Super Sky Bird kite in poor wind

My 1,586th kite video. With rare exceptions, most days at this time of year have poor winds for kite-flying - either too weak, too strong, or too gusty. This time, things looked quite promising, but not for long.

[@deweygravesjr.122]

Beautiful kite Jim. Nice video of what looks like a aggravating day. Great video Jim! Thank you!

[@JimNicholls]

Most days are aggravating at the moment, Dewey, but that's how it is at this time of the year. Occasionally we get lucky, but it should settle down in a few weeks' time - I hope so, anyway!

[@redkitecrewJonny]

You have a knack of taking us through all the kite flyer emotions in your videos, Jim. Still a magnificent looking kite though despite the wind, or lack of.

[@JimNicholls]

That kite is a beauty for sure. I'll show it again soon with its sister kite, if the weather settles down.

[@kiteflyingdownunder....car6272]

I am glad you persisted. The Sky Bird is great to see again. A magnificent flyer.

[@JimNicholls]

Maybe we'll fly it, and the other one, when you come in a couple of weeks' time, Carl.

[@kiteflyingdownunder....car6272]

@@JimNicholls I have seen that it is also One World Kite Fly day on Sunday Oct 11th. Not sure this matters to us. Gave up flying today. Sunny but blustery strong winds .

[@JimNicholls]

Nice that everyone will be flying for my birthday eve!

[@kitecrewireland]

Love the sky bird and every kite flying just doesn’t give up!! Autumn is on the way with us and we had a great days flying last weekend unfortunately we are back on restrictions with the covid 19 cases rising again. Keep the videos coming. Brian Tweedie Kitecrew Ireland

[@JimNicholls]

I'll do my best, Brian. I'm hoping for a big fly in two weeks' time to celebrate my 80th birthday, but our spring weather is most unsettled these days. Your fly at Castlerock looked great - a lovely setting, and a lot of familiar-looking items in the air.

[@davidmacphee3549]

So Jim, down under like that, you are looking forward to summer, I'm in Toronto

[@reddotkites1081]

Looks like somebody is flicking the wind switch on and off. But persistence always pays off 😊. Thanks for sharing!

[@JimNicholls]

It was a bit like that, Sotero, but more off than on, unfortunately.

[@dutchbeef8920]

Firebird kite arrived recently from China, really impressed. Wrapped carbon spars, notched spar ends all round. So far so good.

[@JimNicholls]

Sounds great, and I hope you get to fly it soon.

[@danokitemanotoo1791]

I enjoy my G.P. Skybird & being a delta, I often fly it without tails in light winds since it's a pretty stable design! Nice video sir!

[@JimNicholls]

I think it really looks best without a tail, but of course it needs a reasonably smooth breeze to fly well like that. A beautiful kite, as you are well aware.

[@danokitemanotoo1791]

@@JimNicholls Agreed, I usually add a 35 foot red banner tail if it needs it & have others if that isn't enough!

[@fotonmom]

These are the days where you can get your workout!

[@peterhartt4518]

"any sensible person would have given up by now"

[@JimNicholls]

Indeed!

[@mrlionel1965]

I hate it when they shut the wind off on me. You can have some of our wind. We have 15-20 mph at the moment. The kite still looked good.

[@JimNicholls]

The wind here today is very strong and gusty, Ken, and impossible to fly in. I just wish we could average it out and have some steady wind every day.

[@richarddarlington1139]

Maybe you could ask your local weatherman how he defines the term, "smooth breeze."

[@JimNicholls]

Our met service seems not to have much idea of anything. If they looked out of the window occasionally they might at least get the current conditions right!

[@richarddarlington1139]

@@JimNicholls "Tonight's forecast...dark! With widely scattered light by morning." - George Carlin

[@JimNicholls]

That about sums it up! But I wonder if they'd even get that right.

[@richarddarlington1139]

@@JimNicholls Ha! Ever woken from a nap when the sun is low in the sky and you weren't sure if it was early morning or late afternoon? I sure have.

[@MarkAGroh]

'mama' said there'd be days like this'! We've all been there...

[@JimNicholls]

It's the worst time of year for us, Mark, as the weather is so changeable. We've had huge winds in the last couple of days and I haven't ventured out.

[@annepeterwhitehead7409]

Jim -14 more videos to go!! - keep it up; certainly an up and down day. Very blustery here. Have friends heading to Christchurch next weekend and told them to keep a look out for you at New Brighton. Do you normally fly north or south of the pier? It looks like north but I can at least let them know.

[@JimNicholls]

Anne, I used always to fly just south of the pier, and still do occasionally (as with the Chinese Fan Kite recently), but these days I mostly fly by the North Beach surf club, about 1.5km north of the pier. I hope your friends will introduce themselves if they find me, but the wind will have to settle down from what we have right now. Gale force NW winds tonight and all day tomorrow I think.

[@davidmacphee3549]

Very pretty! Good video. Some days, just not enough nature comes your way. Being by the water is always a good bet?

[@JimNicholls]

It's not perfect, but it's still my favourite place to be.

[@nathanaelsmith3553]

Really nice

[@JimNicholls]

It's a lovely kite, but unobtainable at the moment, I think.

[@TheRevFlyer]

Do like the sky bird shame the wind was so iffy my bit of UK being battered by 45 mph winds 😔

[@JimNicholls]

We have very high winds now, lasting several days. Always too much or too little!

[@lucychia6933]

It is superb kite but unfortunately it is no longer in production.

[@JimNicholls]

Yes, that's sad. Unfortunately a lot of good kites are no longer available.

[@PanyingPilot]

Off shore winds , lumpy and sure to disappoint. I had something similar and didn't bother posting it

[@JimNicholls]

It's strange how people who never fly at the beach often think that coastal winds are always smooth and on-shore, Glenn, but as you know we are not always so lucky!

[@MooCowBlueKites]

What a beautiful and magnificent kite. I am sorry the wind cut out on you. Do you think it would have helped to have taken off the tail in the low winds?

[@JimNicholls]

No, Mark. The breeze, such as it was, was quite unsteady, and the tails helped keep some stability. It's certainly a great kite, and I hope to fly it and its more colourful sister again soon when we have better wind.

[@MooCowBlueKites]

@@JimNicholls look forward to seeing it again.

[@JimNicholls]

Maybe this will do for now! kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHnQiq1sgqmZi7M