Got this pair of Ariel Sky Weavers off eBay quite a while ago, but for some reason, we never got to fly them. Now, with lockdown preventing us from going out for proper pair-flying, and with some sport fields within easy walking distance, we thought it would be a good time to get them to the air.
Dating from the mid to late 1970s, this would be their maiden flight after 40+ years, as they were still new in their package.
As long as they have pressure in the sail, they're pretty steerable, at least for a 1970s dual-line diamond kite. Due to the lack of a cross spar, the frame is very flexible and so able to absorb gusts to some degree. When the wind drops, though, getting them to turn is almost impossible.
So how do they behave when flying together?
As you might expect from a kite of that era, they're pretty skittish, so flying them as a pair looks rather 'messy'. They're far from ideal precision kites, but of course they weren't designed for that.
No comments:
Post a Comment