Fixed line VS Depowerable

[krazykiteboarder]

Hello all,
I am new to this forum, I have been flying for about 2 and half years. I would really appreciate it if you help me out.
I am a student director for my college outdoor program. we are trying to get a kiting program started and I was wonder what kites would be better for our program, fixed lines or depowerable lines. We are writing up a risk management plan and we need to know which wold be safer. Thanks a lot for your input. if you could please leave your credentials that would help out a lot.

[Hardwater Kiter]

If you're taliking about introducing newbies then I would assume FB trainers are the place to start. Cheap, relatively low risk and easy.

No point in making things any more complicated than need be or letting them destroy pricey Depows.

The man to ask is Rudeboy Saude. He sets up outing club kite programs where he is and can probably offer some valuable insight. He can be found here and the Powerkite Forum as well as Arcusers forum.

[snowspider]

Also check the other forum "wanted" section , University of North Dakota guy has a program and was looking for kites.

[fernmanus]

You want to start all new students on fixed line trainers. However, once they have some experience the natural (and safer) progression is to move to larger depowerable kites.

I start people on a 1.5M trainer. After they get a hang for flying the kite and can fly it without crashing it into the ground, I move them to a 3M trainer (in light to moderate wind). After that I get them started on the snow using Ozone Access depowerable kites. If the wind is strong enough and the ground is hardpack, I will keep them on the 3M trainer. However, if the wind is light or softpack I use a 4, 6, or 8M Access depending on the wind strength. Not only is a depowerable kite safer (use can handle gusts much better) it is also much less frustrating for the user. It is not much fun getting yanked all over the place on a larger fixed line foil.

[supertux1]

The Access is a great kite even for beginners, like myself. A little bit more complicated but nothing that can't be explained in 'ground school' and I think your students would find it really useful for handling gusts and learning upwind travel, not to mention reverse relaunch. I say put everyone on the small trainer and for those who figure it out in 5 minutes, put them on the Access.

[tomatkins]

Hello all,
I am new to this forum, I have been flying for about 2 and half years. I would really appreciate it if you help me out.
I am a student director for my college outdoor program. we are trying to get a kiting program started and I was wonder what kites would be better for our program, fixed lines or depowerable lines. We are writing up a risk management plan and we need to know which would be safer. Thanks a lot for your input. if you could please leave your credentials that would help out a lot.

What kind of kiting will the outdoor program participate in? Snow-kiting? Buggying? Land-boarding? Stunt kite flying? Traction kite flying?

Are you, yourself, competent at any of these disciplines? What kind of "flying" have you done?

Is your college near any bodies of water?

Will you be hiring any certified kitesurfing instructors? Or will it be club oriented "Each One Teach One"?

Will your "ground schooling" include course work taught by any academicians, such as a physics professor lecturing on airfoil dynamics or meteorology or winter survival or avalanche awareness and rescue?

Have you contacted any colleges which have established a kiting program?

How many members do you anticipate?

What kind of wind do you get, locally? Frontal? Thermal? Fair Weather breezes?

The members of Kiteforum can be of great help to you, in your effort to establish a kiting club, if we have enough information to give you good advice.

My credentials are 8 years of kiteboarding...during which time, I know of at least 100 people who have died, while participating in the activity, and hundreds more who have been crippled.

A college outdoor program, using academic resources, and compulsive "ground schooling" by competent instructors could be an ideal way of introducing the next generation of kiteboarders to a great "life-time" recreational activity. I wish you luck.

[PBKiteboarding]

Fixed line kites like the Ozone Flows are great since they have a Loop to hook into and same High end Ozone Quality. Most fixed foil will stay up in very light winds. Great to learn with and fly in the park or on the beach.

Depower Kites like the Ozone Access is like having to kites in one (Huge range with a depower kite that changes the angle of attack.... also the Frenzy (New Design for 2011) and the Manta... they a safer and have a better range.

Starting off with a fixed foil like the Flow or Imp is easier to learn. But then depower kites later are like a dream!

Paul
www.PBKiteboarding.com