Aerial by Highly Strung of Australia

Validity and reliability are obviously good things in a review, so, to
insure the quality of this one, I triangulated my findings with those of
two Master Class flyers (Dodd Gross of DJ Sport Kites and Bob Neiman of
Chicago Kite Company) who I knew had flown the Aerial and who I could reach
by phone.  To my delight they independently affirmed not only my
conclusions, but also my enthusiasm for the Aerial.

The Aerial by Highly Strung Kites of Australia is a new stunt kite that has
just reached the North American market.  Its performance profile is
impressive:  It travels straight, corners sharply, spins tightly, does not
over react, and is smooth to fly.  

Let's start with the basics:
-	wing span - 2.5 m (8.2 ft)
-	leading edge - 1.68 m (5.5 ft)
-	wind range - 5 - 24 kph (3 - 14.9 mph)
-	sail fabric - Carrington 
-	line recommendations - 80 to 200 pounds
-	comes with three center spines:
	-	a fiberglass one for light winds
	-	a prospar one for medium winds, and
	-	a prospar comp one for heavy winds
-	spreaders - Beman
-	uses two sets of thin graphite standoffs
-	uses a short batten near each wing tip
-	price - MSL - $250 U.S.; retail may be less

The first thing I noticed when I took the Aerial out of its packaging was
that it felt a bit heavy, and it is, weighting in at about 12 oz.  But its
mass is certainly not a liability.  Indeed, rather than feeling heavy in
the air, it feels smooth and responsive, even in choppy wind.  Initially I
attributed this to the mass of the Aerial, but, upon reflection, it is more
likely a function of the shape of the camber of the sail and the slight
stretchiness of the Carrington fabric.  

The Aerial flies about medium speed, tracks beautifully, and is rock solid
right out to the edges.  Turns, whatever kind you like, are dead square
with little to no oversteer.  The Aerial spins with precision on a point
about a third of the way up the leading edge and stops dead on command. 
Aerial stalls and floats may be the best you will see.  The Aerial is
quiet, except when you spin it, and then it makes just enough noise to
remind you to pay attention.

I was amazed and delighted by the Aerial's performance when my wind meter
read between 2 and 3 mph.  With a little bit of rowing to compensate for
wind abbreviations, the Aerial behaved as it had in stronger winds.  And
the slides, wow.  Certainly this is attributable the two pairs of standoffs
and pair of battens which give it a high efficiency sail.  To be sure, the
Aerial is not a zero wind kite, but I wouldn't be surprised if it could be
close to one if it were fitted with lighter spars.

While I was testing the Aerial in 4 to 10 mph winds, I flew a 2400 Tracer
and an MEFM in its highest aspect ratio as comparison kites.  Compared to
the Tracer, the Aerial has a slightly faster forward speed, trackes at
least as straight, does not pull as hard, corners squarer, and stalls and
floats better.  The Aerial's spin is comparable to the MEFM's, except that
the Aerial has little or no oversteer.  The MEFM flies in less wind than
the Aerial.

Some observations/comments:  
-	No bridal adjustments are needed throughout the Aerial's wind range!
-	The recommended top wind speed of 14.9 mph is probably conservative, but
	a wind tamer is recommended for winds in excess of 18 mph.
-	A cheat line is probably a good idea as lines tend to get caught in the
	velcro closures that hold in the battens.
-	When the kite is disassembled, you are left holding 4 small graphite
	standoffs and 2 small battens.  Find something to store them in that is
	stronger than the zip lock bag in which they came.
-	Given the size and fragility of the standoffs, purchasing a spare part
	or two is advisable.
-	When I was fairly aggressive with the Aerial I dislodged its bottom
	spreaders a time or two.  Some remedial action may be needed.
-	The manual suggests it will take 2 or 3 hours of flying time for the
	sail to settle into  position and the seams to set.  Frankly, I cannot
	say that I noticed much difference:  The kite flew beautifully
	straight out of the bag.
-	My manual is a copy of a fax of a draft of the manual and is in need of
	some work.  Likely the key word here is draft, and the manual that comes
	off the presses will be a better one, but for the record, my manual:
	- does not tell the user when to use each of the three center spines.
	  Use the information presented above.  If in doubt, use the prospar
	  comp rod all the time.
	- mentions a second top spreader when only one came with the kite.
	- has graphics that are not quite as helpful as they could be with
	  respect to the installation of the standoffs and battens.  In
	  fairness, by default, you will figure it out.

In summary, the Aerial's attributes make it an exceptional individual kite
with strong bents toward precision and ballet.  If you are a casual flyer,
this kite will surely make you look good; if you are on the tournament
trail, it may well make you look better.  When you get a chance, check out
the Aerial.  You will be glad you did.

Jim Welsh jim_welsh@umanitoba.ca