011
in size 3
Recommended / Recommendation 4-line power kites Dyneema line sets
- 200-lb. Shanti Spectra Quad Line Speed Set
– ultimate flying lines / cords / strings for power kites / 4-line traction kites / foil kites – I use Ockert!
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