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By Leslie Hunt
It is easier to give instructions on where to fly than it is to find a suitable place. The ideal place is an open field or a place near a large body of water. Usually there are breezes or light winds in such places and troublesome obstructions are absent. Playgrounds and athletic parks in the larger cities provide room enough for ordinary flights, and it sometimes happens that the breeze aloft is sufficient to make high flying worth while. Often one finds an excellent breeze at the surface while a study of the smoke from the higher chimneys and stacks shows but little breeze aloft.
Winds whipping around corners and through streets are deceptive. It is well to study smoke and cloud movements before attempting very high flights in places of limited size.
Most cities have regulations against flying kites in the streets. A little thought will show us the wisdom of such a ruling. But, alas! so often the rule is winked at in one part of the city, and rigidly enforced in another that the temptation to fly or start the kite in the street is strong. The restriction on street flying was made, of course, for the protection of people in general.
Formerly the safety of people driving horses was, probably, the reason for such rules. There is nothing that will more completely scare a horse out of his wits than a kite suddenly swooping in front of him or lashing him with its tail. A Japanese tells how a cavalry charge was broken up south of Yokohama many years ago, by flying kites in front of the enemy. Considering the scarcity of horses in that part of Japan, one is inclined to believe there was as much terror among the kite fliers as there was among the horses.
At present, danger arises from street flying from two sources-traffic and electric wires. The best plan is to play safe, and keep away from streets and lots where there is danger from traffic or contact with electric transmission lines.
Buildings are responsible for contrary currents of air, and these cause the kite to dart when the height of the building is reached. The result is usually a lost or broken kite.
There is more satisfaction in keeping your kites ready for use and going to a good place to fly, when the opportunity presents itself, than in trying to fly them in unsuitable places.
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