There are several fun games for two or more players that can be played at night with Eronotix kite altimeters (Kite Alti or LED String Alti). These games are meant to appeal to a wide range of kitefliers, from children to highly experienced, competitive fliers. Most games require one independent judge who can also be tasked with taking video for documentation; the more players, the harder the competition becomes to judge without video. The games are ordered, roughly based on difficulty, from easiest to hardest. A few require uploading data to Eronotix Logbook to properly adjudicate—such games are also daylight-friendly, indicated by ☼ next to the links below. As will be seen in all of games, each participant uses the same setting so that comparing the altitude of the kites is simple (see the kite altimeter modes page). They can be played one-off or best out of three/five/seven, etc. For serious competitions, make sure to use fully-charged batteries and the same firmware on all altimeters.
Several variations of the games are described below. While it is generally recommended that all players use identical kites and equipment for fairness, a common variation is to use kites of one’s own design or choice, thus focusing the competition on kite design and flight characteristics in addition to flying skill. It can also be fun to have more than one person fly a kite, similar to a baton pass in a relay race, or even multiple kites on a team; such variations of the games work particularly well at parties.
Race to Altitude
Race to the Ground
Race to Altitude and Back
Stair-Step Race to Altitude
Operation
Highest Altitude Reached ☼
30-Minute Challenge: To Altitude and Back
30-Minute Challenge: Highest for Longest ☼
The primary goal of this game is for a player to have their kite reach a particular altitude before any other kites. Players use their altimeters on the same mode (e.g. race to 150 feet on Mode 1). An independent judge is required to judge the competition and give a starting signal. For an even playing field, each player should have the same type of kite, winder and line; this can be verified by a judge. Players should be situated within sight of one another, not too far apart but not too close as to avoid collisions, so the judge can easily see all players and their kites.
Players first prepare their kites for imminent launch with altimeters switched off. The judge raises their hand high above their head, signaling players to get ready to start. At this point, each player gets ready to turn on their altimeter. When the judge suddenly drops their hand, the race is on. Players turn on their altimeters, select the mode being used, launch their kites and bring them past the desired altitude as quickly as possible. The first to altitude wins. Upon completion, kites can stay up at altitude to celebrate, or they can hover in wait to commence with Race to the Ground.
Great settings for this game on Kite Alti and LED String Alti are Modes 1 through 9, with Mode 9 being most challenging (kites ascend to 1000 feet).
These steps should be executed as quickly as possible in succession upon seeing the start signal:
1) switch on the altimeter
2) select the common setting being used
3) launch the kite and fly it to altitude, calling out to others when your altimeter has reached it
Familiarize yourself with the altimeter well before the competition so that steps one and two are simple.
Know the mode that is being used and what maximum altitude looks like. Be quick in your movement to signal the start of the race; your function is similar to a starter pistol (which can be used instead, if on hand). Being far away is not a bad thing, as long as they can all see you equally well and can also make it easier to see which kite reaches altitude first.
Soap Box Derby Use kites and reels of one’s own choosing or creation instead of the same type of kite. This makes for an interesting comparison of flight characteristics as well as flying ability.
Relay Race Each kite is flown by two or more people in sequence (like a baton pass), with a different person required to take the winder each time a new color is reached, cycling through the team. Each team should be of equal size. Only modes with abrupt color shifts such as Modes 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9 support this variation.
Multiple-Kite Relay Race Teams race against one another. Each team member has their own kite and kites are flown to altitude one after another. One team member starts just as in the standard version of the game, and the next team member can only turn their altimeter on, choose the setting and begin flying to altitude, after the previous member has reached altitude. The first team with all kites having reached altitude wins.
Race to the Ground is, of course, the logical variation of Race to Altitude described above. It can be played immediately following that game, when all players have kites hovering above the desired altitude, or it can be played on its own. The primary goal of this game is for a player to have their kite reach the ground and be switched off by them before any other kites. Players use their altimeters on the same mode (e.g. Mode 1 with a descent from 150 feet). An independent judge is required to judge the competition and give a starting signal. For an even playing field, each player should have the same type of kite, winder and line; this can be verified by a judge. Players should be situated within sight of one another, not too far apart but not too close as to avoid collisions, and so the judge can easily see all players and their kites.
Players first launch their kites (this need not be at the same time) and bring them past a desired altitude, such as in Race to Altitude. Kites are not allowed to descend below this altitude; in other words, all kites must remain above the agreed altitude. When all players are ready, the judge raises their hand high above their head, signaling that the players should get ready to reel in their kites. When the judge suddenly drops their hand, the race is on. Players begin reeling in their kites, bringing them to the ground and switching off their altimeters as quickly as possible. The first player to shut off their LEDs wins.
The same settings as for Race to Altitude are excellent for this game: Modes 1 through 9, with Mode 9 by far being most challenging (kites descend from an altitude of 1000 feet).
Your task is simple, bring the kite in as quickly as possible and turn it off. Be careful not to bring your kite below the starting altitude before the judge indicates to start.
Watch for any flickering (altitude violation) at the start of the competition, no kite can come below the starting altitude before you abruptly drop your hand. For this game, primarily look to see the order in which kites are switched off; video can be useful for any disputes. Be quick in your movement to signal the start of the race; your function is similar to a starter pistol (which can be used instead, if on hand).
Soap Box Derby Use kites and reels of one’s own choosing or creation instead of the same type of kite. This makes for an interesting comparison of flight characteristics as well as flying ability.
Relay Race Each kite is reeled in by two or more people in sequence (like a baton pass), with a different person required to take the winder each time a new color is reached, cycling through the team. Each team should be of equal size. Only modes with abrupt color shifts such as Modes 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9 support this variation.
Multiple-Kite Relay Race Teams race against one another. Each team member has their own kite and kites are reeled in from altitude one after another. One team member starts reeling in their kite first, as in the standard version of the game, and the next team member can only begin reeling theirs in after the previous team member’s lights are out. The first team with all kites having lights off wins.
The primary goal of this game is for a player to have their kite reach a particular altitude, then descend back to the ground and be switched off by them before any other kites. As always, players use their altimeters on the same mode. An independent judge is required to judge the competition and give a starting signal. For an even playing field, each player should have the same type of kite, winder and line; this can be verified by a judge. Players should be situated within sight of one another, not too far apart but not too close as to avoid collisions, and so the judge can easily see all players and their kites.
Players first prepare their kites for imminent launch with altimeters switched off. The judge raises their hand high above their head, signaling players to get ready to start. At this point, each player gets ready to turn on their altimeter. When the judge suddenly drops their hand, the race is on. Players turn on their altimeters, select the mode being used, launch their kites and bring them to the desired altitude as quickly as possible. After reaching the desired altitude, players immediately begin reeling in their kite to switch their altimeter off. The first to have their lights turned off wins.
Great settings for this game on Kite Alti and LED String Alti are Modes 1 through 9, with Mode 9 being most challenging (kites ascend to 1000 feet and back).
These steps should be executed as quickly as possible upon seeing the start signal:
1) switch on the altimeter
2) select the common setting being used
3) launch the kite and fly it to altitude, calling out when you have reached the top
4) reel in the kite
5) turn off the altimeter
Being familiar with the operation of the altimeter and how it is mounted is imperative to great performance.
This is a trickier competition to judge as you need to verify each has reached the maximum altitude (listen to the players call out as you watch), and then you also need to see who has their altimeter switched off first. Watch for cheating on reaching the desired altitude. Be quick in your movement to signal the start of the race; your function is similar to a starter pistol (which can be used instead, if on hand).
Soap Box Derby Use kites and reels of one’s own choosing or creation instead of the same type of kite. This makes for an interesting comparison of flight characteristics as well as flying ability.
Relay Race Each kite is flown by two or more people in sequence (like a baton pass), with a different person required to take the winder each time a new color is reached (or when the top is reached and descent begins as well), cycling through the team. Each team should be of equal size. Only modes with abrupt color shifts such as Modes 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9 support this variation.
Multiple-Kite Relay Race Teams race against one another. Each team member has their own kite and kites are flown to altitude and back, one after another. One team member starts just as in the standard version of the game. The next team member can only turn their altimeter on, choose the setting and begin flying to altitude, after the previous member has reached altitude and had their kite return and lights switched off. The first team with all kites having flown to altitude and back wins.
This game requires the use of a mode with abrupt color changes such as such as Modes 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9. An independent judge is required to judge the competition and give a starting signal. For an even playing field, each player should have the same type of kite, winder and line. Players should be situated within sight of one another, not too far apart but not too close as to avoid collisions, so the judge can easily see all players and their kites. The goal is to fly one's kite to the highest altitude before the other kites. The race, however, is not straight to the top. Each time the flier reaches a new color, they must return to the first (lowest) color before proceeding to the next. For example, in Mode 1, one would ascend past 25 feet to blue and then dip back into purple (below 25 ft), before ascending to green (50 feet), then descending back to purple again before proceeding to the next color yellow (75 feet), etc.
Players first prepare their kites for imminent launch with altimeters switched off. The judge raises their hand high above their head, signaling players to get ready to start. At this point, each player gets ready to turn on their altimeter. When the judge suddenly drops their hand, the game is on. Players turn on their altimeters, select the mode being used, launch their kites and bring them past the desired altitude as quickly as possible in the stair-step pattern described above. To make things easier for the judge, fliers should call out key colors as they reach them. The first player to the highest altitude is the winner.
Be sure to call out colors you reach each time you bring your kite through an important threshold.
Watch carefully to make sure that kites come all the way down to the first color (e.g. purple in Mode 1) before proceeding to the next color.
Soap Box Derby Use kites and reels of one’s own choosing or creation instead of the same type of kite. This makes for an interesting comparison of flight characteristics as well as flying ability.
Relay Race A new team member takes over for each new color reached, cycling through the team.
