Kite control systems

Kite types, kite mooring, and kite applications result in a wide variety of kite control systems. Contemporary manufacturers, kite athletes, kite pilots, scientists, and engineers are expanding the possibilities.

On-board angle-of-attack mechanisms were used in 2000 altitude record-making flight; the operators' designed adjuster limited kite line tension to not more than 100 pounds by altering the angle of attack of the kite's wing body. The kite's line had a control: line payout meter that did not function in the record-setting flight. However, some special tether line lower end used some bungee and pulley arrangements to lower the impact of gusts on the long tether. Control of a kite includes how other aircraft sees the kite system; the team placed a radio beacon (using two-meter frequency detectable for 50 miles) on the kite; for sight visibility, strobe lights were hung from the kite's nose. Control via use of reels and pulleys become critical when tension is high; the team had to repair and replace parts during the flight session.

Auxiliary devices have been invented and used for controlling single-line kites. Devices on board the kite's wing can react to the kite-line's tension or to the kite's angle of attack with the ambient stream in which the kite is flying. Special reel devices allow kite-line length and tension control. Moving the kite's line lower end left or right or windward or anti-windward forms part of the control system of single-line kites. Devices at the kite's bridle can be set to alter the relative lengths of sub-bridle lines in order to set the attitude of the kite so that the kite flies at a certain position of the potential positions; this can be done for one setting while the kite is readied for flight; but Kenneth C. Howard invited a device that can be operated on single-line kites during the flight session for variable settings:

This may be done by rapidly and repeatedly slackening the string 19. In the first described form of the invention the resulting tilting movement of the control arm 14, and the action of the pawl 22 on the teeth II, causes 15 the arm to progressively rotate around the plate 10. Thus, any desired rotated position of the arm 14 may be attained for making the kite 29 climb, dive, or fly to the right or left.

The traditional fighter kiting with single-line control dominates kite fighting while multi-line kite fighting is yet a minor activity. The human operator of the single line aims to master movements (tugs, jerks, releases, directional movements) in order to have the unstable kite temporarily move in one direction or another. The intents of the controls are offensive and defensive; escape from an attack or position for an attack. The building of the kite so that motions by the kite's human operator or pilot allow a temporary limited stability takes special care.

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