I`m considering buying a new (and bigger) Power Kite, I was wondering if anyone could give me an idea of "Lift" / "Pulling power" a 3.2 metre x 1 metre kite might have in say a gentle 10kph wind.

 

thanks

This was posted in the helium suit thread...just incase you missed the response...

 

I can't get hold of the person I want this evening, but these may help in the mean time...

 

This deals with equations for parafoil kites...

 

http://www.seattleairgear.com/pd.htm

 

and this has stacks of info on forces and torques on kites...including equations, not sure if this of any help.

 

http://kitesurfingschool.org/kite.htm

 

I spoke to one of my friends who's into power kiting...he wasn't too sure on the maths behind it, but the number of cells, shape of the kite, and angle you approach the currents are all factors that promote lift (though I'm sure you knew this already.) These websites should help if you want to be really precise about the kite that would best suit you.

Thnx, it seems that I should be looking more towards a 12 sqr metre Kite then, as the 3.2 won`t be much fun unless it`s in a Huricane

I`ll get the 3.2 anyway as I need a new one.

Well I'm not questioning your calculations...but are you planning on doing a solo flight across the channel...12 x 12 is HUGE. I didn't think you could get kites that large...well not recreational, please correct if I'm wrong though.

12m^2 could be 2m x 6m.

 

and the channel thing... )))))

I think he was reading it as 12m by 12m so a total area of 144m

that`s not a kite, that`s a Parachute for a Tank! (I want one!)

LOL, my mistake...you could probably send a cow over the channel with a kite that big.

it would drag you And your Car at that sort of size, Toto would Certainly have left Kansas!