Kites on the Playa

epic_elite · Post by **epic_elite** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 12:39 pm

any one try flying a kite for the full event???

'07 was the only year ive been, and i belive the hotlips camp down the road from us had a weather baloon floating the whole time, even during the wind storms.

wondering if this is possibe???

i was thinking of one of those beach kites and wireing it with parachute cord and floating it a couple hundred feet or more.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 1:40 pm

I think a couple years ago, someone proposed setting a kite record. One guy flew a kite tied to his junk. Have had a couple kite battles on the playa...with razor blades taped to the wings.

epic_elite · Post by **epic_elite** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 1:54 pm

the kite will be fastened to something large and heafty, although it will not be my "junk".

what i propose is to have something that i can find my camp while roaming around esplenade and such durring the day. also, i want to tie a strand of christmas lights to the bottom 10 - 15 feet or so, to identify my camp in the dark when im walking down the street.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 1:59 pm

Keep in mind, the wind changes direction 180 degrees from morning to evening. From the south in the morning...north at night...I think...

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 3:55 pm

you might also consider, if the wind dies, and your kite falls and pisses someone off...........the kite may end up tied to your junk anyway.......

just wonderin':.....if I read you correctly, your plan is to launch said kite and walk away?

epic_elite · Post by **epic_elite** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:10 pm

yeah, i visited the thought of the wind dieing or a windstorm breaking the kite... they don't have any body builders on the playa, do they?

i speculate that once you get the kite up to about 200 feet, that the wind would be pretty persistant. but im not a professional kite flyer here, which is why im consulting the council for counciltation.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:19 pm

I'm certain there are body builders on the playa,
but,
it's me you gotta worry about.......I'm like spring steel, coiled and ready for action!!

I also might suggest you study the wind out there more, before deciding it's constant, or, from one direction.......

Seems to me, it can go from nothin' to 60 mph in the space of a few hours, and, do a 180 deg. shift in moments........

but, that's just my observations. I'm sure others know much more about this.

Risky · Post by **Risky** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:36 pm

Look up Dept of Tethered Aviation. I bet they will have some info for you.

http://earth.burningman.com/brc/themecamp/1882/

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:42 pm

Burning Man is a great place to fly kites, but as already mentioned, don't walk off and leave it unattended, you don't wanna crash it into someone. It's all fun and games until someone's kite spills someone's margarita. Then it's war.

epic_elite · Post by **epic_elite** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 4:45 pm

Captain Goddammit wrote:Burning Man is a great place to fly kites, but as already mentioned, don't walk off and leave it unattended, you don't wanna crash it into someone. It's all fun and games until someone's kite spills someone's margarita. Then it's war.

ive always enjoyed a good card game.

TomServo · Post by **TomServo** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 6:00 pm

How long do you think a large helium balloon would stay up??

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 6:03 pm

till it runs out of lift-stuff?

I'd bet it depends on seal, and, balloon material.
Mylar would last much longer than latex.........

(that's what IBDave told me, anyway)

epic_elite · Post by **epic_elite** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 7:01 pm

would the heat deflate the thing, even with helium?

not really shure how that works.

im pretty sure it was the Hot Lips camp that floated the weather baloon that glowed red at night back in '07. it was there for the duration... but for all i know they pulled it down everyday and refilled it.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Sun Mar 07, 2010 7:25 pm

I wouldn't think the heat itself would deflate it, but, could raise the pressure within, and, depending on the porosity of the material, perhaps allow the helium to escape faster?

C.f.M. · Post by **C.f.M.** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:54 am

...we took a kite out one afternoon. It was fine.

Post by **AntiM** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:10 am

We had a kite on a pole. The wind thrashed it almost instantly. And broke the pole too, even though it was supposedly made to fly flags or banners even in extreme conditions. HA.

Bluemandrew · Post by **Bluemandrew** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:29 am

I spent a lot of time working on plans for a large floating art project over the last few months, and long story short, round balloons will not stay aloft on the Playa. The wind will cause the balloon to lay out flat.

