Kite flying is a wonderful hobby. But flying a kite needs to be practiced.
Only a few get their kite safely and skillfully into the air the first time.
To help you get started, we’ve created a little step-by-step guide to show you how to fly your kite.
Whether you get your kite in the air usually depends on only two factors: the wind and the environment.
In the following we will show you how to make your kites fly successfully in the air.
OUR RECOMMENDATION:
The Yukon is a fantastic sport steering dragon, which with its elegance is a feast for the eyes in the sky.
Its low sail, helps the Yukon to a slow, steady and stable flight over a wide wind range.
This dragon consists of practically indestructible Mix on carbon fiber and fiberglass hybrid solid material.
A four-point bridle attached to the kite guarantees a a high degree of controllability and make sure that it is held securely in shape even in strong winds.
In addition, the Yukon is also ideal for the Learning basic tricks. This model is also delivered ready-to-fly.
Conclusion: The Yukon is a first-class dragon that can be used with an impressive price-performance ratio captivates.
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How to fly a kite?
Flying a kite isn’t all that difficult. To make your kite take to the skies, simply follow the steps below:
- Find a suitable place
- Determine wind direction
- Position the kite
- Unwind the line
- Find a standing position
- Fly a kite
- Landing the kite
How the individual steps work in detail, you will learn below.
Find a suitable location
The first step to get your kite safely in the air is to look for a suitable place to.
Large open areas are best suited for this purpose, for example meadows with only a few trees or, in the best case, none at all.
You should never fly your kite near power poles and high-voltage lines – it’s absolutely life-threatening!
determine wind direction
After finding a spot, you need to check which direction the wind is coming from.
For this purpose, it is best to stand in the middle of the area.Of course, it also helps to know how strong the wind is blowing.
If you are not able to estimate this or you want to determine the wind strength exactly, you can get a special wind gauge.
Position the kite
The next step is to stand with the wind at your back and lay your kite on the ground in front of you.
The kite should lie so that the line or lines are still pointing upwards.
Unwind the line
Now take a few steps backwards while slowly unwinding the line from the spool.
This step is still part of the preparation for the launch – so do not try to fly your kite yet.
Find a position
Now that you are standing a few meters away from your kite, which is in front of you, and still have the wind at your back, find a firm stance position, for this it is best to make your legs a little bit apart.
After that, pull the line lightly at first and then a little more forcefully. Pull calmly with force, but not jerky.
Fly the kite
In the following, the kite will slowly set up so that the wind can nicely enter the kite and glide it up into the sky. Pay special attention here to keep the line taut at all times.
With stunt kites, you can steer alternately left and right with the two lines.
Landing kites
If you want to get your dragon back to earth, all you have to do is make sure the line goes slack.
To do this, either slacken some line or walk towards the kite.You can also steer a stunt kite downwards.
The following video shows the process again clearly:
Practice makes perfect
If you follow these instructions, it should be no problem to fly your kite.
Of course, this also requires practice – no master has fallen from the sky yet!
You will notice that it will work better from time to time.
Once you get the hang of it, you’ll have your kite in the air in no time at all.
So as a little incentive, you can look forward to that moment when things don’t work out the way you’d like them to.
Flying kites optimal wind strength
The wind plays a decisive role in kite flying.
If it is too weak, it is difficult to get the kite in the air or kite flying is completely impossible, if the wind is too strong, it is difficult to control the kite, which requires a high degree of skill and physical work.
You should not underestimate how exhausting it is to keep a firm grip on a kite in strong gusts of wind.
Of course, it also depends on the kite itself, how well it can be controlled in the air at the respective wind forces.
For example, there are special light wind kites that are more suitable for flying in weak breezes and there are kites that are specifically suited for flying in strong winds.
Ideal flying conditions
The ideal flying conditions are with the wind forces 3-6.
Under these conditions, flights are possible only with light wind kites, which can take off and fly even in weak gusts of wind.
At wind force 7 you have to do more physical work, wind force 8 we only recommend to experts and professionals.
From wind force 9 you should avoid flying kites at all costs.
At these strengths it is impossible to control a stunt kite.
Furthermore, your kite can be easily damaged or even completely destroyed.
Of course you also put yourself in danger!
Determining wind strength
In order to determine the wind force correctly, there are special wind measuring devices.
These are an absolute must-have for every enthusiastic stunt kite flyer.
An excellent device with very easy operation is the Windmaster 2, with which the wind strength including wind direction can be determined exactly.
Find a suitable kite flying site
Before you go out with your kites to fly them, you should consider the place where you will do it.
How to find the best place to fly your kites, I will explain below.
In professional circles such flying sites for kites are also called kite meadows.
What distinguishes a good kite meadow?
Of course you can’t fly kites just anywhere.
This is not only due to the fact that it is not allowed to fly kites everywhere.
There are many places, where it would be allowed, but which are nevertheless for several aspects rather less suitable for kite flying.
Especially in the beginning, large wide areas, which are flat and even as far as possible, are best suited.
Also, there should be only a few or at least a well manageable number of trees there.
In any case, make sure that there are no power poles or high-voltage lines where you could fly with your stunt kite – you are putting your life at risk!
In the immediate vicinity of your location, there should still be no abysses, canals or small streams.
Here it has happened many times, that kite pilots run backwards because of concentration on their kite in the sky into a canal etc. have flown and sometimes sustained serious injuries.
Find a kite flying site
In order to find a kite flying area, you can sometimes ask at the local citizen’s office.
But not always the responsible persons there know and can help you further.
