What is flying it like?

[Mickey]

I admit freely that in recent years I’ve thought of single-liners mostly as sky-anchors for line laundry. My first “real” kite was an Indian Fighter, though. What’s flying the 61/49 like? Is it similar in as much as your input generates forward drive and directionality is letting the kite do it’s thing? Or is it totally different?

[Allen Carter]

Pull the line and the kite goes in the direction the nose is pointed. Give slack and the kite pivots one way or the other. When the nose is pointed the way you want to go, pull the line.

That would be the simple instructions for any "maneuverable" single line kite like a fighter or a 61/49.

The big difference with a 61/49 is that it likes to go "flat" more than most fighters, so it can spin more like a sport kite doing an axel or flatspin. When "flat" it also can glide or float. Of course it is a lot bigger than a fighter too.

there have got to be some good videos.let me go see

OK, here's a nice video:

[ken mcneill]

Still a great video! Yep, it's sort of like a 5 foot+ fighter kite with more flat and 3-d stuff thrown in there.

[Mickey]

So, a sophisticated “Gentleman’s Fighter.” Excellent.

[mebeatee]

A 61/49 is on my radar for sure!!
Flew fighters many years ago, and now over the last couple of years have been heavily into the no to low wind glider kites......Wala, Skate, ZeroG, iFlite kites, etc. that are highly maneuverable. There is another kite called the Switch which is quite interesting but needs some wind.
The 61/49 may take it to another level......like the BMK dualies!!
bt

[Peaks of Otter Kite Flyer]

Eric Singer introduced me to the active SLK flyers a while back, great fun after a slight launching learning curve. A great low ind kite that is an active flyer compared to static line. Timing and gliding make this a fun kite to improve skill every time she’s flown. Met Ken at BRKF while flying Eric’s and placed my order right then. Such fun on an admittedly seldom flown kite.

[DetroitWind]

Woah I need to add this to my collection! That thing is gorgeous.

[skb]

Here's mine:

Clickable Thumbnail™

[steve hall]

Pull the line and the kite goes in the direction the nose is pointed. Give slack and the kite pivots one way or the other. When the nose is pointed the way you want to go, pull the line.

That would be the simple instructions for any "maneuverable" single line kite like a fighter or a 61/49.

The big difference with a 61/49 is that it likes to go "flat" more than most fighters, so it can spin more like a sport kite doing an axel or flatspin. When "flat" it also can glide or float. Of course it is a lot bigger than a fighter too.

there have got to be some good videos.let me go see

OK, here's a nice video:

Jeez ... I forgot about that video.
I loved the 61/49 and although I had flown fighter kites it was the 61/49 that really got me excited about "maneuverable" single-line kites.
As evident in the video, I found I could fly it much like I flew dual line kites.
Definitely a kite that is flown with a goofy smile on your face.
plus ... it's a work of art and when it wasn't flying it hung in my home office for several years.

[Bayemre]

Hi Everyone,

This is the link for the video of my 61/49.



I hope this also gives the sense of the flying experience.