Can't half axel *&^$)*&^%$##*

[Welcome to the GWTW Forum]

Welcome to the GWTW Forum.
Guests (non-registered users) can view the forum but are unable to post.  If you don't have anything to say then why would you bother to register?
One of the most popular sections of the GWTW Forum has long been the Swap Meet.  A great place to sell old, seldom flown kites or to get great deals on used (gently flown) kites.  Only registered users can see the Swap Meet section, let alone wheel and deal.  1000's (literally) of kites have changed hands thanks to the Swap Meet.
There are several more benefits to being a registered user, but you'll have to join our little community to find out all the "secrets".
Questions or concerns? Contact Steve ... just drop an email to: forum.gwtwkites@gmail.com

[jocko]

I am giving up on my pride and asking for some advice/help/suggestions.
The half axel is driving me crazy and my kite into the ground with serious wing tip wrap.
When coming across the window from right to left, as the kite starts to slow down I give a little push with the right hand, while at the same time giving a little pull with the left hand, then pop/pull the right hand back.  That is where all hell breaks loose.  The kite acts like it has lost air and usually starts to fall out of the sky catching the one or both of the wing tips with the lines.  Next step.............go pick up the kite and start all over again.
So suggestions please  .

[Krijn]

i can think of three things:
1) give quick slack!
2) make the input with your right hand shorter (more snappy)
3) practise more

good luck

[Flying Fish]

As you pop your right hand (= top wing when flying right to left), are you giving enough slack with your left hand (= bottom wing) to allow the kite to rotate?

[DWayne]

What kite are you flying ?

Denny

[jocko]

I am either fly a Mamba UL or Std, depending on the winds.

[DWayne]

Try this, forget pulling on the lower wing. Give the top wing a little slack followed by a pop. Step forward a step and give slack.
I had the hardest time getting this move down. Watching someone else doing it in person was what it took for me to learn it. 


Denny

[Ara Ararauna]

Hi,

I agree with DWayne.
As you will see in other posts that also talk about the half-axel (including one I posted a couple of months back also quite frustrated), the recommendations are always the following (and this is how I learned):

(supposing flying from right to left, so right wing top)
1. Give short push on right hand (top wing)
2. Immediately pop back right hand (top wing)
3. In parallel (hence simultaneously with point 2) give quite some slack on left hand (bottom wing).
You will see that (as many have said) the slack on the bottom wing is essential.

At this point you will hear a characteristic pop sound of the kite and it will flip with the also characteristic half axel shape.

Now, one thing that I have never been told and that I think is VERY useful is that, once you see the kite has started to do the half axel, you must pick up your lines (gently pull back both of them) to make the kite exit cleanly to the right; i.e. 180 degrees from its initial trajectory.

I wonder why no one has ever stressed this, but when I didn't do this, the kite lost its clean trick sequence and either fell out of control or rotated upwards exiting the trick in a very ugly way.
I discovered that if you start pulling gently approximately half way the trick, the kite then finishes the trick nicely.

So, summing up:
* VERY IMPORTANT, points 1, 2 & 3 --> 2 & 3 in parallel !!!!
* to end trick pull both lines gently back

One last comment. I started to get nice half axels when the kite flew to the left because I'm right handed.
When I started to try doing it on the other side, things went terrible again!
So don't get frustrated or disappointed. For right handed pilots, doing things with the left asks for some training to make your right hand to stop wanting to be the protagonist...   
I'm still in this process. I can sometimes do it, but my right hand keeps getting jealous... 

Hope this helps!

N.

BTW, I'm not worrying too much at this point about doing the trick with a nice position of arms and hands. I look very much like a boxer when doing the half axel 1, 2 & 3 steps. So I guess you also have to find your style first

[Ca Ike]

Try this, forget pulling on the lower wing. Give the top wing a little slack followed by a pop. Step forward a step and give slack.
I had the hardest time getting this move down. Watching someone else doing it in person was what it took for me to learn it. 


Denny

Best advice here, follow it.   The half axel input is exactly the same as an axel.  The reason for your crashes and wraps is your effectively doing a snap stall input by adding the pull on the bottom wing first.

The input breaks down like this

1 slight push on the top wing
2 pop the top wing while pushing the bottom
3 Step forward bringing both hands together in front of you (depending on wind step may not be needed)
4 step back pulling both hands back to your sides and fly off

Worst case scenario if you do the inputs right is you give too much slack and end up with an axel or not enough slack and stall the kite in a flare.

[tpatter]

I think you are close, but the input is a pop, not a pull.  A pull would get you an insane if you keep the tension.  It's all timing, no hard inputs. 

Half Axel Tutorial

[gwm]

 2 things that helped me learn this trick. I bought a Silver Fox 2.5 Std. when they first came out. A the time I was using a light wind Breeze which didn't help.
 And I watched Randy G.'s video tutorial on the half axle about a hundred times and wrote down everything I could see that he was telling me. The SF 2.5 made it easy.

[Ca Ike]

2 things that helped me learn this trick. I bought a Silver Fox 2.5 Std. when they first came out. A the time I was using a light wind Breeze which didn't help.
 And I watched Randy G.'s video tutorial on the half axle about a hundred times and wrote down everything I could see that he was telling me. The SF 2.5 made it easy.

This is one trick that isn't kite dependent and out of everything I have flown I haven't found much difference in the way the kites do it other than the flatness of the flare.

[gwm]

This is one trick that isn't kite dependent and out of everything I have flown I haven't found much difference in the way the kites do it other than the flatness of the flare.

It may not be kite dependent but as a beginner flying a very light wind kite with little mass in moderate winds I wasn't doing myself any favors.

[RobB]

This is a trick that I'm not sure that I can do, either. I mean, if I think about it, I can't do it. If I do it while I'm just free-flying and not thinking about what I'm doing, that doesn't count, right ? 

[Kantaxel]

This is a trick that I'm not sure that I can do, either. I mean, if I think about it, I can't do it. If I do it while I'm just free-flying and not thinking about what I'm doing, that doesn't count, right ? 

That all depends on whether or not you're in frame ...... if you're out.........well, no, unless of course it's a comete'

[tgard]

http://youtu.be/_bIt0iIUkA0

These little animated tutorials are pretty helpful because they illustrate what to do with your hands.