Blade IV 8.5m - Why won't it stop BACKSTALLING?!?!?!

[Cyph3rs]

Hey all, I recently bought an 8.5m Blade IV off this forum and while it's been okay, it only really flies if the AoA adjuster is set to the weakest/least lifty setting. If I move it up even to the default position, it backstalls like crazy. It's not the brakes, they're slack. But it's weird if you try to launch it'll go up abit but then there will be 3 creases going along the kite from tip to tip and it just won't fly. But the main lines will still be very taught. There's no tangles, the bridles aren't caught on anything, the crossover bridle is set on the least setting.

 

If you REALLY yank the kite up, it'll get going forward and will be fine until it stops moving and will then backstall again.

 

Can someone help me out before I chuck the kite in the bin?

 

P.S The wind speeds this was happening in was 10mph-14mph pretty constant.

[KiteBoyStu]

Hi Cyph3rs,

 

Sorry you're having trouble with the blade; but also surprised as your last message said you'd finally sorted it:

FINALLY realised the blooming bridles had gone through the inside of the crossover bridle! It looked absolutely 100% fine in the air so I wouldn't have guessed... I must've have flipped the kite inside out and then around while I was unrolling it or something? Never had a kite with a crossover bridle before so would have never thought to check! Regardless I got it sorted and the wind was down to 4mph-6mph according to my windmeter. If worked it'd stay in the air and managed to pull me along a bit, really impressive actually considering you couldn't even feel the wind. Can't wait til the next session with a bit more wind

 

I remember you saying you dropped the handles when first unpacking it and got into a bit of a tangle.

 

Without seeing the kite I can't offer any advice other than this; disconnect all lines, lay them out, check the bridles for twists and overlaps and then re-connect them and try again.

 

I'm sure it's purely something to do with the tangle you got into. Please believe me when I say it was flying absolutely perfectly when I packed it away, on all three of the AAA settings.

 

Honestly, If I was closer I'd come and sort it out for you myself.

 

A second pair of eyes is always a good idea, if you know anyone else who could come along and help; that sort of thing is always easier and quicker with two.

 

I'm sure it'll come right. I know how frustrating it must be, as I've just had a similar experience with my latest purchase, but (after shortening the centre line) that's come right now.

 

Can anyone come to Dom's aid?

Edited October 1, 2013 by KiteBoyStu

[LostCause]

I had a blade 3 and it needed a little tension on brake lines to fly well.

worth trying

[KiteBoyStu]

I had a blade 3 and it needed a little tension on brake lines to fly well.

worth trying

 

It flew perfectly all the time I had it, but if you wanted faster/tighter turns, then yes, a little brake on one handle would send it round nice and quick, but otherwise they were backed off for full power and lift.

[Cyph3rs]

Hey Stu, I don't doubt for a second it worked perfectly when you had it, I'm not at all suggesting you've sent me a duff kite or anything like that, I apologise if it's came off that way!

 

I have taken the lines off completely and stared at the bridles and gone over everything pretty carefully, its entirely possible I've still missed something but I just can't for the life of me see what it is.

 

Like I said when it's on the weakest AoA setting, it flies fine (as it was set on the time I got it flying after the tangle) But even bumping the knot up by one causes it to be quite a pain to launch and it'll fly fine when its gone some forward momentum but god does it love to backstall, and when it starts to backstall theres not really any hope in recovering, it'll go all the way back to the floor no matter what and then its another fight to get it launch again.

 

I haven't even bothered to try it on the liftiest AoA setting! I don't even think it'd get off the ground to be honest.

 

As I said Stu I'm not blaming you at all, its definitely something I'm doing it's just frustrating because I can't figure out what in earth it is.

 

Unfortunately I don't have anyone nearby that could come help out (that I know of).

 

...This may be a stretch, but does any one have a photo of the Blade IV 8.5 bridle? Specifically around the line connections... Maybe that would help me out.

 

Thanks guys!

[parksy]

You have got the top lines of handles going to front connections on kite and bottom going to rear connections? You did put handles up right way when connecting? Pigtails on top and bottom of handles may be different lengths. It may be that the AOA connections are wrong, I seem to remember they were confusing to figure first time round

[mick]

OK I know this may sound real basic BUT its happened to me a few times. Bare with me while I explain. I buggy and use a short strop to my harness. When my kites are flying static, my handles are almost parallel to my lines because of the amount of brake line tension I have. It works for me. The problem occurs when someone else want to have a go with my kites and they fly with their handles at 90 deg to their lines. They can't even launch the things. When they do they constantly stall them thro too much brake line tension.

 

My point. We each set up our kites, lines and handles differently and it'll only be a matter of getting dialled in to Stu's ways.

[Chaos]

I had the same issue, you are not the only one . . . .

 

When I first flew my 8.5 (mk IV) the AAA was set to max., lift, when I launched the kite I could not get it further than 15-20 foot off the ground until it stalled, I was gutted, I also thought I had purchased a dud.

 

But I am happy to say it wasn’t faulty, it was just my flying style / abilities, I tried the kite on all of the settings and settled on the setting / knott that produce’s the low angle of attack. I found that when launching you should turn the kite as soon as it is fully inflated and in the air, then it flies fly’s really well, a bit slow to turn compared to my other kites, but is bigger and should be expected. I have started to alter its turn rate via the adjustment from the AAA to the opposing trailing edge. It’s a bit of trail and error at the moment

 

Since I have changed my styles of launching and have become used to its flying characteristics, this has been the kite I have flown the most locally in the low winds this year. I am very happy with its flying abilities.

