Hal Krohn pulls on two strings and his stunt kite dances in the air, like a marionette.
Then it soars when it hits a pocket of strong wind and tears through the air making sounds not totally unlike a fighter jet.
Finally it spins and whirls in tight circles, like a pinwheel.
"I'm really enjoying my second childhood," Krohn, 53, joked.
March — the month recognized for wind and kite flying — is a great time to take up the childlike hobby, but, really, any day in Tucson will work, Krohn said.
"Almost any day of the year here is a kite-flying day."
The kite-flying scene can be divided into two distinct categories: single-string kites and dual-string stunt kites. Most beginners start with a single-string kite and then graduate to a dual-string kite, Krohn said.
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At Yikes Toy Store, 2930 E. Broadway, single-string and dual-string stunt kites range in price from $6 for a small 8-inch kite up to $40 for a pirate-shaped kite.
Yikes store manager Nadia Walsh said the parafoil dual-string kite is a great seller because it doesn't have any rods in it and therefore requires no assembly. It flies well because it's lightweight and it's really handy because you can just shove it back in the bag when you're done.
Flying a dual-string kite is very different than flying the traditional single-string kites we're accustomed to seeing, Krohn said.
"This one you have control. It's like flying a plane," he said one chilly, gusty afternoon at Udall Park.
He grew up flying kites and as a child attached four balls of string to his kite to see how far away it could go — several blocks.
After giving up flying for a long time, he picked up the hobby again two years ago at the suggestion of his friend Patrick Quinn, 51,who owns 23 kites.
They fly stunt kites a few times a week at Udall Park and attract stares from men, women, children and even dogs, who sometimes chase the kites as if they were big birds.
Of course, kite-flying is all fun and games until someone gets hurt.
And it happens.
In late February, 11 people were killed and more than 100 were injured in a kite-flying festival in Pakistan because competitors used wire-coated strings to damage rival kites.
Krohn warns: Never try to control a kite by holding the actual string. If a gust of wind hits the kite, the string can cut your hands.
Also, never fly a kite near power lines or large groups of people. A fast-flying kite can take a nosedive and hurt someone.
If you want to buy a kite and learn some skills, start small and buy an affordable kite, Quinn and Krohn advise.
Their stunt kites average about $200 per kite, but can be easily damaged or ruined in unfamiliar hands.
They know $200 is a lot for a kite, but after you learn the tricks, you'll be hooked.
"You don't get it until you try it," Quinn said. "Seventy-five dollars is not a lot when the fun factor kicks in."
A few places to shop
Online:
In town:
• Yikes Toy Store, 2930 E. Broadway
• Kid's Center, 1725 N. Swan Road
• Toys 'R' Us, 5355 E. Broadway; 4525 N. Oracle Road; www.toysrus.com