Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1993 20:09:33 -1000 From: yagdp@levels.unisa.edu.au Message-Id: <1993Jun15.153933.20540@levels.unisa.edu.au> Organization: University of South Australia Subject: Flexi Design Hi All, Like to report that we (my wife who does the sewing, and me who does the flying) have just finished making our second 6' flexi clone, so now I can stack & fly :-)... Tried it out on the weekend (great fun :-) ) and noted the following :- 1. the newest flexi is approx 1"-1.5" wider between the aluminium rings at each end of the leading edge (ie. the tabs holding the rings are slightly longer- not the actual leading edge). The kite appears slightly slower then the first and having moved the rubber grommets out to the extremity of the spar(to no effect) was wondering if there is an effective/efficeint and cheap way of increasing the length of the spar ?? 2. My first flexi had serious problems with the outside cells collapsing and flapping when the kite was under load (something I still haven't solved completely). On the new kite we tried inserting a gauze strip in the cell dividing panel to each outside cell. (ie to let air move freely between cells 1 & 2 and cells 9 & 10. This doesn't seem to have affected the performance of the kite (as far as I can tell from my relatively inexperienced flying) but it hasn't shown any sign of the wing flapping problems yet - but now I don't know if it is due to the gauze panel or the extra width between the alumnium rings! Has anyone else played around with the airflow into these outside cells??? 3. Also incorporated into the new flexi are tabs sewn into each dividing cell seam along the leading edge to attach a bridling system to enable flying the flexi *without* a spar. This is from an article from Drachen Magazine - I think, that was copied and sent to me) I haven't had time to make the bridle and try this out yet but will report as soon as I do - Sounds the the ultimate light wind solution !! Comments, advice & questions welcome.. Tight Lines Graeme Poole Internet: yagdp@ntx.city.unisa.edu.au = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1993 01:19:23 -1000 From: lmarshal@pnfi.forestry.ca (Larry Marshall) Message-Id: Organization: Forestry Canada - Petawawa National Forestry Institute Subject: Re: Flexi Design In <1993Jun15.153933.20540@levels.unisa.edu.au> yagdp@levels.unisa.edu.au writes: >Like to report that we (my wife who does the sewing, and me who does the >flying) have just finished making our second 6' flexi clone, so now I >can stack & fly :-)... Are you using tapered spars in these kites and if so, where are you getting them? ---------- Larry Marshall lmarshal@pnfi.forestry.ca Forestry Canada (613) 589-2880 Petawawa National Forestry Institute (613) 589-2275 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1993 09:23:56 -1000 From: ces1at@surrey.ac.uk (Andy Tate) Message-Id: Organization: University of Surrey, Dept Chem & Proc Eng,UK Subject: Re: Flexi Design In article <1993Jun15.153933.20540@levels.unisa.edu.au> yagdp@levels.unisa.edu.au writes: >Path: uos-ee!uknet!pipex!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!math.ohio-state.edu!caen!batcomputer!munnari.oz.au!yoyo.aarnet.edu.au!news.adelaide.edu.au!levels.unisa.edu.au!yagdp >From: yagdp@levels.unisa.edu.au >Newsgroups: rec.kites >Subject: Flexi Design >Message-ID: <1993Jun15.153933.20540@levels.unisa.edu.au> >Date: 15 Jun 93 15:39:33 +0930 >Organization: University of South Australia >Lines: 41 >Hi All, >Like to report that we (my wife who does the sewing, and me who does the >flying) have just finished making our second 6' flexi clone, so now I >can stack & fly :-)... >Tried it out on the weekend (great fun :-) ) and noted the following :- >1. the newest flexi is approx 1"-1.5" wider between the aluminium rings >at each end of the leading edge (ie. the tabs holding the rings are >slightly longer- not the actual leading edge). The kite appears slightly >slower then the first and having moved the rubber grommets out to the >extremity of the spar(to no effect) was wondering if there is an >effective/efficeint and cheap way of increasing the length of the spar ?? YES YES YES Just the same happened to me. I simply bought another 6ft flexi connector and then cut a short length of solid aluminium rod to slide into the connector. Thus my spar has been elongated by the desired amount ( about half the length of the flexi ferrule is the min extension -- more if you use longer alu. Now flies better than my bought one !!!! Flexi ferrules v v ------------ ---------- ----------------------=============-------------------------------- ----------------------=============------------------------------- ------------ ---------- ^ Alu rod in middle >2. My first flexi had serious problems with the outside cells collapsing >and flapping when the kite was under load (something I still haven't >solved completely). On the new kite we tried inserting a gauze strip in >the cell dividing panel to each outside cell. (ie to let air move freely >between cells 1 & 2 and cells 9 & 10. This doesn't seem to have affected the >performance of the kite (as far as I can tell from my relatively >inexperienced flying) but it hasn't shown any sign of the wing flapping >problems yet - but now I don't know if it is due to the gauze panel or >the extra width between the alumnium rings! NEVER experianced this one! >Has anyone else played around with the airflow into these outside cells??? >3. Also incorporated into the new flexi are tabs sewn into each dividing >cell seam along the leading edge to attach a bridling system to enable >flying the flexi *without* a spar. This is from an article from Drachen >Magazine - I think, that was copied and sent to me) I haven't had >time to make the bridle and try this out yet but will report as soon as >I do - Sounds the the ultimate light wind solution !! I am interested in how this goes....please keep us informed Andy Tate a.tate@surrey.ac.uk = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Fri, 18 Jun 1993 03:24:15 -1000 From: gaffer@plx.com (Andrew Beattie) Message-Id: <1993Jun18.132415.15776@plx.com> Organization: PLEXUS Software, a division of REI Subject: Re: Flexi Design yagdp@levels.unisa.edu.au writes: >Has anyone else played around with the airflow into these outside cells??? You might like to consider cross venting in the end 2 or 3 cells. This may help to keep the end cell inflated. On the other hand, it may cause the problem to spread to other cells. Andrew -- Work: gaffer@plx.com Phone: +44 793 614 110 Fax: +44 793 614 297 Play: andrew@tug.com Phone: +44 256 464 912 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1993 08:50:08 -1000 From: ar12@quads.uchicago.edu (Andre Robotewskyj) Message-Id: <1993Jun21.185008.18899@midway.uchicago.edu> Organization: University of Chicago Subject: Re: Flexi Design Hi there, I just completed my first flexi last week - A MAJOR PAIN IN THE A$# ! Anyway, it flys great with the exception that the left hand, outer-most cell deflates under load, I've been able to minimize the problem my moving the stops on the ends of the spar in a bit, but I can't seem to eliminate it. The right hand cell, however, suffers from no such problem- any ideas? As far as I can tell, the kite is very symetrical- it ought to be as I took GREAT CARE in making my measurments during construction. Otherwise, I'm quite happy with it. Thanks, Andre