Kites

Rokkaku kite

The Rokkaku kite is actually a Japanese fighting kite but is stable on a tight line. Great stable lifter with a generous wind range.

<- This Rokkaku kite was made by Jones Airfoils.
Based in the USA and hand made to a very high standard using premium materials, including kevlar.

If you're looking for quality that will knock your socks off, Jones Airfoils is the place to go. They also offer a Dopero kite to the same high standard and a choice of frames.

If you're doing kite photography, be sure to check out their KAP feather >>

Photo shamelessy "borrowed" from Jones Airfoil.

Modified Delta Conyne kite

Great stable kite. Easy to make and flies like a dream.

Moulton's book says "Make one, you'll never regret it."
True words indeed. It has detailed working plan, except for the bridle which makes it a bit of trail and error.

If the kite flies, you've got it right.

HQ Power Sled 3.0 L kite

Quite a robust version.

Kite comes with 2 part spars so you can collapse it quite small. Mine arrived with a spar protruding through one of the spar sleeves so I'd change them to single long length spars and make a longer bag to prevent this happening again. The hole is minor but a blemish none the less.

Great kite with good pull but it's made from a heavier fabric than most and doesn't like very light winds much.

You can get this kite from:Active Toys - great price too

I'd spend a bit more and get the Premier Sled 36 kite
from Go Kites.

Premier Power Sled 81 kite

Very nicely made. Powerful kite with a wide range.

The kite comes with 1-piece spars that stay in the kite which you then bend in half and put into the drogue which doubles as a carry bag. This is a big kite, capable of generating huge pull. I waited a week before flying this in light winds and it has great manners.

Very stable kite in most wind ranges.

You can get one from:
Go Kites - great service and very knowledgeable.

Flowform lifting kite

Small pack size makes this a convenient kite to carry around. Not all that easy to make and some fly better than others. Sits further back in the window - has a lower flying angle than the Rok. Flowform kites can generate enormous lift but are generally gentler than other parafoils.

You can get this kite from:
Active Toys

Flowform lifting kite - alternative

This is a kite I have made from plans on kiteplans.org

Easy build and a great flier. Remember to put some tabs in the trailing edge of the kite for tails or a drogue.

Peter Lynn Pilot kite

Versatile kite with awesome lifting power. Stable in variable conditions. Choose the right size as the bigger version generate huge lift.

You can get one from Kite World.

To make one: See Kite Guy for a great plan scaler and some tips.

<< this one is a 3/4 scale which I manually worked out with Illustrator before finding an excel file that would do it in 5 seconds. Doh!

It is a very forgiving set of plans and I have closed the trailing edge, not put in the gauze at the end of each profile but rather just vented with circular holes along the profile. It flies like a champ and is very manageable.

On the sands I fly it from a sand anchor.

New Tech Sky Hook 60 kite

Stable lifting kite which flies at a much lower angle than flowforms and other parafoils. This means you can walk it over subjects for aerial photography.

You can get one from Kite World