After 3 months of testing and adjustments and two versions built and tested (.N and .U, STD and UL respectively) and one coming soon (.S , i.e. SUL) i decided to show the project.
This kite is a polyvalent with 244 cm wingspan and 94 cm height. It does outperform in precision many commercial kites and has good trick ability. In particular this kite make slow precise lines, sharp corners and has a very good with range and wind window. The pull is medium/high... nirvana style, the oversteer is reduced to minimum and the kit mantains good wind pressure even in the lower range. Tricks are slow but well defined and elegant, in partucular slot machines, half axels, tazs, with only the 540 requiring a bit more slack than expected to avoid with tip wraps. Jacob's ladders are stupid easy and will return on fade even with the nose too high respect to the tail, easy flic flacs, stable fade, stable backflip and good lazy susans, with a bit of care required for multilazy to avoid excessive over-rotation into yoyo. Backspins are also stupid easy and forgiving. This kite also does frenchflicflacs and wapdoowap without problems. Cometes are quite easy too. Yoyo's are not very fast but quite good and can be done in one pop both in .N and .U versions (the .U , UL, is a bit slower). Also landings are sharp and precise, due also to frame stiffness. THe kites have very high inertia but the weight sail load is quite low so the .N can be flown without backstepping with winds as low as 8kmh of wind, and the .U is already in pressure at 5kmh. I have choosen a very high fill factor for this kite, but to avoid excessive pull or speed i chose a high discharge area as well (long standoffs), resulting in good wind range, moderate pull and slow constant speed.
The .N (STD) version is framed :
Spine: 5pt
Upper spreader: 6mm structil
Lower Spreader: Black Diamond Nitro Strong
Upper Leading Edge: 5pt
Lower Leading Erge: Black Diamond Nitro
Reverse turbo bridle
23g tail ballast
The .U (UL) version is framed :
Spine: 5pt
Upper spreader: 5mm structil
Lower Spreader: 5pt
Upper Leading Edge: 3pt
Lower Leading Erge: 3pt
Reverse turbo bridle
17.5g tail ballast
The forecoming .S (SUL) version will be framed:
Spine: 3pt
Upper spreader: 4mm structil
Lower Spreader: 3pt
Upper Leading Edge: 2pt
Lower Leading Erge: 2pt
Reverse turbo bridle
10g-15g tail ballast
(for extreme low wind range 2pt lower spreader and no tail ballast)
Photos:
https://picasaweb.google.com/116440615366198099089/HowitzerNSTD?authkey=Gv1sRgCNqvvvGp9aLp7wEVideo previews:
(gusty wind, buildings upwind) 17.5g tail ballast
(sea wind, lower wind range) 20g tail ballast
