Subject: Flight School II Review

    Just got finished watching Dodd Gross's new video. Pretty good effort,
and filled with lots of useful info.
   Points of Reference: I know Dodd. Flown his kites, rode in his buggy,
petted his dog, sat on his couch, and drank his beer. All at once!! The
reason for posting this is to let people know that there is some  useful
kite info out there.
    As a new flier, many years ago, I stood disconcerted on my kite field
with my Hawaiian Team Kite(fiberglas spars),150 ft of 300# spectra line,
padded wrists straps(now discarded), in 5 mph, and couldn't figure out why
the damn thing wouldn't fly like it did at the beach! At that time I would
have given more than the price of the video to get tips, pointers, and
advice on how to do it better and easier. My wife, Sherrie, would have
given more to not to have to listen to me rant and rave about  the money
wasted on this piece of #***@!?><**&^. Unless you live in a area where
there is alot of other fliers, you play in pretty much of a vacuum when it
comes to this thing. Interpreting what an axel is without seeing one is
pretty useless. So if there is a tool that one can use to be better, use
it.
Yadda yadda yadda Blah Blah Blah

Review :  Dodd presents you with a 6-step training program to teach the
intermediate/advanced flier several new tricks, and procedures to do other
maneuvers. The new video uses several split screen setups to allow the
viewer to see his hands as well as the kite's movement during the trick.
Excellent. The 6-step program takes you through the rudiments of learning
to make the kite do things when you want it to. This will have spill over
effects into other  areas of your flying. Speed control, wind window, hand
spacing, and timing are also talked about. Two types of kites are used in
the video (Aerial and Legend IQ), and can be seen fairly well  against the
the sky. More use of graphics during the video telling the viewer where he
is in the 6 step would be helpful. Kite action of the perscribed steps is
good.
Sometimes the explanations of what the kite is doing during a maneuver is
confusing. Just back the tape up, close one eye, click your heels three
times,  and try it again.
   In this video , you get the Dodd we all know and love. You also get
advice and instruction from a master class  flier . Check it out, as well
as his first video if you are just  starting out. 
 
I'm good enough to do the axel. I'm strong enough to do it. I'm confident
enough....................snap-crackle goes the 2 wrap.

dquad@aol.com (DQuad)