Tony and Ann Killip

Tony and Ann Killip

Watago, IL

Tony Killip....... I’ve been flying kites since about the 5th grade, so early 60’s time frame. An elderly gentleman that lived down the street flew kites in an empty lot across from his house. I joined him and together we would fly for several years before I moved away, so I will give him the credit for really giving me my start and keeping me going with the kite flying. There is another nice back story to our relationship that I call “The Fellowship of The Kites” but that is a story for another time. 

In 1998 or 1999 I heard on the radio that there was going to be a kite festival in Burlington Iowa, so that Saturday we loaded up the car and went kite flying. Up to that time I thought I was the only one on the planet that flew kites but there I met Dave Gomberg, Al Sparling, Mike Gee and many other kite flyers and my journey toward where I am today began. 

I started buying more kites and bigger kites, started building kites with plans from library books and from the internet. I liked floform kites but not how they flew here in the Midwest winds. I started designing my own kites with a lot of failures. I spent maybe 4 years of work before I got a reliable flying kite. And the ‘Killip foil 90’ was born. Over the years I have built and sold hundreds of kites of all sizes and styles. Premier kites picked up my Killip Foil design and produce’s it in several different sizes, they also sell the tunnel delta 16 that is my design. I’ve also repaired kites for people from simple re-bridles or rips and tears, adding pilot kite bridling and bringing back to life a premier fish shredded by a parade of horses.  I got some skills.

Tony Killip does indeed "got some skills!"  If you are not from the Midwest please google "Killip Foil" and you will see the BEST flying foil in the Midwest!