Kites
 Member of the American Kitefliers Association, Pilot # 131387. Member since June, 2015. |
What's In The Kite Bag Kite Festival Pictures Kite Links Kite Videos Kite Gallery Article, "Beneath His Wings" Article, "World Renowned Kite Artist" Article, "To Fly A Kite"
Robert Hilliard's Youtube Channel
Kites...
They've been around for thousands of years.
I've always had a fascination with kites of all kinds. When I was a child, I made my own diamond kites with sticks of wood, string and newspaper. I would notch the ends of the sticks and run string around the kite, then cut a piece of newspaper to fit and glue the ends. For a tail, I would take several old rags and tie them together. My string was rolled up on a short piece of a tree limb.
Here's some interesting facts about kites:
Kites were used in the American Civil War to deliver letters and newspapers. Large kites were banned in East Germany because of the possibility of lifting people over
the Berlin Wall. When the Japanese were building some of the early temples & shrines, they used large kites
to lift tiles and other materials to the workers on the roofs. The Russians used kites to tow torpedoes. More adults in the world fly kites than children. The first kites flown over 3000 years ago were made from leaves. You do not need wind to fly a kite. There is at least one Kite Festival every weekend of the year in some part of
the world every year. Kites can be "flown" underwater. It has been determined that 1 mph of water movement under water is equivalent to 30 mph of wind on land.Kite Videos and Pictures
Utilizing my GoPro on some of my sport kites at the Trinity Wind Festival, Dallas, Texas, October 29, 2016
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What's In The Kite Bag?
My journey with sport kites began in March of 2014. That's when I bought my first sport kite, a Prism Quantum. And for some reason, I haven't looked back.
Pictured below are the sport kites that I currently have in my kite bag. It's by no means complete, but it represents a number of different types of sport kites for various winds and types of flying.
My go-to kites for just about every time I fly are the Widow NG, Skyburner Nik Nak, Hypnotist and the Kestrel. My main focus when piloting kites is flying dual line kites but, I enjoy flying single line and quad line kites as well.
Sport Kites
(Sorted by largest wing span to smallest)
 Pizazz 325 Custom (Standard Vented) |
Pizazz Specifications: |
 Premier Widow NG (Red & Black) |
Widow NG Specifications: • Status - In Production • Skill Level - Intermediate to Expert • Sail - Ripstop Polyester • Frame - Skyshark P Series Carbon Fiber • Wing Span - 96" • Weight - 11 ounces • Bridle - 3 Point Adjustable • Advertised Wind Range - 5 to 15 mph • Robert's Wind Range - 6 to 15 mph • Robert's Optimum Wind Experience - 10 mph • Made in China • Designed by Premier/John Trennepohl Hilliard Kite Gallery |
 IAB Griffin (Basic Sail) |
Griffin Specifications: • Status - Out Of Production • Skill Level - Beginner to Intermediate • Sail - Ripstop Nylon • Frame - Carbon Graphite • Wing Span - 96" • Weight - 15 ounces • Bridle - 3 Point Adjustable • Advertised Wind Range - 3 to 15 mph • Robert's Wind Range - 6 to 15 mph • Robert's Optimum Wind Experience - 10 mph • Made in the USA • Designed & Manufactured by Bob Childs, It's A Breeze Kites Hilliard Kite Gallery |
 Prism Hypnotist (Fire) |
Hypnotist Specifications: • Status - In Production • Skill Level - Intermediate to Expert • Sail - Ripstop Nylon, Mylar Laminate • Frame - Pultruded Carbon, Wrapped Carbon • Wing Span - 94" • Weight - 14 ounces • Advertised Wind Range - 4 to 25 mph • Robert's Wind Range - 10 to 20 mph • Robert's Optimum Wind Experience - 15 mph • Made in China by Prism Kites Hilliard Kite Gallery |
 Sky Delight Kestrel |
Kestrel Specifications: |
 ITW Kymera (Red) |
Kymera Specifications: • Status - In Production • Skill Level - Beginner to Expert • Sail - Icarex Ripstop Polyester • Frame - Skyshark Carbon Fiber • Wing Span - 86" • Weight - 11.1 ounces • Advertised Wind Range - 4 to 18 mph • Robert's Wind Range - 7 to 15 mph • Robert's Optimum Wind Experience - 10 mph • Made in the USA by John Barresi, Into the Wind Hilliard Kite Gallery |
 Prism Quantum (Radian Special Edition) |
Quantum Specifications: • Status - Only 200 made for Prism 25th Anniversary • Skill Level - Beginner to Intermediate • Sail - Ripstop Nylon Mylar • Frame - Pultruded Carbon • Wing Span - 84" • Weight - 14.3 ounces • Advertised Wind Range - 3 to 25 mph • Robert's Wind Range - 10 to 20 mph • Robert's Optimum Wind Experience - 15 mph • Made in the USA by Prism Kites Hilliard Kite Gallery |
