The Pilots Meeting: A Sky Rider Limited Podcast

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

Episode 2 - Brett Marchel Adventures

Welcome to The Pilots Meeting, a podcast dedicated to uncovering the behind-the-scenes stories of kiting through the voices of the people who lived them. Each episode dives into the moments, decisions, and experiences that shaped the world of kiting, offering listeners a closer look at what really happens beyond the colors in the sky.   Today we catch up with Brett Marchel of Brett Marchel Adventures. Brett has been a staple in kiting for over a decade, performing at festivals with teams like Kite Life and Sky FX as well as individually and in shows by groups like Kiteman Productions. Brett is also an artist, support and lover of all things kites. Brett’s mentality, approaching kites as toys and looking at what we do from the point of view of a circus mirrors my own in many ways. The seriousness and work ethic he brings to the table at the same time has made him one of the best and most well rounded flyiers today.   So, join us as we take a stroll back through Brett’s journey from the first kite all the way to Disney and the World Cup. We talk about some of his projects and even get a behind the scenes look at some of the things that never quite worked along the way.   0:00 Introduction 1:11 Brett Discovers Kites 4:07 To The Internet 7:01 A Well Rounded Pilot 11:28 You Can’t Fly There 15:53 Invitation to India – Brett’s First Festival 19:05 Forming SkyFX 24:30 Kite Design and Prototyping 25:26 Collaborating with John Barresi 28:12 The Original Djinn Prototype 32:07 Open-Minded Kite Design 33:28 Transition to Shows – First Experiences With Kiteman 37:46 Cedar Point and Boardwalk Nights 43:29 The Aurora Project 50:15 Art Kites For South Padre 52:43 Enter The Forest 56:03 Upcoming Events and Performances

Episode 1 - The Kiteman Group

Welcome to The Pilots Meeting, a podcast dedicated to uncovering the behind-the-scenes stories of kiting through the voices of the people who lived them. Each episode dives into the moments, decisions, and experiences that shaped the world of kiting, offering listeners a closer look at what really happens beyond the colors in the sky. In today’s episode, we’re joined by John Lutter of the Kiteman Group, an organization that has been bringing kites to audiences around the world for decades. Known for producing large-scale kite shows, the Kiteman Group has helped introduce kiting to countless people through performances at major theme parks, including Disney World. Together, we explore how it all came to be—from the early days at balloon festivals to putting on shows of Disney proportions—and take a closer look at what it truly takes to create memorable kite experiences for audiences everywhere. So, settle in and join us for a behind-the-scenes conversation that takes a closer look at just what it takes to be the kite man.   0:00 Introduction - Welcome to The Pilots Meeting 01:07 John Lutter's Journey Into Kiting 07:27 John's First Show 14:50 Bruce Flora and Kiteman Productions 17:46 The First Disney Show 24:09 Kite Tales and Recent Productions 28:49 Equipment Evolution 34:36 Disney Magic - The Show Must Go On 42:47 EPCOT Forever 47:04 Getting into Character 54:30 John's Favorite Show 56:55 Broadening The Offering 1:01:42 Wrapping Up - Bruce's Legacy