Want to fly as part of a team? We’ve got guides to get you started, animated team maneuvers and illustrative videos!
Videos are available in English or French. You can activate subtitles in the youtube player if you need to! (How to activate subtitles)
Thanks to John Barresi for his tutorial videos!
Basic skills
If you want to fly with peace of mind as part of a team, we recommend that you check what you’ve already learned:
In short, you need to know how to make the following movements:
- Forward flight (in all directions)
- Turn left and right, fast and progressive
- Stop and hover (in any direction)
- Reverse flight (in all directions)
- Speed control (forward and reverse)
- Side slide (lateral flight)
- Control speed: constant speed, accelerate and brake
- Control spacing: fixed or relative distance to other kites
John shows you some of these skills.
Team flying manuals
The Jst-4-Fn standard

The Jst-4-Fn standard provides the basics for all kitefliers who want to fly in a team, whatever their level and wherever they are in the world. With the conventions on offer, you can join a team on the ground and fly together quickly with 2, 10, 30 kitefliers… You can even improvise a team with the kitefliers around you, have fun quickly and offer a demonstration to the public.
A number of experienced pilots have been keeping Jst-4-Fn alive on a voluntary basis for over 10 years. In fact, this standard is not affiliated with any organization.
We recently produced the French version. Enjoy!
Download the Jst-4-Fn standard (PDF format)
French – English – German – Spanish – Italian
You’ll quickly notice that the leader’s calls are in English. This choice of language allows teams to be formed whatever the nationality of the participants. This is particularly useful at international festivals or convivials (Berck, Dieppe, Brouwersdam, Marseille, etc.).
Over 90 maneuvers have been animated and described:
The Mega-Fly manual
This “Revolution Mega-Fly Figures” manual, published in 2007, was the first document to explain the most common Megateam figures used worldwide. This manual remains a reference for megateam flying. We’ve produced the French version just for you!
Download the Mega-Fly figures manual by Mike Kory (PDF format)
French – English – Spanish – Italian
All these maneuvers have been animated and much more :
Flying the grid during a megateam
Thierry introduces how to fly in a grid on his blog KiteJust4Fun (French blog):

Training practices
Each team finds tips and techniques for preparing and practicing tricks.
Describing maneuvers step by step
Teams describe their choreographed moves by thumbnail, digitally or on paper.

A few tips
- Use different colors for each kite.
- Draw the initial and final positions of each kite.
- Describe the movement in the form of an arrow.
- Note the order of kites if necessary.
- Note timing associated with music, if any.
- Print out sheets of paper including previously drawn squares.
Simulate with sticks
Each teammate simulates the movements of his or her kite with a “stick”. The stick consists of a kite rod and a kite shape (cardboard, laminated paper or 3d printed). It’s great for rehearsing. The team can film the simulation and use it to rehearse individually.
Example with the KiteLife team – Facebook
A few tips
- Use your own kite rods
- A cardboard cut-out and some tape can be enough to get you started.
Simulate with magnets and string
Movements can be simulated with magnets that each teammate moves. These magnets can be attached to ropes to simulate lines and their windings.

A few tricks
- Simply glue a magnet to a piece of paper in the shape of a kite.
- By taking a series of photos with a still camera, the team can easily create a GIF animation (but it’s time-consuming!).
Dancing choreography
Each teammate mimes his or her kite on the ground!
Using a flight simulator
Some teams simulate their choreography in 2d on a computer. It’s not a common practice, however, because it’s a lot of work and simulators are rare.
Flying, flying and more flying
Finally, the most obvious and essential trick is to fly! Professional teams regularly train together to improve every detail: movements, transitions, tempo to music and in different wind conditions. Alongside team training, each member is encouraged to work on his or her technique and muscle memory, so that on D-Day each team member can concentrate on the choreography!
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To go further
External resources
- Aerialis kites
- KiteLife
- Using radios in a megateam – KiteJust4Fun
- Team flying – Ron Reich via AKA
- Choreography in pairs – Ron Reich via AKA
- Flying in pairs – AKA
- Multiple Sport Kite Flying – El Alma del Piloto
- Team flying basics – Stuntkite.de