Tips for Flying a Stunt Kite

Flying a stunt kite can be the ideal activity for people of many ages to do with friends and family while enjoying the great outdoors. All you need is a nice day with moderate wind, an open area free of obstructions and you will be having a blast in no time.

Choosing a stunt kite is fun, with a great variety of cool kites in a myriad of colors and designs to choose from. You can often find stunt kites at local retail stores including hobby, toy, or discount retailers. If you want a more varied selection then ordering online may be your best option unless you happen to be lucky enough to have a specialty kite store in your area. To find a kite online simply do a web search for "stunt kites" on google.com, this will bring up the most popular websites that specialize in stunt kite sales.

Pick a dual line stunt kite from the beginner range that you find visually appealing. It is better to go for entry level kites that are durable enough to withstand a few crashes as you are learning. These intermediate stunt kites offer you a fair chance to learn the kite controls as they will not be as sensitive to line input compared to more advanced freestyle stunt kites. Varying from the the classic delta stunt kite shape, parafoil kites are becoming very popular to fly. An increasing focus on parafoil kites use as the power source in cutting edge action sports such as kiteboarding on water or land and kite powered buggies has parafoils riding on the winds of tomorrow. In any event, if parafoil kites more closely match your ideal of stunt kite flying then choose a beginner parafoil. Whatever kite you end up with be sure it comes with lines so you can fly it! Additionally, many stunt kites are bundled with a line winder, flight straps, and a kite storage bag.

Beaches are a favorite location for flying kites, the wind and ocean air just compound the thrill of tearing a kite through the breeze at speeds that can reach over 90 miles per hour. Large parks without obstruction in the form of tall trees and buildings are another great choice, or country fields can provide a worry free flying experience. The radius of open area you will need depends on the length of line that your kite is attached to. Never fly a kite near any kind of utility wires such as power, television or telephone wires. This could result in serious injury or death.

Set up your lines by attaching the lines to the bridle loops of the stunt kite on one end and to the flight straps or line spools on the other. Stunt kites should generally be attached to 60-90' long lines. Starting with 75' or the length of line that is included with your kite is recommended as long is it is in this range. Lines attached to flight straps with exactly the same length of line on each of the two lines will allow you to simply unwind your lines, launch the kite and fly.

Now you have your kite all setup and ready to go, the perfect location in mind and all you need is wind. You can simply look outside and observe tree branches or leaf litter moving in a steady breeze to know it is a good time to fly your stunt kite. Also checking out your local weather on television or online using such sites as theweathernetwork.com will give you a definite reading of the wind in your area. Winds between 4 and 20 miles per hour are what you need to get your stunt kite airborne.

Prior to launching your stunt kite you need to make sure the lines are clear, the lines should appear parallel like train tracks running from your flight straps or spools to the kite. Left hand to left kite bridle and right to right.

Launch the kite with the help of a friend downwind that casts the kite up at the end of its reins, then be sure that they move out of the range of the stunt kite back to your side or behind you. Please keep in mind, stunt kites can travel at high speeds and may be dangerous to people or animals. Alternately you may launch the kite alone, lay the kite on its back downwind with the lines the same direction as the wind. Launch your kite by pulling both lines the same amount into the wind.

Control the kite gingerly at first until you get the hang of it, the trick is to keep both lines parallel with you upwind and the kite downwind. Once you have the kite in the air, you can begin to control the kite laterally by pulling on your control lines, pulling back or out with your left arm will pull the kite to the left. By combining the movements of stepping down or upwind and moving the control lines forward and back with your arms you can maneuver the kite up or down in altitude.

There are plenty of excellent resources on the internet for the exact moves and techniques involved in all levels of stunt kite flying. Your best bet now that you have a rough idea of flying stunt kites is to grab a kite and go catch the breeze.