Episode 5, Part 1 - Cassie Shook: The Kite Shop Lady

Episode 6 - Robert Brasington

Welcome to another episode of The Pilots Meeting. This month we are catching up with master kite artist Robert Brasington. I first met Robert when I was pretty young at a Wildwood International Kite Festival back in the 90s. Robert and his sense of color and motion have been a staple in the sky for decades now so he was an obvious choice to have on the show. Join me as we pick his brain about everything from his process to how he found his way into kites. 00:00 - Imagination, wind, and kite art 00:30 - Introducing Robert Brasington 03:49 - From sport kites to making his own 07:18 - Early design experiments and vented trailing edges 10:05 - Building a color catalog 12:22 - Transitioning to single-line kites 15:31 - Developing a recognizable style 20:26 - Why kite trains became a signature 23:03 - Influence, humility, and a long career 27:49 - Favorite kite festivals around the world 35:28 - Kinetics, spinners, and evolving techniques 37:47 - Revisiting old ideas and learning constantly 43:53 - Upcoming festival plans and where to find Robert

Episode 5, Part 2 - Cassie Shook: The Kite Shop Lady

On part two of our first two part episode we are catching up with my friend Cassie Shook, the Kite Shop Lady. Cassie and her parents, Cath and Elliot, run Flying Smiles Kites in Corolla, NC. While rain and extra high winds made flying a bit rough on Sunday during the recent Maryland International Kite Expo we decided to retreat and record this episode. This was very much unplanned and so its more than a little all over the place but that's the best part! so buckle up and come for the ride as we dig into just what it means to be "the kite shop lady". Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 0:31 Kite Types and Preferences 1:02 Kite Setup 5:00 Kite Tips 16:13 Safety and Regulations 20:05 Big Kite Challenges 30:30 Kite Events and Community 49:39 Wrapping Up

Episode 5, Part 1 - Cassie Shook: The Kite Shop Lady

On this first part of our first two part episode we are catching up with my friend Cassie Shook, the Kite Shop Lady. Cassie and her parents, Cath and Elliot, run Flying Smiles Kites in Corolla, NC. While rain and extra high winds made flying a bit rough on Sunday during the recent Maryland International Kite Expo we decided to retreat and record this episode. This was very much unplanned and so its more than a little all over the place but that's the best part! so buckle up and come for the ride as we dig into just what it means to be "the kite shop lady". Chapters 0:00 Introduction 1:04 Kite Shop Lady Origin Storie 2:32 Kite Shop Dynamics 6:09 Keeping Things Diverse 15:29 Kite Selection and Customer Service 23:19 Kite Flying Stories 36:38 Foil Kite Challenges 39:07 Customer Service Philosophy

Episode 4 - John Barresi

This month we are spending some time with a kiting icon, John Barresi. John has done just about everything there is to do with a sport kite, from competing and preforming all over the world to teaching and coaching the next batch of flyers. John is probably best known for his pivotal involvement in the progression and expansion of quad line flying and in particular quad line team flying. Join me as we go behind the scenes and all the way back to John's start in kites on this episode of The Pilots meeting. Chapters 00:00 Early Exposure to Kites 05:20 Signature Routine and Kite Evolution 11:35 Formation of iQuad and Global Tour 19:35 Community and Content Creation 25:01 Kite Life Magazine and Kite Forums 32:00 Revolution Kite Series and Evolution 37:50 Team Kite Life

Episode 3 - Carl Robertshaw

This month on The Pilots Meeting we are catching up with my friend and one of the most talented kite flyers I know, Carl Robertshaw. Carl's life in kites has taken him some truly remarkable places. From massive kites that drink in the light to world championship performances Carl's in kiting life is pretty accomplished. But outside of kites his skills have taken him even farther to places like the Olympics, The Commonwealth Games, Broadway and even space. so come along was we dig into Carl's stories here on The Pilots Meeting. Chapters 00:00 Early Kite Experiences 10:58 Competing in Sport Kites and Team Flying 18:03 Venturing into Live Events 22:56 Space Knitting 29:24 The Olympics and Beyond 35:18 Art Kites and Installations 45:31 Scale Models and Hobbies