 Skyburner Nik Nak (Blue & Plum) |
Skyburner Nik Nak Specifications: • Status - Out of Production • Skill Level - Intermediate to Expert • Sail - Polycarbonate • Frame - 1570 Pultruded • Wing Span - 78" • Weight - 4.4 ounces • Bridle - Spectra 3 point • Advertised Wind Range - 0 to 10 mph • Robert's Wind Range - 6 to 15 mph • Robert's Optimum Wind Experience - 10 mph • Made in the USA by Sky Burner/John Trennepohl Hilliard Kite Gallery |
 Skydog Kites Black Dog UL |
Black Dog UL Specifications: • Status - In Production • Condition - Excellent • Skill Level - Intermediate to Expert • Sail - Ripstop Nylon • Frame - 4mm & 5mm Carbon Fiber • Wing Span - 77" • Tail weight system included • Advertised Wind Range - 2 to 10 mph • Wind Range Experience - 7 to 15 mph • Optimum Wind Experience - 12 mph • Made in the USA by Skydog Kites Hilliard Kite Gallery |
 Premier Addiction (Smoke) |
Addiction Specifications: • Status - In Production • Condition - Excellent • Skill Level - Beginner to Intermediate • Sail - Ripstop Nylon • Frame - Carbon Fiber • Wing Span - 72" • Weight - 6.4 ounces • Advertised Wind Range - 4 to 20 mph • Wind Range Experience - 7 to 15 mph • Optimum Wind Experience - 10 mph • Made in China • Designed by Premier/John Trennepohl Hilliard Kite Gallery |
 Active People Select 123 Concept |
123 Concept Specifications: • Status - Out Of Production • Skill Level - Beginner to Intermediate • Sail - Ripstop Nylon • Frame - Carbon Fiber • Wing Span - 71" • Weight - 7.8 ounces • Advertised Wind Range - 5 to 15 mph • Robert's Wind Range - 8 to 15 mph • Robert's Optimum Wind Experience - 9 mph • Made in Switzerland by Active People Select Hilliard Kite Gallery |
 Prism Nexus (Yellow) Prism Nexus (Blue) |
Nexus Specifications: • Status - In Production • Skill Level - Beginner to Intermediate • Sail - Ripstop Nylon, Mylar Laminate • Frame - Pultruded Carbon, Fiberglass • Wing Span - 60" • Weight - 9 ounces • Advertised Wind Range - 4 to 22 mph • Robert's Wind Range - 5 to 20 mph • Robert's Optimum Wind Experience - 10 mph • Made in China by Prism Kites Hilliard Kite Gallery |
 Premier Bullseye Stingray |
Stingray Specifications: • Status - Out of Production • Condition - Very Good • Skill Level - Beginner to Intermediate • Sail - Ripstop Nylon • 5 to 10 mph • Optimum Wind Experience - 8 mph • Product #P-66445 Hilliard Kite Gallery |
Quad Kite
 Revolution EXP Quad-Line Stunt Kite |
Specifications: • Status - In Production • Condition - New • Skill Level - Beginner to Intermediate • Wind Range: 4-20 mph • Wing Span: 93 Inches • Frame: 3-wrap • Made in USA by Revolution Kites in Poway, CA. |
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Kite Festival Pictures/Kite Links/Kite Videos/Kite Articles
Below are some kite festival links and pictures that we've attended as well as numerous kite-related links I have found to be helpful.On this page are some articles I have written concerning some great kite makers and flyers that have made an impression on the kite flying industry.
Also there are various videos including a video illustrating the multi-kite flying talent of Ray Bethell. Ray's an award-winning multi-kite champion. His video "Romancing The Wind" inspired me to start flying sport kites.
Kite Trips, Festivals and Pictures
Kite Event Calendar - American KiteFliers Association Calendar2016
10th Annual Sertoma Kite Festival - Waco, Texas - May 7, 2016 Gulf Coast Trip - Surfside Beach/Quintana/Galveston - October 12-16, 2016 Trinity Wind Festival - Dallas, Texas - October 29, 20162015
Note: Many Kite Festivals for Spring and Fall, 2015 were not attended due to cancellations or postponements. Flight of the Monarch Festival - Grand Prairie, Texas - September 19, 20152014
Arlington Kite Festival - Arlington, Texas - April 5, 2014 Edmond Kite Festival - Edmond, Oklahoma - June 28, 2014 Bonham Kite Festival - Bonham, Texas - July 12, 2014 Plano Balloon Festival - Plano, Texas - September 20, 2014 Flight of the Monarch Festival - Grand Prairie, Texas - September 27, 2014
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Other Kite Videos
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Beneath His Wings
by Robert E. HilliardIn the late 1970’s, a man from Vancouver, British Columbia traveled to Hawaii on vacation. While there, he noticed a group of people flying kites on the beach.
