britboynz

Would anyone out there who's got a Jav Odyssey (or knows of where theres some pics of one) post a piccy of ur rig? No, this isn't a sinister request & I'm not gonna nick it! Just want to get an idea of what different colours look like....I'm contemplating getting an odyssey (yep i know about the wait and think it will be worth it) but don't want to spend several $k on a custom rig for it to look horrible. I've seen the colour swatches sunpath send out, but a 1" square fabric sample doesn't really give any indication of what the finished product will be like... The guys at my local DZ have said: as it's your first rig, stick to dark colours like black/navy blue. a light coloured rig (eg white/yellow) will be filthy in no time. Since i've only got 50 odd jumps under my belt this is probably a good idea And, dont go overboard with exta colours - stick to a base colour & 1 maybe 2 other colours. I've spent a fair few hrs playin around with the online colour selector on SP's website, & with my instructors comments in mind, im thinking of: a Navy blue rig with gold stripes on the B, D & no. 4 panels with a white pinstripe. Gold or white Odyssey logo on the side. Whaddya think? Anyone got any other suggestions? I'm a bit hopeless with colours. I think I need queer eye for the colour blind skydiver LOL. Cheers Russ

The answer's ACD. Accept, Change, or Dump (the issue) Can ya Accept it? if so great...if not, can ya Change it/the situation?...if ya can, great. If not, Dump the issue. Let it go. Get over it. Hard, i know...but Lifes too short mate. Works for a lot of things in life

Nice and balmy 21degC here in Auckland today. Haven't seen snow since I left the UK 3yrs ago of course this does mean we have plenty of blue skies...and ya know what that means

Not in Syd, but 3hrs over the ditch in Auckland, NZ. Sydney & oz dropzones definitely on the 'to-do list' as I have a mate who lives in Surry Hills & try and get over there a couple of times a year for a weekend of partying heheh which clubs do you dj at? russ

Sadly NOT true. We just implemented a so called 'free' Linux mail server with Nutscrape (oops, sorry that fantastic, 'free' software Netscape mail) for a international logistics firm's head office here in NZ. Their centralised IT dept insisted they have Linux/nutscrape, even though our recommendation was for MS Exchange & Outlook (they were already using Outlook 2002 & were very happy with it). By the time we had built the server, migrated mail from Outlook to Nutscrape, resolved problems etc the total cost of the project was significantly MORE than it would have been if we had simply put Exchange in. Plus there are 'hidden' costs waiting for them as well: they only have limited on-site IT support, so they will either have to spend yet More money on Linux courses training the guy who looks after it, or pay a supplier (us) to manage it for them. Would have been relatively easy for him to look after Exchange as he already knows how to create/delete Windows user accounts and so on. Their staff hate Nutscrape - after using Outlook for so long they consider it a downgrade as nutscrape has no calendar/scheduling functions. Plus there is the unquantifiable cost of wasted time/lost productivity as staff learn how to use the new system. There is NO such thing as 'free' software as this client found out to their considerable expense. Russ

Fill out the service request form (like we ask all our users to!) & wait for tech support to contact you. Glad ur problem is sorted

I too wear contacts, have been looking for aages for a pair of good goggles/sun glasses that were tight fitting enough so i can wear my contacts (lost a lens a few weeks ago wearing those cheap & nasty clear plastic flimsy things most DZs have) Yoinks advice about taking a spare pair is a good idea!! Recently bought a pair of Adidas climacool goggles/sunglasses & they are the dogs bollocks! Can wear em either with the head strap (supplied with them) or use them as a normal pair of sunglasses. Very wide field of vision, & they come with a clip on ventilated foam attachment which lets air in & stops them from fogging up. Lenses are interchangeable & you can get clear lenses (so ideal for dusk/night jumps). They're a bit pricey but I highly recommend em

Presumably getting ready for his fireman strip routine?

Latest news just in - Gay Drop zone opens in Chicago area. In an attempt to introduce the sport of skydiving to Chicago's gay population, Skydive Chicago paints its hangars pink. The DZ's twin otter aircraft is to undergo a similar paint job and will be renamed 'Priscilla'. The dropzone bar has also undergone a major revamp with several mirror balls installed & its redneck music collection thrown out and replaced with Abba, Kylie Minogue & sister sledge cds, among others. Regular skydivers have had mixed reactions to the changes, however all of its male jumpers were said to be 'thrilled' at the prospect of teaching lesbians how to skydive. .......................................................... Bwaaaahahahah! Apologies to the other thread...thought this *too* good an opportunity to poke fun & for it to be lost in 9 pages of posts heheh Russ

LOL....ur cat rocks

Having to wait 20+ friggin weeks for Sunpath Products to make my Odyssey I know, I know....it will be worth it.