Also in various forums there are locations of kite meadows where kite pilots and onlookers meet regularly.
On the kitewiese website.de you can even search directly for flying sites in your area.
There are a lot of kite meadows registered or. listed and arranged on a map according to their location.
If you know a meadow that is not mentioned there, you can also add it to the list.
Safety tips for kite flying
Flying kites is a lot of fun.
However, unexpected dangers can often lurk even when kite flying.
In the following paragraphs we will mention these dangers and give you tips on how to avoid them and fly with your stunt kites without any worries.
- Non-kite flyers and spectators should always stay behind the pilot for safety reasons.
- Avoid the flight area of the kites and never run under a flying kite.
- As a pilot, never fly flat over people or animals and be aware of other people and the environment.
- Tensioned kite lines can be cutting due to their small diameter combined with the strong pulling force on them. This can lead to severe cuts or burns. Therefore, keep in mind the soft heads, ears and carotid arteries of your fellow pilots.
- Note that the line length in Germany may not exceed 100 meters (exception kite festivals).
- Flying near airfields is usually prohibited at a distance of three kilometers or less.
- Fly only in wind conditions where you have full control of your kite and can steer it without problems.
- Stunt kites are not for children. Therefore, never let children under 12 years fly without supervision.
- When flying, make sure that other people are not in your flight path. If necessary, point them out and ask them to leave the flight path. As a pilot, you are responsible for your own safety and that of others – be aware of this!
- Since most kite lines conduct electricity, flying a kite during thunderstorms and near power lines and pylons is life-threatening.
- Fly best on large, wide areas, where there are no obstacles like trees or bridges.
- When flying, make sure there is no channel or drop-off behind you.
If you are aware of these dangers and follow the above safety tips, you can be sure that kite flying will not be your undoing one day and you will continue to have fun with your stunt kites.
Common beginner mistakes when flying kites
All beginnings are difficult – this is also true for stunt kite flying. The following passages should help you become aware of the 7 most common beginner mistakes and show you how to avoid them so you can have maximum fun with your stunt kite from the start.
Not enough wind
Many beginners buy a cheap kite from the discounter.
In addition to the lower quality, these kites are also often much heavier and therefore usually require at least wind force 3 or higher to fly.
To be able to fly the kite in weaker winds, you need to replace the heavy fiberglass poles with lighter carbon fiber poles.
Our recommendation is to choose a beginner kite from a professional kite store – there you can find excellent kites for little money.
Wrong position to the wind
Proper orientation to the wind is highly important for a successful launch.
If the wind is too weak to accurately determine the wind direction, use an anemometer to help you determine the wind direction.
Hectic steering movements
Many beginners tend to try to recapture out-of-control kites by frantic steering movements.
It is better to keep the kite high in the sky and to steer it only with smooth steering movements.
Once you have mastered this technique, you can try lower altitudes.
Crash after looping
To perform a loop, pull one of the two lines harder until the loop is completed.
Often beginners panic during the loop and let up already in the turn when the kite is only halay through the loop.
The result is that the dragon flies straight towards the ground and hits there.
Avoid panic reactions and always finish loops bravely.
If you miss the end, just hang another loop behind it.
To untangle the lines again, fly loops in identical numbers in the opposite direction.
Wrong landing
Do not just let your kite crash into the ground to land.
At the latest when you own a stunt kite for advanced pilots, which has a lower stability, you will regret this kind of landing.
To land a kite safely, it’s best to fly right to the edge of the relevant wind window, i.e. where the wind is no longer blowing.
Keep the kite there and wait until it glides gently to the ground.
Little distance to other people
Always keep a safe distance from other pilots or spectators. Stunt kites can become very fast and thus cause personal injury, animal damage or property damage.
Questions and answers
Is it difficult to fly a kite?
It takes some practice at first to get a kite up and flying. The learning curve is very steep and after a while you will get the hang of it.
What is the most important thing for kite flying?
Besides a good kite, the weather (enough wind) and an ideal place (enough space, no obstacles) are the most important factors.
Children can also fly kites?
Absolutely! There are many kites that are also suitable for children and do not have too much pulling power.
What is the best kite?
Our recommendation is the Yukon. It is very sturdy, very easy to steer and control and has a first class price-performance ratio. It is suitable as a beginner AND professional kite.
When is the best time to fly kites?
The best season is in autumn when there is a lot of wind. But also in the cold beginning months of the year or even in spring there can always be phases in which it is strongly windy and there are therefore the best conditions for kite flying.
What do I have to pay attention to when flying kites?
First and foremost: safety first! Make sure you don’t endanger yourself or others. Look for a suitable kite flying site in an open, wide area without power poles etc. Then you can follow the steps above to let your kite take to the skies. Without sufficient wind, it is of course difficult!
From what age can you fly kites?
It depends on the kite! There are children’s kites that are suitable for small children as young as 6 years old. Large stunt kites should not be flown under the age of 16, as they can develop an enormous pulling force and are therefore difficult for children to control, which can lead to dangerous situations.
What does a good kite cost?
You can find good and stable kites from ca. 30 Euro. Personally, we would advise you not to buy a kite from a discounter, because they often offer cheap prices, but the quality is not that high. We therefore recommend that you choose a kite from a reputable kite brand such as Elliot, HQ-Invento, Wolkensturmer, etc. to buy. With a kite of poor quality you will quickly lose the fun of kite flying, because the flight characteristics are often also very poor.
This content might also interest you:
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Learn in our tutorial how to fly a kite.
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