BayAreaKiteboarding.com

Some may argue that kiting is the pinnacle of the evolution of wind sports, or of all sports for that matter, but I'm convinced that a better technology will move in and do to windsports what windsurfing did to sailing and kiting did to windsurfing: increase mobility, flexibility and power and minimize encumbrance by the gear.
My ideal setup would combine kite technology with wings that could be retracted in, so once you catch a wave you're surfing pure and free. Maybe you could even ride the updraft wind off the waves the way the pelicans do. A backside harness would hold the rider similar to hang-gliding, but retractible wings controlled with your arms would use kite technology.
I'm not smart enough or tech-oriented enough to develop it, but there's plenty of talent in the Bay Area to get this idea off the ground.

I am seeing your vision - maybe something like a cross between kitesurfing and speed flying? Probably without a board though just so it remains strapless and pure. Maybe you just j-walk the whole session

Where's turbinedude when you need him?

That would be awesome! Especially if it could be terrestrial! The i could use it at all of my badass craaaazzzy lan parties or when i go LARPing. Yesss. That would be soooooo cool.

Good idea, Aloha: a wingsuit like speed fliers use. Combine that with a small foil kite attached to each retractable wingtip. Facing downwind and leaning back, like in kiting, seems more ergonomically feasible than facing into the wind. An outward cant of each kite would help hold the wings open when fully powered. Power/depower could be with hand controls and steering with variable arm contractions.

How would you swim with it?

Col.kiteman wrote:How would you swim with it?

Good question. You just saved the life of the 1st test pilot.
The arms obviously need to be free of the wings, so the wings attach to the harness, but not the arms as in a wingsuit. Retraction of the wings up against the body occurs automatically if your hands are removed from the control bars, as when you catch a wave or are in a crash. A good flotation device in the system makes swimming and waterstarting easier and keeps the system afloat if you have to quick-release from it.