Kite Flying - Types of Kites

Kites are in use all over the world since many centuries. Today, we know kite flying as a means of entertainment. However, in the past, it served various other purposes as well. During the Second World War, kites were used in boats as survival kits for the sailors. The sailors used to fly kites as a way to help the rescue planes spot ships that were in danger. Prior to that, Wright Brothers took the help of the kites to work out the design for their gliders.

Types of Kites
Kites can be broadly categorized into five different types. They are: box, winged-box, delta, sled and diamond. A kite is made from a thin and light wooden frame that is covered by a piece of fabric or paper. We shall discuss the main characteristics of these varieties of kites:

The Box and the Winged-Box Kite
This type of kite has been extremely popular for years on account of its strength. It consists of four struts that are stretched vertically and horizontally to give a rectangular shape to the kite and to balance the structure. There are also pieces that run diagonally from one edge to another. The structure is wrapped up with fabric near the top and the bottom of the box kite in a manner that gives the appearance of two boxes attached to the main framework. The control string of this kite is attached at the top and bottom of the box frames of the kite, which runs down the main line. The winged box kite also has a similar structure. The only difference is that two additional triangles are joined as wings on each of the long side of the box frame and the strings run from the edges of these triangles and are not tied to the frames.

The Delta Kite
This type of kite can be most frequently seen in the sky. It is very light in weight and made of nylon. It consists of a triangle, extended over a small framed structure, with another smaller triangle added to its tail in one single line. The purpose of attaching a small triangle below the bigger one is to give some extra support to the main delta.

The Sled Kite
The basic frame of this type of kite consists of a square structure with two big triangles protruding out from its two sides. Each side of the kite has a string attached to it, which is then joined to the main line. As a result, it is relatively easy to control this kite in the air and is very popular among the kids. If some long wafts are tied at the bottom of these kites, then it adds up to the elegance and beauty of these kites.

The Diamond Kite
This type of kite has a classic design. Here, the fabric is cut into the shape of a diamond. Thin pieces of wood or plastic are glued around the edges of the fabric in order to give the kite a proper structure. Two lines, one from the top and another from the bottom, run down to form one single control line. Quite often, streamers are attached at the end to provide stability to the diamond kite.

Kite flying is a traditional yet an extremely popular pastime across the globe. It requires skill to fly kites. Once you start flying a kite, you can see for yourself that you have gained so much of knowledge from each of your kite flying experiences.