I see Gong are producing LEI kites with double skin close to the leading edge.
For kitesurfing I am uncertain if this is an important advance, but for AWE it may be significant because these kites undoubtly would achieve higher lift to drag ratio
The creation way of the double profile seems original and probably effective.
Double Profile Design
The Double Profile design is an innovation that will be a landmark in the world of kiting!
Not because GONG invented it, as it just makes sense and already exists in windsurfing, boating, hang gliding, in the history of kiting, and in wing foiling thanks to us. But simply because GONG has made it possible on a large scale for everyone to enjoy, thanks to 10 years of work on this concept.
Our specific concept, recorded for several years, consists of erasing internal disturbances to the simple profile by the measured addition of a segmented internal profile, which allows air and water to circulate without restriction.
The internal skin simply erases the imperfections of the kite’s glide. Acting in both pressure and depression, the internal skin will tighten or relax depending on the situation. It is this dosage of tension that is revolutionary. We are not trying to make this double skin rigid like a drum: we let it play its role of glide shock absorber.
So at the zenith in very little wind, it will inflate and lock the kite, preventing it from passing behind you. Do the test by walking towards it: it holds up in the air. It’s really reassuring.
Conversely, at full power, the double skin will arch to get closer to the extrado and accelerate the kite.
This almost biomimetic adaptability is unrivaled and gives this kite flying qualities that you have never had in your hands.
Improved stability
Much faster kite
Easy and reactive steering
The pressure level is significant:
This LEI wing seems to be in the top class of LEI wings (hello @rschmehl, do you think @Kitepower could try it?), in a similar way as Flysurfer VMG 2 kite (used in Paris Olympic Games 2024) could perhaps be a reference for ram Foil Kites. We can also notice that the two wings contain fine rigid elements improving performance.
If the performances in AWE use are really better, this could change the situation and even allow, moreover, to resume certain schemes which are not yet advantageous.
I know some have tried on some prototypes, but not sure it is a great idea for the standard kite and kitesurfer. The wing is going to be heavier, with more weight on the leading edge, which means more risk of frontal collapse in light wind. Moreover as the drag is reduced, the wing might be less damped when it overshoot its (higher) zenith position. User has to be more careful, braking in this case.
With a bit more winds, the thicker leading edge might reduce the curvature of the sail and the aerodynamic pitching down moment, which might reduce the need for braking
Maybe the gain in weight due to the change of material is the real innovation here, which enables new profile, but I think the two are related.
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I agree @batlabat which is why I said also that this could be more important for AWE than kitesurfing.
For kitesurfing any old kite these days is plenty good enough really to have fun. Added weight, water trapping, difficult maintenance, more hindenburging, all of this is probably not worth a few extra degrees upwind angle. Though for some it may, and for the average guy it may be a great kite all the same I dont know