"Revolution"launch help

[innie]

Oh my Goodness, and i thought i was the only one!

A couple of year ago on these forums i managed to purchase a REV Blast, thinking i could get into the air on a 5knot day, after flying 2 liners for ever.

How Wrong i was

Then i went and bought a Chinese REV Ripoff. It was a pretty kite, yellow and a lot smaller than the blast. Smaller don't mean easier in this case.

I struggled and struggled, at first with Line Management, but the REV Training videos got me through line management.

I gave up, and when the 2012 Semaphore kite festival came along, i took the opportunity get down there with my chinese Ripoff and see if i could get some tips.

The guys were fantastic, I met Bearish who made it all the more frustrating by flying his REV's like a Champ. I want those Skills!!. I got a Belt strapped around my arms because the first thing they noticed was my elaborate arm movements. I still Struggled.

In the hands of the Pro's, The chinese ripoff tookoff without a hitch a flew almost like a real REV, but whomever was flying it said it was snappy and wasn't as graceful in it's turns as a REV. Point here was, it was flyable!! so i hadn't completely wasted a few bucks.

Anyhow, it is true, in that i have had no luck with Quad's, and keep going back to dual liners because i'm comfortable with what i am doing there.

I haven't touched the Chinese Ripoff or my blast in over a year, and it's damn frustrating. (HAving kids makes it hard to invest more time aswell).

SO i concour with Ol Nick. Ok, we bought a cheaper version of a Rev, and it ain't working for us. My REV Blast didn't work either so now i will be looking at a training REV.

Whats the recommendations of REV Model from you guys for a GUARANTEED Launch and hover after a couple of go's? This summer i am going to bury my frustrations and get my sense of achievement after 2 years.

But hey, I luv this Thread, it sums up my feelings EXACTLY about learning to QUAD Fly. It can't be that hard can it, really? I've just made the wrong choice in kites.

I think i challenged a REV flyer to come down to Largs Bay for some one on one training for a carton of beer but got no takers.

Dang it, the urge is back to try again!!!

[KaoS]

We still fly at Moana each weekend if you want to join us. North Haven is a bit far for me... I'm another 20 Km south of Moana.

Pity you didn't mention it before the Adelaide festival this year, we came up for the weekend and had a good time flying the quad liners.

[nigel]

Good to hear your getting there La_Hof!!!!

Yes, I know it took me quite a few hours to even get it to fly in any form of correctness.

All I can say is persistance does pay off.

Keep at it, all you Rev fliers!!! You will get there!!

innie you missed us all at the Adelaide kite fest!!

3 days of buzzing the crowd with Revs, and there would have been plenty of time to give lessons.

Next time?

Also the smaller Revs tend to be faster and more responsive than the larger ones.

So if your looking for an easier Rev to fly, a bigger one might be better over a smaller one.

I know the no time, I've got a 16 month old who seems to steal every last minute I get.

Only a few years to wait till I can teach him to fly a kite.

[innie]

Hello again,

Yeah i'm bummed i didn't get to the kite festival this year. I need to get something new and descent in my kit before 2015.

Come Spring, and calm weather, i might pull out the blast and have another go. Anything 5Knots or less would be manageable for a first flight ?

It was Steve Hobarts Rev Blast i think. It was a bargain.Steve has lots of kites of all varieties. His site lists some pretty cool kites. https://sites.google.com/site/stevehobart/ but you know that already.:-)

[innie]

So i spend 2 hours down at North Haven beach on Queens Birthday long weekend practicing with the "Blast". Wind was probably only 2-3 knots, so i had a lot of backstepping to do but.........

I had lots of Launches, and about 4 extended flight patterns. Only problem i find is once i'm in the air, my thought processes can't keep up with what action is turning left and what is turning right. It all happens a bit too quickly.

What i found was a launch up to the top of the wind window and straight back down, then back up, down was a good start as i am now understanding the Braking and acceleration system and "Tandem" vertical wrist action.

Problem is as soon as i get into a spin or "left / right" drift i panic and a few spins later i'm back on the beach with crossed lines.......damnit.

I also found i am too heavy on the controls, hence excessive spin and left /right uncontrolled flight. I think it has more to do with trying to "Correct" in a hurry and inadvertently making things worse.

A couple of times there i had small gusts of probably 5knots plus, and man, did the Blast pull, and pull hard! I had some adrenalin rush as i dug the heels into the sand!. I can't wait to get some control of this beast. I don't mind slower/graceful moves and more power. IT suits my flying style.

[KaoS]

So i spend 2 hours down at North Haven beach on Queens Birthday long weekend practicing with the "Blast". ...

... Only problem i find is once i'm in the air, my thought processes can't keep up with what action is turning left and what is turning right. It all happens a bit too quickly.

The Blast is not an easy Rev to fly. Even experienced flyers find it transitions from no power to full power too quickly to fly it in a totally controlled manner. You would be much better off building up skills and confidence on a Rev 1.5. These are much more forgiving of imprecise hand movements and "oooh, what's happening next..." moments.

Kevin

Willunga, S.A.

[innie]

Thanks Kevin,

I figured in no breeze it might be manageable, and it was to some extent. There is no way i'd put the Blast in the air with breeze's above 5 knots with my inexperience. I will be taking your advice onboard.

I should also say the Blast was still more stable than the Chinese Ripoff.

I am going to have to put in my Birthday Pressie request to the Wife and Kids for a Rev1.5. I hope she approves, and i'm sure there will be Disclaimers/small print on the contract.

[spotter]

I was wondering where that Rev Blast got to. That was a great kite to fly and I had a lot of fun with it. It was one of the first kites I used in a buggy.

That kite will pull like a truck and they really do have an amazing turn of power. I remember some moments when you get the kite in the wind and you are being draged across the sand, slight adjustment on the handles and at a full stop with no power at all. Controlling that power is really hard to do, getting a good balance and maintaining it is a lot of fine motor skills.

If you are going to be getting a new kite, I would suggest the SLE. They are better quallity and fly better than the EXP and not as expensive as a B-Series.

[innie]

Yes, Wife Approved back in October and i am the proud owner/flyer of a Rev SLE (Purple/Silver). I have finally kept the Rev in the Air for more than a minute! Completed Skill 1 (Launch and land Vertically), Basic handling of Skill 2 (Zig Zag across window).

Done some spins but even though it looked like i knew what i was doing, it wasn't very controlled coming out of the spins.

So know it's practice practice to get a smooth graceful flight happening and the hovers licked. Then it's reverse flight.

From what i could tell being a Newbie, Reverse flight needs a lot of small adjustments on the bottom lines to keep the kite from flipping or rotating.

Finally, i have some idea how sensitive the controls are compared to Dual line kiting. I think that's what really makes it hard for new Rev Fliers who are used to Dual Liners. Just use small wrist actions on the handles. This advise is given all the time from experienced fliers but now i understand the importance of that advice.

I'd like to get to the Semaphore Kite Festival this year if it's on. That'd be late march or Early April right?

[KaoS]

I'd like to get to the Semaphore Kite Festival this year if it's on. That'd be late march or Early April right?

Easter weekend. Hope to meet up!

[innie]

Hot dang It Flew the Rev today blowing 10 knots increasing to 20knots. Full control in flight, hover in mid wind window then accelerate/decelerate.

Did something of a dive stop, a bit messy need lighter winds to practice. (was picking up a lot of speed as wind got past 15knots)

Can't spin out of a dead stop hover in wind window without full acceleration. Clearly thats advanced physics to control kite power and keep the power controlled whilst spinning.

But yeah, after 3 years and 3 different kites i now have the itch and confidence is rising!

[KaoS]

Top job!