While he had always thought that flying kites was for sissy’s, he became interested in the fact that they were flying kites with 2 lines instead of one. It peaked his interest and when he returned to Vancouver, he tried his hand at flying a sport kite.
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It took Ray Bethell a number of years to learn how to fly. He started by flying one sport kite, then he tried flying two which he became successful at in a short period of time. He achieved this by flying one sport kite from his hand and the other from his hip. Living in Vancouver, Ray would develop his piloting skills at Vanier Park located next to the downtown area. Every day, the Chinook winds would make their way into Vancouver from the Strait of Georgia affording Ray the clean winds he needed to hone and perfect his craft. It would take him hours and hours of grueling practice, days of successes and failures.
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Once the word got out that there was a pilot able to fly three sport kites simultaneously, Ray was asked to compete at kite competitions in the Freestyle and Ballet categories. His popularity grew with each competition. Soon he attracted the attention of kite manufacturers and event organizers from all over the world.
Successes like these don’t come easy. It takes a lot of hard work to perfect a style that Ray was becoming known for. But for Ray, this was more than just flying kites at a kite competition. Ray brings with him the human element. He loves to fly and he has developed the passion it takes to give back to his audience. Ray is one of the very few kite pilots that make you feel he is performing just for you. As a spectator, one can see the passion that Ray exudes in his performance and Ray doesn’t want anyone to walk away without falling in love with kite flying and the joy it can bring.
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Age has slowed Ray down a little bit, but it hasn’t stopped him. He is the picture of health although he can’t attend every event he would like to. When Ray is not attending a kite competition, you can find him flying in his beloved Vanier Park. In October of 2006, A park bench was installed in Vanier Park in Ray’s honor. He considers it to be the most outstanding gesture of love a man could have. Next time you’re in Vancouver, take a stroll through Vanier Park and sit on the bench dedicated to Ray. On some days, you can even watch Ray perform his multiple kite flying technique. Ray would want that for you. In Ray’s mind, the wind will forever be beneath his wings. He beckons you to join him.
Picture from page 6 of the Sky Delight Kites catalog from year 2000.
Additional articles written by Robert Hilliard
World Renowned Kite Artist
by Robert E. Hilliard
If you asked Joel Keith Scholz if he truly felt he was a world renowned kite artist, his humbleness would probably urge him to answer in the negative. But deep, down inside there’s an artistic creativeness and drive that keeps reminding him of his kite designing accomplishments. And those accomplishments are very hard to ignore.Scholz made his first kite at age 9 however, it was somewhere between being a graphic artist-cartographer, laboratory technician, x-ray technologist and art teacher that his kite designing talent really took off. And that newly-found career began in 1986 and lasted some 15 glorious years.
During that time, Joel racked up numerous awards and accolades. He quickly became world renowned for producing the most innovative and finest quality kites. Joel was described in American Kite Magazine as “One of America’s best kite designers”. In Kitelines Magazine he was hailed as being “On the forefront of the next generation of kite makers”. His kites set world records and ultimately found themselves hanging in museums throughout the world.
Sky Delight Kites - Year 2000 CatalogNot bad for a man that learned how to design kites from spending years on a sailboat in central Texas. With the love and support of Bonnie, his wife, Joel has taken his love and passion and made it into something that all of us can own and enjoy. His creations fueled a generation into kite flying. His love of design and artistry in the wind created numerous award winning kite pilots such as Ray Bethell, who flies three of Joel’s Kestrel sport kites simultaneously and holds the world record for non-stop, multi-kite flying for 12 hours and 12 minutes. That’s what makes a person like Joel Scholz happy. It’s the love of the wind and flight itself that has given Joel the incentive to design world famous, award winning kites.
In 2001 Joel moved on. He licensed his creations to other companies and concentrated his efforts on the design and manufacture of remote controlled craft. But to say that Joel Scholz made an indelible mark on the kite world is a total understatement. From 1986 until 2001, Joel made some of the world’s finest and best performing kites. Every kite, whether it be single line, dual line or quad contains his passion, his very essence. Every kite from the stitching right down to the bridle contains a piece of his soul that embodies who he has been and continues to be… a world-renowned kite artist.
The next time you're at a park on a windy day and kites are flying in the distance, ask those kite pilots who made the kites they're flying. A good pilot always has a Joel Scholz kite in his bag.
Additional articles written by Robert Hilliard
To Fly A Kite
by Robert E. HilliardKiting has an interesting history in the USA. It seems to have experienced a 20+ year popularity streak from the 1980's up until the early 2000's. During that time a great number of kite manufacturers sprung up and offered all types of kites for the public. The economy was strong and our past time as Americans appeared to gravitate to activities outside the home.
