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December Stryke Auction underway!
The Stryke
#156 Auction is now active on eBay. This is a 7-day listing
which wraps-up on Sunday 12/14 @ 8:00 PM PST. My apologies to the
East coasters regarding the rather late ending time. However, eBay
had some software glitches which delayed my scheduled start by a few
hours. Without a
doubt, this is the most labor intensive Stryke I've built. While it
looks very clean and elegant, the multi-layered appliqué took a lot of
time, concentration and patience. However, it was really worth the
effort as the image below proves (plus there are several more detail
photos on the eBay listing). And yes, the winning bidder will have
this kite in their hands before Christmas in the event this will be a gift
for a loved one (or yourself!  ). |
The completed '2K5 Star' Stryke Fighter.
(Click on the image to open the auction page.) |
Preview of Stryke Auction for
December!
As shown below, this Stryke Fighter will feature
the classic '2K5 Star' logo oriented within a framed circle. This is
the first time I'll be doing this specific sail layout. The virtual
simulation sure looks great and I can't wait to see the finished
product! Right now, the plan is to start this eBay auction this
coming Monday (12/8). |
A preview of the upcoming '2K5 Star'
Stryke Fighter.
(Watch this page for the official auction announcement!) |
Empty place in the sky.
It's always difficult when you lose a friend, and recently, I lost one
of my best pals. His name was Kim Shaffer
and his untimely passing earlier this month came as a complete
shock.
I first met Kim back in 1999 at a local
park here in Pennsylvania. I had just finished a flying session and
was packing the car to head home. Off in the distance, I then
observed a beginner struggling to fly a dual-liner. Noticing the
kite was performing erratically, I immediately went over and offered
assistance. After some major tuning (bridle was installed upside
down!), we got his kite flying half decent but it still needed more
wind. I then returned with one of my personal ultralites and let him
fly that for a good while. That day planted the seed of Kim's kiting
passion and the start of a great friendship for us.
During the first few years, I was his
mentor and provided him with frequent flying lessons and tips. No doubt,
Kim was a naturally gifted flier with outstanding hand-eye coordination.
For example, on the day I demonstrated the 540 Flat Spin, he picked up his
own lines and immediately starting executing this rather difficult maneuver.
Eventually, I taught him everything I knew until we started learning the contemporary
tricks as equals. In addition, we shared some incredible moments pairs
flying that I will always vividly remember!
Since he resided in my hometown, Kim was
also instrumental in testing new designs. Not only did he provide
valuable feedback, but a lot of encouragement as well. He personally
flew every prototype during the development of all modern era
AeroStars. Kim would frequently get impatient with my perfectionism
though. On occasion, he would be securing the first production model
and wanted me to finally stop testing to make his kite already! And
over the years, I did have the pleasure of building and hand delivering
Kim a total of seven custom AeroStars.
Kim was very active in the Fly
Pittsburgh Kite Club plus attended many regional kiting events. For
sure, he will be dearly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing
him. My sincerest sympathies go out to his wife, Lisa, along with
all his family members. Essentially, he was like an older brother to me
and it will take a long time for the pain of his passing to subside.
In remembrance of Kim, below is his obituary and some special kiting
photos.
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Kim and his wife, Lisa, enjoying some
pairs flying. |
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A grin inducing freestyle session with a
Spica Pro. |
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The maiden flight of his new
ZeroStar SUL #01. |
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Kim and Paul pairs ballet with
matching Pulsar Pros. |
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Sadly, it's now time to fly our separate
ways.
I'll see you on the other side my good friend! |
In special remembrance of Kim
Shaffer.
(Click on the newspaper scan and thumbnails for enlarged view.) |
Sano "TwinSkin" Airbrake
Instructions.
Installation and removal instructions for the new Sano airbrakes have
been uploaded
to the Tuning Tips page. I've been
making quite a few of these airbrakes kits; these guidelines
should make their usage very clear and easy! Oh yeah, if you plan on
using the same airbrakes on multiple Sanos, please specify extra retainer
rings when ordering (one pair required per kite).
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This handy storage tube is included
with each pair of Sano
TwinSkin airbrakes.
(Click on the image above to view the airbrake instructions.) |
"What a drag!"
From an aerodynamics standpoint, drag is typically a nasty four letter
word. But in this case, adding a type of resistance known as parasitic
drag was the goal! Since the Sano is an efficient design,
I've gotten requests for a device to slow the kite at the upper wind
ranges. Unfortunately, the synchronized standoffs and variable sail
geometry of the ShapeShifter™ design eliminates many traditional airbrake
configurations. Ultimately,
I opted to focus on the triangular areas formed by the standoffs. To
start, various mesh designs were tried with mixed results. The
benefits from traditional screening were minimal due to the nominal surface area.
