Here's some additional info about building the Nasa. I've been getting a lot of requests by e-mail to be more specific, so here's a detailed description how and in what order I build my commercial Enhanced Nasa Wings: I hope you'll find it helpful.

First of all one of the most asked questions why the small section at the top..
well just to have a "nice seam" on the midsection where you can put
the ties in between.

Now for the way I make them:

Note: I find that having the ribbon at the botttom of the layers is
the easiest way to sew it. Another note: I assume you use 1 inch
ribbon so the seam should be 8 mm or just short of 1/3 inch

Attach the loops at the BACK of the top wing half with small
pcs of double sided tape. Sew the ribbon over the loops, fold it to
the front and sew again (I do that twice): now you have a perfect edge
with loops sticking out.

Sew the edge of the lower wing section.

Attach both panels (I hotcout them together before sewing). Sew a
ribbon on top of the lower panel and be sure to let enough stick out
to make a loop at the B6 end. (actually because the panels are joined
by hot cutting I do that all in one: ribbon at the bottom and the two
panels on top: the smaller one at the bottom)

Sew the midsections together but leave the small LE piece for now. Be
sure to fold the seam between the two the same way as you did the wing
(upwards). Sew the trailing edge seam.

Sew on the top section, but leave the seam open for now, cause later
on the ties have to go in between. If you think that's annoying you
can finish it, but later on you'll have to cut a few stitches to put
the ties in.

Draw the darts (not to low, consider the seam between the
midsections) fold them and sew: doesn't matter which way you fold as
long as you do it symmetrical.

Now you want the ribbon on the front of the kite, so watch out: cause
the nose is curled, you need to sew the ribbon on the front side this
time..

Stick the ties to the FRONT: align them with the perpendicular seam of
the ties. The two outer ties are left out: you get them for free when
you sew the wings to the midsection. As I said: the easiest way to do
it is with the ribbon at the bottom, so sew it with the ties down and
the ribbon at the bottom. (you just start with the sewing only the
ribbon for some inches, and then "add" the panel.) Fold the ribbon as
with the wings: it should be on the back now, with the ties sticking
out. Don't bother about the curve: you just sew straigh until you
reach a tie, needle in the cloth, lift the foot, align the
cloth, foot down and sew on...it's easy as that.


Hotcut the midsection and the wings together, and after that stick
the loops on with the double-sided tape. Loops should be on the side of the
wing. Ribbon in the machine: sew for 4 inches or so before you add the
panels: you need the extra for the last ties and A12 loop later on.
Finish the seam and you should have the loops pointing out towards the
wing section.

Now for something different: Originally I made the A1 loop after the
kite was finished, but lately I sew it in together with the other
ones: that means you'd have to add a loop to the top of the kite. The
only thing is you have to have a sturdy machine to do it, cause what
you get then is 5 layers from the wing LE, 5 layers from the nose
section seam, 5 layers from the vertical seam plus 6 layers from the
loop: that's 21 layers of ripstop to punch...

Sew the darts in the wing sections
If it isn't there already sew on the A1 loop: be sure it sticks out
stha same as all others.

At Last! Sew the ties in the seam you left open (or not)
Cut the leftovers on wingtips, and bottom to size, fold them back and
sew them to form the final loops.

Phew....

Now for the bridle:

First take another look at my page: there's a description of a
slipknot. You melt the end of the line with a lighter to make a sort
of mushroom head, so the knot won't slide off. I use these for all the
knots in the kite, because you can make the whole bridle very accurate
that way in one step: no need to adjust it later on.

So, here is how it's done the easiest way:

Accuracy while bridling is a must: the bridle is very
sensitive to changes. As I said, the best way to do that is to use
slip knots: You make all bridle lines the right lenght before you
attach them.

Find 80 pound braided dacron line...

You take a plank, drive in 2 nails closely next to each other at one
end. From there you mark the needed bridle lenghts on the plank.

Now you take the bridle line and melt a "mushroom" at the end using a
lighter, and stick it in between the two nails. Hold the line streched
(no tension) and take the line between small pliers at the marked end.
Cut off the line, leaving a few mm next to the beaks: if you melt the
end now you'll have the exact lenght bridle line with two "mushrooms"
at the ends. (so obvious if you see it, so hard to explain) Tie each
bridle leg you made directly to the kite. Tie with a slip knot and you
can't go wrong; don't worry about the lengths the knots take up:
they're all the same and the difference in length is what counts you
wo'nt notice the difference if all lengths are 2 cm less than given...

After that you have a kite with 36 lines.....

Now you take two rings, and connect them with a piece of 2 mm line
approx 15 inches long. Same way, with a slip knot.

The bulk of the lines (A1 - A10 and B1- B4) are tied to one ring: I
tie A1 A2 next to each other, then B1 and so on: every time two lines
from the midsection, then one from the wing.

The A11 A12 B5 and B6 are tied to the ring on the other side of the 15 inch line.

Now attach a third O ring (the one you tie the flying line to) in the
middle between the two with a larkshead. This is the 2 line setup.

If you've done that IMMEDIATELY tie this line to one of the ties in
the nose: that way the lines can't tangle: you only have to forget
that once and you spend the evening untangling the whole lot! Make it
a habit to tie it as soon as it comes off the flying line...


index Back to the index