Kites - Frequently Asked Questions

Why give a kite as a gift?

Kites make wonderful gifts as they encourage physical activity, and time spent outdoors, plus they’re awfully fun to fly!

How do I choose a kite as a gift?

It is important to remember age and skill level at first – we have kites for children 3 years or older, 5 years or older, 8 years or older, and 12 years and older. All children need to be supervised when flying kites. Even if your child is older, if they have never flown a kite before, start with smaller kites and increase size as skill levels progress.

Kites do have small pieces which may prove a choking hazard to little people.

When can I fly my kite?

Safety first! It’s important to remember to fly a kite in a large open area, away from trees and houses, with flat terrain. If you’re watching your kite soar like an eagle, you’re not going to be watching for trip hazards, and stay away from electrical wires and power lines, to avoid electrocution or power outages and fires.

Keep your kite away from other people and animals to prevent accidents or accidental scares.

Keep your kite away from bodies of water (pools / lakes etc), as it will become difficult to fly if wet, and may get damaged.

Always check local regulations or laws to ensure that you may fly your kite in a specific area (for example, you cannot fly a kite within 4km of an airfield or airport boundry)

Wind speed matters! Some wind is necessary to keep the kite aloft, but it must always be controllable.

Strong gusts may make it difficult to fly the kite.

Never fly a kite in rain or thunderstorms.

Be aware of your skill or strength level when flying kites.

 

Have a plan if your kite gets stuck in a tree. Don’t take risks to save it.

 

Always be aware of other people and animals when flying a kite – you may be fined in certain states (such as Victoria) if you are deemed “an annoyance” to other people.

https://akfs.org.au/kite-safety/

 

 

How do I fly a kite?

Please choose an appropriate kite for the windspeed – for example, smaller kites (those for children age 3 to 8 years) should only be flown in light to medium winds.

For smaller kites: Start with your back to the wind and let out about 20-30m of line, while someone holds your kite to the wind.

As the wind blows, gently push the kite into the air, and pull on the line.

 If there’s not enough wind, the kite will sink to the ground, try walking backwards so the kite climbs higher.

For larger kites, and stunt kites, please refer to the manufacturer’s specifications on how best to launch and land your kite.

 

What type of fabric are kites made of?

We source our kites from different suppliers. The High as a Kite kites use 210T Ripstop Polyester – the strongest polyester, with an inbuilt webbing to ensure that any tears or rips stop quickly ensuring many years of happy flying. The edges are sewn together to prevent fraying, and where there is a raw edge due to the design, these edges are cut with a hot knife.

 

What are the rods used in kites made from?

High as a Kite uses fibreglass rods – strong and durable, these rods will last for a long time.

 

What is the difference between a single line or dual- line kite?

Most kites for children are single line kites, that require minimal skills to fly and should only be flown in light to medium winds.

Stunt kites are dual line kites that require practice and skill in getting to fly.  

 

What type of line is used in kites?

Dacron (braided polyester) is considered an excellent, all-purpose, and reliable kite line, for single-line and recreational kites, due to its low stretch and high sensitivity, allowing for control and responsiveness of the kite.

It is highly resistant to friction and wear, does not absorb water, and is less prone to kinking or tangling.

Wearing gloves is suggested for high power stunt kites.         

By Australian law, kite lines cannot exceed 100m.