From: cwb@platinum.com (Clark Battle) Subject: Flying blind Date: Mon, 24 Jun 1996 04:33:27 -1000 Organization: PLATINUM technology, Inc Message-ID: <4qm8vn$d6k@news.platinum.com> I was having a blast with my Aerie K2 this weekend. The winds were absolutely perfect 3-10mph (thats about as perfect as it gets here). The only problem was i was staring into the sun much of the time. This became annoying so i tried something that turned out to be a lot of fun, i closed my eyes and flew "blind". I was surprized how easy it was to know where the kite was and what it was doing just by the feel of the lines. I even managed a few blind ground sweeps without crashing. After a while i could almost "see" my lines and the kite with my minds eye (kind of like how you can "see" your hands moving about in a pitch black room). Never have i felt so connected and in-tune with my kite. Try it. -- cwb@platinum.com Every noun phrase presupposes the existence of something. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: Marty Sasaki Subject: Re: Flying blind Date: Mon, 24 Jun 1996 15:41:32 -1000 Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Message-ID: <199606250141.VAA06377@endor.harvard.edu> One thing that Ron Reich likes to do is to "shadow fly". Turn your back to the kite and fly by watching the shadow of the kite on the ground. The sun and wind have to cooperate in order for this to be an easy task. -- Marty Sasaki sasaki@das.harvard.edu -- Marty Sasaki sasaki@das.harvard.edu = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: nlameqqb@ibmmail.com Subject: FLYING BLIND Date: Mon, 24 Jun 1996 21:26:48 -1000 Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University Message-ID: <199606250727.DAA11492@endor.harvard.edu> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About flying blind... I have a friend who is actually very blind all the time and I had the idea that if I could fly blind then he can too! I know about buggying that I tend to look more around me minding the road and traffic than my kite(s). Of course the difficulty was that he had to feel the kite so I couldn't give him a small (and fast) kite, so I gave him a Speedwing super pro to start with. He is a big guy...1.96 meters high and weighing about 90 kilo's so with an average wind he should be able to hold it I thought. So now after a few times practice he manages to hold the kite well up in the air. Just when he is trying to do tricks (low above ground, extreme loopings I mean) a crash is eminent. Luckily a Speedwing super is very sturdy...he crashed the kite several times headdown with a big bang...the kite just bounced up,turned back and flew on...which caused some exciting moments for him (and me). He's thinking of taking a kite for himself rather than crashing mine. (pfuw) Next step is buggying! just kidding! maybe at the back in a tandem but that is not to exciting. On Fano I saw a tandem with the rear buggy converted into a big lazy chair and a small child (about 3 years old) SLEEPING in it while he was buggying!! Of course with me in the front..... Ben Mulder (Bugs Benny,The Netherlands home of shavingfoam shores) May the wind B with U! -- Marty Sasaki sasaki@das.harvard.edu = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: hayden1009@aol.com (Hayden1009) Subject: Re: Flying blind Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 03:48:40 -1000 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Message-ID: <4qoqno$966@newsbf02.news.aol.com> In article <4qm8vn$d6k@news.platinum.com>, cwb@platinum.com (Clark Battle) writes: >After >a while i could almost "see" my lines and the kite with my minds eye >(kind of like how you can "see" your hands moving about in a pitch black >room). Never have i felt so connected and in-tune with my kite. Try it. Sounds great, just make sure you try it with spotters to warn of pedestrians when they are not in tune to you and your kite. May the Force Be With You Alice Hayden 8^) = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: coreykite@aol.com (Coreykite) Subject: Re: Flying blind Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 08:47:45 -1000 Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) Message-ID: <4qpc8h$i0b@newsbf02.news.aol.com> Welcome Brothers and Sisters... The the way of the Kite Chi... Start by turning under your lines while your kite turns in the sky. Both ends of a pair of flylines may be twisted (some dark humor here). By placing one thumb at the base of the other, the kite should do a nice smooth circle in the sky. Following the line that is being pulled, turn your body under the lines. Spin your body while your kite spins. In this way may you learn the beginnings of Kite Chi. Soon you will find that your eyes are not the primary information source for kite awareness. You will learn to *see* your kite with your fingers. You will be able to fly behind your back, doing spins and loops. Stalls and slides are a bit more challenging. You will be more alert to any who might intrude into your flying space like innocent bystanders and children because your eyes are no longer riveted to your kite. In this way of Kite Chi will you find the special connection between the believer and the wind gods that transcends the kite to carry the acolyte to nirvana. aoxomoxoaKiteChiaoxomoxoa coreykite@aol.com = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: neitzke Subject: Re: FLYING BLIND Message-ID: <31CFFD68.172F@se01.elk.miles.com> Organization: Bayer Corporation Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 04:53:28 -1000 Back in 1984 I ran into a fellow in LA Calif. who flew Radio Control Models "by ear" !!! He too was blind. He was part of the Sepulveda basin RC buch. All of these stories and ideas add to the credibility/potential of computerized kite flying, being investigated currently in Gremany. Flying by "feel" ( pull and angle ) should be easily accomplished via computer control. Forget the video recognition algorythems. Human kite fliers don't NEED vision to get the job done. -- Bob Neitzke birdofplay@aol.com http://members.aol.com/birdofplay = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =