Largest kite flown finally takes to the sky after team finds perfect weather conditions

A group of kite enthusiasts were flying high when their record-breaking creation finally took to the skies.

“The Hope” became the largest kite flown when Abdulrahman Al-Farsi and his Al-Farsi Kite Display Team finally found the perfect weather conditions.

The flying contraption has a total area of 1,210 m² (13,024 sq ft) when laid flat – almost the size of five tennis courts.

And when it’s in flight, it has an approximate area of 1,128 m² (12,142 sq ft).

The kite, which was first flown publicly at the International Kite Festival in Berck-sur-Mer, Pas de Calais, France, on 17 April 2018, features the words “we love our planet” written in nine different languages.

The sail bears the world map and a number of motifs focussed on global issues, such as water preservation, climate change and food security, are printed on the kite.

Abdulrahman, head of the Al-Farsi Kite Team, said: “We are calling on people to preserve the environment in whatever way they can.”

The Hope was designed and manufactured by Peter Lynn Kites (New Zealand) after a commission from the team.

It was made out of 1,800 linear metres of fabric and almost 2.2 km (1.37 mi) of cord.

The Al-Farsi Kite Team is a non-profit organization who’ve been working together for over 25 years.

The group aims to spread joy, inspire communities, and encourage people of all ages to dream big through their regular get togethers.

Some attendees go kite surfing, while others simply enjoy flying their colourful kites of all shapes and sizes.

The smiles on the faces of people in the crowd say it all – they love it.

Read about more people breaking records with their passion in our Hobbies and Skills section.

Of course, flying a kite as big as this record-breaking creation is no easy feat and requires a lot of strength and teamwork.

Talking as the team prepared to let the kite take flight for their record attempt, Adbulrahman explained how the conditions have to be just right.

He said: “We stopped because the wind and the direction were unstable.

“It’s been maybe 20 years since we first flew here, and this is the first time the wind has come from this direction.”

The team was forced to wait until the following day, when thankfully the conditions were much better.

It took a large group of them to spread the kite out on the ground and prepare it for take-off.

Lining up along the top of the kite, they worked together to get the air flowing through.

And as it finally flew up into the sky, everyone was so delighted that applause and cheers broke out.

“I’m really pleased,” another member of the group said. “Not only has it been a long and stable flight, but it flew with no pilot kite, no sidelines, just flying purely as a kite.”

A tractor was also involved in holding the kite, because let’s face it, it’s so big that it would be impossible for anyone to hold it in place on their own.

The previous recognized largest kite flown was also made by Peter Lynn Kites in collaboration with the Al-Farsi Kite Display Team: a giant recreation of the Kuwaiti flag. It had a laid-flat area of 1,019 m² (10,968.4 sq ft) and an inflated lifting area of 950 m² (10,225.7 sq ft). It was first flown at the Kuwait Hala Festival in Flag Square, Kuwait City, Kuwait, on 15 February 2005.