Date: Wed, 2 Mar 1994 08:58:39 -1000 From: wjv@dcs.hull.ac.uk (W J Viant) Message-Id: Organization: Department of Computer Science, The University of Hull, UK Subject: Advice on Radicals Sorry if you've seen this before, but I appear to be having problems with News server. Can any body on the net give me any advice. I'm would like to purchase a radical kite, with the following characteristics: Fast forward speed and turn rate. Capable of tricks. Tight turning circle. Good wind range. Capable of reasonably precise flight in a gusty wind. Good edge of the wind envelope. The pull and the noise are not of any particular importance. I'm trying to decide between: Little Sister - Julian Wolfepatrick. Pro Spectrum - Rare Air Co. The North Shore Radical The Competition Edge How do these kites compare ? Is there a kite not listed here that better matches my requirements ? Thanks, Warren Viant. /////////////////////////////////////////////////// // Computer Assisted Orthopaedic Systems (CAOS), // // Computer Science Dept. // // The University of Hull. // // E-mail - W.J.Viant@dcs.hull.ac.uk // /////////////////////////////////////////////////// = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 3 Mar 1994 13:39:11 -1000 From: dickbell@netcom.com (Dick Bell) Message-Id: Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest) Subject: Re: Advice on Radicals W J Viant (wjv@dcs.hull.ac.uk) wrote: : Can any body on the net give me any advice. I'm would like to : purchase a radical kite, with the following characteristics: : Fast forward speed and turn rate. : Capable of tricks. : Tight turning circle. : Good wind range. : Capable of reasonably precise flight in a gusty wind. : Good edge of the wind envelope. : The pull and the noise are not of any particular importance. : I'm trying to decide between: : Little Sister - Julian Wolfepatrick. : Pro Spectrum - Rare Air Co. : The North Shore Radical : The Competition Edge : How do these kites compare ? : Is there a kite not listed here that better matches my requirements ? Warren, IMHO - the little sister does not belong in this group of kites It is a more refined kite. But if you would like to add to the little sis a Tim Benson Phantom, A jaborwaki (sp?) and maybe a Jordon Air Pro then you have a list more matched. For precise flying I'd have to go with the Phantom, for radical flying I'd have to say the Jordan Air. The other two fall inbetween. I'm not saying anything bad about the other two and would love to have them also. Later. -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dick Bell dickbell@netcom.com Dallas, Texas = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Thu, 3 Mar 1994 21:36:09 -1000 From: sasaki@das.harvard.edu (Marty Sasaki) Message-Id: Organization: Harvard OIT Network Services Subject: Re: Advice on Radicals In article wjv@dcs.hull.ac.uk (W J Viant) writes: >Sorry if you've seen this before, but I appear to be having problems with >News server. Look at the FAQ on Stunt Kites, which was posted a little while ago. It has many kite reviews. >Can any body on the net give me any advice. I'm would like to >purchase a radical kite, with the following characteristics: > > Fast forward speed and turn rate. > Capable of tricks. > Tight turning circle. > Good wind range. > Capable of reasonably precise flight in a gusty wind. > Good edge of the wind envelope. > The pull and the noise are not of any particular importance. As Bert Tanaka has said, it is difficult to find a kite which can do everything. I find that I have many kites, or the same kite with a variety of frames in it, to fly in light wind, and in bumpy high wind, or for precision, or for ballet, etc... There is also the problem of defining what a RADICAL kite is. You can also change the personality of a kite by changing the bridle. As an example, you can shorten the outhaul bridles on both the North Shore Radical, and the Competition Edge and get them to spin like crazy with lots of oversteer. Actually, you can do this with many kites. Another example is the Griffin. With stock bridles, it is stable with little, if any, oversteer. Shorten the outhauls and it gets a new personality. It doesn't do the tricks the way an XTC, California Wasp, or Katana ;-) can, but it becomes a lot more "interesting" to fly. >I'm trying to decide between: > > Little Sister - Julian Wolfepatrick. I like this kite a lot. Here in the U.S.A. it is very expensive. Even with the high cost, quite a few of these are sold and flown, especially on the East Coast. I hear that they are very popular in Japan as well. Perhaps in Europe the price is more reasonable. Anyway, this kite stalls easily, turtles and recovers well, does the tip stabs and such. I haven't tried to axel it, didn't know how to do this last time I flew the Little Sister. It has more oversteer than I can control to use it as a precision kite. I would use this for general fun flying and for ballet. > Pro Spectrum - Rare Air Co. I've only had a bit of air time with this, so can't say one way or the other. > The North Shore Radical > The Competition Edge Both are nice kites. I prefer the Edge over the North Shore. It stalls better and is more fun for me. They require a different flying technique than the Little Sister, so I would recommend flying one before buying, if that is at all possible. >How do these kites compare ? >Is there a kite not listed here that better matches my requirements ? I'll show my bias and recommend a Katana or a California Katana, but alas, they aren't really available in Europe. Other kites, also probably USA based include the Buena Vista XTC, the Prism Eclipse, and the Ion (a great bargain!), Dean Jordan's Pro, and Starwatcher II, and Skyburner's Pro Dancer. I'm sure that there are a bunch of European kites that will come close to filling your requirements. The best way to decide is probably to go to your nearest shop and ask around. Visit the local flying field and see what everyone else is flying... -- Marty Sasaki Harvard University Sasaki Kite Fabrications sasaki@noc.harvard.edu Network Services Division 26 Green Street 617-496-4320 10 Ware Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 Cambridge, MA 02138-4002 phone/fax: 617-522-8546 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =