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Light-Wind Flying with the Rev Reflex, for Everyone by Revolution Kites

The Reflex as an autopilot in light, unsteady wind, tried by a Club 38 pilot: floating the Rev above you, then the first Reflex tricks.

From the series Wind and places to fly. Transcript by QuadKites.org.

Light-Wind Flying with the Rev Reflex, for Everyone by Revolution Kites

Key takeaways from this video

  • In light wind, the pilot handles the take-off and the landing; in between, the Reflex floats the Rev above you like a leaf instead of letting it stall.
  • The first difficulty is the transition from normal flight to the float above you; above two to three miles per hour (about 3 to 5 km/h), a vented model makes it easier.
  • Coming overhead slightly from the side lets you position yourself further upwind.
  • For the catch and throw or the Reflex 360, stand further upwind, otherwise the Rev turns and drifts downwind.

Transcript

  1. Light wind and the Reflex

    0:00

    I'm Joe Hadzicki, inventor of the Revolution. One of the biggest problems for kite flyers around the world is light and unsteady wind. The Revolution Reflex and the Reflex skills solve this problem. The more I push the boundaries, the more amazing the Reflex becomes. It's a little bit like being an airline pilot, where you're responsible for the takeoff and the landing, but in light winds everything in between is taken care of by the Reflex autopilot. What I find really amazing is that the Reflex allows pilots of all skill levels to fly in nearly impossible conditions.

  2. Chris tries the Reflex

    1:06

    I'd like to introduce you to one of my good friends, Chris. He's also a Club 38 member. Hey Chris, what's up? Joe, how you doing? Tell us a little bit about your flying. Well, I'm an old-school Rev flyer and Club 38 level four. Level four is right up there. Level four, level five, thanks. And I thought I'd give that Reflex a try and see what it does. All right, let's see how it goes. The float is perfect for us.

  3. Flying up overhead

    1:39

    Okay, for the autopilot to kick in, we've got to fly it up overhead, then float it off to the side, and let's just see where it floats. Awesome, Chris. Overhead you went into the float, and then you caught the thing. So how did that compare to your standard Rev experience? Well, when it was directly overhead it felt a little uncomfortable, because I thought it was going to stall. Yeah, exactly, it drops out when it gets there. So I saw that, when you were flying you were kind of cautious, and the Reflex just makes it float like a leaf. So, upward lift, and at that point I knew I could catch it, so I chased it and ended up catching it. Incredible, nice job. Thanks.

  4. Basic Reflex skills

    3:22

    If you're starting with the basic Reflex skills, your first challenge is going to be the transition between kite flight, where the wind is blowing directly into your sail, and an overhead float, or autopilot mode. Your Rev is basically flying like the wing of an airplane. If the wind is blowing more than two or three miles an hour, this transition to overhead flight is much easier with one of the vented Spider models, for example a Reflex XX Tarantula or maybe the Super Tarantula. Another option for that overhead flight is, instead of flying directly over the top, to come in slightly from the side. This will allow you to get further upwind.

  5. Getting upwind

    4:02

    Remember, upwind flying is critical if you want your Rev to come past you. For example, in the catch and throw, if you are not far enough upwind when you pull your Rev, it will simply turn and fly downwind. You need to get further upwind so that when you pull it and come in, you can make that catch.

  6. Reflex 360 and tosses

    4:21

    For another skill, the Reflex 360, you need to fly further upwind, because remember, your Rev will fly all the way around you as you circle around to complete the 360. Here are some of the basic Reflex skills. The Reflex toss and the crosswind toss are two other Reflex skills that are fun to explore. Let's kick those Reflex skills in light winds up a notch. If you have any questions, leave us a message, we'll get back to you, and we'll see you on the field.

Keep going

In the series Wind and places to fly — Revolution Kites tutorials

  1. Basic Light-Wind Techniques for Your Rev
  2. Light-Wind Flying with the Rev Reflex, for Everyone — you are here
  3. 4 Techniques for Light-Wind Rev Flying
  4. No Wind? No Problem! How to Fly Your Revolution in Light Winds
  5. Master Light, Unsteady Wind with Your Revolution Reflex
  6. How to Reach the Highest Levels of Rev Mastery, Even in Light Winds
  7. 6 Tips for Flying Your Revolution in High Winds

See the 16 videos of the series

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