LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Kites: Lines
built 506 days ago
Shaped like hang gliders, these kites make use of materials initially developed by the aerospace industry for high performance aeroplanes and spacecraft. Materials such as kevlar and spectra have properties such as very low stretch factors, and remarkable strength to diameter ratios. Kevlar is used in the production of bullet proof vests, whilst spectra is used in the tethers astronauts use when they work outside their spacecraft. These materials are ... used in the manufacture of flying lines for high performance kites. A flying line made of spectra no thicker than ordinary sewing thread has a breaking strain of over 50 kilograms, and will stretch less than one percent of its length. A nylon line of similar breaking strain would be around six times as thick, and would have a stretch factor of about twenty percent.
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There are safety issues involved in kite-flying, more so with power kites. Kite lines can strike and tangle on electrical power lines, causing power blackouts and running the risk of electrocuting the kite flier. Wet kite lines or wire can act as a conductor for static electricity and lightning when the weather is stormy. Kites with large surface areas or powerful lift can lift the kite flier off the ground or drag them into stationary objects. In urban areas there is usually a ceiling on how high a kite can be flown, to prevent the kite and line infringing on the airspace of helicopters and light aircraft. In Asia, specially in the Indian subcontinent the twine is coated with powdered glass to cut opponent's lines and these deadly strings known as Manja are reported to kill number of pedestrians or motorcyclists each year all over the region.[9][10]
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The popularity of dual control and quad line kites has had a marked influence on kites in general. Kites are more popular now than at any previous time in history. While the manoeuvrable kites have captured the imagination of many, there are ... many people who have discovered the beauty and peacefulness of single line flying. The materials that have been used for manouevrable kites are now being used for single line kites as well, giving kite makers greater scope for creative endeavour. Their creations are becoming bigger and bigger, and the general public is taking more notice of them. During 1992 and 1993 there were two exhibitions of kites made by leading artists and kite makers touring the world, and kite festivals around the world are multiplying at an astonishing rate.
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Kites typically consist of one or more spars to which a paper or fabric sail is attached, although some, such as foil kites, have no spars at all. Classic kites use bamboo, rattan or some other strong but flexible wood for the spars, paper or light fabrics such as silk for the sails, and are flown on string or twine. Modern kites use synthetic materials, such as ripstop nylon or more exotic fabrics for the sails, fiberglass or carbon fiber for the spars and dacron or dyneema for the kite lines.
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Quad kites bring a whole new level of control to you. By attaching 4 lines to a kite, allowing you to turn on a dime, reverse flying direction, and stop in mid-air. These kites offer a very precise flight. Once you try this, you will be hooked.
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[T]here's the single line kites. They are the oldest variety. They can have spars or not. There are the inflatables which come in a great variety of forms, from a simple ball to dogs, birds, etc.
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