MBK Ind...outdoor ;-)

by Boni
(Italy)

A second sample of MBK Indoor Diamond has just completed, with spars modified in bamboo...
Small, it's a micro-kite, weight is less than 2.5 grams bridle included; it's time to test it and compare it with the original one (with paper spars)

Outside is a perfect late-Autumn day, clear sky, very gentle breeze, not too cold......hmm.....if a kite can fly indoor, it shall also be able to fly outdoor....don't believe it? ....no any mood to stay inside!

An indoor kite shall have also a very light line...like a sewing thread...perhaps an 0.1 mm braided fishing line is also light enough...with a 8 Kg breaking load, it's much much more than the need....

To handle a 0.1 fishing line is not so confortable but a very cheap fishing reel come in help; just adding a rough handle and a loop and the suitable micro-kite-reel is ready!
Also a very small fishing carabiner is available (weight 0.1g).....perfect!


First test shown that it was necessary to move the bridle a little forward, maybe due to the bowed horizontal spar moved forward the CG (Center of Gravity).

Fixed the bridle in the right position, the micro-kite begun to climb, rather stable, with a trend to drift on the right if wind get a little stronger; in the case, it is enough to give quickly a little more line and stability is recovered.

In this way, slowly, the kite climbed...climbed until almost no more line in the reel, 100m.
Angle is between 45 to 60 degrees, estimated height between 70 and 80 meters, not bad!

If I distract just a moment my eyes from the kite, it take a while to find it again, very very hard to see!

Locked the reel at the ground, I taken some photos, kite is very very hard to see and to point at it...

Sun is getting low to the horizon, it's time to go home.

And the Indoor testing? it will be a piece of cake!