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When
I fly my kites I really pay attention to the wind because
the strength of the wind determines what kite and string I’m
going to use. Unless you have a wind meter, it’s a bit
tricky to guess how fast the wind is blowing because you
can’t see it. You can only see how it affects what it
touches.
There is a visual scale you can use to help you determine
the approximate strength of the wind. Rear Admiral Sir
Francis Beaufort (1774-1857) of England created this in 1805
to determine wind speeds on water; it was later used to
determine wind speeds on land. We use part of his scale for
kiting. The best range is a steady wind that blows 4-12
mph. Gusty winds require more skill and patience.
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1-3
mph
4-7 mph
8-12 mph
13-18 mph
19-24 mph |
Smoke drifts lazily
Tree leaves rustle
Small flags fly, leaves dance
Trees toss, dust flies
Trees sway, kite strings break |
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Kites…on a Roll®
News
The celebration of
flight continues. The US Postal Service has just issued its
Celebration of Flight stamp (May 2003). The 37¢ stamp
pictures the Wright Brothers’ plane in flight.
In honor of the Wright Brothers’ singular achievement, the
American Kitefliers Association annual convention (a
wonderful event, both on and off the field) will be held
Sept. 29-Oct. 4, 2003 at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in
Dayton OH. For more information about this terrific week or
other kiting events, visit
www.aka.kite.org.
Hints for an Easier Activity
The Sled and Malay Bird designs contain tail patterns. If
you don’t have time to cut out these tails, ask about our
terrific tail material in lengths of 150’ or 300’ depending
upon the colors and patterns. One roll of tail material will
be fine for one roll of either kite pattern.
This has been a very wet spring in many parts of the
country. While this may be good for flowers, it does
interfere with kite flying. Many of our customers told us
how well our kites flew indoors. (There was huge relief
in their voices as their events were scheduled regardless of
the weather.) If you have the space, you may want to try
this. Just have the kitefliers move in the same direction.
Check our Photo Gallery for a picture of one experience.
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