 

There are so many bridal's (sleeved) on the same style FF kites (Blade, Blurr & Rage) that I would expect it to be very hard to stretch a particular part or section of the bridal.

 

I haven't tried to launch or fly on the other AAA settings yet as I am very happy with the kites performance so far, maybe I should, but why spoil a good thing when you have found it ?

 

Enjoy

 

Mike

[B-Roc1599968665]

What winds are you flying it in? If you are flying it in very low winds in order to become comfortable with it, there may simply not be enough wind to keep the kite up when not moving it aggressively.

 

Ditto on the brake / handle set up. I don't fly handles any more but I use to set them up to be flown with the handles more or less parallel to my body. My buggy friends who were hooked in all the time had theirs set up such that the handle bottoms always pointed away from them when hooked in. Whenever I gave them my kites they thought the brakes way to slack and whenever I flew theirs I chocked the kite on launch.

 

It may be too little wind, too much brake or simply a bridle twist but it sounds like it just needs sorting and I'd start with the handle / brake tension and give some thought to how low the wind is when you are flying it.

[BigE]

Cyphers, PM me I live next door to south Shropshire if you need a hand.

[gresh]

Next time you go for a fly in shrewsbury give me fair warning and ill come and have a look. My money is on a twisted bridle, or poss a stretched bridle.

[Cyph3rs]

Hey all, thanks for all the responses

 

I'm almost certain that the line tension isn't the issue, the brake lines can be completely slack and it'll still happen. And the windspeed was 10-14mph as I said (confirmed by a windmeter) and there wasn't any lulls in the wind so that can't be the issue either surely?

 

BigE/gresh, that's awesome of you guys, I'll keep an eye on the weather for a good day to go down (will 99% be on a weekend, and the coming weekend is looking abit weak on the forecast) But if one/both of you could pop down to help me out that'd be amazing, hopefully get a decent session afterwards as well. Will have to grab you a pint or something for helping out haha

[mick]

You know, we had a problem on the Blade IIIs caused by stretching of the A and C bridle lines. I'm sure it was those two but what the heck, the middle one didnt stretch. This caused the kite to have a distinct crease across the centre causing it to back stall, launch badly and generally be a bitch. The fix was to install a piece of line of only about 20 mm into the B line. 20 mm ffs !!!! The kite was transformed.

 

I do believe this triple A adjuster irons that problem out and not sure whether it spread to the IV. The problem was caused by heavy usage for eg, buggy jumping etc. The upside was, we could buy their kites off em for peanuts when they started stalling. Win win.

[gresh]

This sunday might work as there aint enough wind for the coast, pm me if you are. Ill dust the bego off and see how she is doing. Low wind will be fine for untangling or measuring bridles.

[mick]

This sunday might work as there aint enough wind for the coast, pm me if you are. Ill dust the bego off and see how she is doing. Low wind will be fine for untangling or measuring bridles.

 

Its not a Bego.

[Cyph3rs]

This sunday might work as there aint enough wind for the coast, pm me if you are. Ill dust the bego off and see how she is doing. Low wind will be fine for untangling or measuring bridles.

 

Alrighty I will do, thanks

 

Its not a Bego.

 

I think he means just generally dust off the Bego, not to compare it to the Blade

[mick]

Alrighty I will do, thanks

 

 

 

I think he means just generally dust off the Bego, not to compare it to the Blade

 

Oh when he said "Low wind will be fine for untangling or measuring bridles." I wondered how or what he was going to measure the bridle against. Maybe he has the bridle measurements for that kite.

[gresh]

No i was just going to compare the lengths from one side to the other if we cannt find any tangles. Getting the bridle measurements would a good idea but i aint got a printer and have got GTA V to session.

[mick]

If the kite was directionally unstable, it would suggest a bridle difference between both sides but as you never stated that it was spinning, I doubt there is a difference.

[gresh]

You may well be right but there might be something noticeable, its got to be worth a try as the 8.5mkIV is my favorite fixed bridle and is so much fun in the right winds. I will try to get a .pdf for reference though. I hope they are on the flexi site.

[Cyph3rs]

Hey gresh, I shall be down Shrewsbury on Sunday, thanks a million for offering to help out. Where is Shrewsbury do you fly? The sports village fields I assume?

[BigE]

Sounds like the AAA adjuster, any chance of a photo?

[Cyph3rs]

Sounds like the AAA adjuster, any chance of a photo?

 

I assume that was directed to me BigE? I can't really get a photo of the bridle as, well the kites huge and I parapack, so I'd have to unpack it at a field and there aren't any nearby. I'm pretty confident the AAA adjuster is fine though.

 

Where abouts do you normally fly?

[BigE]

I assume that was directed to me BigE? I can't really get a photo of the bridle as, well the kites huge and I parapack, so I'd have to unpack it at a field and there aren't any nearby. I'm pretty confident the AAA adjuster is fine though.

 

Where abouts do you normally fly?

Just a thought as the AAA will cause the kite to back stall if it's not free. Where do I fly? I live in the middle of loads of fields so right outside the back door ;-)

[gresh]

Yeah sports village is best, anytime after 1030ish.