A balloon on a 50 foot rope will likely spend a lot of time hitting your neighbors 50 feet from you.

They do make floating wings that will pull harder upwards in the wind. They were pricey though.

epic_elite · Post by **epic_elite** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:31 pm

interesting take on the balloon....

do things change once you get high enough off the ground?

you know, with the change in air pressure.

ibdave · Post by **ibdave** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 7:38 pm

ygmir wrote:till it runs out of lift-stuff?

I'd bet it depends on seal, and, balloon material.
Mylar would last much longer than latex.........

(that's what IBDave told me, anyway)

ygmir,
how many times do I have to tell ya,
Latex needs lube.
Mylar, not so the case.....

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:07 pm

ibdave wrote:
ygmir wrote:till it runs out of lift-stuff?

I'd bet it depends on seal, and, balloon material.
Mylar would last much longer than latex.........

(that's what IBDave told me, anyway)
ygmir,
how many times do I have to tell ya,
Latex needs lube.
Mylar, not so the case.....

yeah, I also remember you telling me there is no flavor to mylar.

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 8:08 pm

epic_elite wrote:interesting take on the balloon....

do things change once you get high enough off the ground?

you know, with the change in air pressure.

yes, there is a difference, but it takes many hundreds if not thousands of feet to really matter.

weather balloons are only about 1/3 (IIRC) filled for liftoff, but, are fully expanded when they reach altitude.

that's one long string.......

Homiesinheaven · Post by **Homiesinheaven** » Tue Mar 16, 2010 11:49 am

kites are beautiful during playa sunsets!

Souley · Post by **Souley** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 8:52 am

I'm hosting a kite flying adventure on wednesday! I have a stunt kite train and parafoil that i'll take out to deep playa and see who i can tail whip! join me? starting at Great Balls of Fire around 2ish - everyone believe we'll have wind!

about flying a really loooooooooong string - talk to the guys who do the Skyline project (playa crossing balloon string). I think they actually get permission from the FAA to fly things in the air really really high :P :idea:

mournlight · Post by **mournlight** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 11:36 am

I'm so unoriginal - I have weather balloons to bring. Of COURSE it's already been done!
Kites are on my list, so I'll join in the kite flyin' if I can learn how again.

What about helium - has anyone brought a tank in and been okay with it? It's not considered explosive or something is it?

My thought about the balloons was that I better use good string so I don't end up picking up popped balloons all over the place.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 12:36 pm

I've seen these on more than one occasion:
[youtube][/youtube]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airdancer

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Fri Jun 25, 2010 4:26 pm

mournlight wrote:I'm so unoriginal - I have weather balloons to bring. Of COURSE it's already been done!

Yeah, but it's never been done by you, and you'll possibly be doing it before someone else on the playa in 2010. Origianality counts for somethings, but it really isn't all that important in a lot of ways. Honesty and enthusiasm also count.

Galaxo Magic · Post by **Galaxo Magic** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 1:51 pm

[quote="TomServo"]How long do you think a large helium balloon would stay up??[/quote]
UNTIL WE'VE SUCKED OUT ENOUGH HELIUM TO MAKE IT FALL......

Galaxo Magic · Post by **Galaxo Magic** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 1:52 pm

[quote="Risky"]Look up Dept of Tethered Aviation. I bet they will have some info for you.

http://earth.burningman.com/brc/themecamp/1882/[/quote]

DOTA - Department of Tethered Aviation was located at 6:30 and B this year. They fly lots of kites.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Sep 22, 2010 6:24 pm

Galaxo Magic wrote:
Risky wrote:Look up Dept of Tethered Aviation. I bet they will have some info for you.

http://earth.burningman.com/brc/themecamp/1882/
DOTA - Department of Tethered Aviation was located at 6:30 and B this year. They fly lots of kites. :)

And they hosted the B.E.D.Room.