Smithsonian Kite Festival

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:41 pm

Any info on our participation this year? I saw a flyer that the Kite Festival will be held on Saturday March 31st this year.

http://www.kitefestival.org

C

YouTube · Post by **CraginS** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:09 am

[quote="Batman"]Any info on our participation this year? I saw a flyer that the Kite Festival will be held on Saturday March 31st this year.

http://www.kitefestival.org

C[/quote]

I plan to go down for the Festival, glider and posters in hand.
Matthew is supposed to have details on our participation, and get them to me when I get back into town. However, he and Karen will be on theroad,m and cannot play this year.
I'm currently in Tennessee with Kay on in-law care duty for a week. Will not be back in DC area until Sunday evening, and then have another commitment the following weekend in DC. My chances forspring time flyign are going now where.
I expect Matt to post more here, and if appropriate, I will also, in a week or so.

Post by **hang_pilot** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 7:47 am

Batman wrote:Any info on our participation this year? I saw a flyer that the Kite Festival will be held on Saturday March 31st this year.
C

Since you asked, does that mean you are willing to bring the bat wing to the mall? Would make a nice attention-getter. ~D

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:04 am

Well hopefully I can get out to Ridgely to get the new wing before March 31st! As long as no work commitments come up, I'd love to bring the new wing out.

C

Post by **Joe Schad** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:13 am

I am planning to go with glider or gliders as needed.

Joe

mikel · Post by **mikel** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 9:37 am

If Rhonda and I are not doing anything.....We may be
interested in joining.... with our gliders as well......

Just need the parking and time to be there.....

304-279-3131

BTW, I even have an actual reserve chute that I practice with
..... I could bring that as well

'Til then, Mike

Post by **Matthew** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 10:45 am

The Kite Festival is on Saturday, March 31. Karen and I will be on a plane to Colorado that day and won't be able to attend. Craig Shelton has agreed to be the point man for the project. I've contacted the kite festival director to see if there are any changes and have not heard back. But I assume it will be just like the previous years. We need two gliders and at least 8 people to take turns manning the display from 8am to 4:30pm. Last year the festival provided tables. So we need chairs. Bring folding of camping chairs. I have a display board and info. I'll need to pass that onto someone else. Any volunteers?

We need to get the gliders down to the set up area by 8am. The festival starts at 10am. Last year they had a marathon prior to the kite festival and that screwed up parking. This year the run is on the 18th. So parking on Constitution Ave near the Washington Monument first thing in the morning shouldn't be a problem like last year.

Anyone who wishes to volunteer, please drop me a line at mcgraham20@yahoo.com and I'll pass the info onto Craig.

For more info, see-- http://kitefestival.org

Matthew

Post by **Joe Schad** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:41 pm

A Batman glider with a caped owner might just attract a large crowd at the Kite Festival and possibly a picture in the paper.

Joe

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 9:14 am

How 'bout a Batman glider and a pilot in a Batman ballcap? I think the cape is WAY over the top and if its windy, could prove to be a safety hazard!

Post by **hepcat1989** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:16 pm

Malina and I would like to help out this year as well. We had fun last year.
Maybe we can figure out some times to man the posts.
Come on spring!
Peace, Shawn.

hanging3 · Post by **hanging3** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 12:18 pm

Bat-tights!

Sorry I can't make it I got class....no really, I'm taking a surveying class in baltimore noon on saturdays.

Ready for the mnts though...hoping coming sundays are good.

Marco Zee · Post by **Marco Zee** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:56 am

Every year, I always wonder how awesome it would be to launch my HG with my mosquito motor harness at the Kite Festival. How incredible would it be to buzz around downtime DC at 200 ft AGL, taking in all the historic sites !!! I would definitely have to have my camera and/ or videocamera along for a few special shots....maybe use them for the CHGPA website LOL.

Of course, as exhilirating as a "tour de DC" might be, it would not be worth the 25 years at Levenworth it would produce...but still...it would be one helluva sight and ride. Too bad about those airspace restrictions and concerns about terrorist attacks.

