Giant winged box kite - first flight

My 1,543rd kite video. Ten years after I bought it, a big kite has its first flight!

[@derricksrandomviews]

I like the gentle wing movement, kite looks like it is alive and actually enjoying its release from bedroom confinement.

[@JimNicholls]

Yes, I'm sure it was happy, Derrick!

[@halaasen3416]

Now THAT is a truly impressive kite Jim! Glad you and Peter were able to respar it and get it flying.

[@JimNicholls]

Thanks, Hal - you're sure to see it again before too long. I hope things are not too bad in Montana these days.

[@darrentylor5473]

Nothing like a good fly to blow the dust off of a great flyer!

[@75zoran]

some monsters you have under the bed, beautiful, reminds me of manta ray, such a beautiful sight!

[@JimNicholls]

How I left it so long to dig this out I don't quite know - time goes by so fast!

[@CirrusRC]

Certainly a big kite Jim, but also a graceful flyer. The flex gives it a flapping motion. Good that you brought it back to life.

[@JimNicholls]

Yes, it's a pity I didn't have it in action when you were here, David. I'm not sure how I left it unused for so long.

[@deweygravesjr.122]

Nice video! I like that kite. I need tomorrow research that one. Good thing for Peter! Thanks Jim!

[@JimNicholls]

You probably won't find anything about it, Dewey. Only a few were made, and it was a long time ago. There are smaller versions, but they behave quite differently.

[@gabbylgm]

Another one that there is only one word for. WOW!!!

[@JimNicholls]

I should get that going again. I think it has a broken spar at the moment, but having been fixed once it should be easier the second time.

[@Hangernade]

Beautiful kite. Almost looks like the bridle should also be attached to the wing tips to counteract the main cross spar bending.

[@JimNicholls]

That, or at least a rigging line from the wingtip as with Cody kites, has been considered, but I will avoid it if possible as the kite looks better without any additional lines, I think.

[@flyingfish1849]

Now, that was a delight to see! Thanks for bringing it out from ... well, we call it a "time out" when a child needs some alone time after bad behaviour! Nice to have a surgeon to fix his bones!

[@JimNicholls]

I'm glad that I retrieved it, Steve, but I wish now that I'd done so a long time ago.

[@kiteflyingdownunder....car6272]

That's a magnificent looking kite Jim. If you have any others like it under the bed needing fixing I can help. I would love to see it fly along side the Colossus. Would be a grand sight.

[@JimNicholls]

That might happen sometime when the weather settles down a bit, Carl.

[@PanyingPilot]

Being in the video is a choice, and for legacy reasons a good one. Too, I'd look to Cody kites as inspiration for rigging. BTW I was surprise that there was so little oscillation. I may get one just to tinker around.

[@JimNicholls]

I don't know where you'd find one of these now, Glenn. I think Emma only produced a few. The smaller ones as sold by David Gomberg and by some Chinese sellers have totally different characteristics in my experience, this big one being much more stable. Rigging lines have been considered, but I'd like to avoid doing that if possible as I think the kite looks a lot better without them. My "appearance", if such it was, in the video was due to a lack of any attractive lady on the beach who could have posed with the kite - always my preferred way of showing scale!

[@carole2077]

Wow really lovely kite❤

[@JimNicholls]

Thanks, Carole, I'm glad you like it.

[@MarkAGroh]

that's a real beauty.

[@JimNicholls]

It certainly is, Mark, and I'm glad that it's no longer "in storage".

[@0KiteEatingTree0]

Looks like the wind is back there at least Was out yesterday and barely anything flew Very impressive kite

[@JimNicholls]

The wind comes and goes at random, sometimes from all different directions within a few minutes. We have to wait until summer to get more reliable wind, but reliable is a relative term.

[@bile897]

I have two kites now, and a third on the way from China. Can’t wait to fly them. I’ve been super busy, and had to move. Exhausted, I’ll have to wait to fly again.

[@JimNicholls]

I hope you don't have to wait too long and that you have a lot of fun.

[@bile897]

Jim Nicholls thanks Jim

[@MarkAGroh]

This is awesome and very appealing. Is it still available, and from who? Prefect music...

[@JimNicholls]

As far as I know, Mark, there were only a few made, and that was many years ago. I certainly haven't seen one available in recent times.

[@TheRevFlyer]

I see a potential Sci fi film the incredible shrinking kite flyer 😊 looked very graceful, giving it some more strength should increase the wind range, would it make it a lifter ?

[@JimNicholls]

Yes, I'd like to make it a bit more flexible in wind range. I don't think I'd ever consider it as a lifter, but I have plenty of those already, including some Peter Lynn pilot kites that I haven't used for years as well as all my sleds and parafoils.

[@furiber4]

Beautiful! I wish it was still available. I own one of its little brothers. My kite is a little unstable, sways too much, but has great pull. What

[@furiber4]

What about your kite?

[@JimNicholls]

I have a couple of smaller versions too, and the big one is much more stable than they are. I had to put tails on the smaller ones, but there's no way you'd need a tail on this.

[@freddymeischer2219]

I am a kite enthusiast I have taken a few over a thousand feet. A big kite at 1k feet is very satisfying.

[@JimNicholls]

We have a limit here of 400 feet. I don't fly high when I'm making video, as the kites then look too small!

[@freddymeischer2219]

@@JimNicholls to tell you the truth flying at that altitude is hard on the kites. The wind and other stresses start to show at the stitch seams and other points on the kite. But my larger than 100" kites are the coolest at high altitude because you can see the kite and as it ducks in and out of clouds is (in a kid a heart)the coolest!!! I guess I should check the FAA regs but from a pretty knowledgeable person told me 3nauticle miles from an airport and the kite and line combined has to weigh less Tha 7pounds.i don't know where he got those numbers but since my kites and lines are under that weight I figured that's my story and im sticking to it Lol

[@JimNicholls]

We have rules banning night flying, but I've flown kites with LED lights a few times without getting challenged for it, and if caught would plead ignorance.

[@puffyelvis5895]

I wonder if two carbon spars, like the ones on a cloud bird, would do the trick. Longer spars are difficult to find though...

[@JimNicholls]

Very hard to find spars of any kind here in NZ, but longer and larger carbon ones are very expensive wherever they might be found. You're right about carbon being the answer, though.

[@user-js5nm6sd8o]

👍👏💪

[@DOLEWDREW]

WOW Jim; I believe you just caused me to experience a double dose of PTSD :'-( !! I remembered so looking forward to getting this kite but after I tried ordering, Emma said there was a problem and it was no longer available for sale ! Now fast forward all these years and behold a notification pops up from you and there is that lovely kite and it's the FIRST FLIGHT and so my mind gets all excited and starts thinking that this kite is FINALLY available again but alas: OH NOOOOOOO!!! :'-( :'-( :'-( :'-( I believe I should send you the bill for my psychologist Jim !! xD Anyways, it was nice to see the kite fly and it even looks better than it did on Emma's website!! So even though it hurts a little(A LOT!), thanks for posting and thanks to Peter too; would be nice having him as a neighbour!!!

[@JimNicholls]

I appreciate your distress, as there have been a couple of kites that I've missed out on in the past for similar reasons. If you ever get to Christchurch, NZ, you can at least be given the chance to fly this monster, so let me know if you're heading this way. I'm not sure when we'll ever start letting people in again, with our border currently closed to all except returning citizens and a few very privileged people (like Hollywood film-makers wanting a safe location).

[@DOLEWDREW]

@@JimNicholls Much thanks for your gracious invite Jim. But with me being literally half a world away, real world practicalities are a major hindrance to me ever getting there.

[@JimNicholls]

Similarly with my wishes to visit other places - we are so remote from everywhere here in NZ.

[@DOLEWDREW]

@@JimNicholls That's why I like calling you Kiwis the land under down under ! I guess remoteness has both drawbacks and benefits. Are you still planning on selling the Mega Fish at sometime? If so, I will leave you a message with my contact info for when you make that decision. It would be a nice consolation to never getting that winged box form Emma ;-) ! Take care Jim.

[@JimNicholls]

I think I probably will sell the fish soon, but maybe fly it once more first. Postage will be expensive! The fish itself will be a lot cheaper than a new one, but listed price new is US$1827 and Premier seem to have none available - maybe it's discontinued. The only ones they made recently were in printed fabric, not appliqued like mine.

[@MrBobbyjones1205]

Hey I have same one too but I upgraded the spars to stronger ones 😂

[@JimNicholls]

Me too - the ones that came with it were rather weak. I must fly it again soon.

[@MrBobbyjones1205]

@@JimNicholls kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5rMq3hoaNCgkKM

[@danokitemano9316]

This is a great kite for sure and I too believe with a litte more work to make it stiffer, it will take on the big winds like a champ. Thanks for the look!

[@JimNicholls]

I must try it again soon. Peter has one that he made and we did fly them together once.

[@user-vw6ej7ib5c]

Just saw this clip. Where can I get one of these?

[@JimNicholls]

They haven't been available for many years, unfortunately.

[@mctigger1021]

What is your suggestion for storing kites when not in use? Do you lay yours flat or hang them up

[@JimNicholls]

Most of mine are lying flat on shelves, some are standing upright and some are hanging. I don't know what is best, and I'm certainly not the best person to advise on this topic, as anyone who has seen my kite collection will tell you!

[@mctigger1021]

@Jim Nicholls I added 1 more to my collection one to my girlfriends collection and got one for her dad who said he loved flying ours and wished he had gotten one himself

[@mctigger1021]

What brand of kites do you suggest to get I’ve got a couple of prism, a couple from premier, and at least one from wind and sun

[@JimNicholls]

I thought I'd answered this, but my answer seems to have disappeared. I don't choose kites by brand, I just buy the ones that appeal. When I first started, I used to do a lot of business with Into The Wind, but they don't seem to have any new products recently to tempt me and I've got all the older ones. Most of my purchases now come from China via AliExpress, but I'm trying to wean myself off my addiction as I already have far, far too many kites.

[@mctigger1021]

@ Jim Nicholls have you ever flown a dual line kite or have kept to all single line kites

[@TKILLIP]

Try .505 fiberglass for the cross spar.

[@JimNicholls]

Yes, I think that would be ideal, Tony. I have to do some ordering, as we have nowhere here to buy such things. I hope all's well with you.

[@zacharymanaois4727]

Hey,do you have a website to buy a kite like this?

[@JimNicholls]

Sorry, I don't sell kites. You won't find this anywhere, as there were only a few made and that was years ago.

[@dahaleprasadsudhakar8080]

Ha ha ha ha I am happy

[@dieusaolangbui3614]

giant play kite

[@yaelangeles1123]

😮😮 mo😅