Even if you have never built a kite or even used a sewing machine, chances are that you can build a great NasaWing.
It is much easier than it looks. I had never built a "soft" kite before my first NasaWing. All those lines seemed
like they would be a real problem. But it was EASY and it flew great from the first flight!
Easy single-surface airfoil
Use Standard or Cascade bridles
Decorate with applique
Experiment with the design
Lots of support on the web!
Doing the Math: I built the NPW9b 3.4^2 in 2003 for
about $24 including line and handles. Commercial power kites that size
can cost from $175 to $475 (and more). We could equip a seven
member NPW9b team for the cost of the least expensive one.
Flying a NasaWing that you made is an incredible experience!
And the building is lots of fun too.
Internet Resources for NasaWing Builders:
You'll fine great resources for building your own NasaWing kites
in the following sites.
My first exposure to the NasaWing, this is considered to be the "original" NasaWing kite (1995).
It was the result of a collaboration between
Buck Childers, Chuck VanEekelen and Mel Jongen. This is the first NasaWing site I found, but I was not
confident I could build one from the info there. There have been at least
two improvements on the bridling. NPW5: Plans * Construction Tips *
Next I found all the information I needed to build my
first four NasaWings on this site by Peter deJong. His
construction methods are excellent but take much more
time than some others. Many NasaWings have been built
using his methods and bridling. And they look and fly great!
NPW5: Plans * Size Calculator Program * Step-by-step Construction * Gallery *
Somehow I ran into Bill just when I was hoping to find
ways to build NasaWings faster and cheaper. I learned a lot on this site.
I am especially thankful for the
cascade bridling information. I first learned about
the NPW9b from Bill and was encouraged to experiment
with the kites. NPW5/NPW9b: Construction Tips * Cascade
Bridle * Gallery * Quad Handles *
I got interested in building a NPW9b but was unsure about the bridling.
The I found that JP has provided excellent calculators for both NPW5 and NPW9b.
With them you can "see" what different bridle configurations look
like (Graph and VRML) and share your favorite settings with others. The
NPW9b calculator is used by those designing this new kite. There are
also loads of building and design information on the site, including
NPW5 bridling for great performance.
NPW5/NPW9b: Calculator Programs (Design) * Custom NPW5 Bridle * Design Info * Construction Tips * Cascade Bridle *
As I got involved in discussions about the NPW9b I found that Tom had made
excellent calculators for builders. Since the first time I built a kite with his
bridle board I have used nothing else. What a time saver! I used his calculator
the first time I used cascade bridling and was amazed how well it went. NPW5/NPW9b: Calculator Programs (Builders) * Bridle Board * Kite Conversion Program * 2-Line Handles * Gallery *
