Teaching Your Kite to Fly

The Wind Window

The wind window is that space in which your kite will remain airborne, the window is a half hemisphere in front and above the flier, with a radius equal to the length of your flying line.

Its size will vary depending on the wind velocity and length of your fly lines. The center of the wind window affords maximum speed, lift and maneuverability.

With your back to the wind, the area directly down wind from you and just above the ground is where you will get the strongest pull, this is known as the power zone. This is also the best place to launch your kite especially in light wind. As your kite moves away from the center, speed, maneuverability and control decrease as more wind is deflected by the kite's sail.

Larger delta kites often fly in lighter winds, whilst diamond shapes bring back childhood memories of how kites used to be. Box kites, originally designed to be stable in strong winds, are now made with modern materials and can be very efficient. Parafoils are soft kites - they have no rods, but are durable and convenient.

In strong wind and with larger kites it may be better to launch towards the edge of the window where the initial power surge will be lessened and you reduce the risk of being dragged across the ground. The space directly to your right and left and extending directly over head in an arc is known as the neutral zone.

There are two factors that affect the size of your wind window. The first and most critical is wind speed, if you are flying in a strong wind the window will expand in comparison to a light wind where the window will shrink. The second will be the length of your lines, the longer your lines the greater your wind window will be.

Longer lines also make maneuvers less precise.