Nobody teach you this before,so learn it well.This could save your life. But watch out for the last kiteloop before you come down,you really need to feel for an adequate high or you'll get slam bad.This for advance riders only,rookie need no apply.
Thanks for taking the time to create that, I didn't know that about the kiteloops, but I do know to always ask and know about the area and check for the threat of severe winds.
Local Beach: -Bayshore, at the end sea st. on saint John's west side, bay of fundy. -Saints rest beach, at the end of sandy point road, irving nature park, saint john, west side.
Gear: Kites: 12m LF Mig, 9m LF Mig, 5m SS Fuel Boards: LF proof 151cm, Real Wind 144cm, home made light wind board 160 x 50
So are you telling us that if we are accidentally lofted 200 ft. that we should do a series of kite loops to land our selves safely? The video was nice but the message is a bit confusing for me.
In any case my problem would be that I'd be to SCARED SH_TLESS to even think let alone throw a controlled kite loop
Hell of a nice snow kiting spot though. I'd luv to try that place out sometime... looks like a snow kite paradise
Its a good idea, but not sure if it will work? The first 2 are loftings, the rest are just jumps with a loop thrown in at the end to soften the landing?????
Whole point of loftings is that there is an updraft keeping you up in the air......not sure if a loop would have the desired effect?
On your way own if timed right then yes but while still being actually lofted I'm not sure???
you show a controllable situation...in winds you are used to.
If you really get lofted high in a not normal situation I wonder who would loop it...I would keep it above me and fly it until I get out of the updraft...with some steering to the side like Eric Eck did back then.
But, for sure an alternative. Not sure if it is the best...
I am good glider and kiteloop several times before landing often. It is nothing like being lofted....Which I have also had happen and am not good at...
IF you are getting lofted move your kite out of the updraft, and over to the side, Your kite can't pull if its in a luffed state. You want to maintain control so as to have the kite to land with.
If you miss time a kiteloop you can be penduliumed into the ground or water with a ton of force.
I have witnessed people loop their kite into the ground on hillsides and fall to the base with a crashed kite.... cuaseing great injury.
This video doesn't properly demonstrate what's at play but does give food for thought.
In the scenario that you get lofted several hundred foot then begin to fall, your kite will not stay above you.
This is because there is a lot of upward airflow on the kite due to you both falling through the air (the actual wind may become a insignificant proportion of the apparent wind)
In this case looping the kite above you may be the best way to soften your landing (keeping the kite in the power zone - the centre of which may be directly above you - not downwind of you as you'd normally expect)
I don't know if looping the kite really would help much if you're going up, but it certainly would when you're coming down at speed.
If you have ever ridge soared or been in an updraft a kiteloop is the last thing you want to do! slowly turn and fly out the side. Throwing loops is good in lighter winds to reverse your flight path and bring you back to the hill. You throw a kiteloop in overpowered wind on a slope you will not be coming down because you need to fly away from the lift band! Simple paragliding stuff! What do you think would of happened to malik if he had thrown a kiteloop on that hillside? Answer.. He would still be in the air! Erics lofting was handled very well only he could of turned out of the thermal sooner but I think he was trying to hook back in first.
I think the most important thing to think about in a lofting is to keep the kite overhead and pointed into the wind you will eventually come down. You are not overpowered in your video or getting lofted so it is not a good example. Just some sweet kiteloops!! imo
Dude! were you smoking, the highest of high, stickies of the ickies, no sticks,no stems, no seed weed!!! do a loops when you're being lofted,WTF!! I hope to Gods no one will take this advise. What Toby said is the only thing you should do, After you're done pissing and shitting yourself keep the kite above you and wait it out
P.S. love the vid though
How common are 100 ft.+ uplift loftings anyway? This as opposed to high wind loftings which been way too quite common. Erik's lofting in Oahu happened in 2002, Malek's a few years ago. That is only two in nine years worldwide that I have heard about. You would think there have been others, have there been?
Given the major lack of kiter experience with this sort of thing, I would look at it from a glider perspective as Wayne mentioned. Gliders have been soaring lift bans in uplift zones for a very long time. Erik sunk out in the trailing rotor or mechanical turbulence zone beyond the lift band. I recall Malek did as well, otherwise they both might still be up there if this wind stayed on. I understand Erik suffered some serious injury on impact falling at speed.
How well do you think the multiple reversing kite loop approach would work in the rotor zone as opposed to the lift band? This would be behind or downwind or to the sides from the hill, mountain, building, etc.. The kite would see rapidly changing horizontal windspeed and directions. Could you maintain the apparent wind the kite sees through your kite loop above critical minimums despite summing and lessening of rotored wind input and keep kite control to landing?