Does anyone know if radar would be able to detect a motorized HG at that altitude in downtown DC? Perhaps I can get the flight pre-approved by Homeland Security as a test of their radar systems operating in DC??? Any idea who I should contact to ask for permission to do so? Hugh?

Marco

Post by **Gene** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:05 pm

Its easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.

Then you would know who to ask once all the press and police settle down. You could write a book during your stint in prison and they could make a movie. Way cool.
Gene

Oh yeah, the F16 intercepts couldn't fly slow enough to catch you.

Marco Zee · Post by **Marco Zee** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:22 pm

Gene wrote:Its easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.
Oh yeah, the F16 intercepts couldn't fly slow enough to catch you.

Gene, you are probably right.....most likely the heat generated from my massive 15hp 120cc engine would not be sufficient to be tracked by a heat seeking missile either, whether air or ground launched. Of course, an attack helo would not have any trouble following me and/or shooting me down with 50 mm rounds, if it had orders to do so.

Maybe I should fly Chris' new Sport 2 BatGlider..no red-blooded American would shoot at the BatGlider !!! Plus it would make a great photo-op at the arrest LOL.

Who down at Homeland Security should I contact to get permission to fly there? Someone on this listserver must know someone there.....come on guys, help me out here !!! This is a golden opportunity here !!! Just think of the publicity for the club !!!

Marco

Post by **Joe Schad** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:37 pm

Marco,

Bring you glider to the festival and fly.

Joe

Flying Lobster · Post by **Flying Lobster** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 2:36 am

and make sure you wear a beard and put a turbin around your helmet.

marc

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:05 am

Its a U2 damnit ... not a Sport 2!!!

Post by **hang_pilot** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:37 pm

Batman wrote:How 'bout a Batman glider and a pilot in a Batman ballcap? I think the cape is WAY over the top and if its windy, could prove to be a safety hazard!

It's not easy pimpin'

~Daniel

Marco Zee · Post by **Marco Zee** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 12:42 pm

Batman wrote:Its a U2 damnit ... not a Sport 2!!!

OK OK....it's a U2 damnit....but will you loan it to me so I can buzz Nancy Pelosi's office? It's gonna look great in the newspaper pix.

Joe and Marc,...thanks for your encouragement

I am sure you two will be setting up my legal defense fund after my flight.

Post by **deveil** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:00 pm

wrong forum dude - take it back outside...

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:45 am

I went out to Ridgely yesterday and picked up the U2. Blown out so didn't even bother setting up. I'm watching the weather, although its currently looking like rain on Saturday. Doubtful that I'll bring the new glider out in the rain. I'd like to inspect it for the first setup without it being drenched. Will monitor weather this week, hopefully we will get lucky and the soothsayers will be wrong. Still a few days for them to guesstimate better conditions!

C

Post by **mcelrah** » Mon Mar 26, 2007 9:37 pm

Marco - Round up the usual suspects: FAA and Secret Service. There IS a way: Airbus was doing low level flights today with the new A380 superjumbo for PR photos with the Capitol as a backdrop. So maybe you have to be a French-dominated competitor to a flagship U.S. company...

I'm seeing pix in the USHPA mag of people using Mosquito harnesses with rigids. Whaddaya think - could you rig it with a tandem harness, or is that just way too complicated?

How about flying at Become a Pilot Day on June 16 at the Udvar-Hazy Museum near Dulles? We (Daniel) are already chatting them up about scooter-towing a PG there...

Hugh

Post by **markc** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:54 am

At the moment, forecast for Saturday seems decent for the
KiteFest: mostly cloudy, low 60's, no rain.

Your glider would certainly be a show-stopper, so give it
some thought Chris!

Mark C.

Batman · Post by **Batman** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 8:55 am

As long as no rain, consider it there! BTW, who is the ring leader of this circus? I need to know where we are meeting and what time.

Post by **Matthew** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:54 am

Craig is the ringleader. See my earlier note.

Matthew

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