Hal's R-Sky "Nirvana Standard"

Hal's
R-Sky "Nirvana Standard"
Last Updated January 15, 2007.
Click on photos for enlargement.
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Introduction
After flying Patrick's red Nirvana Standard, I had to have one for myself. This is a great freestyle stunt kite. Many competition freestyle pilots and teams fly it. It can do the majority of the tricks it is asked to do. It does great axels, yoyos, fades, flick flacks, etc. However, it doesn't like doing coin tosses. After receiving my blue Nirvana, I discovered that mine didn't fly as well as Patrick's. In the near future, Patrick and I will compare our Nirvanas to determine the differences. It is probably a difference in the harness adjustments.

Dimensions
The width of this kite is 91" (or 7' 7") from tip to tip. When stood on end, its overall height is 38", with the tail of the spine 3" above the ground. When laying on its belly, this is a tall kite. The inside standoff on both sides is 11.25" from sail to inside edge of lower spreader bar.

Flight Characteristics
This kite does not fly fast, unlike the Mamba which rockets around in a stiff breeze. This kite moves deliberately, and pulls out of spins with great accuracy. When the wind is below its sweet spot, it tends to slide out of the air when flying horizontally. Backing up and increasing line tension is required to remain flying. When the sail's tension is adjusted correctly, this kite buzzes like a very large angry bumble bee as it cuts across the wind. The noise is an attention getter and a real crowd pleaser. Piloting this kite puts a big smile on my face, especially when I am chasing Patrick's Nirvana around in a dog fight! Hee hee!

Details
This kite is definitely made for freestyle. It comes with large rigid yoyo stops (bottom left photo). With practice, it is possible to do multiple yoyos with ease. I have added 10' of heavy black leader line between the kite and the strings to keep from fraying the strings while doing yoyos and other tricks that rub the lines against the kite. The sail is nicely constructed but not with the precision and attention to detail of the Benson and Blue Moon products. Overall, the sail pattern and standard colors are quite appealing, especially the red and blue patterns.

If you have questions about this or other kites on this Web site, please feel free to email Patrick or me. If we can, we will be happy to answer your questions.