First Lazy Susan

Date: 2/5/09
Place: Cosmo Park, Columbia, MO
Kites: E2 on 85' lines
Wind: 15 mph, slowly dropping to 4 mph
Weather: sunny, 52º

It was a good day for trying some new tricks. I did a couple decent back flips into lazy susans. The kite flips onto its back (at the top of the wind window straight down wind) with its belly up and nose pointed away - then pulling on one line makes it do the lazy susan, a 360º rotation, totally parallel to the ground.

I also made some progress on the axels. I have to fly around and watch until the kite happens to be in the correct position, then the axel works OK. I can't do one whenever I want to yet.

I also had one successful dead launch (the kite is belly down, nose toward me) and a bunch of unsuccessful ones. And a few cartwheel launches worked.

I also tried a new launch technique for when it's windy enough that you worry (rightly) that the kite will blow away before you get back to the end of the lines. You put the kite into a standard launch position, belly up, nose pointed away. Then roll the tail end up and over away from you so that the kite is now belly down, nose towards you, and the lines go from you over the top to the back and then back under the kite to the bridle. Then to launch, you pull the lines so that it rolls into a good launch position. (hope that's not too confusing)

I think I need to get a stake for launching.