Sport kites also appeared to come into vogue. Sport kite teams were created and numerous kite competitions and festivals were held to accommodate the growing number of people getting into kiting as a hobby. Kite stores were opening up as well as individual kite makers building and offering all types of single-line, dual-line and specialty kites.
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Today, there are still kite manufacturers in the USA, but you can probably count them on one hand and the ones that actually make their kites here in the states are even more scarce. Brick and mortar kite stores have been replaced with mobile kite units. Many stores reside online only under the auspices of Ebay offering a limited line of kites. Due to this decline, many in the kite community have been asking questions such as, "Will kiting ever return to its former glory?" and "What will it take to make kiting a popular hobby once again?" Many think as long as the economy is in the dumps, so kiting will be also. That could very well be true, but I tend to feel that as Americans, we might need a change in our lifestyle.
In my opinion, our lives have become too cluttered. Taking the time to relax and fly a kite, go fishing or even read a book seems to be far down the priority list. Maybe it's time we break away from our technological strongholds and focus on relaxing activities outside the home... like kite flying. To fly a kite, all you need is some wind, space and of course, a kite. Kiting is an excellent way to relieve stress. Try to attend some kite festivals and any kite club flying days at a local park. The benefits to your health and mental well-being just might be immeasurable. Maybe that's why kiting has been around for thousands of years. Will our bad economy continue? A flip of a coin might answer that. Will the downturn in kite popularity continue? It will as long as we let it.
Kite Search/Association/Historical/Misc
American Kitefliers Association (AKA) - World's biggest kite organization Kite Event Calendar - American KiteFliers Association Calendar KiteLife Magazine - Publication devoted to the sport of kite flying World Kite Museum - Also Washington State Kite Festivals kitemap.org - Find new places to fly, or add your ownKite Organization/Forum/Informative Documents
AKA Kite Event Organizer Manual - AKA version on PDF AKA Team Flying Manual - by Troy Gunn and Jerry Hershey DAKO - Dallas Area Kitefliers Organization KiteLife Forum - KiteLife Kite Forum GWTW Forum - Gone With The Wind Kite Forum Kite Guys Stunt Kites - Introduction to Stunt Kites Ray Bethell Website - Multiple Kite World Champion TKO Professional Sport Kite Team - Texas Kansas Oklahoma Professional Sport Kite Team - Facebook page TKO Professional Sport Kite Team - Texas Kansas Oklahoma Professional Sport Kite Team - Website International Sport Kite Compulsories Book - AKA Compulsories Book v2.2.1 All Teams from AKA Website 
International Sport Kite Compulsories Book - All Teams on Reed Design Website International Sport Kite Compulsories Book - Condensed for Single Dual-Line Sport Kite Magic - Sport Kite Flying and Advanced Techniques by David Gomberg Kite Online Retailers
Above It All Kites - Kite retailer - Long Beach, Washington A Wind Of Change - Kite retailer and accessories - Salt Lake City, Utah Big Mike's Kites - Kite retailer - Dallas, Texas Chicago Kite - Kite retailer - Chicago, Illinois Fun With Wind - Kite retailer - North Reading, Massachusetts Gomberg Kite Productions - Show kites, inflatables, tails, line laundry, and banners - Neotsu, Oregon Goodwinds - Kite accessories, rods and parts retailer - Mt. Vernon, Washington Into The Wind - Kite retailer - Boulder, Colorado Kites.com - Kite retailer - Edmond, Oklahoma Kites and Fun Things - Kite retailer - Plymouth, Michigan Kite Loft - Kite retailer - Ocean City, Maryland Kite Stop - Kite retailer - Titusville, Florida Kitty Hawk Kites - Kite retailer - Nags Head, North Carolina Smooth Wind Kites - Kite retailer - Elk Grove Village, Illinois Wind Dance Kites - Kite retailer - Charleston, South Carolina World Wind Kites - Kite retailer - Austin, TexasKite Manufacturers
AirDynamics - Custom Kite manufacturer and retailer - Hereford, United Kingdom Benson Kites - Kite manufacturer - Bradford, United Kingdom HQ Kites and Designs USA - Kite manufacturer - Powells Point, North Carolina New Tech Kites - Kite manufacturer - Austin, Texas Premier Kites - Kite manufacturer - Hyattsville, Maryland Prism Kites - Kite manufacturer - Seattle, Washington SkyDog Kites - Kite manufacturer - Colchester, Connecticut Sky Burner Kites and Sky Shark Competition Air Frames - Kite manufacturer - Plymouth, MichiganKite Designers and Builders
Lam Hoac Joel Scholz Jerimy Colbert George Peters Kisa Kites Designs Kathy Goodwind Martin Lester Martin Blais Robert Brasington Tiger Li Buteo Huang Peter Lynn
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