The kittoon would be a large ultra-light kite with an inflatable pocket at its centre. Before launching, this pocket would be part inflated with helium to make the kittoon weigh almost nothing at ground level. This would make it a doddle to launch.

The low winds would be easily caught by the large surfaces of the kittoon and a high degree of control would be made possible by the multiple control strings. With skill this should be a graceful and manoeuvrable, if slow, craft. One of the basic skills would be the amount of helium to add, a quantity that would change dependent on the wind. Too little and it won't fly, too much and all you have is a balloon on a string.

Not to be used in high winds.
-- st3f, Sep 10 2003

(?) Thought of while reading this... http://www.halfbake...nic_20Kite_20Travel
[st3f, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

What I thought of... http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Shittoon
[grip, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

Baked (Helikite) http://www.biconet....birds/helikite.html
Saw it a few years ago... baked helium kite. [pashute, Mar 21 2006]

You could have tiny bags of sand, released at the pull of a string.
-- FarmerJohn, Sep 10 2003


<adds "doddle" to vocabulary>
-- bristolz, Sep 10 2003


+ You should be able to release helium once the kite is aloft since the wind tends to be stronger at higher altitude. This would allow you to launch in balloon mode then let out some or all of the helium to switch over to kite mode.
-- AO, Sep 10 2003


Thank goodness this is different than I thought. I couldn't see using a kitten as a spittoon.
-- nth, Mar 21 2006


[Nth] That's exactly what I though, except it was more like spitting kittens at a bowl (??? How would that work?)
-- DesertFox, Mar 21 2006


That helikite looks ridiculous. It is a good idea though, so [+].
-- wagster, Mar 21 2006



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