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Step 6Kite Safety
Of course, you will always fly your kites safely, but we all need reminding sometimes:
If your kite is large, or your flying line is thin, wear gloves. Kite string can cause burns and deep cuts. It is best to avoid holding the flying line in bare hands at any time, this way safe handling of taut lines becomes a habit.
Avoid loose loops of flying line hanging from the reel or winder. A sudden gust of wind can tighten them, causing tangles in the line or around things you would rather not get tangled (Fingers, feet or passing strangers). These loops can cause deep cuts that may well end up needing stitches.
Never fly a kite in wet or stormy weather, or with wet lines, with a metal frame, or with a wire flying line. This is all like flying your own lightning conductor.
Never fly near overhead cables, substations or antennae. If your kite does get caught up in power lines or goes behind the fence of a substation, leave it there. No kite is worth dying for.
Never fly in public streets, crowded areas, or across roads.
Always watch where you are going. Choose a flying area without trip hazards, and look where you are going if you are walking backwards. Never run backwards.
Wear a brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Remember, over-exposure to ultra-violet light can cause skin cancer and cataracts.
If you are flying a power kite, switch the brimmed hat for a properly-fitted helmet and pads.
If you are on wheels (a board or buggy), you may want to consider wearing impact armour as well.
Remember the law: kites must not be flown more than 60 metres high, and you must not fly the kite where it can be a hazard to aircraft, such as near airports, gliding centres, or areas where others are hanggliding or paragliding. Only a fool would fly a kite at an air-show.
If your kite is large, or your flying line is thin, wear gloves. Kite string can cause burns and deep cuts. It is best to avoid holding the flying line in bare hands at any time, this way safe handling of taut lines becomes a habit.
Avoid loose loops of flying line hanging from the reel or winder. A sudden gust of wind can tighten them, causing tangles in the line or around things you would rather not get tangled (Fingers, feet or passing strangers). These loops can cause deep cuts that may well end up needing stitches.
Never fly a kite in wet or stormy weather, or with wet lines, with a metal frame, or with a wire flying line. This is all like flying your own lightning conductor.
Never fly near overhead cables, substations or antennae. If your kite does get caught up in power lines or goes behind the fence of a substation, leave it there. No kite is worth dying for.
Never fly in public streets, crowded areas, or across roads.
Always watch where you are going. Choose a flying area without trip hazards, and look where you are going if you are walking backwards. Never run backwards.
Wear a brimmed hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. Remember, over-exposure to ultra-violet light can cause skin cancer and cataracts.
If you are flying a power kite, switch the brimmed hat for a properly-fitted helmet and pads.
If you are on wheels (a board or buggy), you may want to consider wearing impact armour as well.
Remember the law: kites must not be flown more than 60 metres high, and you must not fly the kite where it can be a hazard to aircraft, such as near airports, gliding centres, or areas where others are hanggliding or paragliding. Only a fool would fly a kite at an air-show.
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May 27, 2008. 5:44 PMRishnai
says:
One time I was at the beach in California and, being stupid and never having dealt with sea breezes before, I decided to anchor my small delta kite to my belt and proceeded to launch it. The sea breeze caught it and dragged us both across the sand (with my feet firmly planted in front of me, trying to slow me down) for about a hundred yards until I got in the wind shadow of the lifeguard's station and the kite fell out of the air. I learned a life lesson that day: don't be a dumbass.
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