Dual-line flyers can be divided into two categories.  The first group are those who want to learn the axel and are envious of those that can.  Conversely, the second group can already perform this trick but have developed a serious addiction as a result.  (If the axel could be packaged, it would be illegal or at the very least come with a Surgeon General’s warning!)  In all honesty, how we old-timers enjoyed kiting so much back in the ‘pre-axel’ era is a mystery. 

Lets begin with a little background regarding this trick.  The axel was the first of the so called ‘slack line maneuvers’ which have revolutionized the way sport kites are flown.  During the axel, the kite is flipped belly down and then rotates flat through a full revolution.  The ‘slack line’ designation indicates that the flying lines have no tension during the trick;  the kite’s own momentum is what propels it through the maneuver.  Incidentally, the axel has only been on the kiting scene since the mid-nineties, and by most accounts, credit goes to west coast flyers for being the first to successfully execute this trick.  Like most new moves, the axel was probably first done completely by accident.  Then hours and hours were spent trying to develop a technique to consistently repeat that ‘mistake’! 

So, if this trick is so great why have we waited until now (the fifth installment of Wing Tips) to cover it?  Well, as eluded to before, you have to first know how to control your kite at the edge and perform a stall prior to progressing to this more advanced maneuver.  But now the time has finally come to explore the technique for pulling off some great axels!

Before getting into specifics, let’s state a few basic facts regarding the axel.  For one, it is best to perform this trick at the edge of the wind window when learning since the kite will stall easily.  (Either the right or left edge is fine - just pick the side you are more comfortable stalling at.)  Second, keep in mind that if you fly to the right edge the axel will typically be ‘popped’ with the right hand and vice versa (left edge = left pop). 

The axel is easy to learn if dissected into small steps.  The following explanation is for an axel done at the right edge and include these five steps: 

1. Stall.  From a horizontal pass about 20 feet high and heading to the right, execute a nose up stall at the edge.  This is done with a quick turn up of 90 degrees and then feeding both lines slightly.  (For a more detailed account on edge stalls, refer to Volume 8, Issue 2 - reprints are available).  Be aware that attaining a complete stall is critical!  Without it, a proper axel will be very difficult to achieve.  Tip:  One surefire way to know if your kite is completely stalled is when it starts sinking tail first. 

2. Setup.  This step is often overlooked by a lot of flyers, but for a truly great axel it is worth doing.  With the kite still in a nose up stall, take your right hand and gently feed it forward (typically a good 6 inches or so).  This will angle the sail and let the nose dip down a bit.  This orientation will in turn be suitable for popping the axel in Step 3. 

3. Pop/Push Combo.  Now were into the meat of this maneuver since this step will actually cause the flip-type flat spin.  With your right hand still in the forward position from Step 2, abruptly give a sharp tug back with a simultaneous feed forward with your left hand.  During the tug back, it’s beneficial if you also snap your wrist to enhance the speed of the ‘pop’. 

4. Slack.  Immediately after performing the pop/push combo, feed both hands very far forward so the pair of flying lines are completely slackened.  Often, arm feed in not enough and you will have to take a step or two forward for added slack.  Insufficient slack is a common mistake and results in two problems.  For one, the lines will become taut partway through the spin which in turn stops the kite from rotating one full revolution.  The other problem with ‘lack-of-slack’ is that the lines will not droop down enough resulting in frustrating wingtip or spine wraps.

5. Recovery.  After the kite has rotated 360 degrees and is again nose up, the axel is completed.  But since you have the kite positioned at the edge, you will typically need to pull both lines back to transition from a stall back to normal forward flight.  For maximum leverage during the pull, swing both hands down past your hips as if you were launching from the ground. 

Well, that’s all there is to it!  As stated in previous articles, it is great preparation to first practice the required hand movements from start to finish while not flying and try to visualize the maneuver.  And like most new tricks learned, the first axels will look a little rough since most people are overly aggressive.  But with added practice, you will smooth out your motions and give your axels more finesse.  The ultimate goal is to perform a very flat and slow axel - true poetry in motion!