Girl Scout Kite Day

Emporia, Kansas
J.S. & S.W. Aber

The Flint Hills Girl Scout Council organized a kite day on May 5, 2002 on the campus of Emporia State University, Kansas. The event was designed to attract the public and recruit young girls into the scouting program. Members of the American Kitefliers Association, Great Plains Region (7), flew large kites and gave demonstrations of kite flying for the girls. Conditions were sunny, warm and windy (15-25 mph). Highlight of kite day was Don Murphy's giant airfoil and wind sock. The huge airfoil is 500 square feet in area and has 130-foot tube tails. It lifted an equally impressive rainbow wind sock. Click on the following small images to see larger versions.

View toward the south over the kite flying field. Girl Scouts are practicing their skills in the ball field, while more kite flyers are set up just beyond the outfield fence. Two large airfoils can be seen to the upper right, and I-35 carries traffic in the background. Digital image date 5/02, © by the authors.
Don Murphy's giant airfoil with tube tails. A kite like this draws a lot of attention from the public. Digital image date 5/02, © by the authors.
Looking down on the giant airfoil with its tube tails. Note shadows on the ground. The wind sock, being relatively close to the ground, casts a sharper shadow than do the higher kite and tails. Digital image date 5/02, © by the authors.
Another view from above showing numerous kites and their shadows. The bright spot to lower right is an example of the opposition effect, the point on the ground in direct alignment with the sun and camera. Digital image date 5/02, © by the authors.
Vertical view over the ball field; Girl Scouts and parents observe various kites, wind socks and wheels. Attempts to fly their own small kites were hampered by the strong wind. Digital image date 5/02, © by the authors.
Some participants decided the easiest way to look up was to lie down. Digital image date 5/02, © by the authors.

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