Flying With No Wind

by Dave M.
(IL, USA)

Hawk kite on light line

Hawk kite on light line

One of my goals is to fly kites in every month of the year, not just when it is warm. This was inspired when I saw kites flying in China in temperatures well below freezing.

Yesterday in Illinois was Very Calm, with temperatures just at freezing, It took me at least 10 minutes of carefully feeling the wind, backing into the "breeze" and maintaining light tension on the line till I got it up.

This hawk kite with a very light line can fly with almost no wind if you are patient. See the photo including snow.

Another of my goals is to fly a kite on all continents. To date: North and South America, Europe and Asia; Someday Africa and Australia!

Thanks for all of your e-mail newsletters.

Comments for Flying With No Wind

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Keep looking up!
by: Gadget

Way to go! Please post pictures of all your conquests. Enjoyed this one very much.
Rating
starstarstarstar 		Kite over snow
by: Tim Parish

A tranquil setting for a good light-wind kite-flying session. Thanks for contributing a snow shot too - quite rare on this site!

Try another one when flying on a much shorter line, to get the kite bigger in the shot. I often fly the kite on a few winds of line around my foot, leaving two hands free for the camera. You can always let out lots of line later :-)

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to YOUR Pictures Of Kites!.

I can tell you love kites...

Otherwise you wouldn't be all the way down here near the bottom of the page :-)

So, could you do me just a small favor? 

Please sign up for my free monthly publication, "Tethered Flying". No other emails will be sent, and your details are safe with me. You do need to be at least 16 years old. There's...

  • A huge "photo of the month" (linked from a much smaller one in the email of course)
  • 3 "tips of the month" (1 for beginners, 1 for parents and 1 for more experienced kite-fliers)
  • A "flight report of the month" (selected from my own flying logs and illustrated with a photo)

Looking forward to hearing from you...

P.S. My free kite-making e-book "Simplest Dowel Kites" can be downloaded as soon as you sign up.



 

Back to top of page

Need winders, reels, flying line?

We earn a small commission if you click the following link and buy something. The item does not cost you any more, since we are an "affiliate" of Amazon.

Click here to buy anything you need. Just use the Search box in there if you need different weights or lengths of line, for example.

P.S. Keep an eye out for books by kite author Glenn Davison, a prominent kite person in the USA.

What's New!

RSS

  1. Flight Report:
    Dual Line Club Fly

    Jul 14, 19 08:41 PM

    Yesterday at Semaphore Park we had the usual club kite fly... However, with a stiff sou-westerly, we all opted for dual-line kites! Although Mike had the ever-present red parafoil up with some inflata…

    Read More

Wind Speeds

Light Air
1-5 km/h
1-3 mph
1-3 knots
Beaufort 1

Light breeze
6–11 km/h
4–7 mph
4–6 knots
Beaufort 2

Gentle ...
12–19 km/h
8–12 mph
7–10 knots
Beaufort 3

Moderate ...
20–28 km/h
13–18 mph
11–16 knots
Beaufort 4

Fresh ...
29–38 km/h
19–24 mph
17–21 knots
Beaufort 5

Strong ...
39–49 km/h
25–31 mph
22–27 knots
Beaufort 6

High Wind
50-61 km/h
32-38 mph
28-33 knots
Beaufort 7

Like/share this site...

Like/share this page...