Multiple Axels

Subject Multiple Axels
From abw@peritas.com (Andy Wardley)
Date Thu, 12 Oct 1995 21:53:10 -1000
Newsgroups rec.kites

[ Note: This is an older post which describes the earliest Multiple Axel / Flat Spin attempts. ]

See also:

It's official, the 540 Flat Spin is Last Week's Trick. Still a firm favourite for Andy, but superceded at least temporarily by This Week's Trick....Multiple Axels!

I recall the thread a couple of months ago about double pop axels and this is really all I'm up to. We're talking about an axel, followed by another pop to get a second rotation without the kite flipping back up in between.

There are two ways to approach this. The first is to use a sequence of gentle tugs to keep the kite rotating in a "nice floaty" way. This is OK, but a bit yawny. Much preferred the the vigorous "snap" just as soon as the nose starts turning back in towards you. This results in a really fast and snappy second axel...or third...or fourth...

I'm pulling off doubles and triples pretty much to order with the odd quad thrown in when I get lucky. Just the other night I managed my first (and only) quintaxel - five axels with a nice descension down the centre of the window. Kinda like a one-sided cascade, although I have to admit that the last two rotations saw a little bit of "nice floaty" setting in.

Needless to say...I'm flying a Box of Tricks. I've managed some doubles on other kites, even having a limited success with a Phantom Elite SUL indoors at Docklands last Sunday but we're talking total "nice floaty" here. If you want snappety snap, the small trick kites have it.

This is a cool trick. Those of you who aren't already doing this should give it a try. Yes, take the afternoon off, tell your boss I said it was OK.

If there's a secret, it's to re-pop earlier than you think. Too late and you pull the kite back upright or out of the sky. If your kite doesn't love to axel, you might have to settle for a slower set with more "nice floaty" thrown in.

A