Invictus Std

[ozzymat]

A photo of my newly built Invictus standard by Kite D.E.sign.

It's a full size sports kite with a wing span of 250cm.

The sail is 1/2 oz Icarex with Darcon LE and Mylar reinforcements.

The frame is:

upper leading edge: Skyshark P200

lower leading edge: Skyshark P300

Spine: Skyshark P300

upper spreader: Structil 6mm

lower spreaders: Skyshark Black Diamond NITRO

Stand-off (4): 3mm carbon

and the Bridle is a standard European turbo without activator legs.

The tail weight system is unusual in that the tail fortification is used to create a pocket which a flat weight is slid into, i guess you could use the standard tube weight if you wanted to.

The designer Davide Equizze has offered the Invictus plans for free from his web site and I must say the plan are very good with plenty of detail, his web site also has close up photos of finished kites so it's not a problem sorting out how Davide intended the kite to be build. http://stuntkitepalermo.blogspot.com/20 ... -free.html

I cant tell you how it flies because the wind was a bit low today even the ULs struggled at times but what little time I had in the air it felt nice I'll just have to wait for a 10knot or so wind before I can see what it's really like.

Cheers

Mat

Port Augusta

[Coogee]

Hi Mat

way cool! The kite looks good. I have my sail sewn together and have all the bibs n bobs cut out. Looking forward to hearing how it flies. Nice work.

Mike

[riotflyer]

That looks fantastic Mat, very professional indeed!! I see you have done this before, do you need any special tools to build them as I might like to have a go at this myself.

Regards Tony.

[ozzymat]

Hi Tony

I've only built 4 kites so I am no expert but I don't use any special tools.

Just scissors, sharp hobby type knifes, 300mm steel ruler, 1 Metre or so straight edge and a thread picker and If you want to cut Darcon or standard ripstop nylon with out fraying then a cheap 50 watt soldering iron with a chisel point is good to have.

I have an old sewing machine that does 3 step zigzag but you could sew with just a zigzag stitch I guess.

See this thread for explanation of 3 step zigzag viewtopic.php?f=28&t=14930

The fabric, rods and part can be purchased from a kite suppliers, I like to purchase from Kite magic or Kaos Kites but you might have one closer.

Apart for that you need a kite plan which there are lots free from the Internet and some spare time about 40 hours to get the first one done.

For instructions on building a sport kite I recommend Toms kite site http://www.tweelijners.com/tom/tomskite ... /Home.html

his step by step instructions from the sail to the bridle is fantastic. In his site he builds a Le Quartz but you can use the principles to build most sport kites. just keep the first one simple.

Cheers

Mat

[matzelkite]

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

[ozzymat]

We've had less that 5 knot winds for a week now so I've not had a decent session yet with the Invictus but it will have to be pretty special to knock the Nirvana SE off the top rung.

However the Invictus in Davide Equizze hands seems to be a very capable kite and since Davide is a R-Sky fan I am hoping the Invictus has R-Sky traits, will let you know when the wind picks up how it compares.

Cheers

Mat

[matzelkite]

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

[riotflyer]

Thanks for the help mat I'll post the pictures at some point in the future I have a few other things on my list first but im definately gonna try this

[ozzymat]

The wind picked up a bit today maybe about 10knots so the Invictus and I went down to the beach.

Starting with the recommended 14 grams of tail weight I was struggling with the kite, rotation tricks (540, slot machine, yoyo) easy as but tricks like the turtle, back spin or lazy susan and the kite would just lock in on its back and wouldn't come out and If you allowed the start of a fade to get near horizontal the nose would point skywards and stay there.

The bridle I made for the kite has no adjustment so the only option I thought at the time was to remove the tail weight which I did and this made the kite much more to my liking, fades, flic flacs, jacobs ladders no problems (we maybe a bit messy) and the rotation tricks still there.

Thinking about it afterwards I could have shorten the upper outhaul to bring the nose closer which might have reduced some of the problems I was having,

On Davide web site I see that his kites have adjustments on the upper outhaul and inhauls and from a translation of his page

"To maintain speed and noise in flight is a simple adjustment to meolo attached to an elastic attached to the center t. The bridle is a turbo with adjustable trip of 6 cm on all branches and that can lead to 3 points by simply moving a node."

I think thats suggesting having 6 cm adjustment on the upper outhaul and inhaul so I'll do that and give it a run.

So where does that leave me with the Invictus? The kite very responsive and has plenty of potential, I am going to stick with it maybe I've got a bit lazy with the Nirvana SE.

