From: jim@oasis.icl.co.uk (Jim Cheetham) Subject: Bad Kites in the News Date: Thu, 16 May 1996 03:38:36 -1000 Organization: ICL, Bracknell, UK Message-ID: <4nfb4s$9j5@eccles.dsbc.icl.co.uk> >From "Almost The Last Page" in "The Big Issue" #181 (May 13-19 1996) I saw the following article, by Paul Sussman ... [retyped, without permission, all typos are my fault, I guess ...] [my comments in the traditional [] brackets ...] Around the world people have been having dreadful experiences with kites. In New York, a man was killed wien his kite was struck by lightening. [sic] In France, meanwhile, a man was flown to death by his giant yellow superkite. Vincent Dubarry, 31, of Venelles, had spent six months creating the 20ft-by-6ft kite [6.6m x 2m, approx, only 13m2, Andrew!], waiting several weeks for suitable weather conditions before taking it to a local park for testing. "It was massive", said one onlooker. "I said 'Is it hard to fly?' and he said 'No, no, it's as gentle as a baby', which is when he took off". It appears that the monster kite was seized by a freak gust of wind which dragged it high into the atmosphere with its owner dangling behind. "I shouted 'Are you alright?'" recalled an eyewitness. "But he cried 'Call the air force!' and then disappeared into the clouds". His body was found in a field 42 miles away. "If only he'd stuck with his stamp collecting", said Mr Dubarry's tearful wife. -- _____ ceci n'est ____ _ pas une _ _ email (__ __) o ______ ( __)( )_ ___ ___ _( )_( )_ ___ ______ (____) (_)(_)()(_) (____)(_)_)(__=)(__=) (_)_(_)_)(___)_(_)()(_) www.guernsey.net/~jim +44 1344 472537 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: Steve Bateman Subject: Re: Bad Kites in the News Date: Thu, 16 May 1996 07:34:00 -1000 Organization: San Diego State University Message-ID: <319B6708.7AC0@mail.sdsu.edu> Jim Cheetham wrote: > > From "Almost The Last Page" in "The Big Issue" #181 (May 13-19 1996) > I saw the following article, by Paul Sussman ... > > [retyped, without permission, all typos are my fault, I guess ...] > [my comments in the traditional [] brackets ...] > > Around the world people have been having dreadful > experiences with kites. In New York, a man was > killed wien his kite was struck by lightening. [sic] > In France, meanwhile, a man was flown to death by > his giant yellow superkite. Vincent Dubarry, 31, of > Venelles, had spent six months creating the 20ft-by-6ft > kite [6.6m x 2m, approx, only 13m2, Andrew!], waiting > several weeks for suitable weather conditions before > taking it to a local park for testing. "It was massive", > said one onlooker. "I said 'Is it hard to fly?' and he > said 'No, no, it's as gentle as a baby', which is when > he took off". It appears that the monster kite was > seized by a freak gust of wind which dragged it high > into the atmosphere with its owner dangling behind. > "I shouted 'Are you alright?'" recalled an eyewitness. > "But he cried 'Call the air force!' and then disappeared > into the clouds". His body was found in a field 42 miles > away. "If only he'd stuck with his stamp collecting", said > Mr Dubarry's tearful wife. "The Big Issue" must be similar to "Weekly World News". Andrew's nightmares are similar to this story. Steve Bateman bateman@mail.sdsu.edu Flying along. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: andrew@tug.com (Andrew Beattie) Subject: Re: Bad Kites in the News Organization: /usr/lib/news/organisation Date: Thu, 16 May 1996 10:26:55 -1000 Message-ID: jim@bra01.icl.co.uk writes: > Vincent Dubarry, 31, of > Venelles, had spent six months creating the 20ft-by-6ft > kite [6.6m x 2m, approx, only 13m2, Andrew!] > His body was found in a field 42 miles away. Hmmm... I suspect that this story has recieved a little embelleshing along the way. I have long been of the opinion that the biggest danger I face from the big kites is from wind going upwards. I've caught thermals a few of times - they tend to result in a slow, gentle float across the ground. Nothing violent, but to me it is the most terrifying thing that happens with my kites, because I am *completely* without control. The problem is that it's so gentle that you don't realise you're in trouble - it feels like a "moonwalk" step, except that the ground forgets to come back up to meet you. I hope that as my skill increases I'm getting more sensitive and more aware of the sensations and the danger and will see it coming next time. If I do end up at serious altitude and still rising, I've got a serious dilema - I can probably force the kite to loose altitude by steering it, but stuff like that will start me swinging like a pendulum, so steering straight and hoping to come out of the thermal is probably the best bet. If I can reach some sort of steady state, I'm still in trouble. In the best case (no swing), I expect to hit the ground doing maybe 35mph horizontal speed and dropping at 6mph down-the-way. It might hurt... Andrew -- 5) Take heed not of the false prophets that shall be sent amongst thy people. Frank Kenisky and Mick Parsons are known by the people but beware that others lie is wait to steal in the night the friendship and community that is rightfuly thine. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: jim@oasis.icl.co.uk (Jim Cheetham) Subject: Re: Bad Kites in the News Date: Sun, 19 May 1996 22:25:02 -1000 Organization: ICL, Bracknell, UK Message-ID: <4npa8u$6km@eccles.dsbc.icl.co.uk> Andrew Beattie (andrew@tug.com) wrote: : jim@bra01.icl.co.uk writes: : > Vincent Dubarry, 31, of : > Venelles, had spent six months creating the 20ft-by-6ft : > kite [6.6m x 2m, approx, only 13m2, Andrew!] : > His body was found in a field 42 miles away. : : Hmmm... I suspect that this story has recieved a little embelleshing : along the way. Well, that would be a first for the gentlemen of the press, wouldn't it ? :-) : : If I do end up at serious altitude and still rising, I've got a : serious dilema - I can probably force the kite to loose altitude : by steering it, but stuff like that will start me swinging like a Err, how? If the kite has already lifted you off the ground, what difference will pulling on one line make? Surely you won't be able to pull one side of the kite down - you'll just lift one side of yourself up? -- _____ ceci n'est ____ _ pas une _ _ email (__ __) o ______ ( __)( )_ ___ ___ _( )_( )_ ___ ______ (____) (_)(_)()(_) (____)(_)_)(__=)(__=) (_)_(_)_)(___)_(_)()(_) www.guernsey.net/~jim +44 1344 472537 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = From: Al Subject: Re: Bad Kites in the News Date: Mon, 20 May 1996 17:18:09 -1000 Organization: Computer Base Message-ID: <31A135F1.3DE4@tol.net> Jim Cheetham wrote: > > Andrew Beattie (andrew@tug.com) wrote: > : jim@bra01.icl.co.uk writes: > : > Vincent Dubarry, 31, of > : > Venelles, had spent six months creating the 20ft-by-6ft > : > kite [6.6m x 2m, approx, only 13m2, Andrew!] > : > His body was found in a field 42 miles away. > : > : Hmmm... I suspect that this story has recieved a little embelleshing > : along the way. > > Well, that would be a first for the gentlemen of the press, > wouldn't it ? :-) > : > : If I do end up at serious altitude and still rising, I've got a > : serious dilema - I can probably force the kite to loose altitude > : by steering it, but stuff like that will start me swinging like a > > Err, how? If the kite has already lifted you off the > ground, what difference will pulling on one line make? > Surely you won't be able to pull one side of the kite > down - you'll just lift one side of yourself up? Isnt this how paragliders steer?? or am I mistaken. Any self respecting paralgider pilot would love to be able to launch in a field via a thermal and do a 42 mile cross country. what a concept, I'll bring this up at the next club meeting :-) regards Al. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =