“This kite made my imagination fly when I was a teenager, at that time this was the most advanced kite. On my 30th brithday I was given a kite and everything came flooding back. Now I make my living with kites, making them and flying them.

In 1975 BBC Nationwide drove the country kite mad by televising a documentary about Peter Powell and his stunt kites. His kites featured on the opening credits each day at the start of the program. A phenomenon which rarely occurs now, but back then the telephone lines at Nationwide were jammed solid for 3 days with enquires – this resulted in mass interest as this was the year the new kites age was born worldwide.

The steerable kite, with a long, hollow polyethylene tail that was inflated by the wind, looked wonderful when performing stunts, and won him the Gold and Silver International Inventors Award in Geneva, and the much coveted Toy of the Year Award for the UK in 1976 Millions of kites were sold and flying steerable kites became a craze in the mid-70’s in the UK. The popularity of all types of multiple-line kite flying today can be attributed directly to Peter Powell’s development of a modern, dual line kite. It’s safe to say these kites changed my life.”

Alan Poxon, Kitemaker.

Flying kites…