rainman

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Posts posted by rainman

  1. Great story Bill,
    Thanks for sharing!
    With all the S&T articles I've read from you, it's too bad you only have a handful posts here on DZ.com! :)Name that song (it's a giveaway....):
    "Throw me to the wolves because there's order in the pack,
    throw me to the sky because I know I'm coming back"
    :)Ramon :)

  2. Hey, no problems about the potty-thread ;). Granted, it's an unusual subject, but at least it didn't degenerate into a flame-war!
    One of the funniest aviation-related things I overheard was when we were going on a balloon-ride, and I heard this woman ask her husband if all those balloons were coming back to land at the same place, b/c it was going to be really crowded........
    I also overheard this guy asking the 'balloon-pilot' if they could fly over his house, he was even prepared to pay extra for this.
    I guess that you get to deal with whuffo-variants in every branch of aviation! :):)Ramon :)

  6. OK, here's a list of what you have to do to get your Dutch A-license, minus all the stuff you've done during AFF:
    - Consolidation jumps (one from 7k, one from 5k (both opening at about 3.5k), and a hop'n'pop from 5k and from 3.5k)
    - Written test
    - At least 25 freefall jumps
    - At least 15 minutes of freefall times
    - 10 predeclared landings within 15 meters from the target
    - packing test
    - spotting
    - 5 RW coach jumps
    - 10 seconds of stable delta position
    - floaters exit
    - unstable exit, being unstable for at least 5 seconds
    I hope I haven't forgotten anything, but remember: YMMV ;)
    :)Ramon :)

  7. Hey, I live in the Netherlands, smoking pot is actually legal here. I've never done it though, and don't really intend to try. I think legalizing it is a good way to put a stop to drugs-related crimes.
    By the way, I recently read a very scientific paper that claimed that smoking pot releases thirty times more carcinogenic (sp? as in causing cancer...) substances than smoking a 'normal' cigarette. That in itself made me go off pot, prolly forever!
    :)Ramon :)

  8. [disclaimer][understatement]I'm not exactly the biggest MS expert or MS supporter, but here's my $.02[/understatement][/disclaimer]
    From several friends I understood there's lots of very MS specific detail questions, as in stupid fact knowledge iso. understanding. So IMHO buying the MS books seems like a good idea, I've heard that even an experienced sys-admin wouldn't get through the tests without cramming the small stuff into his/her head.
    In your case, with the switch to WIN2k coming up, doing the MCSE sounds like a solid plan, but definitely keep the Cisco stuff on your wish-list.
    :)Ramon :)

  9. Quote

    My favorite thing to do is find someone who is totally plastered then have them crush an empty can.

    Just a friendly word of warning: do not try to crush even an empty can in Europe, for some reasons the cans are quite a bit 'sturdier'! :):)Ramon :)

  10. Hiya dinki,
    I live in Holland myself (about 100 km from Teuge), but unfortunately I didn't do my AFF there, I just started my solo's when I first went to Teuge earlier this year. I've really fallen in love with the place! The people are all very nice, and most of the times I was there there are foreign jumpers/students present as well, and I think most of the staff speaks English. The staff is wonderful, they're all experienced and relaxed people. The landing area is very large (you will have to work hard to miss it!), surrounded by grass (and cows, and cow shit...I've heard ;)). Teuge has the biggest jump-plane in Holland (a Cessna Grand Caravan that takes 18 or 20 para's). Once I jumped there, I didn't want to go anywhere else. I got my A-license at Teuge just this Wednesday!
    I just realised that the website won't be much use to you because it's in Dutch only, so you could just call them. The telephone number is +31 55 323 1604. You'll get an automated menu system, just wait a couple of seconds and you'll get to speak to someone.
    Hope to see you there some time!
    :)Ramon :)

  12. Quote

    It's better to be on the ground wishing you were in the sky than in the air wishing you were on the ground.

    That's a real nugget of wisdom, I'll make sure to keep that one in mind!!!
    :)Ramon :)

  14. Quote

    This must be common, either that or an urban legend

    I think it's actually more common than it should be. I heard about the exact same thing happening at a French DZ, this girl was crying when she landed because the reserve had the same malfunction. But *IF* you've convinced yourself that it is a malfunction, imagine your horror when you discover that the reserve has the same problem....:(
    :)Ramon :)

  15. Congrats on your 100th! My turn will probably come sometime next year!
    As was said before: if your 100th has to be crashed, who better to do it than you?!
    :)Rainman :)

  16. With my impressive total number of jumps nearing 40 ;), I've jumped from a Porter, Twin Otter, Skyvan, and a Cessna Grand Caravan (C208?).
    The Cessna is a great plane, flying at a great DZ, but I think the skyvan is my favorite, owing to the tailgate. Too bad that the DZ it flew at has been closed down due to too many complaints about the noise (I can't think why.....it's in the middle of a very large military practice range, I've never heard any complaints about the tanks doing target practice with live ammo, which I'm sure is a lot louder....) :(
    I would really love to jump from a hot-air balloon or a heli!!
    Ramon

  17. Jeezzz, my list of hobbies suddenly strikes me as boring :( ;)
    It seems like everyone is rock-climbing, racing, mountainbiking or doing other high-adrenaline things when they're not skydiving....
    Badminton anyone?!?!?!?! I just love that game, for the action and for making me really tired in a really short time.
    When there's a lot of wind I like to wrestle the kite that I built. At just over 4 sq. ft, I'm loading it at about 1:47 (!). It doesn't actually lift me off the ground (it develops by far the most power when it's just above the ground and exactly downwind from me), but dragging is definitely an option!!!
    Ramon :)

  19. Damn, that's like a business class jump plane......quite the contrast to cramming twentyish people in a C208 grand caravan....
    Do they sell drinks and tax-free stuff on the way up, or is it so fast there is no time for that? :)Ramon

  22. Sounds like a great offer to me!! I just wish someone made me an offer like that! You could work as a T/M or camera flyer or something like that........
    Note to self: gotta get this drooling under control, or buy a bib (is that actually an english word??)
    Good luck on making your mind up!
    Ramon