Help wanted with a LightFlite

[Alan Poxon]

Hi all,

I've been asked by a friend if I can repair a couple of kites, A LightFlite if any of you can remember that far back, and a Highflyers Generation.

I think I'm OK with the Generation it just needs new spreaders which I am told are 4mm solid Carbon, 42cm long. Unless anyone knows different.

The LightFlite is another matter. It's been broken badly for some time, and has been taken apart but not repaired. I reckon I have a leading edge together, but if anyone has a LightFlite I'd appreciate knowing the length of the main spreaders, and also the size and composition of the stand-offs, as they seem to have disappeared altogether.

It's amazing when you think that this kite was a turning point in British kitemaking way back in the Eighties, and really deserves its place in history, but I couldn't find a reference to it on the Internet. If any of you out there have one of these kites tucked away in an old kite bag, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Here's hoping for some decent kiteflying weather soon,

Regards,

Alan.

[liteflite]

Hello Hello Alan, Try Mark Cotteralls book, Swept Wing Stunters. Mike Emery mentions it on his site and refers to The Kite Store. Is it spelt Lite or Light tho.???
I think i have this book of Marks will try and dig it out. Not many flyers here will know this kite as they are all Novices . Cheers Liteflite as in flying with
lites or should i say lights .

[Alan Poxon]

Hi there,
thanks for the speedy response.

I've been digging through my old pamphlets and found the Kite Store brochure from 1991. You are quite right, it is spelled LiteFlite. There were three variants, the standard LiteFlite (which is the one I'm trying to rebuild I believe), the LiteFlite Heavy (high wind) and the LiteFlite S (with the indented trailing edge). Later came the MicroFlite and the LiteFlite Radial (both of which I understand were dreadful).

That said, I can't help but get a little nostalgic about these things. I remember when I started flying kites again, they were the kites I was hankering after, when I only had one string.

Thanks for taking the time to look things up for me,

Regards,

Alan.

[Dave]

Hi Alan,

I have a few LiteFlites well about 12 to be honest. Don't ask me why.
Most have never been flown & are in perfect condition, some are marked up as "not for sale shop sample"
Don't know much about them, bought them a few years ago on ebay along with some other old kites.
Most are like the one on the left in the picture, the one on the right has instruction sheet saying LiteFlite Heavy. I think I have a vented one also.





All are numbered on the bottom right wing tip.
Do either of these look like yours.
There are also instruction sheets which give spare lengths etc with what I think are the standard versions.

If you pm me your e-mail I can send copy of instruction sheet if you want.

Dave

[Alan Poxon]

Hi Dave,

that's fantastic. Thanks for replying. I thought there had to be some out there somewhere.

I'll drop you a PM so we can have a chat.

Cheers,

Alan.

[keithgrif]

FYI, Mark Cottrell has just given permission for his book to be published on the 'net, you cna find it here:

http://www.iannewham.com/images/swept_w ... _kites.pdf

Worth a read

[Dazzz]

Cheers for that Keith

Dazzz

[Alan Poxon]

Hi Keith,

thanks for the link to the book. This looks very interesting...
if in a snoozy kind of way. No disrespect, there's a lot to take in. I'm going to have to print this off and digest it slowly over several days.

Good news about the repairs though - the kite is framed, and I'm waiting for notes from Dave's LiteFlite to complete the bridling. RESULT.

I'll let you know how it flies.


Alan.

[Alan Poxon]

Hi there,

just an update after meeting Dave at the Herrington Rev. Meet at the weekend. The LiteFlite has been completely finished, thanks to a set of instructions, oh, and another LiteFlite to copy from.

The final step came late yesterday afternoon, when the wind dropped and the sun came out (briefly). I managed to get both the kites into the air in virtually no wind, and they performed surprisingly well. Not your modern, high-performance, agile, ultralight sport kite, but we're talking something which is over twenty years old. I was very pleased nontheless.

It's been a really interesting journey, and I've found a few things out I didn't know, and met some really nice new people along the way. Thanks to everyone who contributed, and gave their support and time.

Here's to some warm, sunny weather.

Alan.