QuadKites.org

Short or Long Lines for Your Revolution? by Revolution Kites

Which line length to choose: the standard sets, what shorter lines change, from 3D flying to indoor flying, and longer lines, the domain of team flying.

From the series Lines, handles and care. Transcript by QuadKites.org.

Short or Long Lines for Your Revolution? by Revolution Kites

Key takeaways from this video

  • Standard sets are 60 ft (about 18 m) for the EXP and 80 to 85 ft (about 25 m) for the other models: neither too short nor too long.
  • Move to short lines, 50 then 30 ft (about 15 then 9 m), only once you can stop your Rev instantly in every direction.
  • On short lines the Rev seems faster because its arc is shorter, and momentum can carry it past the edge of the window: the Reflex floats instead of stalling.
  • Indoor flying uses 8 to 15 ft (about 2.5 to 4.5 m); team flying uses long lines, today 120 ft (about 37 m).

Transcript

  1. The standard line sets

    0:00

    Hi, I'm Joe Hadzicki, inventor of the Revolution, and a question I get asked often is: what length of line set should I fly with my Revolution? The easy answer, of course, is the line set that comes with your Revolution. If you have an EXP, the standard line length is 60 feet, and if you have one of the other models, for example this Super Tarantula, the line length is 80 to 85 feet. Both these line sets are in the medium range for Rev line sets, not too short and not too long. In general, shorter line sets are easier to manage. The longer the line set, the larger the flying area.

  2. Trying shorter or longer

    1:03

    If you've been flying your Rev for a while, you might want to try something different. We've got two options: shorter or longer. Most people choose shorter because they want to fly their Revs in a smaller space. The most common short line lengths are 50 feet and 30 feet. It's going to change your flying significantly when you go to shorter lines. I don't suggest that new pilots start out with short lines, but if you're capable of stopping instantly and quickly with your Rev in all directions, then I think you're ready to go. Dropping down from 80 feet to 50 feet is a great start.

  3. How short lines feel

    1:47

    The difference you're going to notice is that it feels like your Rev is flying much faster. It's actually flying exactly the same speed; it's just that the arc it's flying is much shorter, which makes it feel much faster. You can picture it like this. If these are the edges of your window, on your long set you can fly from one edge to the other. On your shorter line set you're still flying from one edge to the other, but the distance is much shorter, so you get from one edge to the other much faster.

  4. Window edge and stalls

    2:21

    Another effect of long lines: as you fly through the window and get to the edge, your Rev will naturally slow down. But if you're flying on shorter lines, the momentum and speed can carry you right past the edge of the window, and you can stall and fall out of the air. This is a perfect application for the Reflex: when it flies out at the edge of the wind, it doesn't stall, it floats.

  5. 3D flying and small spaces

    3:11

    Flying short lines opens up the world of 3D flying. Here on 30-foot lines, the hand launch, or maybe the 3D catch and throw, or the amazing 360. A few other advantages of short lines: number one, they're easy to take in and put out, and number two, they have a lot fewer tangles. If you live in a city, the parks are beautiful but the space is usually limited, so short lines allow you to fly in a small space while still leaving space for the other people. The Revolution is amazing in small spaces because of that precision control. One drawback of short line flying is that it always feels like you're on the edge of the window, but this can be an advantage because it sharpens your skills. If you're thinking about short line flying, the Revolution Reflex is your best friend. The stability on the edge of the wind is amazing.

  6. Indoor flying

    5:51

    Can we go even shorter with the line sets? Yes. Now we enter the world of indoor flying. This is basically a variation of 3D flying, but you're doing it indoors with no wind, where the only energy source is the movement of the pilots. These pilots typically fly on line sets anywhere from 8 feet up to 15 feet.

  7. Long line flying

    6:07

    All right, let's go to the other edge of the spectrum: long line flying. I've flown on lines up to 200 feet long, but the norm these days for long lines is 120 feet. Long lines are the realm of team flying, and in team flying you need a lot of space. Just like short lines give you a short arc, long lines give you a long arc, and that long arc equals a lot of space in the sky. When team flying, the longer lines give you a larger window. This gives the teams room to fly into formation and do flying patterns. We'll see you on the field.

Keep going

In the series Lines, handles and care — Revolution Kites tutorials

  1. Revolution Leader Lines: What Are They and How to Use Them
  2. Short or Long Lines for Your Revolution? — you are here
  3. Short Lines: 6 Reasons You Will Like Them
  4. Long or Short Handles for Your Rev?
  5. Revolution Line Management for Your Rev Kite
  6. Revolution Line Wear and Binding: Tips from the Masters
  7. Double the Life of Your Revolution Line Set

See the 17 videos of the series

Elsewhere on the site

Last updated: — new page: the video, its key takeaways, and its transcript