Either way, sounds like urs rolled over the smashed to bits remains of ours, and fell over heheheh think of it as punishment for invading the latest member country of the EU (iraq) LOL

You're not the only ones who had a mars lander go TUGO (tits up game over) the British/european one didn't even make it to the surface. speculated reason was its parachute didnt open Remind me never to buy a british/european parachute lol Would u mind if I had a few of them jump tickets...and can I trade a few of mine in for a new custom Odyssey & a nice Sabre2? russ

Do what I did and move to NZ. NZPF membership is NZ$75 per year, or a whopping £26.79 better weather too (& oz is only a 2.5hr hop across the ditch in winter). Jump tickets $25 or about 9quid . Seriously though, it sounds like the BPA are wasting ££ left right & centre. someone should be asking serious questions at the AGM. OK 100quid might not be much for those working in London on £50k a year but for the vast majority of people who jump, pay a mortgage, pay f#*%ing extortionate petrol/roadtax & all the other costs of living it's a lot. and 3K for broadband?!?! now that IS taking the piss. are they getting BT to run fully redundant fibre into the building or something??! russ

Im from NZ and george bush can kiss our kiwi arse Mind you, have u seen our PM Helen Clark...im convinced shes a lesbian (apologies to the lesbians out there) heheh

hehehehe Just send 2/3rds of ur paycheck each month to the DZ/assorted skydivin gear companies/liquor stores. That should just about cover it welcome to the sport

heheh yep, he was! Great guy, really knows his stuff & yep the tall dutch girl is still around every now and then, although I forget her name want me to say hi? Did u do your AFF at Taupo then? Getting pretty busy here now...they only did a meagre 115 tandems the other day. How did u get on with ur AFF Darcy?

I got it (finally!) after a few weekends of bad weather (perfect weather Mon - Fri, of course ) I finally finished my consol jumps, got cleared to pack & was signed off for my A licence on 27 Dec. Whoohoo! Nicest xmas present I've had in ages now comes the expensive bit...getting a rig does the cost of this sport ever come down? Russ

Thats interesting....where I'm learning in NZ (TTS, Taupo) the student rigs all have a throw out pilot chute and 2 handles. I called in at another DZ closer to home (Much! closer...only 30 mins as opposed to 3hrs drive) their rigs have a ripcord & single cutaway (is this what is referred to as an S.O.S?) handle. Presumably this is down to individual DZ preferrence? I was a bit suprised by this, thinking that there would be some requirement that AFF be taught on consistent equipment. In the end I decided it wasn't worth the hassle/confusion moving to a closer DZ half way through the AFF to use unfamiliar equipment then finding myself hunting around for a non existant handle in the event of a mal! Russ

DZ where I'm learning is 277kms (172 miles) from home. takes me about 3hrs to get down there. crazily enough there are 2 DZs in Auckland where I live, both run AFF courses & are 30 mins away. Yet I still drive down to Taupo every weekend.

Hey guys, just thought I'd say hi....doing the AFF (done 8 jumps so far, 2 tandems 6 AFF jumps) at Taupo, New Zealand and lovin it

I usually let it out quietly, then with an alarmed look shout "I can smell burning!!!" everyone then starts having a good sniff, makes sure they all get a dose russ (I should hasten to add I've yet to try this in the plane...can just imagine the pilots reaction lol)

1:05am NZ time here...just polished off a bottle of red watchin Cutaway (cheers to whoever it was that made the suggestion to get it out on vid the other day!) off to bed now.....first solo jump tmw!!!!!!!!!! Cant wait! Yeeeeehhhaaaaaa! russ

usually 12k at Taupo, NZ, although they will go upto 15k....did a 15k tandem before I started the AFF....think it must have been that that got me hooked lol russ

Maybe this will help ya decide? blue skies all, russ ARE YOU GAY? 1. If you are over 30 and you have a washboard stomach, you're gay. It means you haven't sucked back enough beer with the boys and rather you've been sucking-off the boys and have spent the rest of your free time doing sit-ups, aerobics, and doing the Oprah diet 2. If you have a cat, you are a Flaaaayming Fag. A cat is like a dog, but Gay: it grooms itself constantly but never scratches itself, has a delicate touch except when it uses its nails, and whines to be fed. And just think about how you call a dog..."Killer, come here! I said Get your ass over here!" Now think about how you call a cat..."Bun-bun, come to daddy, snookums!" Geeeezz, you're the poster boy for GAY. 3. If you suck on lollipops, Ring-Pops, baby-dummies, or any such nonsense, rest assured, you are a Gaylord. A straight man only sucks bar-b-q ribs, crab-claws, raw oysters, craw-fish guts, pickled pigs feet, or titties. Anything else and you are in training to suck El-Dicko and undeniably a Fag. 4. If you refuse to have a sh_it in a public toilet or piss in a parking lot, you're in a deep homosexual relationship. A man's world is his toilet; he defecates and urinates where he pleases. 5. If you drink decaf coffee with skim milk, you like a high hard one in the poop-chute. Coffee is to be had strong, black (or with thick, wholesome milk) and full-aroma. A pussy-eating man will never be heard ordering a "Decaf Cafe Latte with Skim" and he will never, ever know what artificial sweetener tastes like. If you've had NutraSweet in your mouth, you've had a dick in there too. 6. If you know more than six names of colours or four different types of dessert, you might as well be handing out a free pass to your a_rse. A real man doesn't have memory space in his brain to remember all of That crap as well as all the names of all the players in the AFL, Super 12 Rugby, NRL, Cricket, PGA, NBL, and Supercar series. If you can pick Out chartreuse or you know what a "fresier" is, you're gay. And if you Can name ANY type of textile other than denim, you are faggadocious! 7. If you drive with both hands on the wheel, forget it...you're hungry for man sausage. A man only puts both hands on the wheel to honk at slow-a_rse Volvo drivers or to cut the motherf_ucker off. The rest of the time he needs that hand to change the radio station, eat his hamburger, hold his beer, finger the beotch in the passenger seat(whoever she happens to be), or, if he's a wog, talking on his mobile phone.