Eddy and Penta kite gliders

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[Boris]

Hi All,
Let me present to you two my kite gliders.

Eddy kite glider:

Eddy Kite Glider indoor flight

Penta kite glider:

Penta Kite Glider on tennis court

Both designs are based on diamond and fighter kites designs with some size ratios, weights and brides variations.

[mikenchico]

Nice Boris, what are you building them out of?

I really like that that inflatable indoor kite gym you've got there too, how long does it take to set up?      

[Boris]

Nice Boris, what are you building them out of?

I really like that that inflatable indoor kite gym you've got there too, how long does it take to set up?      

Thank you mikenchico!
The kites on the videos are made of Tyvek. I use PET and PP foils and waterproof paper for my gliders also.

I can't say anything about inflatable gym setup It's a big inflatable hall for 4 tennis courts and a body-builder room.

[tonycarl60]

Cool  I,ve converted a light fighter into a glider kite by putting a slight bow and a little nose weight on it.  I think there would be a market for an inexpensive eddy kite that would fly in low winds and would be a glider when the wind dies. My current favorite are the horvath hybrid kites  but they are a little pricey. 

[Boris]

Thank you
Yes, this idea works. I made some gliders based on the classic fighter shapes. But with a few prototypes I see that kites with a shorter nose (like the classic Eddy kite has) fly better both in the kite and gliding modes.

I also like the idea of a wide wind range glider-kite. E.g. FW Wala is good on this matter using a tail and the spreader conversion. Penta gliders and low wingspan Eddy gliders are quite steady in windy conditions.
A wider Eddy glider requires more control or a tail.

[kiteguy]

Nice Boris, what are you building them out of?

I really like that that inflatable indoor kite gym you've got there too, how long does it take to set up?      

Thank you mikenchico!
The kites on the videos are made of Tyvek. I use PET and PP foils and waterproof paper for my gliders also.

I can't say anything about inflatable gym setup It's a big inflatable hall for 4 tennis courts and a body-builder room.

What material do you use for spars, and how do you induce the dihedral?  Just wondering.  I have made several glider kites, but none based on an Eddy.  Most were based on the Delta format.

[Boris]

I've used 3.5mm fiberglass tubes for the kites that are shown on the videos. The spreader length is 1m. The spreader is bowed using a tension line.
For my other gliders I use carbon tubes, fiberglass rods and even bamboo. I think that the ideal combination is a carbon spine and a fiberglass spreader. A greater weight of fiberglass is not a problem for a spreader because gliders require a greater weight on the nose.
Gliders that are made of a paper, bamboo and cotton line are my other favorites

I'm looking for an "ideal" sail material for gliders. Fabrics, plain polymer films, tyvek all have some disadvantages.

[Boris]

Eddy glider can be easily converted into a conventional kite. To swich into the kite mode it requires to remove weight from nose and a bridle adjustment.

Eddy Kite Glider in kite mode

[Boris]

It's a new video of my Eddy Kite glider. This version of the glider has a hybrid frame - a carbon spine and a fiberglass spreader.

Eddy Kite Glider at ZIL Culture Center

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