Two layers of heavy-duty screening worked well from a drag perspective,
however, the weight was a bit excessive which disrupted the kite's overall balance. Then
it hit me to try a non-perforated, solid brake design. For the
material, the logical choice was PC-31 ripstop polyester (the fabric used on all AeroStar sails)
because of
its high strength-to-weight ratio and low porosity. During the first test,
I immediately knew this was the ticket! Even more drag than the
double screening at only one-fourth the weight. I was initially
concerned that the solid surfaces would flutter erratically, but proved silky smooth. After several prototype designs, I was
eventually satisfied with the geometry, ease of installation and overall
performance. The
Sano TwinSkin airbrakes offer these features and benefits: |
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Finally, for those fliers who prefer the
ShapeShifter biased far inboard (freestyle mode!), the brakes allow
these settings in higher breezes. For example, during one test
session on an SSL ultralite, the winds were in the 8 - 10 mph range.
Normally, I would run the standoffs at least half way out to slow the kite down.
But with the brakes, the speed was kept in check even when set almost full
inboard.
Will these brakes take the
place of a vented kite? Nope. Will they make the Sano more
enjoyable in higher winds while also enhancing the overall
tuning versatility? Absolutely! The plan is to produce a limited
number of Sano TwinSkin brakes each month. If you're interested, please contact me for
a
pricing quote and your desired color choices. And sure, monochromatic styles
(same color on both sides) can be specified too! |
Some detail photos of the new Sano
TwinSkin airbrakes.
(Click on thumbnails for enlarged view.) |
Sano SSZ July Auction has commenced!
The Sano
SSZ #146-8 Auction is now posted on eBay. This 7
day listing will end on Friday 7/25 @ 1:00 PM PDT. This is the first
SSZ to feature the new "DYAD" appliqué. Was I pleased how
this Sano turned out? Well, let's just say that once I started
taking pictures, I had a hard time stopping (guess this explains why the
ad has a whopping 10 photos  ).
So yep, I'm ecstatic over this one and good luck to all the
bidders! |
The long days and light breezes of
summer make it a perfect time for enjoying this SUL!
(Click on the image above to open the Sano SSZ #146 auction page.) |
July auction details!
Over the past few months, I've gotten several
inquiries as to when another Sano SSZ would become available. First off,
my apologies for the long delay. And yes, the next auction will
indeed feature one of these rare SULs! In addition, the new
"DYAD" sail design (see February/March '08 updates) was very
well received. Therefore, this layout will be used on an SSZ for the
first time also. The
airframe for this kite was just finished. Then, after returning from
a much needed vacation at Rehoboth Beach, DE, I will finish the sail and
assembly. The color combo is previewed below. If you're
interested in this Sano, please check back mid-July for the
official listing date. Gotta run for now - the white sands and
smooth sea breezes are calling my name. Hope everyone has a fun and
safe Independence Day weekend! |
Preview of the next AeroStar
auction.
(Coming mid-July 2008!) |
Interested in a ZeroStar SUL?
I haven't built an AeroStar ZeroStar (code named
A*Z*) in a couple years now nor do I plan to make any in the
future. But recently, a good friend and customer expressed interest
in having me assist him in selling his ZeroStar SUL. Normally, I
don't like to bother with used kites. However, after scrutinizing
this one, I was utterly amazed at the excellent condition. Seriously,
you would think this thing was only flown on Sundays by "The
Little Old Lady from Pasadena"!  As
normal practice these days, I've put this ZeroStar on eBay to give anyone
interested a fair shot at owning this beauty. As mentioned in the
listing, I spent a few hours detailing this kite and even made some
upgrades. The 7 day listing for ZeroStar
SUL #026 will end on Sunday 6/8 @ 6:00 PM PDT. Best of luck! |
This rare and classic AeroStar is in
superb shape!
(Click on the image above to open the ZeroStar SUL #026 auction page.) |
May Stryke Auction begins!
The Stryke
#155 Auction is now active on eBay. This is a 7 day listing
which wraps-up on Friday 5/16 @ 9:00 AM PST. Must say, I'm really
liking these "Penta-Panel" layouts! In particular, this
one looks fantastic with the mix of Rainbow and Charcoal sail panels and
Yellow reinforcements. |
The completed Rainbow "Penta-Panel" Stryke Fighter.
