jimothy wrote:I obviously speak for more than myself when I say that pulling one line makes the kite spin in the plane conecting myself to the kite (more or less) rather than the rotation you talk about which is orrientated at 90 degrees to this.
IMO, It depends on how easily the kite in question likes to backspin. For instance: with an extremely backspin-happy kite like the Gemini or L1 Jack in the Box, the tug initiating the lateral roll needs to be quite light to prevent the kite from starting to spin in a plane like you said. I usually don't find this a problem, though, and it probably isn't as much of a factor as I make it out to be.
SUL kites can also be difficult to roll around the spine due to the relatively large sail area and small weight/momentum. The wings catch too much air which stops the rotation.
With kites that you have to fight to get them to backspin, lateral rolls are more straightforward. HQ's Jam Session Millenium is an example of these (at least for me) - from a fade, just give one of the lines a yank - any sort of yank - and it will usually roll perfectly around the spine.
Also it seems like a very unnatural way for the kite to rotate, over on to its belly, as this surely means the wing you've pulled has to push flat through the air.
Yes, but it works. Try it. From a fade, most kites resist the backspin more than the 180 degree lateral roll. Strange but true.
Juha