KITE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
ideas & images & kits & equipment

by

Brooks Leffler

GOOD KITES
FOR KITE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

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to North America only.

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Pictures are of my prototypes.
Production kite color and details may vary.

Our New Light Wind Lifter!

The FLED by G-Kites

developed by Michael Andersen and Brooks Leffler

The Fled is a cross between the light-wind Flare and the traditional Sled. It's a stable, strong, light-wind kite that flies at a line angle of 65 - 70 degrees, just about perfect for KAP or line laundry.

NOTE: The Fled's wind range is 5 to 12 mph (2 - 3 Beaufort); while it will fly in less and a bit more, the spars are lightweight and a lot more wind is not recommended. It should be used as a light-wind complement to your kite bag, not an only kite.

At just 60" by 80" (1.5 x 2 m), the Fled is moderate-sized, so it's painless to set up and store and very easy to handle. With only three carbon spars, it sets up quickly, and the 2-leg bridle requires no adjustment. The kite comes with a long bag, but collapses to about 43" (1.1 m) for travel.

Despite its size, the Fled develops impressive lift; it will easily lift a camera rig of one pound in 6-8 mph wind, making it ideal for our BEAK series or an R/C or AuRiCo-controlled rig with a light point-&-shoot camera.

The Fled is very forgiving. It will fly with or without the included drogue tail, and with or without bowing the spreader spar, but is more stable for KAP with both.

Three color combinations are available. All kites have black wings and white flares; body colors are red, gold, or purple.

KITES NOW IN STOCK!
INTRODUCTORY PRICE

G-Kites FLED: U$85.00

Flow Form 16 in bag.

SUTTON FLOW FORM

MADE IN THE USA BY AIR AFFAIRS

Sutton Flow Forms are the workhorses of KAP. They are soft, stickless kites, made of ripstop nylon in sizes from 4 sq ft (0.3 sq m) to 450 sq ft.(42 sq m). The most useful sizes for KAP are 8, 16 and 30 sq ft.

While Flow Forms can be flown without a tail in light air, they are much more stable and predictable for KAP with a so-called FUZZY TAIL in most conditions. See below.

All Flow Forms are very compact for their size, and come with a nylon bag. Kite color combinations vary — the FF 8s and 16s are three colors with a white top; the FF30 pictured at left is one of several 6-color combinations. No color choice, but tell me what you don't like and I'll try to oblige.

The FLOW FORM 8 [2.5 ft (76 cm) by 3.5 ft (106 cm)] is a light lifter, appropriate for an autoKAP rig of less than 1 lb (450 g), and suitable for winds of 9 - 25 mph. (Beaufort 3 - 5).

FLOW FORM 8: U$55.00
includes line and hoop winder!

SCROLL DOWN FOR TAILS, LINE, & WINDERS

FUZZY TAIL

For smoothest, most stable flight, Flow Forms benefit from a tail. While anything that provides a bit of drag is better than nothing, my favorite is the FUZZY TAIL, a simple fringe of nylon 8" wide by 15 ft long [20cm by 5m]. It is attached to the bottom of the kite with a Y bridle.

One 15 ft segment is enough for the FF8 or FF16;
two in a row would be better for the FF30. Available in red, blue, yellow, or white; we'll match your kite.

FUZZY TAIL, 15 ft: U$10.00

WHICH LINE FOR WHICH KITE?

100 lb line is suitable for the Flow Form 8 and the Fled in all winds. In really light air, you might use it for a rokkaku or Dopero, but be careful.

200 lb line is right for the Flow Form 16 and Dopero, or for the Flow Form 30 in light winds.

300 lb line would be advised for the Flow Form 30 in winds above 12 mph.

BLACK BRAIDED DACRON® LINE
is a good choice for KAP, because it combines good strength and low stretch with ease of handling, reasonable cost, and low visibility.

All line prices are plus Postage/Handling.

[Sorry — I don't have ANY black braid in 1000-ft lengths.]

100 lb test/500 ft. U$12.00

200 lb test/500 ft. U$20.00

300 lb test/500 ft. U$27.00

WHITE BRAIDED DACRON LINE

200 lb test/1000 ft. U$35.00

The 8-inch Halo Hoop is appropriate for 100 to 200 lb line.

Use the 9-inch Halo for 300 lb line, and for 1000 ft of 200 lb line.

For longer lengths of heavy line, the Windbreaker winder is recommended, available from most kite dealers, or the CordReel, from your hardware store.

Line not included.

The PHANTOM STAR LONGHORN BOBBIN is laser-cut from 7-ply birch plywood, and has a couple of advantages over the hoop: you can figure-8 your line, averting twists; you can belay your line by taking a hitch over one horn of the bobbin; and you can pack it in your suitcase more easily than a hoop. It does not launch and wind as fast, however. Capacity is adequate for 500 ft of 250 lb line.

PHANTOM STAR LONGHORN: U$16.00

Questions, comments, requests, suggestions? EMAIL ME

or drop me a note at POST OFFICE BOX 34, PACIFIC GROVE, CA 93950-0034.

Prices and specifications of anything on this page are subject to change without notice.