Backward flight, leading edge on the ground: starting by moving back

This lesson is part of the Cramayailes indoor 4-line school, restored by QuadKites.org. The text is Thierry Bressure’s, in the first person, translated from French. The video commentary is in French.

Prerequisite: 360.

The kite rests on the ground, LE down. It rises in backward flight while rotating to go into a backward 360.

We finished the previous progression level by learning to fly backward flight in flight. This lesson teaches you to start backward flight with the revo resting on the ground on its leading edge.

It is a little harder, because you must master taking off LE down and a rotation in backward flight. Performed at a constant, reduced speed, the maneuver gives an impression of lightness and blurs the notion of forward and backward.

The pilot starts by moving back in a straight line for one or two steps to put the sail under pressure and make the rotation. Then the pilot moves back in a circle as usual.

This figure must be started with the kite on the ground on its leading edge. As we are already far into the course, we will start it in flight to learn to manage the turns.

Put the kite in a forward 360, say to the left. Gently set the kite down LE on the ground. Release the brakes while moving back, then tighten the brakes again: the sail comes under pressure and the kite rises. Give more brake on the right hand (which controls the right wing, visually on the left because the LE is toward the ground). The kite rotates to the right. As soon as the LE is vertical, start backward flight by tightening both brakes and move back in a circle to the left.

From forward flight, you therefore set the kite down LE on the ground to fly backward in the opposite direction.

You can also do it from backward flight. Say we are flying backward to the left: you must set the kite down with a clockwise quarter turn. Ideally, release the upper (left) wing and brake the lower (right) wing. The kite rotates and, when the LE faces the ground, you must let it settle gently while moving back to keep pressure. The kite lands on the ground with the wing under pressure.

To take off, you move back and can give a very slight extra pressure with your arms. The kite rises in backward flight. Quickly, release a little brake on the right wing, visually on the left because the LE is toward the ground. Remember: right wing means right hand. The kite turns to the left.

As soon as the LE is vertical, you must get back into a backward 360 to the left: put the revo back under pressure and move back in a circle to the right.

Practice this exercise until the maneuver is smooth. The kite must move fluidly during its takeoff phase, showing mastery of pressure and brake management in backward flight. A smooth takeoff gives an impression of lightness and blurs the notion of forward and backward: quad-line effect guaranteed!

With this lesson mastered, where we made quarter turns in backward flight, we can now tackle the turn in backward flight.