Low radius loop

[PierreB]

@PierreB

I don’t still know the behavior of a large kite in the same comparative conditions (passive loops while descending, controlled loops while keeping or increasing altitude).

Today I experimented loops with another kite, being about 1.3 m², so twice the area of ​​the original kite, and a flat span of 1.8 m instead of 1.2 m.

The behavior was very different: the loop diameter generating a strong traction had to be proportionately much larger, 5 to 6 m at least. And, with large or low radius loops, the kite descended much faster, despite a slightly more favorable surface-to-weight ratio.

I don’t know yet whether to deduce that we would lose any real advantage (same power by flying in low radius loop, passively descending, hence a better power / space ratio and an easier control?) with a largely scaled wing.