Calculating Aspect Ratios

Peter_Frank · **Posted:** Mon Jan 14, 2013 11:39 pm

dyyylan wrote:

Peter_Frank wrote:

Why do so many use the term "12m" about a 12m2 kite ?

The word constellation 12m does not exist as an area measurement in Danish nor German, and also lacking in most other languages, so why do so many english speaking say "12m" ?
Simple lazyness, or old bad habits or ?

Because there is no such thing as "12m2", it is 12m², but most keyboards do not have a way to produce that character. Everyone know what you're talking about when you say you have a 12m kite.

Sorry if explained wrong then - I meant that in "talk" many english speaking say 12 meter kite...

And this "term" is not used in most other languages, where it is named (translated of course) 12 squaremeter kite :thumb:

Just a silly thing I've noticed :roll:

Peter

Peter_Frank · **Posted:** Mon Jan 14, 2013 11:53 pm

Kiteus Maximus wrote:

Peter_Frank wrote:

Aspect Ratio = span / average width.

Area = span * average width.

Meaning AR = span^2 / area.

So your 12m2 kite with an AR of 5.4 has a span = sqrt(AR*area) = sqrt(5.4*12m2) = 8.0 meter.

And an average width = span / AR = area / span = 1.49 meter.

Peter

This is not a true way to calculate the aspect ratio. You can have the same aspect ratio for different sized kites and if you use your calculation logic then different size kites will have different aspect ratios.

I dont understand ???

It IS the very defintion of aspect ratio, so nothing one can change about that.

Just see the numbers Hansen uses - the very same calculation of course, and also giving approximately the same AR for different sizes :thumb:

Even though some brands also have lower AR for their smaller kites, so just different choices...

Peter

Peter_Frank · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2013 12:26 am

Great so see some exact examples Hansen.

It shows that instead of the pre 2000 size scaling of 1.36 it is up to 1.8 for the most hardcore freestyle Switch C kites like the Combat.

And for the Method it is 1.42 so much closer to the pre 2000 "standard" sizing.

This is of course because the very first kites (Wipika Classic) were VERY wide in the middle, and tiny tips (and 2 lined) - so looking way more like present delta kites or the Method V2 or similar, thus having a similar projected factor, almost no matter how flat or not

The C or more C like kites with wider tips (really fast turning), like the Fuels and Nitro-Combat-Element has a factor between 1.6 and 1.8 apparently

Nice to see some real numbers, thanks :thumb:

The Wipika Classic around 1.36 projected factor, actually quite low compared to later C kites:

And another type with a REALLY low projected factor:

Paragliders, to take a comparison to maybe the most flat types, typically has a projected factor between 1.1 and 1.2 only !

Peter Frank

Calculating Aspect Ratios

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