Fractured Axel

edle · Tue Mar 17, 2009 8:53 pm

I can do a fade from axel or nose down but don't know how to hold the fade steadyly.

HELP !!!!!

Will S · Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:06 pm

To keep it from rocking out, you need to keep the right tension on the lines so the nose doesn't go too far up or flac out.

As far as rolling, slight inputs are necessary to keep it steady. Experiment and figure out for yourself what to do when.

Do everything smoothly and nothing sudden. Generally sudden movements kill fades.

Jest_of_EVE · Tue Mar 17, 2009 9:08 pm

Depends on the kite to some extent. Some kites are hard to hold in a fade and others are hard to get out of a fade!

Basic rules :

If the nose drops, walk backwards in order to make it rise.

If the nose goes high, give slack or walk forwards to bring it down.

Everything else is just minute adjustments of the above and practice. In other words, combine the two to create a balance.

Mark

Keithgrif · Tue Mar 17, 2009 10:32 pm

Jest_of_EVE wrote:
If the nose drops, walk backwards in order to make it rise.

But if you let it go too far then that'll just result in a noseplant :-(

The fade is much more sensitive than normal flight - just be very gently with it.
When you get good you'll be able to wind the lines in with the kite in a fade!

Aeri · Wed Mar 18, 2009 12:53 am

try getting it into a fade with as litle handmotion possible...
that way you'll (hopefully) find the kites sweetspot...

other way is....
in light wind!
on the ground, nose away, belly down
pull both lines verry gently untill the back lifts about 10 cm (sorry, Belgian)
now pull both lines swiftly and then stop to catch the kite in the fade...
its an easy way to do a lot of them but high winds will break the kite ;-)

datenland · Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:10 am

When I want to hold a Fade for some time I hold my hands close together and practically under my nose with the lines running over my fingertips. This really gives a subtle control, the movements necessary to stabilize a fade are only centimeters. Try to anticipate the slow rocking from side to side and adjust calmly by shortening the line of the hanging wing.
In the beginning a friend helped me by holding the kite in the right position with me pulling it from his hands. The major problem is hectic oversteer when coming from an Axel, I found it easier at first to use a Flicflac to get into it.

Erik

fworley · Wed Mar 18, 2009 3:09 am

Best thing to do is to get to the beach ... amazing how much easier it is to
control / hold a fade in clean / constant wind ...

-Frazer

Infinitive · Wed Mar 18, 2009 10:57 am

Jest_of_EVE wrote:
If the nose drops, walk backwards in order to make it rise.

I'd say if the nose drops, give slack, and if the nose is high, give slack too. In a slightly different way which is hard to described. That's not very helpful I know. :cool:

If the wing to the right drops, give slack with the left hand, and vice versa.

Be walking forward when you initially get into a fade, unless the wind is very low.

If the wind isn't smooth I find giving tiny vibrations to the kite tends to throw off some wind and make it more controllable. Works in a tipstand as well, lightly shaking the kite slightly if it starts to tip can help regain control.

It is kite dependent, and bigger kites are easier in general...? The XTs (2.65m) is a doddle, can fade all day, but the XTz (2.1m) is virtually impossible to keep in a fade. Having said that the DS and the .85 are easy to hold. ULs and SULs are seem to fade better (or is it that they tend to be flown in fade friendly winds?), but harder to get out of the fade smoothly.

Sub · Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:46 pm

Infinitive wrote:
It is kite dependent

I agree with that - not all my kites behave themselves in a fade, regardless of the conditions or how well I tend to them.

I think a fade a beautiful trick that you should expect to take time to learn. In a Zen kind of way, it's unlike an axel which requires assertive input. A fade is graceful and requires patients, and sometimes total concentration. Above all it's a trick for the kite to enjoy doing itself. The kite should enter a fade voluntarily and in a relaxed frame of mind, if that makes sense?

Stan Doff · Wed Mar 18, 2009 3:28 pm

Infinitive wrote:
It is kite dependent, and bigger kites are easier in general...? The XTs (2.65m) is a doddle, can fade all day, but the XTz (2.1m) is virtually impossible to keep in a fade. Having said that the DS and the .85 are easy to hold. ULs and SULs are seem to fade better (or is it that they tend to be flown in fade friendly winds?), but harder to get out of the fade smoothly.

Eolo Tango2 - 1.95m -No trouble to hold a fade or exit.

L'Atelier Transfer XTz - 2.17m -Doesn't really want to fade,exits at the slightest opportunity.

Benson Gemini - 2.18m -No trouble to hold a fade or exit.

Level One Genesis - 2.29m -Almost seems to 'lock-in' to the fade,needs positive action to exit.

Interestingly,the Tango2 has a French designer and like the Transfer,seems to be easier to get into a nice turtle and thus,I have a decent Lazy Susan success rate with it,but it has a smaller aspect ratio than the XTz,which ,the few times I have flown it,wraps up if you even look at it wrong.

I would re-emphasize what others have said about wind.If you want to hold fades get down to a beach when a smooth,regular,constant,steady, breeze is blowing off the sea and life will suddenly get a whole lot easier.

Kamikaze · Wed Mar 18, 2009 9:27 pm

I recently flew a Prism E2 and it held a fade beautifully, and have a look here for more help http://fracturedaxel.co.uk/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Fade

David

anOldMan · Thu Mar 19, 2009 7:22 pm

I normally fly with 50 kg lines but I use to practice fades with a 50# 30 foot lineset. I would get so-so at handling the fade on the kite but when I changed to my normal line. I had to learn a whole new feel for the fadeon that kite. I now use 200# lines for practice.

I find it easier to go from subtle slack control to a little easier line control with the lighter lines.

Miles F · Sun Mar 22, 2009 6:20 pm

Fades are the art of opposites, all basic inputs are an effective, intuitive reversal. Mark's advice with nose up, nose down corrections is really useful, the only other tip I can offer is to sight along the lines to help with the left/right issues.

As mentioned earlier, clean steady winds make a world of difference!

Fractured Axel

Fade....need some help here.

Fade....need some help here.