Phil McConnachie Kites

EO V-plane

2009-08-18T23:03:00.000-07:00

In light wind this kite is hard to beat for playing with breezes.

The high aspect ratio V bi-plane is stable flying wing that can be tricked at will with subtle line manipulation.
will do reverse hover-roll takeoffs and barrel rolls and many more soaring moves.

As this is an EO it does get bigger when folded, it folds flat instead of in halves which limits sizes that can be transported easily.
Made in the smaller ovals shown it will fold down to sport kite size and not be too much problem traveling folds to a package 1600mm by 250mm by 16mm.

Original Kite design by Phil McConnachie

Fade colour schemes: Fire, Lime, Ice, Cloud

High performance Icarex polyester sails

Framed with a Robust 2mm fiberglass

Self assembly in seconds

Assembled: 1400mm by 900mm by 560mm

Kite folds flat for storage

Mini Super Barrage

2009-07-28T23:46:00.000-07:00

The Mini super barrage was conceived for the need of more rigidity in a higher aspect ratio wing. This entailed making it with smaller ovals and tighter rigging giving it a taught finish.

In Super barrage form this kite is a very efficient flier achieving stable flight at high angles. From very low winds speeds it works the best taking advantage of its light wing loading, to higher winds where stability is not lost, flexing off gusts.

EO plane and box assembly

2009-07-22T18:57:00.000-07:00

The system to join EO has been described in the 'EO Stacking' post, here are pictures showing an EO Fokker plane assembled.

Note how the spars go on one side and the shock corded end cap opposite to clasp the intersecting planes of the wing center. For the front three plane intersection it is important to make the shock cord go around the bottom part of the center plane oval as this locks the spar to the center line.

The system is designed to be robust by having some give in times of impact, and sometimes may need to be reset if taking too many nose dives.

Cuttle Fish

2009-07-03T01:45:00.000-07:00

The cuttlefish was designed for a client in Port Lincoln who's already had a 12 m Tuna, another local specialty.

The cuttle fish is 6 metres wide by 15 metres long and comes with a puffer fish drogue for stability. It fly's effortlessly off a line and is excellent off a leash.

Its frill flows as it swims in the air with realistic shape and and manner.

EO barrage

2009-06-17T01:42:00.000-07:00

Feeding off the Wright EO concept, the EO Barrage was a natural evolvement drawing inspiration again from early pioneers, the plane series evolved from my EO10 and a Cody sitting together one day sparking a string of developments that share the EO ease of assembly, and shock-cord clasp convenience.

Giving superior flight performance in the lightest of breezes the super is a magnificent in the sky, the light playing the shading
• Original Kite design by Phil McConnachie

• Fade colour schemes: Fire, Lime, Ice, Cloud and Red

• High performance Icarex polyester sails

• Framed with a Robust 2mm fiberglass

• Self assembly in seconds

• Kite folds flat for storage: super-1440mm by 300mm by 16mm
• std-1150mm by 300mm by 10mm
• Assembled: super-2100mm by 1400mm by 480mm
• std-1200mm by 900mm by 480mm

EO V-plane

2009-06-16T22:39:00.000-07:00

The EO V-plane concept was a test to see a series of planes done in the diagonal rigged cells and test limits, the first V-plane I made in the larger ovals and has the lightest wind performance so far. Unfortunately is a little too large to transport easily by plane, and I developed one out of the smaller ovals, which comes in at 1.6m that is.

Shares the same style that has led to some awesome soaring and stable kites that share the EO assembly, and shock-cord clasp convenience.

• Original Kite design by Phil McConnachie

• Fade colour schemes: Fire, Lime, Ice, Cloud and Red

• High performance Icarex polyester sails

• Framed with a Robust 2mm fiberglass

• Self assembly in seconds

• Kite folds flat for storage: 1600mm by 250mm by 16mm

• Assembled: 1400mm by 900mm by 560mm

EO Bi-Plane

2009-06-16T22:31:00.000-07:00

A spin-off in the EO development has been the Plane series.
The Bi-plane has the ease of use that the EO System affords with ease of assembly using the unique shock-cord clasp system and an amazing amount of fun flying in even the lightest of winds.
The biplane will do barrel rolls, loops and spins, stalls, fly upside down all with deft line control in a variety of wind conditions.
Once assembled; launch can be achieved by either glide/dart style, or by placing it on the ground upside down, the plane will hover to level, then barrel roll to the correct flying attitude.

• Original Kite design by Phil McConnachie

• Fade colour schemes: Lime, Ice, Cloud and Red

• High performance Icarex polyester sails

• Framed with a Robust 2mm fiberglass

• Assembly in seconds

• Kite folds flat for storage: 900mm by 420mm by 10mm

• Assembled: 1250mm by 900mm by 500mm

Wright EO

2009-06-16T21:19:00.000-07:00

The Wright EO concept was is part to draw inspiration from early pioneers, the plane series evolved from my EO10 and a mini Cody sitting together one day sparking a style that has led to some awesome soaring and stable kites that share the EO assembly, and shock-cord clasp convenience.

The Wright EO can also be flown in the EO Super-Barrage style by choice of rigging, giving superior flight performances.

