Date: Fri, 22 Apr 1994 04:50:02 -1000 From: jbenedict@law.fordham.edu (Jason Benedict) Message-Id: Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Subject: Bridal Adjustments/Fylers Preference | That's easy for Jeff to say, with a full complement of Ultras (Sati | and 1/2oz Icarex, Beman 13 Light and 16 Strong, Advantage 2 Wrap, | vented, and double-vented), Mirages (fiberglass and graphite), | Skyburners (regular and ultralight), and whatever else he takes to | competitions. | | Many flyers can only *dream* of having the perfect kite for _any_ | wind. Knowing how to adjust your bridle for different conditions is | an important skill. >I have to say I agree wholeheartedly with Jeff Burka here. If you only >use a particular kite over a narrow wind range then adjusting the bridle >is probably unnecessary. If you're trying to fly a particular kite over >a wider range OR with different flight characteristics then adjustments >may be necessary. I think it is an overgeneralization to say you're >using the the wrong kite if you feel the need to play with the bridle. I agree. It was a comment skewed from a competitive outlook. My feeling is that once I have my kite set "perfectly", I tend not to change that. If I get a 0-7MPH wind, I'll fly my Airmaster-I, and if it goes up, I'll switch to a Tracker or Trxter. Do not mistake this opinion as a call to the gospel. I was merely commenting on the view that I shared with Jeff Rivers. Although, I do have kites in my bag that I play with ALL THE TIME. I suppose my comment was geared towards competitive flying. >For example, on my Katana which has a wide range of adjustments, I do >adjust things for different conditions and different desired flight >characteristics. I can and do adjust the bridle pick point, the outhaul >length, and the amount the outer standoff pushes the trailing edge back. >The first mainly adjusts speed, and the second and third have a large >effect on characteristics such as stalling ability and oversteer. I >like to elicit different types of behavior out of my Katana. >I don't think I'm flying the wrong kite just because I choose to adjust >things frequently. Again, neither do I. > >I have other kites that I rarely, if ever, adjust. I think this "to >adjust or not adjust" issue is kite-dependent and flyer-dependent. I think that was my point ! JJ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =