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Randyg's Sportkite BlogSeptember 13 So, it's been a whileSince I've updated anything here. Not a lot of time for much flying and for sure no video work.
Thanks to Chris Taylor who directed us to some new music he found on YouTube, I've put up a revised Half Axel Revisited Tutorial with a song from Ronald Jenkees. It's some pretty neat stuff so go see what you think.
Thanks for all the visitors and all the nice comments. Don't hesitate to drop me a line to ask a question about the tutorials, R-Sky kites...whatever. I love to talk kites.
Good winds!
Randy March 22 R-Sky Team Next Up StandardOK so it's been a while since I've posted an entry here. I've put us some pictures here and there but not much else. I've enjoyed flying a number of kites in my bag and in particular the Nirvana FX, Krystal WW, Krystal FX LW, and the whole Next Up lineup. As always, the Nirvana's aren't too far away and never forgotten. I've got a new Diablis and I'm in the process of learning that kite. It is quite the departure for R-Sky so it's one that will take me a while to get to know.
Now to the chase. I've fooled around with some video of the Next Up's but never did anything with the standard. Thanks to poor winds, when I received these kites I didn't have much chance to fly the standard. But, on a cloudy day back in the late Fall, I did get out to play and shot a little video. I tried to shoot from the side to show a different angle of the tricks and the kite's flight characteristics. It's an angle I enjoy viewing as I can see how the kite responds to inputs. I was on a Slot Machine kick that day so what the heck, I left a bunch in. Not much more to say about the video other than to say I hope you like it. Maybe one day I can either enlist a pilot so I can play videographer (which I love to do) or a videographer so my videos won't be so chopped up and I can stop worrying about flying in frame.
Check out the "Sport Kite Videos" section on the left for the video. I've included .avi and .wmv versions for those "codec challenged". I've figured out how to compress 16:9 for the iPod so I'll have that up later.
Now, what do I think of the Team Next Up Standard? Well first, see from the video if you think I was having fun. Second, I will say that it's a different kite from the Nirvana. Maybe not quite as hard edged and by that I mean not quite as razor sharp with precision. The precision is very good with the Next Up but not quite on par with the often imitated, never matched Nirvana. I would say the Next Up requires a pilot with greater skill to extract Nirvana-like precision but it’s definitely there. What the Next Up excels at is smooth flowing tricks because it transitions so well. Maybe it's that the Next Up is more graceful as it executes tricks or it allows the pilot to be more graceful in his/her execution vs. the Nirvana. Certainly, it loves the deep turtle. In fact, it really requires it for tricks such and Lazy Susans and Jacobs Ladders. Notice the video and you will see me allowing the kite to settle into the turtle. Just a little hesitation and the kite rewards you very well. It’s a characteristic that I love to play with. See the Rolling Susan to Tip Stab beginning at 2:30? That’s what I’m talking about!
After spending a few days tuning a friend’s Nirvana and comparing it my several of mine, I got the Next Up back out and was very impressed by the presence it exhibits in the sky and the feel on the end of the lines. It’s a very connected feeling and one that definitely generates some pull. I like to call it being well connected to the kite and receiving very good feedback. I much prefer larger kites and at ~2.4 meters, the Next Up doesn’t disappoint.
I’m not the best at describing what I feel (I’m much too left-brained) but maybe it’s that the Next Up really flies “smaller” than its wingspan. Certainly those Slot Machines, Multislots and Slot Cascades are cake. In my hands, it Cometes easier than the Nirvana but I’m tall, have long arms and am quite clumsy. The flare to Fade take a tad more slack which bothered me at first but is only a characteristic and easily adjusted to.
Well that’s it. I’ll leave it at that. Again, Mr. and Ms. Tessa Gambassi have a winner as far as I am concerned. They’ve had a habit of designing and producing winners and I’ve been hooked on R-Sky far longer than I’ve been associated with them.
I hope you enjoy the video!
All the best to you and I wish you smooth winds.
Randy August 04 Yo Fade RevisitedHello and thanks for checking in!
After much work and frustration, not to mention problems with the DV cam, I've now completed the revised version of the Yo-Fade tutorial. I had put together a tutorial on this trick a couple of years ago but frankly it was pretty weak. It's one thing to get the kite to go to the Yo-Fade but quite another to tend the Yo-Fade and perform a proper, controlled exit. With this new, revised version we explore the trick in it's entirety.
On a good day, this is still a very difficult trick for me. I count it as one of the more difficult tricks I've ever attempted. Part of that is due to the reverse rotation required and the very critical timing of inputs to make it go. I will also say that some kites perform this trick easier than others. Some are more forgiving with the required inputs than others as well. Aside from the kites in the video, the Krystal FX is very adept with the Yo-Fade. Those clips didn't make the final cut. ;-)
OK, enough from me. On to the video. See the section to the right entitled "Newest Tutorials Added" for the latest. I hope you enjoy and have great success learning the Yo-Fade!
Randy July 05 Taz Machine Tutorial AddedSo a little time has passed and I'm ready with a new tutorial. Nothing too fancy but a trick that I had no idea how to do a couple of months ago. Never really tried it as it was pretty much a mystery to me. But, if you've ever seen Mr. Debray and his "Nirvana AS" video, you know that it's full of Taz Machines and after reviewing it a few times, I was really motivated to work on the trick. So I guess this tutorial is the result of that work, or should I say continued work, to learn and really groove this great trick.
I hope you enjoy the video and are motivated to learn the Taz Machine!!
Good winds,
Randy March 19 Tricks Party South 2007 Prize ListI was so busy prior to the event that I failed to post a list of the prizes offered to the winners and a list of the sponsors who offered them at our Tricks Party South event. So, here goes:
First Place Individual: R-Sky Kite Bag provided by R-Sky Kite Solutions and The Kite Shoppe and an Avia frameset provided by Avia Sport Composites.
Second Place Individual: Avia frameset provided by Avia Sport Composites.
Third Place Individual: Avia frameset provided by Avia Sport Composites.
First Place Pairs: A tool box of goodies to each flyer including R-Sky hats, R-Sky and HQ Phoenix T-Shirts, line winders, straps, etc.
Highest Placing First Time Tricks Party Competitor: New Tech Kites - French Connection
So the organizers wish to thank Roger and Sylvie Tessa-Gambassi of R-Sky, Theresa at The Kite Shoppe, Robert and Kurt with Avia Sport Composites, Chris Schultz with New Tech Kites and Steve Hall with Gone With The Wind Kites for you generous support for our event.
Additionally, a special thanks to Steve Hall for the use of his forum to allow us to run the two kite raffles that paid for most of our event. Thanks Steve!! :-)
Stay tuned for Tricks Party South 2008!!
Randy
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