This month I’m sitting down with kite maker, kite artist, purveyor of kite parts and 2025 Steve Edeiken Kiteflier of the Year Award recipient Phil Broder. We’re digging into Phil’s history; how he got into kites, how his building style evolved, and how his business, Fly Market, grew out of a professional setback and more. Phil shares the story behind his most recognizable designs, the practical realities of running a kite parts business, and why he keeps pushing himself to try unusual ideas instead of repeating the same formulas. Phil’s path from sport kites to single line work, the influence of workshops and other builders, and the tradeoffs between artistic ambition, available materials, and the realities of time and budget are all on the table plus a quick sneak peek at his entry for the 2026 American Kitefliers Association Kite Maker Challenge. So, pull up a chair and join us.

00:00 - Introductions

01:36 - Discovering sport kites

03:55 – Event organizing

04:48 - Learning to build

07:47 - “Dare to be stupid”

10:50 - Learning from masters

13:57 - Why Fly Market started

15:47 - Finding useful parts

18:02 - Why some colors disappear

18:39 - Drones, LARPing, theater, and other unexpected customers

20:15 - A sneaky rainbow idea

24:06 - The Soul Trian

31:34 - The challenge of visible graphics

33:46 - Pictorial applique and negative space

39:32 - 3D printing, innovation, and the risks of knockoff parts

47:33 - A Princess Bride payoff

49:18 - The Jose Sainz kite bag story

51:41 - Trading shirts

This month we are catching up with kite artist Kevin Bayless. Kevin and I dive into his history in kites from his start with his first sport kite to his now infamous pawn shop Singer sewing machine and on to his signature style. Like many kite artists, Kevin generated a lot of scrap but unlike a lot of artists, where most would see waste Kevin saw opportunity and an iconic motif was born. Kevin has been around the kiting world for a number of years now and has created an iconic visual that is instantly recognizable so pull up a seat as we peak under the hood at just how Kevin arrived at this point in his kiting career.

0:00 Introductions
3:48 Reverse-engineering and self-taught sewing
10:16 From waste to art
18:18 Collaboration and the first parafoils
23:02 Focusing on single line
28:20 Rokkakus - Reshaping visuals in flight
31:51 Sewing machine evolution
38:01 Experimenting with unusual fittings
45:27 Advice on building a recognizable style
49:56 Advice for new builders and artists
57:10 Safety, public education, and the appeal of big kites for new flyers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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