This game requires the use of a mode with abrupt color changes with a narrow distance of 20-50 feet between the colors, namely Modes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7. The smaller the distance between the colors and the gustier the conditions, the more difficult the game. An independent judge is required to judge the competition and give a starting signal. For an even playing field, each player should have the same type of kite, winder and line, which can be verified by a judge. Players should be situated within sight of one another, not too far apart but not too close as to avoid collisions, so the judge can easily see all players and their kites. The goal is to remain within a specific altitude range without going above or below it, for the longest time. In a sense, it is similar to the children’s game Operation, in which one attempts not to touch metal edges with an instrument. For example, on Mode 1 players attempt to remain within the red (125-149 feet) for longer than other players. Any violation means a player is out, and the last kite up is the winner. Note that the first and last altitude ranges for any mode cannot be used as a range in this game.
Players launch their kites on the same setting to the altitude range agreed upon. Once all kites are in the range, and after the fliers have been allowed to go both above and back below the range, the judge raises their hand high above their head. When the judge suddenly drops their hand, the game is on. The players attempt to remain in range such that the color of their altimeter does not change. Any violation of the altitude range eliminates a player. The last player flying is the winner.
Practice flying above and below the altitude range in which you want to fly. You ideally want to remain somewhere around the center of the range. Try to keep even line tension on the kite, as the kite will tend to climb or sink with changing line tension.
Stand far away and look for kites that change color: they should all be the same color. Watch carefully to make sure that they come all the way down to the first color before proceeding to the next color.
Step-Down Players start at the highest possible range (125-149 in Mode 1) and have to step down a color if they violate the altitude range. Once they get to the bottom they are out. The last player remaining is the winner.
This is perhaps the simplest game of them all, but it requires Eronotix Logbook. Each player tries to reach the highest possible altitude with their kite. The flier that attains the highest altitude wins. Having kites of similar construction or at least lines of equal length is essential for fairness in this game; a judge can inspect the kites. Simply take the kites to altitude and bring them back down. This can be done in the day. Log the data with Eronotix Logbook and compare the altitudes attained by the players.
Best Of Each player logs an equal number of flights, and the player with highest altitude of all flights wins.
Accumulated Altitude Each player logs an equal number of flights, and all peak altitudes are averaged. The player with the highest average peak altitude wins.
In this game the primary goal is for a player to have their kite make the most ascents to altitude from the ground within a 30-minute time window. This time window can, of course, be modified according to desire. The kiteflier must physically touch the kite between ascents to altitude. As always, players use their altimeters on the same mode (e.g. Mode 1 with ascents to 150 feet). An independent judge with a timer is required to judge the competition and give a starting signal. Kites can be in the air, still ascending, at the end of the competition. For an even playing field, each player should have the same type of kite, winder and line. Players should be situated within sight of one another, not too far apart but not too close as to avoid collisions, so the judge can easily see all players and their kites.
Players first prepare their kites for imminent launch with altimeters switched off. The judge raises their hand high above their head, signaling players to get ready to start. At this point, each player gets ready to turn on their altimeter. When the judge suddenly drops their hand, the game is on. Players turn on their altimeters, select the mode being used, launch their kites and bring them past the desired altitude as quickly as possible and back down, calling out both when they are at the top and the bottom. This process is repeated as many times as possible in 30 minutes. The kite with the most ascents to altitude wins.
Great settings for this game on Kite Alti and LED String Alti are Modes 1 through 9, with Mode 9 being most challenging
Playing the game Race to Altitude and Back, described above, is a great warmup for this much more exhausting version of those games.
Make sure to start your timer at the moment you drop your hand (or fire the starting pistol), and keep track of the number of ascents. Watch carefully as the timer approaches 30 minutes.
Soap Box Derby Use kites and reels of one’s own choosing or creation instead of the same type of kite. This makes for an interesting comparison of flight characteristics as well as flying ability.
Relay Race In this version, each new ascent is made by a new team member, switching and cycling through all team members, until the 30 minutes is up.
This daylight-friendly game requires the use of Eronotix Logbook, and players can agree on a mode to be used (though not necessarily required in this game). Mode 11 is a good choice as it maximizes battery life. The primary goal of this game is to have your kite up for as high as it can be, for as long as possible, within a 30-minute span. This time window can, of course, be modified according to desire. The challenge is that your logged time has to be less than 30 minutes, and anything over 30 minutes logged is disqualifying. Because Eronotix Logbook is used, no judge is required for this competition: the data speaks for itself, and a 30 minute timer can be used intead. To verify the winner, log the data in Eronotix Logbook, and look at the average altitude of the flights. Make certain the flights did not exceed 30 minutes.
Practice seeing how long it takes to reel in your kite, so you can stay up as long as possible before the 30-minute time window is up. To stay up high as long as possible, these steps should be executed as quickly as possible upon seeing the start signal. You have 30 minutes time:
1) switch on the altimeter
2) select the common setting being used
3) launch the kite and fly it to as high an altitude as is possible
4) reel in the kite and turn off the altimeter before the 30 minute time limit is up
Endurance Eliminate the time limit and see who can keep their kite highest for the longest.