New aquatik single skin by Conceptair

[Horst Sergio]

First I thought,
well very nice new bag from conceptair, but isn't it a bit to big for an just 2,5 m² kite?

But then, stupid me, it is meant to be a day / board bag and the firefly perfectly fits into the side bag

Love the color, lets see how it will shine in the sky!

[BJkitesurf]

Horst Sergio, How do you like CA Firefly so far?

[irwe]

My kite buddie took out his FireFly 6 m yesterday on a large foil and surfboard. He was able to drift launch in 8 - 10 kts, Once on the water the peak winds were 14 kts gust 17 and he had no problem keeping up with everyone else Foiling on 10 ` 12 m LEI's. When he was done he was able to drop the kite in the water and easily pack it up. It looked like he had great drift ability and he said it was easy to turn the power on and off.

[gl]

I used the 6 meter Firefly yesterday for the second time. I was on the Slingshot Infinity 76 foil and a large foil board. It is the easiest drift launching kite that I have tried. The same with landing in the water and having it stay down. Just take it to the side of the wind window and stall it on the back lines. It will easily drift launch in winds that I cannot get up on the board. I took it out in winds that I knew to be to light to get up on the board as I was sure that they were going to pick up. Guys on 11 and 12 meter inflatable kites were going and I could not get up on the board. The wind picked up just a little and once up on the board had no trouble staying up on the foil when the wind dropped back down, I did not take wind readings but I would guess I need somewhere around 12 knots to get up on the board. I weigh about 175 pounds. Later the wind picked up and was going from about 12 to 17 knots. In those winds I could point high upwind. I went way upwind and then tried my first downwind run with the kite. For the first time ever I was able to head directly at the kite for extended periods and it just drifted along in front of me. I was not going fast towards the kite but not so slow I that I might drop off the foil. Then I started "S" turning on the swells towards it and again it just drifted along. It was the most fun I have had on a foil to date. I am not sure why but my direction changes came much easier with the kite and I could fly through my turns or drop to the water and turn and rarely fell. At my skill level that is not the usual case. It made everything seem easier. I really like the kite. The kite does flutter most of the time which you can feel lightly on the bar although it does not seem to cause any problems. After a while I stopped noticing it. Depowered up near 17 knots going upwind the the fluttering became more of a flap which could be reduced by slowing down and heading harder upwind and sheeting in a bit. Although I would happily take a bit of flapping for the amazing drift the kite has. Directly overhead the kite will sit nicely for a bit but once it starts to move to one side it starts to accelerate towards the water. It does this a bit faster than any of my other kites. Not a problem just something to be aware of. Bar pressure was moderate and I was using it on 24 meter lines.

[Horst Sergio]

Horst Sergio, How do you like CA Firefly so far?

Sorry not enough wind till now for the 2,5 m², just two short static flights and one downwinder on a iSUP. Once tried quite some trops in the water and behaviour was so far very good. The overall impression is similar to what gl says and positive. Only posible disadvantage I could see till now is upwind, but the rest till now feels all fine. Pretty low stearing forces also very good behaviour unhooked with one hand, all turning radiuses till spin possible in a harmonic way and all very similar to my loved Peak4 3 m².

[slowboat]

I have flown both the 4 meter FF and 4 meter Peak 4 several times now and wanted to share my impressions. The 2 kites are more similar than they are different. They are both very light (same weight) and both drift, depower and turn very well. I believe these are the best kites currently available for wave foiling. The wind ranges are similar with maybe the FF having slightly better low end (1 knot at most) while the Peak may be slightly better upwind. The biggest differences are the FF almost automatically water relaunches while the Peak 4 meter can be more of a struggle. The FF flaps a LOT more. Launch, self land and packing is easier with the Peak. The Peak is less expensive.

I should be receiving my FF 6 meter soon.

[gl]

I got out again today on the Firefly 6-meter. This time the wind started 13 to 17 knots then jumped to 16 to 22 knots. While the kite worked fine in the higher wind speeds I enjoyed it more in the 13 to 17 than I did in the higher wind speeds. It still went up wind well and was quite controllable but drifting down wind I had more speed. I prefer a little slower to play on the swells. I then switched to the Concept Air Wave 4.5 meter to see how it compared. I wasn't sure if I would have enough wind but there was lots. The wave moves through the air much faster and has a larger power spike. It drifts downwind nicely but it feels quite different. I was able to run straight downwind towards it without it dropping out of the sky but I kept my speed down. They are obviously for different winds speeds but it was interesting to feel the difference on the same day in the same wind. For the higher wind I preferred the wave. Although that might not have been the case if I had had a smaller Firefly. The Wave seemed to go upwind a little better but not a lot.

[gl]

After two more sessions I have a couple more observations. My 8.5 water smart (not the wave) does go a bit earlier than the 6 firefly. In the same wind where I had trouble getting up on the board the 8.5 would get me going. Once up on the foil both kept me going. Not sure what the wind speed was but it was gusty. The firefly generates less pull through the wind window. For the first time I dropped the kite in deep water. It was in a pile, as soon as I pulled on one steering line it flipped over and took off. It has very easy relaunch.

Yesterday as soon as I launched the wind picked up a lot. Gusts to around 25 knots maybe a bit more. While I could still ride on the hydrofoil it was not much fun. Depowered the kite flapped a lot. I would not say that this bad as I then took out the 4.5 wave. In the gusts I had to point hard upwind in addition to depowering the kite. So it was really windy and very gusty and way outside of the wind range for the firefly on a hydrofoil and I could still ride and get back to shore.

[Horst Sergio]

Pretty impressive how early a just 2,5 m² Firefly can start especially on a 110 x 40 cm Foilboard:

I had to drag myself out of a lee which is something a Firefly can do very well, but then had to see if it will be enough wind outside.
I already decided to go back as just not able to reach the high wind area 500 m upwind via bodydrag but then did a final try and with a bit of a gust and maybe in around 14 knts and the help of 9 ! loops I managed to get out. Then upwind was a bit of a pain as small room not more than about 12 knts and impossible to switch foot, so working myself upwind meter by meter till I reached the area of higher (about 17 knts) winds. The other guys have been on 15 m² tubes and foilkites on foils and twintips . Later I also switched to one of the 15 m² means using a factor 6 inbetween kite sizes in the same wind . Now as knowing lowend hope to once find the topend but it will be very high for sure, from the last day experience in up to about 28 knts gust I would expect also gust till 40 knts will be ok on a foilboard. But it will become incredibly fast as it is already in 14 knts, hope to find the time for the first little video that anybody can see this.

Oh and again tried several relaunches down to maybe 10 knts: All no problem, turn the bar and it will flip over and restart as never have been in the drink. Very important point for me, had a 5 m² very nice tube for that windrange years ago, but it was just impossible to relaunch for me even in winds where I already would have been able to ride it well.

[Regis-de-giens]

very nice, thank you.

Do you think that this kite (in a bigger size like 4.5m or 6 m ) could suit for a beginner on hydrofoil ? (on/off behavior could be a good point for early balance on a HF)