Editorial/Letters to the Editor

FROM THE EDITOR: KAPiCA/02 August 11, 2002 Kite Aerial Photography in California 2002 is just around the corner (November 1-6) and this promises to be the biggest KAP event to date. Besides the many US KAPers, there will be KAPers form Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Scotland. Peter Bults of the Netherlands setup the agenda for the six days. There will be workshops, discussions and presentations covering every aspect of KAP with something for KAPers at all levels of experience. Simon Harbord, KAP's "Renaissance Man", will get things started Friday evening with what should no doubt be an entertaining keynote speech. The next five days will expose attendees to KAP history, the Best KAP Kites, panoramas, "What makes a good KAP picture?", beginners workshops, High Tech Systems, several presentations from KAPers who have used KAP as a scientific tool, digital imaging, crime scene KAP. There will also be plenty of opportunities to swap stories, ideas and techniques, and of course opportunities to put some cameras into the air.

The list of registered KAPers is impressive and varied. It will be a great opportunity for many to finally meet KAPers that they have only conversed with through Cris Benton's discussion page or some casual exchange of email. Keeping with the tradition started by Wolfgang Bieck, several KAPers will be recognized for outstanding efforts in selected areas of the KAP experience. Although my personal situation is such that I am not sure of my attendance, I can assure KAPER readers that there will be comprehensive coverage of the events on the KAPER page. I volunteered to write a journal of the meeting for the Drachen Foundation which graciously donated funds to help with the meeting. This event has been two years in the planning with Brooks Leffler doing the yeoman's work. We all owe Brooks our gratitude for his tireless efforts. I'm sure that KAPiCA/02 will have a significant impact on all in the KAP community whether they are able to attend or not. Brooks volunteered a few KAPers, Cris Benton, Peter Bults, Doug Davlin, Craig Wilson, and myself to provide ideas and perspective. As mentioned earlier Peter also organized the agenda. If you can't be there, keep an eye out for coverage of KAPiCA/02 sometime late this fall on the KAPER web site. (The previous letters "From The Editor" can be found by clicking on Past Articles in the Table of Contents.)