Coming Down After the Up Part

Prerequsites:
Getting big air

Normally, your takeoff will determine whether you land any given trick or not.  However, the bigger your air, the more time there is between your takeoff and landing, and the more subject you are to changing conditions and unpredictable results.  Therefore, landing big air is often about decisions you make while you are in the air.

Landing Softly

Landing softly is all about having the kite pulling you hard enough away from the water, on the moment of impact.  With big kites, unless you are on the snow in the mountains, you generally won't get big air.  To land with a big kite, just park it at 12 o'clock, and bring it back forward on the landing.  With 10m kites and smaller, it can be more difficult.  

Falling Quickly, Still High in the Air 

If you are falling fast and still high in the air, there are many things you can do with the kite to slow that fall and reduce impact, as long as the kite isn't at 12 o'clock.  If the kite is at 12 o'clock, it will provide some loft, but not as much loft as a kite moving quickly from 1 o'clock to 11 o'clock.  A kite moving from 10 o'clock to 2 O'clock would, for most intents and purposes, provide the most upward pull.  Try to time the landing so you have as much of this upward pull at the moment of impact.

Falling Slowly From High in the Air

If you are falling slowly and still high in the air

Rotations