matzelkite

Hi Clint, The best consistent winds are found near the coast, I fly at Cleveland, Orminston and Clontarf, sorry you have to travel to get good winds. Your kite you fly will determine the level in which you fly, so if would like to fly stunt kites and learn how to do the tricks talk to Matt or the { grumpy bugger } Jason at Briskites. This is not an add for them but I have only met him wonce [ Matt ] but he knows his stuff. I'm hoping to fly Sat or sunday this weekend at Clontarf after 12 pm to 4 pm. Cheers Keith

Two years ago I made bridle which could be adjusted on every axis, this in time has taught me how to control rotation speed of the kite, the amount of wind the sail takes and the balance required for tricking. Tricking is a bit like a rubber band If you adjust one thing it affects the other so this is the fun stuff, you adjust your bridle for about two hrs to find that perfect spot that you feel comfortable with on all three axis. My latest projects are to modify JJF's to excalibur standard from cheaper std sails and the results are that the kite frame is stiffer, it fly's faster and at the moment I've set the rotational speed to fast - awesome fun If you can keep up with the speed. And BTW how is the Invictus project going??? Cheers

Hi Mat I really like the Nirvana, great kite holds fade really well, stable backspins but larger inputs and amazing precision. Sounds like you need to make a UL version and a SUL version Invictus for all the wind ranges. The invictus looks a bit like the new Skyburner Solus or vice vera, just in aspect ratio and sail configuration, keep the updates coming. Cheers

So the question you have to ask is which kites fly's the best for tricks? Invictus, Vortex, Nirvana, Gemini or the Soul Which kite is your favourite? Cheers

Hi Mick, The Queensland Kite Society does fly them but not often, most kite clubs in Brisbane only fly single line kites. There are just a few who fly stunt kites seriously and I am one of them, I fly every week. Cheers.

Hey Lawson, Email Jason the grumpy bugger and buy a flying wings kite because they are great value for money. The SF 2.3 is fast but responsive, 2.5 slow but predictable and the Soul - one of the best full size sport kites you can fly. Zephyr I would consider a good kite but because of it's design there is a flat spot in rotational tricks compared to other kites, don't get me wrong I do like the kite [ I have two ] but it is limited compared to other kites for the same inputs to do tricks. Hypnotist - I have never flown but I have two quantum pros and again they have there limitations. The limitations are more about how much effort you have to make to get the kite to trick, as the wing size increases it becomes more difficult to trick in higher winds as the wind drops you need the mass in the sail to keep the kite aloft - you can't win in every situation. If you are a beginner in stunt kites buy a standard kite, If you have flown for a while buy the UL but understand that you have to adjust your flying style to get the kite to trick easy. I bought a Soul Ul from Jason and it took me a good six months to really work it out. Just talk to bugger who's always grumpy, he is only grumpy because there is no wind in Brisbane at the moment. LOL.

Cheers, 321 Keith out

Hi Debbie, Happy to meet up and have a fly anytime. Cheers Keith

Thank you Cheers Keith

Hi, The question is this is there anyone out there flying stunt kites on a regular basis in Brisbane, Australia ??????? Cheers

Hi Mat I only have a few: Extreme UL, JJF Matzel Edition, JJF std modified to Excalibur standard of frame, Genesis Std, Genesis UL, Eternity - limited edition, Eternity std By far the JJF's are in my opinion the best of the bunch and here are the reasons why 1. small inputs 2. tracks with great precision 3. fades and back spins with ease 4. not expensive compared to others Currently looking at a Cosmic TC XS or Cosmic TC since Kitehouse have won the European cups for a few years now. By the way your kite bag looks great. Cheers

Hi Matt, Noticed only enough pockets for only about eleven kites, I noticed all the kite bags, no gold one's yet, IE Quantum Pro or Sano's, I think you need another Soul to finish the set. LOL. I flew my vented soul the other day and a dog attacked it and well to It's buggered , the owner of the dog didn't care at all, Not happy!! Looks like you need a few German kites in your collection, just food for thought. Cheers

My Christmas present- Aerostar Sano SSZ-

Quote KAOS: I'd go so far as to say "don't fly the SOUL in float mode...period!" Float mode requires a certain mental agility to fly the kite. Don't even attempt float mode in higher winds!!!!!!!!! Fly in float mode when the winds drop off and you have adjusted your bridal to take maximum wind. The rising turtle is achievable with this kite, it takes lots of practice - the best I've ever done is about a 20m rise but to maintain the rise was a bit of an effort. Cheers from Brisbane Australia, we call Kevin [ KOAS ] the Mexican, LOL, because he is so far south of the border and the wind blows strong from winter to spring in beautiful Adelaide- hope New Brunswick treating you well. Cheers

