Calculating Aspect Ratios

[Peter_Frank]

Why do so many use the term "12m" about a 12m2 kite ?

The word constellation 12m does not exist as an area measurement in Danish nor German, and also lacking in most other languages, so why do so many english speaking say "12m" ?
Simple lazyness, or old bad habits or ?

Because there is no such thing as "12m2", it is 12m², but most keyboards do not have a way to produce that character. Everyone know what you're talking about when you say you have a 12m kite.

Sorry if explained wrong then - I meant that in "talk" many english speaking say 12 meter kite...

And this "term" is not used in most other languages, where it is named (translated of course) 12 squaremeter kite

Just a silly thing I've noticed

Peter

[Peter_Frank]

Aspect Ratio = span / average width.

Area = span * average width.

Meaning AR = span^2 / area.

So your 12m2 kite with an AR of 5.4 has a span = sqrt(AR*area) = sqrt(5.4*12m2) = 8.0 meter.

And an average width = span / AR = area / span = 1.49 meter.

Peter

This is not a true way to calculate the aspect ratio. You can have the same aspect ratio for different sized kites and if you use your calculation logic then different size kites will have different aspect ratios.

I dont understand ???

It IS the very defintion of aspect ratio, so nothing one can change about that.

Just see the numbers Hansen uses - the very same calculation of course, and also giving approximately the same AR for different sizes

Even though some brands also have lower AR for their smaller kites, so just different choices...

Peter

[Peter_Frank]

Great so see some exact examples Hansen.

It shows that instead of the pre 2000 size scaling of 1.36 it is up to 1.8 for the most hardcore freestyle Switch C kites like the Combat.

And for the Method it is 1.42 so much closer to the pre 2000 "standard" sizing.

This is of course because the very first kites (Wipika Classic) were VERY wide in the middle, and tiny tips (and 2 lined) - so looking way more like present delta kites or the Method V2 or similar, thus having a similar projected factor, almost no matter how flat or not

The C or more C like kites with wider tips (really fast turning), like the Fuels and Nitro-Combat-Element has a factor between 1.6 and 1.8 apparently

Nice to see some real numbers, thanks


The Wipika Classic around 1.36 projected factor, actually quite low compared to later C kites:





And another type with a REALLY low projected factor:



Paragliders, to take a comparison to maybe the most flat types, typically has a projected factor between 1.1 and 1.2 only !

Peter Frank

[oldschoolman]

Formula is correct, and the easy way to measure (but numbers are not...)

Aspect Ratio = span / average width.

Area = span * average width.

Meaning AR = span^2 / area.

So your 12m2 kite with an AR of 5.4 has a span = sqrt(AR*area) = sqrt(5.4*12m2) = 8.0 meter.

And an average width = span / AR = area / span = 1.49 meter.

Why to complicate you with calculations, when you can simply put your dimensions on an web tool like this and calculate AR? I'll always use this tool to calculate AR and never fail.

[Laughingman]

Why do so many use the term "12m" about a 12m2 kite ?

The word constellation 12m does not exist as an area measurement in Danish nor German, and also lacking in most other languages, so why do so many english speaking say "12m" ?
Simple lazyness, or old bad habits or ?

Because there is no such thing as "12m2", it is 12m², but most keyboards do not have a way to produce that character. Everyone know what you're talking about when you say you have a 12m kite.

Actually every keyboard at least within Windows can do this ² .... the key combination is
Alt 0178 ² and Alt 0179 for ³ and Alt 0176 for ° etc.... you can pretty much use any character you want if you know the correct key combination.... note you must hold the alt key down while you enter the numbers


edit: just looked it up, you can do it with Mac as well but the key combinations are different.

[OzBungy]

...

Actually every keyboard at least within Windows can do this ² .... the key combination is
Alt 0178 ² and Alt 0179 for ³ and Alt 0176 for ° etc.... you can pretty much use any character you want if you know the correct key combination.... note you must hold the alt key down while you enter the numbers


edit: just looked it up, you can do it with Mac as well but the key combinations are different.

Which is why nobody does it. Why type it and why say it when everybody knows what you communication?

It would be cumbersome to say "My twelve square metre kite." or even worse to say "My 12 metres squared kite." when all you really need to say "I had my 12 up and it was good!"