The position typically requires flying out every Sunday night or Monday morning, checking into a hotel near the client site for the week and then flying home on Thursday or Friday.

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Although vehicles approaching the space station, such as the shuttle, will frequently hold their position just metres away from the platform, this formation flying is very short-lived.

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The problem is that these switches wear out, they get crushed by flying "air balls", or they are knocked and bent out of position.

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Law suits and angry letters are flying left and right, as big money is at stake and the big players are jockeying for position.

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