The basics of flying
This page brings together first-step resources for setting up, launching and controlling a quad-line kite. It is meant as a practical starting point, not as a single official method.
Videos are in English or French. You can activate subtitles in the YouTube player if you need to: how to activate subtitles.
Thanks to all the video authors for sharing their tutorials.
Getting to know your kite, assembly and disassembly
Section titled "Getting to know your kite, assembly and disassembly"Presentation of a Revolution kite and its lines
Section titled "Presentation of a Revolution kite and its lines"Setting up your Revolution kite or similar kite
Section titled "Setting up your Revolution kite or similar kite"Polo Kites shows which way to put the connectors for the vertical rods: Facebook post.
Disassembling your Revolution kite or similar kite
Section titled "Disassembling your Revolution kite or similar kite"Assembling and disassembling your kite (advanced)
Section titled "Assembling and disassembling your kite (advanced)"Changing your frame on the leading edge
Section titled "Changing your frame on the leading edge"Setting up your lines
Section titled "Setting up your lines"Line management
Section titled "Line management"Putting your lines away
Section titled "Putting your lines away"Attaching lines to handles
Section titled "Attaching lines to handles"First flights
Section titled "First flights"Safety rules
Section titled "Safety rules"Safety is essential for you and for everyone around the flying field.
Here are some basic rules to check regularly during your flying sessions: Safety rules.
Choosing your flying site
Section titled "Choosing your flying site"Before you set off for your flying ground, you can check out the links with tools such as Google Maps and the weather forecast. The use of flying objects may be restricted in some places. If flying is authorized, some areas are more suitable than others, depending on the wind direction.
You can find tips on :
- Choosing your flying spot - WindR
- Finding a place to fly - Prism kite technology
Anticipate the wind strength
Section titled "Anticipate the wind strength"You can keep an eye on the weather before you head out to the flying fields. There are websites and apps that specialize in wind forecasting. You’ll need to know the average wind speed and also the gust speed.
Here are the weather forecasting applications:
- WindFinder - Website - Google Play - App Store
- Windy Website - Google Play - App Store
Tips are available for guessing wind strength from the field:
- Wind strength - WindR
- Wind speed - Prism kite technology
- Beaufort scales - Kite service
Using your handles to fly
Section titled "Using your handles to fly"Thierry explains more about hand movement according to the desired movement on his blog KiteJust4Fun.
The landing position
Section titled "The landing position"Launching
Section titled "Launching"Tutorial 1
Tutorial 2
The wind window
Section titled "The wind window"Making turns and flying horizontally
Section titled "Making turns and flying horizontally"Doing a figure 8
Section titled "Doing a figure 8"Stopping your kite
Section titled "Stopping your kite"Reversing your kite
Section titled "Reversing your kite"Launching and landing
Section titled "Launching and landing"Tutorial 1
Tutorial 2
Relaunching a kite lying on the ground
Section titled "Relaunching a kite lying on the ground"Tutorials including assembly & first flights
Section titled "Tutorials including assembly & first flights"Go further
Section titled "Go further"If these basics are already comfortable, continue with:
You can also compare the available learning paths.
Here are a few external resources:
- Kite Service tutorials:
- Competing - KiteJust4Fun blog
- Four ways to progress - SportKite.org
- American podcasts - SportKite.org
- Kite anatomy - WindR
- Two-line progression course - WindR
- Quick guide and kite notions - AKA
- Kite basics - AKA
- How to fly a kite - AKA
- Basics of flying - Stuntkite.de
- Kite flying on the road - lenkdrachen-24.de
To be expanded
Section titled "To be expanded"- Discover the different types of flying (long lines, short lines, …)
- Indoor flying
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