P.L. Pilot kite question???

This question is for anyone that has built their own P.L. Pilot kite. After seeing a number of these kites perform at Sunderland I would like to make some as lifters. What i need to know is: Are the leading edges of the bottom skin panels tapered the same as the top skin, or are they left square? The plan doesn't make this clear and i can see no reason for tapering the lower skin as the bottom of the profile is straight and not curved. Regards, Dave. Website: http://dh.kites.8m.com

Hi Dave,

It is the same at both sides. And it is one of the important details of the kite. The curves are adding 'flow resistance' at the front of the kite. It's flying more stable then. We had long and interresting discussions about these 'simple looking' kite with Peter.

happy building, Juergen Ebbinghaus

Can that pilot kite be made any larger that it is? eg 20' x 26' size and fly on its own?

It can be made bigger, I think David Gomberg makes one.

But...

It pulls like a train at standard size, the size you're thinking of would frighten me!

Paul www.tkfw.co.uk www.sportkites.co.uk Oxygen Dual Line Pair

Hi Kirby,

I have made a 2m * 2.2 m (~ 4.5 square meters) and a 2.86 m* 3.17 m (~ 9.06 square meters) model.

They are working without line laundry also

Greetings from Germany,