⚠️ Note: this content applies to French FFVL competitions only. It is written in English for convenience and educational purposes, as the format and figures are particularly valuable for learning and progression. It does not describe an international competition standard.
Flying together with 4 lines each: challenge and pleasure multiplied!
Here you’ll find all the official figures for the “Novice” category in multi-line team.
With several pilots, control, synchronicity and precision take on a whole new dimension… and it gives spectacular flights to experience as much as to fly.
If you discover this page directly, take a tour through our overview of the “Novice” format to better understand the spirit of these figures and their role in your progression.
🔍 Figures
Each figure is described with its diagram and main expectations. This will help you train serenely and progress, flight after flight.
If you have doubts about a term or symbol, our definitions are there to help you.
MTN01 – The eraser
Description
The kites evolve in pursuit mode, from left to right (leading edge toward the right). After having traveled a certain distance forward, they return on their steps, in reverse flight, to their starting position.
Entry / Exit
- The IN is given when all kites are ready, in pursuit mode, leading edge toward the right.
- The OUT is given when all kites have returned to their starting point.
Tips / Key elements
- The speed of the kites must be identical in order to maintain constant gaps between the kites and allow them to return at the same time to their starting point.
- Forward as well as in reverse flight, the horizontal line must be clean for all kites and well parallel to the ground.
MTN02 – 2 steps
Description
The kites evolving in pursuit mode from right to left, perform, in parallel and in a synchronized manner, 2 successive half-turns, downward, on wing tip, then continue their course in pursuit mode on the same straight line.
Entry / Exit
- The IN is announced when all kites are ready, in pursuit mode, leading edge toward the left.
- The OUT is announced when all kites have traveled a certain distance, in pursuit, after the 2 half-turns.
Tips / Key elements
- The straight lines parallel to the ground must be clean and the kites well aligned.
- The 2 half-turns must be well synchronized and marked with light stalls before and after their execution.
MTN03 – Clock team
Description
The kites start from the ground (launch). Having reached half the height of the window, they stop briefly then begin a clock (rotation marking each quarter with a short stall). Back with leading edge upward, the kites perform a descent in reverse flight to land on the tips of their spars. The clock is performed counterclockwise.
Entry / Exit
The IN is given just before launch and the OUT just after landing.
Tips / Key elements
- The lines must be straight and aligned relative to the ground (vertically and horizontally).
- The 4 quarters of the clock must be sufficiently marked (small stalls between each quarter turn), to well demonstrate the figure, and synchronized between all kites.
MTN04 – Let down
Description
This figure is entirely performed in “pursuit” mode without pause, leading edge oriented toward the right. Evolving on a horizontal line parallel to the ground, leading edge oriented toward the right, the kites slide in turn downward and then continue their course toward the right
Entry / Exit
- The IN is announced when all kites are ready, in pursuit mode, leading edge toward the right.
- The OUT is announced when all kites have traveled a certain distance, in pursuit, after the slide.
Tips / Key elements
The gaps between the kites must be respected and the speeds mastered to manage the rhythm change due to the slide.
MTN05 – Slide team
Description
The kites evolve following each other along an ascending axis then perform in parallel a horizontal slide from right to left before resuming their ascent in “pursuit” mode.
Entry / Exit
- The IN is announced when all kites are ready to perform the ascent in pursuit mode.
- The OUT is announced at the end of a second ascending phase, in pursuit mode, at the end of the figure.
Tips / Key elements
- The horizontal slides must be well parallel to the ground.
- The speeds must be worked on so that the kites evolve in parallel on the horizontal slide and that the gaps between the kites are mastered during the pursuit phases.
MTN06 – Rainbow
Description
The kites start from the ground, tips downward, to perform, after a slight vertical climb, a half-circle to the right. This is followed by a vertical descent to land gently on the leading edge. The kites must give the illusion of being connected to each other by a spar so as to perform the figure in parallel.
Entry / Exit
The IN is given just before launch and the OUT just after landing.
Tips / Key elements
- To achieve the parallelism of the figure, the kites must evolve at the same “average” speed during the phases of ascent and descent in straight vertical line (launch and landing).
- On the other hand, during the execution of the half-circles, the kite on the inside of the figure (blue) should slow down a bit while the one on the outside (green) will have to accelerate and the kite in the center (red) maintain the “average” speed to achieve the desired effect.
MTN07 – Creep
Description
The entirety of this figure is performed with leading edge toward the ground. The kites launch in reverse flight then perform a slide from right to left before returning to land gently on their leading edge.
Entry / Exit
- The IN is given just before launch when all kites are ready, landed on the ground on their leading edge.
- The OUT is given just after landing, at the same time, on leading edge, of all kites.
Tips / Key elements
The speed of the kites must be identical during the different phases of the figure (ascent in reverse flight, horizontal slide, landing) in order to ensure their synchronization.
MTN08 – Up & Down
Description
The figure is performed in “pursuit” on the horizontal lines and in parallel on the verticals. The kites, evolving from left to right on the same horizontal line, will perform a first rotation around their center to orient their leading edge toward the sky marking a brief pause before and after the rotation. They will then climb a few meters before performing a similar rotation to head back toward the right. After a few meters, they start again to head downward. Then, crossing their original axes, they start one last time to finish evolving as at the start of the figure.
Entry / Exit
- The IN is pronounced when all kites, leading edge toward the right, are aligned horizontally, in “pursuit” mode.
- The OUT is pronounced when all kites have traveled a certain distance in pursuit mode, toward the right after the last rotation.
Tips / Key elements
- The kites must respect the gaps in horizontal movements (pursuit mode) and evolve at the same speed during vertical movements (parallel mode).
- Well marking the angles by making light stalls before and after the rotations makes the figure more readable.
MTN09 – Slide & step
Description
The kites, landed on the ground on their left side (leading edge toward the left), launch and begin a climb in slide. Halfway, they mark a brief pause then reverse the direction of their leading edge by a half-turn on wing tip. They then finish the figure by continuing to climb in slide but with the leading edge directed toward the right this time.
Entry / Exit
- The IN is announced just before launch when the kites are in position, landed on the ground with their leading edge pointing toward the left.
- The OUT is announced at the end of a second slide equivalent in distance to the first slide performed before the half-turn on wing tip.
MTN10 – Small loops
Description
The figure is executed in “pursuit” mode the kites moving from right to left of the window, one behind the other on the same horizontal line. Twice, they will perform a small loop (the first upward and the second downward) all together in a synchronized manner, each time resuming, on exit from the loop, their course on the horizontal line they were following on entry to the loop.
Entry / Exit
- The IN is announced when all kites are aligned on the same horizontal line in “pursuit” mode.
- The OUT is announced when all kites have traveled a sufficient distance on the straight horizontal line after the downward loop (the second).
Tips / Key elements
- The distance between the kites must remain identical throughout the figure.
- The loops must all be of the same size and not too large.
MTN11 – Ripcord
Description
After a short parallel ascent, starting from the ground, the kites mark a brief pause then burst symmetrically while remaining aligned on the vertical axis.
Entry / Exit
- The IN is triggered just before the launch of the kites.
- The OUT is triggered when all kites have reached their final point, on the same horizontal line
Tips / Key elements
- The speed of the kites must be identical during the initial ascent.
- Their speed must adapt in the second part so that all kites remain aligned on the same horizontal axis throughout the diagonal ascent.
- The kites must evolve symmetrically relative to a central vertical axis.
🔗 Explore more figures
- Back to all “novice” compulsory figures
- Do you want to fly solo or with a partner?
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