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Making and Flying Kites
By | January 27, 2010
Kites are ingenious contraptions that are intended to be flown high in the sky at the end of a string. Making kites and flying kites is an enjoyable and relaxing activity, as well as a competitive game in several parts of the globe. As a matter of fact, nearly all kite flying festivals all across Asia have “kite fights,” which is a venerated and ancient custom where players attempt to cut down their adversaries’ kites by cutting off their lines. This is achieved by using small, extremely maneuverable “fighter kites” that are connected to glass-coated “cutting lines.” These specialized “cutting lines” are used to cut off the lines of contending kites.
In Korea, men, women and children fly kites all throughout the opening days of the New Year. Kite flying is also something to look forward to, and an important component of the boys’ festival, which is held each May in Japan, and in China, one day each year is commemorated as Kites’ Day. On those days, thousands of kites shaped like fish, butterflies and dragons take to the air and float over the cities and towns. Thailand also sponsors an International Kite Festival in which all kites fall into one of two categories: chula (male) or pakpao (female) kites. The kites are immense and require several people to fly them. There are also kite-flying contests held every year in the United States and Canada.
Types of Kites
There are many different types of kites. The simplest kind of kites is the two-stick solitary plane bow kite. It can be purchased ready-made or it can be put together from do-it-yourself kits or made exclusively by hand. For simple kites the sticks can be of any strong lightwood with a straight grain. The covering material can be ordinary brown wrapping paper, or a wispy, light cloth, such as silk or nylon. Plastic sheets of different kinds are also used by kite makers. In addition, cloth is used for the tail and a string for the flight line. There are more advanced types of kites that can be made.
The box kite consists basically of two rectangular boxes, open on two parallel sides each and connected by a common framework. Lawrence Hargrave invented it in the 1890’s. Box kites are more difficult to build than stick kites, but they are outstanding flyers and will keep their place for long periods. Box kites also adjust well to variations in the breeze, and they do not require a tail.
How to Fly Kites
Kites take to the air, like airplanes, on the aerodynamic theory of wind pressure against a heavier-than-air object. The motor and propeller of the airplane create a wind pressure as they move the plane through the air. When the pressure is great enough to overcome gravity, the plane is pushed up and allowed to remain aloft. The same effect of wind pressure is produced by the kite flyer as he sprints across an open field. As the kite moves in opposition to the wind, the string tips the face of the kite onward. The wind pushes up on this tipped face and raises the kite, just as a wedge pushed under an object lifts it up.
Jim Remington is a researcher and writer working for http://www.akiratoys.com, where you can get all the best kites, spinners, and toys at the best prices. Visit us for all your kites needs.
- Jim Remington
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