flying without middle strut

[nir_]

yesterday, while pumping my r2 12
i found out that my middle strut is leaking
as i didnt want to waste such a beautiful day (19-20k)
i tried a test flight without the middle strut pumped out

i couldn't see (better say - feel) any real flight characteristics differences
and went out for two hours - forgetting my center strut is empty...

just wanted to share - if someone encounters similiar situation....

[kitefrog]

I guess the canopy there just lacks some tension and produces slightly less lift in the nose. Can't see why it would be unsafe? Maybe a relaunch would have been more difficult? D.

[cglazier]

I had the valve on a strut next to the middle pop open. The kite actually still flew OK until the wind picked up. Then it began doing wild jellyfish like contractions. It reminded me of a giant beating heart.

Anyway I think the strut pressure is most important in high wind. In light wind you can get away with soft bladders.


Chris Glazier

[Royce]

Dude
That middle strut on some kites is important on others not. Depends on the design but generally it doesnt make much diference at all. I know a couple of guuys that prefer tonot inflate that bladder at all and some kites RRD Z 20 dont even have that bladder. Just keep it symetrical.

Aloha R

[KRIS]

I remember my friend Dariusz (from Nobile Boards) riding happily his 20 mts North IV on Cauipe (Fortaleza) with the central bladder empty and it wasn´t any apparent problem, actually he was riding on 18 kts.

[Westkite]

I've done it quite a bit. Had a leaky middle strut bladder on my 20. Never noticed any real problems, but sometimes I had a nagging feeling that was going downwind more. Anyone felt that?


Wes

[Trant]

I never pump up my middle strut 'cos I don't have one

[Shayla]

There's this Australian kite manufacturer called Monkey Kites. Their kites are designed without the middle strut.

If you're interested check out the website at http://www.monkeykites.com

[Ron]

i had one of the struts licking on my 2002 AB 11.8, not the middle one but just one beside it to the right.
I had this for about a year ( i was lazy fixing it..), so i got to "test" it in any wind condition from 10-to 22 knots.
NO Problems at all.
It just looked "flufy" when put on the sand after a session, but in the air- nothing feels different.

[Shayla]

Trant
Just got your image up on the screen. Didn't get it before. There's not much on the forum about monkey kites, would love to hear more about how your kite behaves.