ramon

Go to work at 4:00 and leave at noon...see? Another masive problem solved. Tomorrow I will calculate the perimeter of a scicilian(sp?) pizza, then maybe I can help Ted with his video game problem. Wile E Coyote SuperGenius

I have to work also. I just need to cash in Matrin Luther King day and presidents day (missed I worked overseas). Plus its Wednesday for God's sake, and it will be sunny and 70 degrees. ramon

We're skipping work to go jump. should be nice weather. If we have 10 people we can keep the otte flying all day. ramon

My buddy Wane (was standing next to him as he frapped). said it was a sabre 120.

I am very sorry that he did not pull through. The past few things I remember discussing with him were about downsizing and I remember trying to convince him not too right now (Dec time frame). Not that this has any relevence to the fact that he is gone...its just that the subject matter makes me sad. Me and my budding swooper friends all had accidents around the 200-300 jump level learning to swoop. worst had broken ribs, best got really dirty and the shit scared out of him. We all thought we were asking 100s of questions and doing research and having lots of conversations about techniques and safety. We all downsized a little too fast also. I guess the moral is.... unless you are the consumate student of the sport, read everything you can about canopy flight, and have the corouge to "NOT" swoop if things re not perfect...then.. It is not a matter of "IF" you will biff, but when and how bad. Bloo skies Shane may you be at peace.

My friend Jessie got his FX104 relined, trimmed and stabiliribbed by Precision. It was quite a bit more expensive than a regular re-line. That particulare FX was one of the ones that opened very predictably soft and so it is hard to tell if the openings had definitely improved. Claims are that the riser pressure was lessened also. For me it is a little too expensive. ramon

The citizens in our country don't seem to be making any of the decisions. ramon

on the other side of the world.

Maybe it is just a shitty drive in Levin's car with no AC and the windows open. .

It is a pretty shity drive if you go straight through.

Sore subject with me (DZ politics) but I have paid world class jumpers to coach (Swanson, Fiala) and I do not regret the material I learned, slots + 25-35. steep price is worth the following. 1. Famous the customer has preconceived notions of your skill and will feel the training might be worth the price. 2. Length of dirtdive/debrief and attention to the student. 3. video 4. Having an Air dolphin (freefly millenium award) or some other pedigree (competition/ big way record experience) that assures the customer that you have skills to teach. Anything less than the above could possibly be obtained from making friends with budding freeflyers at your DZ for the cost of slots, down to just beer, or maybe nothing. (assuming there is a group of freefliers at your DZ). The best coaching I ever had was when I had 80 jumps and an experienced freeflyer was too busy to teach me head down (I had $300) and for free, showed me how to do all the sit transitions, and told me to do as many solos as I could practicing those. In retrospect I was mad because I did not jump with him, but later when my transistions were better than all my friends I appreciate the short simple advice. I have managed to avoid ever paying someone to coach me who did not have the items in 1-4. (total of 11 coach jumps in my short 600 jump career). Everything else I learned from my friends

They're called Gutras. the scarves that the Arab Nationals wear. The other nationalities (pakistani, Iranian etc whear turbans or scarves haphazardly wrapped around their heads. The proper desert Arabs dressed in white wear the long droppy "gutra" on top of their head with a little headband. they take it very seriously over here and dress in their finery to show that they are arabs and not measly foreigners like the pakistanis and indians. (sort of like the prep school boys next to the public school kids) really silly. but you have to admit, in 110F temperature a long loose white shirt, sandals (they wear crock and ostrich fasion sandals) and a"rag" over your head would be the best way to keep cool. ramon

Hey Levin!! ramon

Levin's jumping? email me about it and tell me how you're doing too..I'm still in the United arab Emirates. ramon

PAH!!!! Vector III or Mirage.

I'm going there as soon as I can get a break

thanks hmmm. Not a single Arab in the photo all Europeans. Do I want to bum some Euro gear just to make a jump over the desert....hmmmm.

The United Arab Emirates is not listed as having any DZs. Anyone know if there is on, I will be here till beginning of March (yuk) bloo skies ramon

I think it likes those snap hooks for building speed. it never seemed to build very much while carving unless really aggressive almost hooking.

mine has end cell closures all the time (135 at 1.7). Doesn't bothe me one bit, opens soft and tends tofind a direction while in the snivel just like hookit said. I've never had lines twists on mine (~150 jumps).

first jump Moss Pt. Miss permanent address is Houston Texas jumping at Skydive Spaceland and skydive Houston currently live in United Arab Emirates until further notice ramon

Chemical Engineer. They always need american and european expertise to build/start/tune chemical plants here. ramon

I'm in the middle east right now and I'm glad to have the work. bloo skies sandy ass dirt ramon

start double fronts then gradual carving riser turns. don't try to be too aggressive, take your time and learn the canopy. "It is not a matter of if you biff, but when", Eric Boyd. ramon P.S. Regarding me Trey and Wane, we each biffed, each worse according to how aggressive we were. Wane was least (in the beginning) and got dirty and a big scare, I was most aggressive with wing loading and got my face busted up nad a big scare. Trey was most aggressive with least amount of jumps and broke three ribs. learn to slide on your ass and I would go talk to derrick at SDH alot. even when he is being condescending it is good info. Abu Dhabi is nice Ruwais (where I am now) sucks

be careful... Did you get a new job? abu dhabi dude