Just a small tip, don't fly the SOUL in float mode until you get the standard version sorted out. So use the longer standoffs as a set of 4 and adjust the bridal depending upon the winds. On the bridal - all the way out is for higher winds - all the way in is for low winds. Sorry, your about to step up to real kite flying- I hope you enjoy. LOL

I have custom kites, boutique kites and standard production kites but as a advanced flyer the Flying wings SOUL is a extreme trick machine if you can get your head around it. I look at kites this way, I could spend $200 on a good kite, I could spend $300 on a great kite and so I have learn't this about kites, buy kites that are beyond your capabilities and you will grow with them. I'm now buying kites in excess of $500 and well they are amazing but you have learn how to fly first. Tricks take time-practice, go to this site: http://sportkiteflyer.spaces.live.com/d ... =708095881

The ' BLACK PEARL ' - another kite for level one, It's been tested now since June, global sales start at the end of September I've been told. Starting from 199 Euros and as usual made in Poland and framed in Germany. Here is the link you might need to translate: http://www.flyingblog.de/?p=1370

I recommend a Flying Wings Soul STD, great trick kite, good value for money and performs just as good as more expensive kites. Cheers

I can bring a standard JJF and JJF Matzel Edition if you like to have a go, sorry I'd don't have the Excalibur yet but I will get one. Cheers

From my experience- If your lines are worn and friction is increasing just buy new lines. Don't waste your time with a short term solution. Talk to the professionals ie Kevin [ Kite Shop -adelaide ]or Jason [ Briskites ] cheers

Hi Mat, I use all three methods to fade, I use the walk forward nose dive technique usually for flic flacs, you can usually get the kite level faster and with practice extremely fast and go as low as you want but get ready to run back to fly the fade back up. I use the axel to fade technique to set up for rotating back spins as you have initiated with one hand and the timing has begun to keep the kite spinning. I now use turtles and lazy susans as a set up to transitional fades to other tricks however a lot harder to get into your head. As I said earlier practice flying the fade up - down , left-right and use it as a transitional trick. I find I have good days and bad days, If you want some fun put the smaller standoffs [ float mode ] on the soul and start practicing rising turtles- it's not easy. Cheers

If you would like to complete your set of DVD's, I can send you the Prism DVD- free of charge, I have extras. Cheers

Hi Mat, The easiest way to fade is to understand that in the centre of the window fades are stable, If you fly either side the kite will be pushed back to centre by the wind so you have to understand to tether your fade either way. Start with the side of the wind window and commence a slow to medium walk forward [ reason- the least air pressure in the window ], you will immediately feel the pressure come off the sail. The easiest way to execute a fade is to turn kite straight toward the ground [ Whilst still walking forward ] , throw both arms forward, kite will flare away, execute a deliberate pull of both lines back and start to walk back and feel the air under the sail. You can play by tethering your lines and make it fly straight, left or right and up and down by either walking forward or back depending upon the wind. In the right wind conditions fades, flic flacks rotating backspin and many more tricks begin with a fade. The secret is just practice and well practice some more or get a copy of Tim Bensons Trick or Treat DVD, then you have practice even more. LOL. Here is a link I think is worth a look, http://sportkiteflyer.spaces.live.com/ he will show you the other two ways to do fades easy and many more tricks. The soul is an awesome kite because it executes the tricks with ease and it doesn't cost the earth, I am looking next year to get a custom set made Ul, STD and Vented. Have fun, just spend a bit more time and understand the kite. Cheers

I own 4 souls - Ul, 2std and one vented all versions of the Souls and all work well in there correct wind range. The vented is restricted to a point because wonce the wind gets up to high you have to basically run to achieve the tricks. I have no problem holding fades with the souls but only for about 1 minute and it becomes to unstable, other kites like the JJF and Sano you can hold for 5 minutes. So far I have found no need to adjust the bridle.

You can buy blue line for about 70 cents for 10 feet or a line set for about 8 dollars [ US ], I have been testing many line sets for about twelve months and for the money and quality of build the blue line is great. Don,t expect it to last as long as the euro lines but value for money over twelve months the blue line wins in my opinion. Midwest is a value for money if you buy in bulk, allowing for postage, but sorry Australia kite suppliers don't supply goods at a reasonable price except for Briskites- not bias to Briskites and I buy kites from all over the world and at the higher end it's all about choice. Cheers Keith