KAP: Kites

Kite Aerial Photography
Kites

As well as being a specialist area of kites - single line, large, and stable - there is very much a personal element to the kites you use. There is also an element of the fact that not every kite is suitable for every occasion. As a relative newcomer I have only a few kites in my bag, details below.

Sun Oak Delta Conyne 9.5':	My first KAP kite purchased in late 2002. Generally recognised as one of the best kites for KAP. High flight angle, and a stable flyer. I always use tails to add a little drag to stop it over-flying and to add stability. Flies in light wind, but needs a wee breeze to lift my 700g load. If your lifting a heavier load I'd recommend one of the other kites in my bag. DCs are forgiving of gusty wind as the kite will tend to glide a bit rather than drop like a stone if the wind dies. Breaking spars, especially the leading edges is one of my specialties, so changing to 6mm carbon fiber tube from bass-wood was one of my first improvements to the kite as purchased.
Dopero 100:	Purchased in Spring 2004 from kapshop.com this 3m x1.8m Double Pearson Roller makes a super, patriotic, addition to the kite bag. With high stability, the absence of tails, and simple bridling, this kite extends the operating envelope, by allowing photography in lighter winds, this is definitely a light wind kite! The ability to take photographs at <10mph is a great advantage, and outweighs the disadvantage of the slightly longer assembly time on the ground of the various spars. Slower photographs are better than no photographs!
The significance of the Scottish Saltire on a kite goes deeper than patriotism. In 832 AD, a Pictish and Scottish army under King Angus MacFergus, and Eochaidh, King of Dalriada (grandfather of Kenneth MacAlpin), was battling a Northumbrian force for control of the Lothian region near Athelstanford. The night before battle, Saint Andrew reportedly appeared to Angus in a vision, and on the field of battle the next day, a saltire, or x-shaped cross, similar to the one that Saint Andrew was crucified on, appeared in the sky. This encouraged the Picts and Scots and caused the Northumbrians to flee the field. From that day to this, through common usage, the emblem has been called the Cross of St Andrew, and used to bond Scottish people to a common cause.
mini KAPilot:	New in Autumn 2004 from kapshop.com. A half size "Pilot" specially bridled for KAP, as developed by Brooks Leffler & Peter Bults. Similar in size to a Flowform 16, but with the special bridling more stable for KAP. Of course the advantage of a soft kite like this is that it packs down really small and fits into a small rucksack with the rest of the kiting kit.
Stratoscoop 2:	This kite was donated by Hugh Palmer - Thanks. Made by Green's in England the kite when inflated has a huge pull, and a lower flight angle compared with the DC. Although on the face of it this may seem like a big advantage, lots of pull makes handling the kite tiring and bringing it down extremely hard work! It is also more difficult to launch as having no spars it needs to be inflated before you get any significant lift. This makes it more difficult to launch in less exposed locations and low / gusty wind conditions. Soft kites like this always have a tail - generally a drogue - to give stability.
Sutton Flowform 30:	Generously donated by Simon Harbord in Autumn 2006. With 30ft² of sail area this is a low wind kite! Becotised for more stable flight in Spring 2008 Although I prefer my Dopero 100 for low wind this is a good alternative for either low line angles, faster deployment, or if travelling with limited space. The Dopero still wins for low wind launches.
Dan Leigh R8-Cruiser	Autumn 2007. Handmade by Dan Leigh in Wales providing balance and stability unsurpassed by mass produced kites. The R8 has a 10ft / 3m wingspan, providing similar lift to a Flowform 16 or Delta Conyne with similar wind span, but with greater stability and higher flight angles. Thanks to Pierre Lesage for introducing me to Dan Leigh's beautifully crafted deltas.
Dan Leigh Trooper RS	Spring 2008. My second Dan Leigh kite, this time the smaller Trooper. All the advantages of Dan's design but smaller and trimmed for strong winds. 7.5ft / 2.3m wingspan.
Sutton Flowform 16:	This is my friend Pete's kite (Pete is flying opposite from 2002), which I sometimes use when we fly together. Pete is as mad as I am, yes that is SNOW on the ground! I purchased my own Becotised Flowform 16 in Spring 2008. Although similar to the Stratoscoop above the Flowform is a little smaller and easier to handle, and inflate. It is also seen as more stable. Broadly it has the same advantages and disadvantages outlined above for the Stratoscoop 2.
Telescopic Pole	OK, maybe it's not KAP, but for days with no wind, and subjects close to the ground (close up of statues, odd angles, etc), this is a useful addition once you have the rest of the kit. Designed for cleaning swimming pools, it can easily be modified to hold a rig with a "hangman" on the top. Purchased from a local DIY store, it's telescopic to 23' (7m) and folds down to just over 4' (1.3m). There are some examples of Pole Aerial Photography in the Gallery.

James Gentles		February 2008
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