Ragzilla said..
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I've got an idea for all beginners.
Hot launch your kite 10 times!!
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By "hot launch" you mean launch the kite from straight downwind through the middle of the window? Why do you think that is a problem?
The vast majority of modern kites have more than enough throw in the bar to depower the kite sufficiently to handle any kind of hot launch. A couple of steps towards the kite as it comes up reduces the tension on the line and reduces the power even further.
The only time a hot launch is an issue is if you hold the bar in. That can get ugly. Is that what you are referring to?
It seems to me the biggest problem in safety is the idea that kites are deadly dangerous and everything that can happen can kill you. It is true that in a very small set of circumstances kites can be extremely dangerous. In fact, with a fairly small amount of skill 99% of issues can be dealt with easily. Perhaps if education and training dealt with the basic skills to be a self sufficient kiter then everybody would be safer.
PS In reference to the original post, if you mean a launch tether should be compulsory then absolutely not. While tethers can be useful, promoting the use of a special gadget simply compounds the problems of ignorant and unskilled kiters. It just makes the current bad situation worse.
If you mean that all kites should have guidelines as to how to self launch and land safely, then yes.
If you mean all kites should respond in a similar fashion to similar inputs so they can all be self launched and landed in a similar way (which is currently true to an extent) then yes.
PS Paragliders have certification testing to prove that they all react to malfunctions in a similar way. I would not propose this for kites, but it does show that it is a reasonable expectation that products react in certain predictables ways and pilots should know what those ways are.
