By Lee Toy

Vol:2 No. 2 – Sept.-Oct. 1979

KITEFLYER NEWS CLUB
A NO GO
The last issue of KITEFLYER NEWS proposed a more structured organization or club be formed from our present loosely structured group of kite flying individuals. Well, the response was underwhelming to say the least. But the message was loud and clear. You folks don’t want a structured club.

We aim to please so—no structured organ-ization–no club–no officers.

A business associate told me recently that a test never fails – some ideas fail. Well our test did not fail, it told us suite very important things about our member-ship: they want to subscribe to and receive KITEFLYER NEWS. They want to attend occasional kite flys and events. They don’t want a club. And thats OK with us – we want you happy about our directions. Let us know if we start to get off course again, we will be listening.

AMERICAN KITEFLIERS ASSOCIATION
SECOND ANNUAL MEETING

If you had a few extra bucks and the first week of October free where would you go? To Manassas of course! Manassas Virginia, new home of the AMERICAN KITEFLIERS ASS-OCIATION is where I would go too. To fly kites with the famous and near-famous.

To be able to bid for strange and wonder-ful kites at the kite auction. To find out what is really going on in the whole world of kites. And to go to the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institute with Dr. Paul Garber.

This is not a pipe dream but the second annual meeting of the AKA. And you really can go in the first paragraph of our story describes you.

For details and latest AKA letter from the President to phone anyone of us and we will tell you all there is to know. Of-course we will want to go along with you too.

THANK YOU! PRINTING COURTESY OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA SAVINGS THANK YOU!

A.K.A. REGIONAL DIRECTOR BALLOT

For those of you who are members of the AMERICAN KITEFLIERS ASSOCIATION (you all should be) we at KITEFLYER NEWS would like to encourage you to use the 1980 ballot found in your latest AKA Letter from the President, effectively. This ballot gives each and every AKA member the opportunity to vote for a director from our region — region 11. We encourage you to vote for a person you think will represent our area – Monterey county to the Oregon border – most effectively and who will represent the American Kiteflyers Association to us, the members in region 11.

KITEFLYER NEWS thinks that the position of Regional Director should be an important and responsible one. We think periodic
reports on the problems of, and opportunities through the AKA needs to be communicated to the regional membership on a regular basis and that an avenue of communication from the membership to the Regional Director and ultimately to the AKA be kept open and encouraged.

THINK then VOTE for your choice. Remember ballots must be signed and recieved by OLAN E. TURNER, 1628 S. Cresent Blvd., Yardley, PA 19076 no later that September 26, 1979. Also remember if you have a family membership each member gets a vote.


Sam Urner in Japan
“I”d rather do it myself”

AUGUST 5th KITE FLY–A REVIEW

Well, we said it would be a wild and crazy day and we were right. Dinesh Bahadur and his extended family were responsible for quite a day at the Polo Grounds. Contest-ants from the south (Vic of Vics Fighter Kites and Tom and Randy Joe from Sunshine Kite Company) were there. Wilkes Bashford and Willie Brown represented the San Fran-cisco social/political set.

This was a day not to fly a favorite kite as you really risked loosing it in the multitude of flying objects. String tangles were frequent and massive.

Even though the weather refused to co-operate everyone seemed to have a good time. One of the highlights was bowler hatted Peter Barr winning third prize for best dressed kite with his large winged box kite and. his French military kite. Con¬gratulations Peter.

The Bahadur family gave what must have been hundreds of fighter kites and spools of line to spectators. One suggestion we would like to give to the generous Bahadurs is to also give a short clear direction sheet on how to fly a fighter kite with each kite. My impression after walking around the field was that a huge majority of these kites were smashed to pieces by kids and adults trying to fly the fighters like a traditional Western kite. The Indian fighter is a sophisticated flyer but you do need to know a little about them before you attempt to fly one. Perhaps a demonstration for kids and novices would also be in order. I know I have a lot to learn about this type of kite.

All-in-all an exciting, kite filled day.

FAMILY DAY KITE FESTIVAL

Ron Young and friends of “SOLUTIONS” will be sponsoring the Family Day Kite Festival (last year it drew over 10,000 spectators and participants). This year it will be held on Sept. 30,1979 from 12 noon until we go home. This year’s kite fly will be mainly free flying with no organized contests or prizes. Come down to the Marina Green for a kite filled afternoon…

A LETTER FROM STORMY WEATHERS

Lectori Salutum:

Here are the plans for the WINGED VICTORY tm, courtesy of N.K.H. Smith and Jac (sic) van Gilder of WKA and yours truly. I didn’t have time to provide them with any¬thing execept a kite to work, so the plans didn’t come out exactly as I would have wanted them. However, the kite is fairly forgiving of minor discrepancies and should fly ok if build to the plans as shown I am enclosing a supplementary sheet that you can draw from if you would like.

Last Saturday,28 July, another local kite-flier (Joy Nagode) and I went to the kite festival part of SEAFAIR 7, held in Volun¬teer Park, Seattle. We entered WINGED VICTORY kites in four events and walked off with three firsts_ and a third. Joy started the ball rolling by taking first in the Novice class. In the following open High Flier event, I got fouled with a low angle kite and couldn’t get clear, but Joy, whose kite got the top center canopy badly cut on both sides by strings, managed to break free and take third place.

