Beaufort Scale

A way of measuring wind speed by looking at the movement in environment, such as smoke, flags, trees, etc.

Bridle

The harness of the kite, loop or loops of string that join the line to the rest of the kite. On some soft kites, the bridle can look like the complex lines of a parachute. A usual bridle controls the angle the kite flies at, more complex bridles also hold the kite in a certain shape. Some kites do not have bridles, with the line attached directly to a part of the kite.

Dihedral

A bend or curve in the kite that helps keep the kite stable by more specifically directing wind flow.

Drogue or Basket

Bucket or bowl-shaped objects which are often used on a line behind the kite, they are sometimes used instead of a tail since they provide more drag than a traditional tail.

Frame

Sticks, spars, poles or rods that form the shape of the kite. Each piece of the frame has its own name as well, but the most common are "spreader" (top or bottom - a spar that keeps the kite spread open), "spine" (a spar that goes nose to tail); "leading edge" (a spar in the front of the wing); "stand off" or "wisker" (small rod that holds the sail out to help keep it inflated).

Keel

Generally the tail of the kite, it is like the keel of a boat. They help keep the kite stable, and on single line kites, they might be on the front of the sail, providing a place to attach the flying line without a bridle.

Leading Edge

The front edge of the kite, where the wind hits first, also used to describe the spars in this same location.

Line

The string(s) you hold when the kite is in the air.

Line Laundry

For single line kites - they could be flags, extra tails, inflatable shapes or baskets attached to the flying line to add decoration in the air. Line laundry has no lift, and the kite itself should have good lift (power) to to hold up the laundry.

Reel or Winder

The item that we use to store the line(s), similar in some ways to a fishing reel. They can be a simple stick with the flying line wrapped around, plastic handles with forks to wrap the line around (a most common form), some winders look a lot like a fishing reel, and some are simply flat cards which are used to wind up sport kite lines. It's important to know how each type is correctly used, or you may end up with a real mess of tangled line.

Sail

The fabric (like ripstop) or paper that surface of the kite. Sails provide lift.

Tail

Used to keep some kite types stable or just for decoration, generally off the back of the kite, tails come in all sorts of sizes and shapes including flat or tubular.

Trailing Edge

The back edge of the sail, or the edge of the kite off of which the wind flows.

Wind Shadow

Potentially turbulent or obstructed wind behind an obstruction (such as trees or buildings), the wind may be gusty or not blowing at all. The wind shadow can be much longer than the height of the obstruction. To get clean wind, you should generally have at least 1/2 mile of flat land or water upwind from you.

Turbulence

Bumpy wind that flows in more than one direction, it can make kites bounce, surge in speed or fall out of the sky. While it can be overcome with some kites and applied skill, turbulence makes for challenging flying.