EKS Club News
Report by: Eva Karadsheh

Power kites have been around for over 30 years, and in that time the sport of power kiting has progressed unbelievably, from the early forms of two-line traction kites to the immense power of a 20 square metre surf power kite. We have watched the sport evolve and with it we have brought into our Power Kite shop and Power Kite School the top manufacturers to give the highest quality and best designed power kites in the world. There is no other sport which gives you such an adrenaline rush. Remember the wind is always free!
Members interested in the trips	
		
Land boards	25	
Snow kites	40	
Kite surfing	45	
Para gliding	15	
Desert trek	8	

Our Extreme Sports Centre gives you the opportunity to come and experience the world of kiting, from two-line stunt kites to the highest levels of power kiting. Our centre has all the facilities to make your day complete, from browsing the store, refreshments, equipment hire to just lazing round watching everyone else. We have now moved to our new home on a disused airfield covering over fifty acres of fields which lie between the old runways.
On the small field we encourage static kites, for example small two-line kites for beginners or stunt flying. The medium sized field is good for beginners and intermediate kite practice and learning driving skills. We use the large field for advanced jumping or race practice. Be careful on the concrete runway – you will need armour protected clothing as speeds will be much faster than over grass and the surface is very hard if you crash!
Before you use a kite to ride, you need to learn to fly it. A two-line kite is easy to learn to fly. One line is attached to each wrist and you pull the left one to make the kite go left. Pull the right strap and the kite goes to the right. Landing these types of kites requires sending the kite to the edge of the window, making sure it is low in the window, and letting it land on the ground. The “window” is the cone shaped area down wind in front of you. At the top of the window the kite flies high and to the sides it will fly lower.
A four-line kite is needed for surfing, boarding, gliding, etc. The top two lines are the power lines and the bottom two provide the brakes. The lines are connected to a handle or bar, and, by pulling on the power lines, the kite will take off and rise. Pulling the brake lines causes the kite to come down and land. It is possible to launch and land most of these kites without the assistance of another person. Once you can launch, land and fly your kite safely, you can learn to use the power of the wind to pull you in your chosen vehicle.
We strongly recommend that you take some tuition and that you follow some basic safety rules.
1.	Do not attempt to learn power kiting without training.
2.	Insure yourself with third party insurance.
3.	Always wear safety protection (helmet and pads).
4.	Never fly near power lines, roads, airports or trees.
5.	Never fly in stormy weather.
6.	Never fly upwind of a group of people.
7.	Never over estimate your own ability.
If you follow all these rules, you will maximise your chances of having a great time flying your kites! We require that you use kite killers when flying on the club fields. These are straps that connect from your wrists to the kite brake lines. If you have to let go of the kite, these will set the brakes on and bring the kite down. 
One of the most important aspects of kite sports is learning to fly your kite safely. Recognising surrounding dangers and having the knowledge of the weather conditions is vital. Without these you can get yourself into serious trouble before you realise it. Our courses allow us to pass on our experience and teach you when and where to fly or not to fly your kites.
The Power Kite School courses are structured to allow you to progress from basic to advanced power kite flying techniques at a speed that suits you. If you want personalised power kite training, we offer our One 2 One courses that put you and a qualified Power Kite School instructor together. Day courses are based around four students sharing an instructor, which allows plenty of time throughout the day for power kite flying theory, teaching, practice and safety to be covered.
Our Air Academy tuition centre gives you the chance to learn the sport from qualified instructors offering the highest standards within the kiting world. Here are some courses that we have on offer:
Next to tuition, kite safety must never be compromised. Ensure you wear the right type of kite safety equipment for the kite sport you are doing. Helmets, knee pads, elbow pads and body armour are essential for your personal protection. Our Power Kite shop holds all of the kite safety equipment from major manufacturers that will minimise your chances of injury. Don't forget to protect your eyes! Even in winter the sun can cause damage to your vision. So, wear good sunglasses.
Although you will probably start with a small kite, you may soon want a larger or more powerful one. Here are some small kites suitable for a beginner, some of which will still be suitable as you progress to intermediate skills:
We have been running, and are planning, a number of kiting holidays for club members. These are for specific sports and in well-known locations around the world. For example, last year we led a successful and enjoyable trip to Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt to learn to kite surf. Kite surfing is a three-dimensional water sport that has evolved from surfing, skate boarding and power kiting. Being able to pull 25–30-foot jumps combining aerial tricks and board jumps gives power kite sport the "splash of colour" it truly deserves.
We are also going back to Norway for a snow kiting adventure. As snow kiting is becoming more and more popular, our club members want us to move with the trend and explore new adrenaline-charged sports. We stock power kite’s ideal for snow kiting and also supply a range of snow boards. As we have a Corona International snow kiting judge as part of the team, we can give you the best snow kiting advice around. Snow kiting is truly the best area of kite sports. It is possible to snow kite in winds of just 4mph, fly in all directions, jump off lips and glide down through the mountain sides. No ski passes are required as you can let the kite pull you up the slope as well as down! You will see awesome views while performing mind-blowing jumps and tricks! 
For real adventure take your kite and buggy out into the desert in Dubai and trail across the dunes. You will need a hand-held GPS monitor to find your way back. Do not go on your own and plan for a backup rescue team. However, you will have some strange experiences as the wind pulling your kite crosses the dunes, while down at your level it appears to be in a completely different direction as it funnels down between the dunes.
Here are details of planned trips:
Our Power Kite shop also has all the power kite accessories you could ask for, from power kite magazines, backpacks, line wax, to kite sport DVDs, specialist kite clothing, wind meters, and kite harnesses. 
Come and spend some time with us, and find out what power kiting is all about.