String. Wood. Paper. Wind. That’s all you need to “Go Fly a Kite”.
My brother still loves them today, and our recent windy weather has been particularly conducive to kite flying. I’ve never been coordinated enough to sustain the aerodynamics to keep a kite in the air for long periods of time, but I love to watch them in flight. I recently spent 30 minutes enjoying little children, a couple, and older men flying kites on a day that combined the perfect conditions—wind and sun.
From what I’ve seen floating around on the internet about the history of kite flying, it dates back thousands of years to China. They used kites for religious and mythical purposes made out of bamboo and silk. According to historical records, a man named Mo Zi (somewhere around 770-476 B.C.) worked on construction of a kite for three years, only to have it fail in one day! Kites during that Eastern Zhou Dynasty were called mu yuan (wooden kite) and during the Chu-Han War (203-202 B. C.) kites were used to spy on the enemy. Emergency kites, zhi yuan (paper kite) were used during this time to let others know their city was under siege. Some of the most beautiful Chinese kites are in the shapes of flowers, birds, lanterns, blossoms, umbrellas and calligraphic characters, which all have great artistic value through their art form. Kites have been objects of colorful and elaborate decoration for many, many years.
Chinese Dragon
Home to the International Kite Association is the city of Weifang, situated halfway between Jinan and Qingdao of the Shandong Province, in central China. Historical relics dating back 7,000 years can be found there, along with a museum dedicated to kite history, and annually from April 20-25, Weifang hosts the International Kite Festival. Thousands of kite enthusiasts descend upon Weifang to view and fly beautiful kites. This amazing kite competition ends by crowning a “Kite King”.
Kite Festival
We remember Benjamin Franklin’s use of kites during his experiments with atmospheric electricity. Franklin flew a kite with a key in a storm to prove that the electrical effect of lightning could be transferred to another object, which could be recognized as electricity. This experiment was exceptionally dangerous, but this is the same as when you shuffle across carpet and touch a metal doorknob or someone else—a shocking feeling! That is what Ben Franklin was able to prove in 1752…that lightning is static electricity.
Ben Franklin's Experiment
Alexander Graham Bell also used forms of kites in his tetrahedral kite—a pyramid shaped framework. Tetrahedrons are 4 sided polygons joined together that form a sail. Bell’s Tetrahedral Principle was one of the basics of flight as we know it today; he proved that you could construct a bunch of tetrahedron cells together, to look like a large flying structure. His theory was that you could build a “whole bunch of little wings”, instead of “one large one” that would increase its overall weight.
Tetrahedron Example
Other kite facts include that on November 12, 1894, Lawrence Hargrave was lifted up by a train of four “cellular kites”. He developed many kites and gliders, and later perfected rounded wings, and invented the rotary engine. He was really onto inventing the airplane…. if he could only see the Airbus A380 today!! In 1903, Samuel Franklin Cody, crossed the English Channel on a vessel towed by kites, and during World War II, kites were used as gunnery targets.
In downtown Anchorage, a strip of green grass, about 10 blocks long, hosts softball fields, tennis courts, a city gym, a basketball court, a sand volleyball net, a horseshoe pit, a playground for kids and a rose garden. This wonderful section of landscape, the Delaney Park Strip is also home to kite fliers. I’ve flown a kite there and remember childhood days of making one out of newspaper. That can’t compare to the stunt, power and airfoils of today that go up to 120 mps, made of carbon fiber, and can withstand strong powerful winds, but making an old-school kite was great fun, even though I was never very good at keeping it aloft!
Modern Kite
Each year Homer hosts a festival in May for kite surfers. At the Homer Spit you can learn the basics, have fun with family or watch others sail across the water. These days some brave soles kiteboard or surf on snow too. It’s a hot new sport for adrenaline junkies. It’s the fusion of power kites, wakeboarding and snowboarding. Aficionados say it’s the ultimate rush of man’s dream to fly. You still need to have skills to control your kite, but adds a bit of challenge surfing on snow or water.
Kiteboarding
Now that I’ve got you thinking about your childhood days, relive an experience that’s great for the young and old. Hit the beach, the coast, a park or your back yard. In this economy it’s an inexpensive way to fly an ingenious contraption at the end of a string.
Grab your kite—Alaska Kite Day is July 4th at the Park Strip. Get out there and join the fun!
Ocean Kite
With tuppence for paper and strings,
you can have your own set of wings.
With your feet on the ground,
you’re a bird in flight!
With your fist holding tight,
to the string of your kite!
Let’s go fly a kite
Up to the highest height
Let’s go fly a kite
And send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let’s go fly a kite!
When you send it flying up there,
all at once your lighter than air!
You can dance on the breeze,
over ‘ouses and trees!
With your fist ‘olding tight,
to the string your kite!
Let’s go fly a kite
Up to the highest height
Let’s go fly a kite
And send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let’s go fly a kite!
–Robert B. Sherman for the movie Mary Poppins
Stunt Kite
The Smart Alaskan 