Toby wrote:In Germany normal people don't know what a kite is, they know Lenkdrachen.
So reporters use that word for it.
We had several fatalities this year already, and we will see many more if people don't take lessons or have bad instructions.
What can we do?
Today a beginner, she told me she still had problems with starting...did not know exactly which way she had to go to start the kite propperly, second she connected her leash suicide mode.
Yes she followed a course !!!
I know several youngsters that give kitecourses, and are just hired in, because the kiteschools cannot find enough certified instructors or they find they have to pay them too much.
So they hire young kids that ''can kite'' so to say and give them the lycra with instructor on...plus inbetween 10 and 12€ an hour.
This is where it goes wrong from the first moment!
What should we do , is getting an controlling and certifiing independant organisation for kiteschools so they can be provided with an ISO number on security , equipment, organisation, safety and so on.
Instructors should be certified and getting their instructor license when examened by the same independant company that check the kiteschools.
Programs in teaching should be equal all over the world, so the beginners all get the same basis and skills to master the kite and board and the rules, before they get their license.
Maybe it sounds utopic , but it would be a start to a uniform kiteschool bible.
Now somebody who just can fly a kite and go a bit upwind downwind, can be hired by these kiteschools and all of a sudden become an instructor.......
This happens on one of the bussiest kitespots in Europe....
Dude
