Kite line

In kiting, a line is the string made of cotton, nylon, silk or wire, which connects the kite to the person operating it or an anchor. Kites have a set of wings, a set of anchors, and a set of lines coupling the wings with the anchors. Kite lines perform various roles: bridle, control, tug, or special duty.

Successful kiting in particular kite applications depends in large part on the kite line's specifications and handling. The integrity of kite lines is affected by wear, reeling, contact with chemicals, loss of strength from knottings, ultraviolet rays of the sun, repeated cycles of use, and damaging actions during use. There are historically classic specifications of kite lines. Kite lines for small toy kites differ greatly from kite lines used for kite tugs that pull commercial cargo ships across the ocean. Sport kites using kite lines two or three or four lines at a time have a need for very low stretch. Single-line recreation kite lines may do well with stretchy kite lines. Kite fighting kites' main tether lines have sharp glass particles bonded to the line. Kite lines misused or abused can cause injury to persons and property. Kite lines vary in pricing and availability. Repair of a particular line has its own arts. Reeling, handling, and storage methods differ for lines depending on the kite applications. Kite lines terminate at the kite's wing/bridle at one end and at some kite mooring at the other end; the mooring is to some object anchor that provides the tug or tension against the resultant of the lift and drag forces of the kite; the anchor is always powered by something even if that something is the Earth's moving surface relative to the air for air kites; a running human kite operator is the source of human powering.

Depending on the kite application and kite system needs, selecting a kite line will consider one or more of the following parameters: availability, base material, color, density, mass per length, size, manufacturer's reports, serial number or product number, diameter, cross-section shape, tensile strength new, aged tensile strength, resistance damage from chemicals, defects, safety factor, resistance to damage from solar radiation (UV stabilization), electrical conductivity, optical conductivity, heat conductivity, moisture intake from water (via humidity, rain, contact with liquid water), buoyancy in water, abrasion resistance, nature of manufacturer's line joins, feel, degradation from knotting, terminal methods, elasticity, structure, signal transmission capacity, visibility to radar, performance over time, maintenance actions, effect on performance from hours of use, drag, negative lift, auxiliary line uses, performance when being reeled under tension, performance when tensed line touches itself, action upon breaking, memory, veil, sleeving, inspectability, surface finish, reaction to heat and cold, taper (as wanted), flexibility, reeling behavior, breaking strength, critical diameter, reliability, test-results portfolio, visibility, twist, plasticity, safety, price. Toy kites sold with a manufacturer's selected line makes the decision easy; the decision is more challenging for custom kite applications. The design and handling of the piano-wire kite line for the high-altitude meteorological observations (1749–1933) was a keen engineering process.

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