Next, I entered a ripstop nylon WINGED VICTORY appliqued with 1930’s military markings in the “Most Beautiful” event. While the WINGED VICTORY was not the most beautiful kite there, it was the most beautiful kite still flying at the end of the required flight time; another first place. In the biggest kite event, I enter-ed a 9 foot x 16 1/2 foot WINGED VICTORY and again took first because the other big kites couldn’t stay up for the required length of time. As you can guess, wind conditions were light and variable.

After the fourth win, a WKAer came over and said ” You gambled on these wind conditions didn’t you?” I confessed that I did, but really it wasn’t much of a gamble, on any given day, wind conditions are likely to be light and variable, and that is why WINGED VICTORY kites have established such a terrific win record.

Since shippinvou that kite, I have added a spar pole from the spar coupling  to the canopy just at the point where the strapping tape reinforcement crosses the center longeron. Details of the sockets and stay line are given in the supple¬mental page enclosed. This spar pole idea is definitely new in all respects, and with its addition, I have decided to attempt to get both design and article patents on the WINGED VICTORY design. I realize that kite patents are primarily prestige things. but I want my name for-ever associated with that kite design. Anyway, you have my permission to publish the enclosed plans.

Hope to get rich enough to come down and fly kites with you floks one of these days, but I will have to find some way to in¬crease business first.

EDITORS NOTE: Stormy had sent us a kite to test out several months ago which flies like a dream. The additional spar coupling is noted in the Kite of the Month section of this issue’s KITE FLYER NEWS.

THANKS AGAIN Stormy!!!!

KITES FOR EVERYONE! KITES THAT REALLY FLY!

Margaret Greger, author and kitemaker from Richland, Washington, will conduct a kite workshop at California State University, Chico on October 13-14. Her books,BLOWN SKY-HIGH and MORE SIMPLE KITES are based on ten years of teaching kitemaking to all age levels.
Workshop participants will make Oriental kites, deltas, several different sleds, including Swallotails and Bullets, and all-paper kites. Construction materials range from traditional bamboo to modern plastic.

The workshop will include discussion of materials, designs, tools and techniques for successful fabric kites. Weather per-mitting kites will be flown. “Kites must be successful fliers,” says Mrs. Greger.

“Charlie Brown is invited to this workshop”.

Teachers, youth leaders and artists who are interested in working with kites in their groups will learn how to “start with a
sure winner.”

One-unit workshop is 9 to 5 Saturday the 13th and 10 to 5 Sunday the 14th. Bring scissors, pencil, ruler, black marking pen and lunch. Fee* is $39.00. Pre-register by October 5. Contact Center for Regional and Continuing Education, California State, Chico.

AKA SECOND ANNUAL MEETING KITE AUCTION

If I could go to the AMERICAN KITEFLIERS ASSOCIATION second annual meeting, the event I would look forward to most is the kite auction. What an opportunity to pick up some great kites for a great cause.

The following is a reprint from the latest AKA LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT.
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The auction at our first Annual Meeting was an outstanding success. A great deal of credit goes to MEL GOVIG’S memorable per-formance as auctioneer. There were several beneficiaries. The bidders enriched their collections with new kites which were great souvenirs. The kite builders or manufacturers had an exceptional opportu¬nity to see which kites caught the interest (as evidenced by willingness to buy) of the world’s most knowledgable audience-AKA. The kite retailers were then on the spot to make arrangements to carry the lines. AKA also benefited by the proceeds.

Send or bring your kites and accessories for the auction. This includes personal donations. Someone will appreciate them-and AKA will benefit. REGGIE MORRIS HAS agreed to accept these items for the auction.
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We think Region 11 and KITEFLYER NEWS can make a real impact on the AKA auction -with donations of some of our own kites Several kites have already been given for the purpose–how about you? If you have a kite or kites that you would like auctioned to benefit the AKA get them to KITEFLYER NEWS, 861 Clara Drive, Palo Alto, CA, 94303 by September 25th or phone Paul Walker at 856-6284 to arrange a pick-up, or?

We will be responsible for delivering your kite or kites to Manassas Virginia for the auction. Please attach a label to each kite stating your name, address, maker of kite and type of kite. LETS GET BEHIND THIS EFFORT AND MAKE A BIG SPLASH FOR OUR AREA.

If any KITEFLYER NEWS reader is going to the National meeting please contact Paul Walker at 856-6284. You can help AKA by delivering our kite package.

THANK YOU.
KEEP THOSE CARDS AND LETTERS COMING IN FOLKS

Thank all of you who have sent in photos or articles of interest. We are com¬piling them into a KITE FLYER NEWS scrapbook that will be available for you to look through at the up and coming kite flys.

By way of standard reference–KITE FLYER NEWS is available six times a year (weather permitting) at the minimal cost of a trip to Doggie Diner–$5.00 a shot. Send all money, trading stamps or gold bars to 861 Clara Drive, Palo Alto, CA 94303.