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Our web pages offer a broad range of information about steerable kites and also a list of equipment for different forms of their application. This sports event that has been developing very intensely during the past few years offers many new opportunities for leisure time activities. The application of steerable kites is very varied - however, it is necessary to realize that powerkiting is an extreme sport and that it is essential to keep to safety precautions. Because this sports field uses many words borrowed from English, we have prepared a brief glossary of those expressions for your information.
The basic use is kiting on the ground on one spot - bodykiting. It serves for gaining the basic habits of controlling the kite. In a stronger wind and with larger kites, their controlling can become a demanding sports performance.
Using kites, you can utilize the wind power for skating (both roller skating and ice-skating), skateboarding, riding a buggy (a special three wheeler), a mountainboard (an offroad version of a skateboard) and on water - kiteboarding. In winter they are ideal to be used with skis, snowboard, or with ice skates - snowkiting. Experienced kiters are able to fly through the air using their kite and to perform various stunts.
New possibilities of kite usage emerge all the time. We try to inform you about all the news continuously.
The forward speed and the pull of steerable kites is created by the air that flows around the canopy - that means by the movement of the kite against the air. The greater is the speed of the wind, the faster is the air flow around the profile and the greater is the speed and the pull. On the contrary, when the kite stops, it loses its lift and falls to the ground.
While flying, the ram air kites form a wing shape that is the result of overpressure inside the canopy. The canopy consists of top and bottom sides - those surfaces are interconnected by means of ribs. The ribs have a wing profile and are equipped with holes that enable the pressure inside the canopy to equalize and thus to inflate the kite correctly. In flight, kites of such construction form a profile similar to the one of an aeroplane wing - that is why they are highly efficient and why they create greater pull in comparison with other types of kites of the same surface area. They are ideal for all the land applications (bodykiting, buggykiting, snowkiting etc.), the types with a closed leading edge (containing inflating valves only) are constructed also for use in water. You may control the kites either using handles or a bar.
The area in which the kite is able to fly is called the wind window. The size (width) of the wind window depends on the type of the kite. Generally it holds true that the faster the kite, the larger the wind window. The flight area is approximately 90° to the sides and upwards. It is important to be aware of the powerzone in the middle of the wind window and of the area with the minimal pull at the edge of the window.
Choosing a suitable place concerning the wind direction is very important. It is necessary to make sure that there are no obstacles that would cause turbulence in the direction from which the wind blows. Open spaces where the wind flow is laminar are ideal. It holds true that elevated points such as hills, buildings, trees etc. create turbulence up to the 8 - 10 times their height.
The basic principle of kite steering is very simple. However, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the steering using kites of smaller sizes in a moderate wind up to 5 m/s. Only after gaining the necessary experience it is possible to try using the kite as a drag tool.
There are several possibilities how to control the kite - each uses a different safety system. Our products use the following steering systems:
Controlling the kite tied to two lines is the simplest - the kite turns to the side which is pulled. However, this type brings worse steerability and limited maneuverability. Launching the kite without assistance is very problematic. Safe landing is possible only at the edges of the wind window.
Tying the kite to four lines enables the greatest usage of your kite's potential. It enables much better steerability while flying and also while launching the kite from the ground or on water. The lines are divided into the supporting ones, which transmit most of the pull, and the brake lines, which are tied to the trailing edge of the canopy. Four-lined kites may be controlled in two ways - using handles or using a bar.
enables very precise and prompt steering. It is possible to combine pulling at one side (as with the two-lined version) with braking the kite at one or both sides using the brake lines. This solution is particularly suitable for smaller kites up to about 3 m2, because that way you can make full use of the acrobatic possibilities of the kite. It is also perfect for complete beginners - in our courses, clients use these kites to acquire the basic steering habits. For the powerkiting purposes, handles are especially suitable for riding a buggy, but it is possible to use them in other areas as well. In the place where the supporting lines are tied, the handles may be interconnected using a line that may be hitched into the harness hook. Hitching the line is recommended only in case you have absolute certainty in controlling the kite - otherwise there is a danger of injury! For beginners it is recommended to supplement this system with a safety strap that prevents the kite from flying off in case you let go of the handles.
Caught on in most of the powerkiting applications. The main and absolutely essential advantage of this system is the use of depower system. Thanks to this system the "pilot" may change the angle of the leading edge by shifting the bar. He or she may "tilt" the kite, thus altering its pull and speed considerably. Being applicable in a greater wind range, a kite with an efficient depower system is able to overcome gusts better, it gives a greater potential for jumps and also it makes launching easier. The possibility to control the kite using one hand only and the transmission of most of the pull into the harness are among other advantages of this system.
Powerkiting is one of the extreme sports and the viewpoint of safety cannot be underestimated in any case. When learning how to control a kite, always begin with smaller kites (about up to 3 m2) and in a moderate wind up to 5 m/s. In a stronger wind you might get injured e.g. being dragged on the ground or hitting an obstacle.
Obey the instruction in the handbook and do not overestimate your strength!Choosing the right spot for practicing the steering is very important. It should be an open space without obstacles (rocks, bushes, trees etc.), ideally on a flat surface or on a windward slope. It is important that the wind is steady without any turbulence. The area from which the wind blows must be open and free of obstacles (trees, buildings, terrain unevenness).
!!! Ensure that there are no people in the flight area of your kite - especially in the reach of the lines !!! Avoid areas with power lines !Another fact, which is extremely important for your safety is the system of minimizing the pull power in case you lose control over you kite. There are several possibilities depending on the number of lines and on the kite type.
The basic option is using the edge of the wind window, where the pull is minimal. You can use this feature for landing so that you lead the kite to the ground just along the edge of the window. With the two-lined kites, this is the only possibility of safe landing. It is recommended even with four-lined kites, particularly in a strong wind.
With four-lined kites, you may quickly minimize the pull by means of maximal braking - the streamlines get disconnected and the pull gets considerably weaker. You may also use this manoeuvre for safe landing in any part of the wind window.
With the systems using a bar where the supporting lines are tied to the harness it is always necessary to secure this connection by means of a quick-release safety catch. In addition to that, you also have to connect the brake lines (again using a quick-release safety catch) to the harness, so that your kite does not fly off after releasing the first safety catch.