Fly a kite in an open field

Kite flying goes wrong for two reasons and neither is skill. Either the wind is wrong, or the field has something upwind of it disturbing the air. Get both right and a kite essentially flies itself. To fly a kite in an open field successfully is mostly a matter of reading conditions before you unroll anything.

Why fly a kite in an open field is worth an hour

Most kites want a steady breeze somewhere between about eight and twenty-five kilometers per hour. Too little and it will not lift; too much and it becomes unstable and hard to control. Obstacles matter because trees and buildings create turbulence for a considerable distance downwind, which produces exactly the erratic diving that gets blamed on the kite.

How to fly a kite in an open field step by step

1. 1

   Check the wind speed

   A steady breeze where leaves and small branches move. Flags extended is about right; anything violent is too much.

2. 2

   Find genuinely open ground

   Well clear of trees and buildings, which create turbulence far downwind of themselves.

3. 3

   Stand with your back to the wind

   Let the kite lift from your hand rather than running with it. Running is a sign the wind is insufficient.

4. 4

   Release line steadily as it climbs

   Let it out in stages rather than continuously. Yanking on the line pulls the kite into a stall.

5. 5

   Correct by letting line out

   If it dives, release rather than pull. This is the opposite of instinct and it is what recovers a dive.

Tips to get more out of it

• Never fly near overhead power lines, and stop immediately in a thunderstorm. Both are genuinely dangerous.
• Wear gloves for larger kites. Line can cut hands badly under load.
• A simple delta or diamond kite is far more forgiving for beginners than a stunt kite.

Ways to mix it up

If the wind is light, a lightweight kite with a long tail flies in conditions that ground heavier designs. If you want more involvement, a dual-line stunt kite is genuinely a skill to learn and behaves nothing like a single-line kite.

Fly a kite in an open field: frequently asked questions