Kite Types

Let’s get started with the different kite types. At the most basic level there are two types of power kites: Kites that get their shape from the air as they fly and kites that get their shape from some sort of frame.

Foil Kites

Foil kites get their shape by the wind filling the kite. The kite is made of a faberic that is sewn together to give the kite the shape. Between the top and the bottom sheets of the kite are fabric “ribs” that divide the kite into cells. When these cells fill with air, the kite takes its shape. If you close your eyes and squint a little bit, you will see that the inflated kite looks somewhat like an airplane wing.

The HQ Rush III Pro is one of the top foil kites on the market

Foil kites are great kites for beginners. They are easy to use. They range in complexity from a simple two line trainer such as the HQ Rush III 200 to a complex 5 line kite such as the HQ Neo II.

Foil kites have some huge advantages. First, foil kites are easy to set up. No special tools are required to prepare a foil kite. You don’t have to worry about the air bladders getting holes in them. Also, foil kites are cheaper. On top of everything else, foil kites are usually pretty strong. They can handle crashes into the ground. For that reason, foil kites work great as trainer kites. Generally speaking, if you are looking for a trainer kite, you are looking for a foil kite.

It isn’t all rosy for foil kites though. With a few execptions, foil kites are limited to land based sports. Crashing a foil in the water will result in a sinking pile of fabric. Of course, someone out there is going to say, “This one time, I saw a guy flying a foil on the water and it didn’t sink.” It is true. There are a small number of kites that “trap” the air inside so they float on the water. The HQ Hydra and The HQ Neo II are on the top of the list of “water relaunchable” kites.

Leading Edge Inflatable (LEI) Kites

When you see someone out on the water, you are likely looking at someone flying a LEI kite. Unlike foil kites, LEI kites have only one layer of fabric (the skin). This skin is given its shape by either a single or multiple bladders that are filled with air. Because of the need to fill the kites with air, a pump is required to get the LEI kite ready for flight. Depending on the shape of the kite, there are a number of subgroups that these kites fall into.

C-Kite

Notice how the C-Kite doesn't have a bridle system. The lines connect directly to the corners of the kite.

The C-Kites is a little different from the other LEI kites because the lines that connect to the kite to the control bar attach directly to the corners of the kite. Other LEI kites use a bridle system to support the front of the kite (supported leading edge – SLE). C-Kites have great “pop” to get someone out of the water and up in the air. Because of the improvements that have been made in the design of LEI kites, C-Kites are not for beginners. The range of wind that they can fly in is limited as well. In other words, one kite does not cover many wind speeds.

Supported Leading Edge (SLE) Kites

SLE kites use a bridle system to support the leading edge of the kite. This spreads the pull of the kite over the entire leading edge. It also allows for a large depower range (this means that a single kite can be flown in many different wind conditions)

Bow Kite

Notice the bridle system and the shape of the trailing edge on this bow kite.

If the C-Kite is on one side of a scale, the bow kite is on the other side of the scale. A bow kite gets the benifits that it provides from the concave shape of the trailing edge. As the kite flies through the air, the shape of the trailing edge causes the front of the kite to flatten out. The bridle on the kite keeps the leading edge from flattening out completely. Because of the design of the kite it is much safer to use than the C-Kite. Also, due to the features of the kite, the flyer of the kite can reduce the power generated by the kite to almost zero.

: This hybrid kite has both a leading edge bridle and a convex trailing edge.

Hybrid Kite

Falling somewhere between the C-Kite and the Bow Kite is the Hybrid Kite. It is difficult to say where in the scale the Hybrid falls because each kite is so different. As a rule, all Hybrid Kites have a bridle system that supports the leading edge. The difference between Hybrid kites and Bow kites is that where Bow kites have a concave trailing edge, Hybrid Kites have a convex trailing edge.

Delta Kite

The design of the Delta kites is based on the Hybrid Kite. The convex trailing edge is more pronounced and when laid flat, the Delta Kite is more triangular. The advantage of this is that the kite has more area to catch wind (the projected area). The bridles are more the simple side than the bridles of the Hybrid Kites.

Summary

Although there are a number of kite designs (and jelously guarded patents for that matter), they can be divided into either foil kites and LEI kites. Each system has its advantages and disadvantages. The purpose of the kite should guide the user on which system will work best.

The next lesson covers the parts that make up a kite and a kite system.