(Click on the image to open the auction page.) |
Preview of Stryke Auction for May!
Based on the number of requests received, demand
for the Stryke Fighter is still very strong. However, despite the
small size, this SLK is quite time consuming to construct due to its
intricate design. The best I can do is to offer an occasional
fighter for public auction on eBay. Speaking
of which, a very special Stryke will be listed soon! As depicted
below, not only will this be the new "Penta-Panel" sail layout,
but it will also incorporate Rainbow fabric coupled with Charcoal Gray. This
fighter is currently under
construction and the eBay auction will start around May
9th. |
A preview of the first Rainbow "Penta-Panel" Stryke Fighter.
(Coming soon - watch this page for the official auction announcement!) |
Sano SSL+ March Auction now live!
The Sano
SSL+ #145-10 Auction has officially started on eBay. This is a 7
day listing which will end on Tuesday 3/11 @ 1:00 PM PDT. I'm
extremely pleased how the first "DYAD" edition turned out.
For sure, much better than the colorizer simulation! Despite trying
a variety of HTML color codes, the Flame still appears rather drab on the
monitor. But in real life, this shade of PC-31 is quite intense and
saturated. At least the photos provide more realism - check out the eBay
listing and see for
yourself! |
During the photo shoot, the Flame
panels actually started to melt the ice!
(Click on the image above to open the Sano SSL+ #145 auction page.) |
March Auction Preview!
Preparations are underway for the first AeroStar eBay Auction of
2008. Shown below is a "sneak peek" of what is coming in
early March - it won't be long now! |
dyad (dī'ăd',
-əd)
noun
1. consisting of two units
2. individuals or objects regarded as a pair
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| Yes indeed, that name is perfect since this new layout
features a pair of matching star appliqués. Actually, the star
design first appeared on the "Stars &
Stripes" edition of the Sano. A very nice appearance, but I
was pretty much restricted to Patriotic colors. By mirroring the
star onto the right wing panel, there are now essentially unlimited motifs
available. And besides, more stars on an AeroStar ain't a bad thing!
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A simulation of the upcoming SSL+
for the March 2008 auction.
(This will be the first Sano to feature the new "DYAD" appliqué!) |
History of AeroStar Sportkites.
Several months ago, Chuck Harris of NoseDiver's
Stunt Kite Forum asked me to be a 'Featured KiteBuilder'.
However, I was only able to prepare and finally finish the accompanying
story over the Christmas holidays. Since I've been involved with
this wonderful sport and hobby for a l-o-n-g time now (15 years
flying; 13 years designing & building), it took awhile to compile all
the information. But, it was definitely fun to reminisce and wax
nostalgic! If you're interested, CLICK
HERE for the direct link to the article. I sincerely hope you
find my "Kiting Memoirs" to be a good read. If not,
well, at least there is another natural cure for insomnia!  |
Sano #143 Scraps - Sorry, you've
been "Zonked"!
The news that Glenn from Missouri won the worthless fabric scraps is
spreading rapidly. The video below shows the typical reaction people
are having. After years of intensive therapy, I'm sure Glenn will fully
partially recover from this humiliating experience. |
This woman receives a phone call
about the Sano fabric scraps winner.
(Click 'Play' to watch the video.) |
AeroStar Raffle Results!
The AeroStar lotto on NoseDiver's
Stunt Kite Forum was a success and a fun way to kick off 2008!
Tickets went on sale January 1st and were sold out the
following day. Apologies to those who didn't get a chance to enter
the raffle (some folks were still away for the Holidays). Special
thanks to Chuck Harris and everyone who participated! The four
winners were announced on 1/5/08, but per the contest rules, nobody knew
which prize they would be getting in the mail. But now that
deliveries have been completed, shown below are the official
results. Oh yeah, Chuck already hinted about doing another AeroStar
raffle. Assuming there is sufficient interest, that may be a
possibility later this year!  |
Click on thumbnail for enlarged view. |
Grand Prize:
Sano SS-EX #143
Robert Matteo
Colorado |
Click on thumbnail for enlarged view. |
First Runner-Up:
Stryke Fighter #152
John Rollins
California |
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Second Runner-Up:
AeroStar Embroidered Hat
Chuck Harris
Arizona |
Click on thumbnail for enlarged view. |
Third Runner-Up:
Worthless Sano #143 Scraps
(Plus a Micro
Indoor Rokakku!)
Glenn Blanchard
Missouri |
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Wishing everyone all the best throughout 2008! If you would like
to access earlier AeroStar News/Updates, a link to each archived year is conveniently
located at the top of this page. |
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