Cheers

Mat

[Coogee]

Hi Mat

the adjustment to the meolo is the leech line on the sail. Loose leech and and the kite will slow down and make noise. This acts as a speed control, useful for higher winds or when flying in comps for ballet or pairs. I have been making the top leg of the bridle adjustable on my last kites. The Organic had such terrible oversteer that it was really hard but shortening the top leg made it better, fun actually. Turbo adjustment will also change the kite. If you use a prussic knot to tie on the pig tail for the turbo you can move it around. In general moving it towards the three point bridle also pulls the nose of the kite up and makes the have less oversteer like the adjustable bridle leg. The kite is also a bit quicker to respond when set up as a 3 point bridle. It is easy to get confused with lots of adjustment take note of what you like so you can get back to that spot. The other thing I like to do is make a couple of extra ballest. Say 5 grms more and 5 grms less. Try these to get a feel for what you like.

Mike

PS If the invictus is giving you the shits go fly that SE. Have fun!

[matzelkite]

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

[ozzymat]

Starting to enjoy the Invictus.

Tried it the other day with an adjustable upper out haul bridle and some 4 and 8 gram tail weights and was happy with my flying but one thing I must do is fit the yoyo stoppers.

I've avoided putting any more adjustment on the kite as by nature I am a tinkerer and would spend to much time playing with the settings and not flying, having said that I did move the pig tail prussic knot around a bit but didn't seem to affect much so I put it back to original. Maybe I didn't move it enough?

Heres some video taken with a camera attached to my hat the wind was about 4 to 7 knots gusting a bit more every now and then,

Theres some editing Its not all one take, thats a goal I've set myself to do a routine without fault but thats still a way of yet.

Cheers

Mat

[Coogee]

Groovy Mat

was the vid on a Go Pro camera? Your Invictus looks good in the air.

Mike

[ozzymat]

Thanks Mike.

The camera from Hobbyking it's called a "HD Wing Camera 1280x720p" the reviews say it's not as good as the "Go Pro camera".

Because the camera is only 30 gram you can put in on the kite without affecting things to much, I've put some of these videos on youtube. just search for ozzymat61.

Cheers

Mat

[Coogee]

Hi Mat

I like the vid of the Vana, the dual view is good. Is it in time with the view from the kite? It looks to be but I may be mistaken. Good going on the video stuff.

Mike

[ozzymat]

Hi Mike

I tried to get the two views in sync but it might be a second out.

I am in the process of doing some more videos using different kites and framing material to see if the flex is different will let you know when I put them on youtube.

Cheers

Mat

[ozzymat]

An Invictus Ghost that I finished building the other week, I set out to use all white panels but at the last minute added the grey so I supposes it not a real ghost.

Frame:

Leading edge and spine are P100

Upper Spreader Structil 5mm

Lower Spreader 3Pt

Because it's framed so light it's a low wind flier, very nice to fly has a similar feel to the Standard.

Cheers

Mat

Port Augusta

[Coogee]

Hi Mat

it does look good, monochrome kites are OK but I like a contrast in the sail panels. It helps me to see what the kite is doing and I like a pattern rather than a not pattern. I have broken another LE on my Invictus so I have some thing wrong going on. I have some new spars on order and will spend some time on the frame when they arrive. Been busy working and sailing so kites are on the backburner at the moment. Have had the DS out mostly, poor old thing looks really beaten up but still flies well. Great kite! I am going to build a couple of fighter kites called the Bruzilian and use up my scraps of icarex, they may be a bit of fun, very small should fly in bugger all. Enjoy ghosting about.

all the best Mike

[ozzymat]

Thanks Mike

Let me know how the Bruzilian goes.

I traveled to Adelaide last weekend to fly with the Moana flyers (great bunch of blokes) the wind was light and Kevin had some of his fighter kites out, never seen em before and it's inspired me to build some but don't know which ones.

Cheers

Mat.

[Coogee]

Hi Mat,

the Bruzilian! It is tiny and weighs just about nothing. Now I need to get some line for it, in the meanwhile I will use some cheapo light line. Still unflown as have not had a chance with work, sailing and some good stiff winds. Once I get it in the air I can elaborate. How is the Ghost?

Mike

[Coogee]

Weelll the Bruzilian is very interesting. Flew in about 8 knts and it was fast and I mean FAST. It would fly in a straight line at any angle and spun in less than the blink of an eye. Tricky little bugger, but fun! Spent about an hour and probably had it in the air for maybe 5mins so a long way to go as far as the pilot goes. I think it will be doable in lighter airs but learning when the thing is zinging around is hard, it is really quick. I need some better line as the el cheapo line was like a rubber band when I was, in those brief moment, actually in control. I think the kite will be more fun if I can get a lot of line out to get some room. Short line and it all happens very quickly and it is another walk to the kite. It will not self launch or maybe it will and I have not figured out how. Anyway I came back from the beach with a big smile on my face. In a word, fun!

Mike