History: Half Axel
Preview of version: 6
a.k.a. Kick Turn
http://www.reeddesign.co.uk/tricks/halfaxel.html
http://sportkiteflyer.spaces.live.com/
http://tp-usa.org/TrainingVideos/ModuleC/HalfAxel.avi
TP-USA Tricks Party Definition Group 1
Essentially half of an AXEL, the HALF AXEL is a maneuver that reverses the kite’s direction of flight. The kite begins flying horizontally in either direction, then falls onto its belly, turns nose away from the pilot, and rotates 180°. The kite is then snapped back into flight with the nose pointing exactly opposite the initial direction and should exit in a straight line. The direction of flight (left or right) and the height at which the trick is performed do not matter.
KEY ELEMENTS: ►Clean half-turn. ►Horizontal entry and exit.
KEY ELEMENTS: ►Clean half-turn. ►Horizontal entry and exit.
Execution
Primary Execution
Flying the kite from right to left past center of the wind window, step forward to temporarily kill most of the kites forward drive. Immediately do a small push with the right hand (top wing) and a very small pull with the left hand (bottom wing). Follow this with an immediate Axel type snap of the right hand. Vary the right hand snap. Under snapping it will cause the kite to loose altitude in the turn. Over snapping it will cause the kite to over hover, or even flip onto it's back and do a Rixel. A nice half axel has the kite flying horizontally, then belly's down in a 180 Flat Spin, and then snaps back into flight going in the opposite direction without loosing altitude.Alternative Executions
Fly the kite horizontally then small pop with lower wing to set up the kite. Then immediately pop normaly the upper wing. Then give slack until the nose points away. Then take up the slack so the kite flys horizontally in the opposite direction.Video Links
Videos with the Trick
This is an animation by Roy Reedhttp://www.reeddesign.co.uk/tricks/halfaxel.html
Tutorials
A tutorial by Randy Greenway can be found on this pagehttp://sportkiteflyer.spaces.live.com/
http://tp-usa.org/TrainingVideos/ModuleC/HalfAxel.avi