• Original Kite design by Phil McConnachie

• Fade colour schemes: Fire, Lime, Ice, Cloud and Red

• High performance Icarex polyester sails

• Framed with a Robust 2mm fiberglass

• Self assembly in seconds

• Kite folds flat for storage: 1440mm by 300mm by 16mm

• Assembled: 2100mm by 1400mm by 480mm

EO Fokker

2009-06-16T19:35:00.000-07:00

The Fokker has the ease of use that the EO System affords with ease of assembly using the unique shock-cord clasp system and an amazing amount of fun flying in even the lightest of winds.

The Fokker with deft line control in a variety of wind conditions will do barrel rolls, loops and spins, stalls, fly upside down - just let your EO toy with wind currents and let your ambition soar.

Once assembled; launch can be achieved by either glide/dart style, or by placing it on the ground upside down, the plane will hover to level, then barrel roll to the correct flying attitude.

• Original Kite design by Phil McConnachie

• Fade colour schemes: Fire, Lime, Ice, Cloud and Red

• High performance Icarex polyester sails

• Framed with a Robust 2mm fiberglass

• Self assembly in seconds

• Kite folds flat for storage: 900mm by 420mm by 10mm

• Assembled: 1300mm by 900mm by 500mm

Stacking EO Kites

2009-06-13T23:47:00.000-07:00

EO's are very easy to stack and stacking them will create more stable designs that can produce some considerable lift.
There is 17 metres of fiberglass in an EO 10 and it has 2m2 of surface area, so a group of five or six can easily act as a camera lifter or header kite.
The basic formula for the shock cord (2mm) is 2d - with d being the depth of the cell you are connecting. Thread the shock cord through a 6mm end-cap then tie an overhand knot in the end to form a loop and then do a double larks head around the spar. I also put an o-ring at the point and form the larks head over it, this gives it a good structural memory whilst still room for give.
The spar is 6mm - sufficient for triple stack or width, 3d in length if stacking 2 high, 5d if stacking 3 high, leaving room to fit one in-between to go wider or higher. A set of full width cross spreaders at the front cell prevents compression of the structure giving a stable platform, these fit into leading edge style connectors on the joiner spars, one on the front end-cap and one placed 1d from the end positioned with an o ring.
Then a bridle is fashioned to support each kite a good rule of thumb to start from is 0, +50mm, and +250mm for offsets on a 3W (W = width of kite)

EO 48 Facet Box

2009-06-13T00:16:00.000-07:00

ke for care in folding.
The 48 Facet box was a test to see how far I could expand on this platform increasing depth of the kite, there-by giving more area without increasing its folded dimensions. This means there are now four way junctions which maThis kite can be stacked in a variety of formations the number of combination's is scary but satisfying in trying new mixtures such as this basic box stack achieved with just three 6mm spars with pairs of shock chord , an o-ring and an end-cap to lock the two into a very stable configuration.

The colour mix I go for relies on a bleed of colours to give a variety of shading and shape depending on view-point and lighting angles.

The new Tequila colour scheme (Orange,Red, Purple) is working well and may prefer it to my fire scheme. Will have to try a few more styles and see how it suits them.

New EO Varieties

2009-06-10T23:05:00.000-07:00

Have had some success with variants of the EO box kite from airplanes to multi-cellular marvels that still have that EO tumbling playfulness.
After the Wright EO was made, I have run up against a limit that is easy to transport (one down side with EO's is that they get bigger as they fold). First was the EO V-plane that flies and glides like a dream but at 2 metres folded up a little harder to transport flat although it can roll up into a 500mm diameter circle to fit into a hat box.
After seeing my design formula working so well - the balance between cell size and lifting/stabilizing surfaces I have started to explore boundaries and come up with the EO 48 Facet box. This was built to see how far I could expand the parameters and thought I would take a leap, but it may have been a shuffle.
The Facet has a playfulness in its nature yet will fly as a stable single line kite all day in good conditions. The experience of flying this kite has convinced me to explore the design concept even further.

Mermaid #5 Completed

2009-06-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

Have just been flying a new Mermaid #5 in our back yard and feel completely satisfied with all the improvements.
Her hair is just about spot on - though I may sneak a few more wedges of hair for aesthetics.
She flies well from her bridle or a short line of the main lifter line, I have yet to try her as a standalone kite but looking at her behavior she would fly well enough but at a fairly average angle of flight.
It is because of this that she is perfect for flying in train as she never gets fouled with the header kite line.
Her new tail is looking sweet with curves in just the right places and integrating well with the thru corded tail, and the seam lines following bone structure gives the body eye catching shape.
She certainly is my best effort so far and now have to do some manscaping on her boyfriend to help him keep up. Although he had developed a Six pack and the guns were there, I have to get the shape more flow after achieving so much on Mermaid #5.

Back to reality

2009-06-09T03:29:00.000-07:00

Back from 2 weekends in San Vito International kite festival in Sicily which had beautiful sun, sand and coffee. Had a great time with friends both old and new and look forward to sharing some sky with them again.

Now back in Adelaide which is experiencing winter and has me wearing ugg boots and looking at the wind disparagingly. As always - the wind disappears here in April then reappears in June but a lot colder- had to wear my 5/3 wetsuit this weekend.

Have finished my latest mermaid and she is looking fine and flying the best so far. Having seam lines following bone structure to give a realistic body shape, and the nip and tucking have really been successful. next step is to manscape here boyfriend Neptune.

Neptune had already developed a healthy sixpack and has great guns but doesn't flow as well as his girlfriend so he's ready for some work.