There is a variety of kites out there on the market. Kids usually fly kites with one line. Really simple yet gets boring pretty quickly. There are kites with two lines running from you to the kite. These are a bit more fun as we can steer them and they may generate a decent amount of pull as we drive them through the power zone. Most of the trainer kites that we use in the preparation stage have two lines. Full-featured kitesurfing kites have four or even five lines running from the control bar to the kite. Those additional lines are needed to control the power of the kite without moving the kite, keeping the kite parked in one place. You see, the canopy of the kite is like a wing, and we can change the angle of the canopy using those two additional lines. Just like an airplane can take off and land changing the angle of its wings, we can control the amount of pull by trimming the kite. Two center lines deliver the power to you while two outside lines connected to the back of the kite are used to steer and to control the power. This part may be a bit technical yet understanding how the change of angle of kite's canopy affects the dynamic of the flight is very important, especially in the border situations when wind becomes too light and we need to make some adjustments, or when a kite sustains a minor damage and we need to use it to get back to the safety in spite of the fact that it does not fly as it normally would. Captain Chesley Sullenberger was able to land his plane on the Hudson River in 2009 mainly because of his understanding of aerodynamics combined with the knowledge of controls available on his plane. So, watch this video, learn the theory and get intimately familiar with all of the controls available on the control bar.
