What are the uses of a fighter kite?

Answer 1

Uses of fighter kitesWell, first and foremost - fighting!

In many parts of the world kite-fighting is a traditional pastime. The object being to either knock or cut your opponent's kite out of the sky - and (in theory) keeping that fallen kite for yourself.

Most of these fighting designs are small manouverable diamond-shaped, single-line kites. [search on 'Indian fighter kites' for example]

Some fighting designs are larger, e.g. the Japanese Rokkaku kite which is much more stable than the smaller fighters and these are manoeuvred to fight mainly by the fliers running around their opponents.

There is a more sustainable form of kite fighting popularised by fliers in the USA (using modern variations on Asian fighters); 'Line touch' competitions involve trying to outmanoeuvre your opponent to get either above or below their line when called by the judge to go for a top or bottom line touch.

There is a growing movement of fighter kiters in the USA who have evolved the traditional kites into very high performance designs. [search on NAFKA]

The most common recreational use of the smaller fighter kites though, is practice flying (solo or with friends).

The fighter kite is a very rewarding kite to fly just for the fun of it! They are quick, responsive, and challenging.

Flying a 'fighter' involves a much greater degree of 'synergy' between kite and flier than most multi-line kites. Due to the fact it has only got one line and is nearly flat, the inherent instability of the fighter kite makes it want to spin on the spot, but pulling steadily on the line forces the sail back into a V and creates a 'keel' making it fly straight. When you release the pull and let the line slip out, the kite turns and spins. Blending these two characteristics with the physics of momentum leads to some amazing tricks!

It takes a bit of time, patience, and the occasional broken kite, but once you 'get it' you'll be hooked! Commanding a spin in either direction, power dives from height then spinning back upwards two feet off the ground. Parallel ground passes, drawing shapes, flat flick-spins like a frisbee etc - on a single-string kite!! Good fun and very 'zen-rich'.

Go try it!

Wait until its dark and attach tiny lights to your fighter - you have the fastest moving UFO on the planet :). I've had the police come to see what was going on.