Australian Adventure

[Mike Kimball]

At the risk of boring the rest of the list browsers, I worked at the Joint Defense Facility, Nurrungar, near Woomera, South Australia. This was a facility manned jointly by Australian and American Air Force personnel in support of the Defense Support Program (DSP). I was not in the military. I was a contractor working for Lockheed Martin with responsibility for maintaining the state of health of the satellite. The best part was the 8000 foot runway and 20000+ square foot hangar that they let me use while I was there - no charge! I only had to give up MY runway about once a year when the RAAF came up for exercises. This can be a problem once in a while. I once took off at an intersection, came around to land on the threshold, just to find an aircraft arresting cable draped across the runway in front of me. Came to a stop just in time before hitting the cable. Teach me to check NOTAMs won't it. Another good thing was my good friend who was the Australian commander at the site, who owned a BD-4. Good to have another general aviation aviator in a position of authority there. That Renegade sure made it easy to choose the SR!

Mike Kimball
SR#044

-----Original Message-----
From: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com [mailto:murphy-rebel@dcsol.com]On Behalf Of Ian Donaldson
Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2002 3:29 AM
To: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com
Subject: Re: First Flight


G'day Mike

Just what were you doing in South Australia?

The term "septic" is not widely used and I think it is slightly derogatory, but always used in good spirits.

The Barossa Valley, in my opinion, is the home of Australian wines. It is hugely popular and rivals the Napa valley in California Our beer is quite good and Fosters is available in the USA (etc). It's a proper beer, not watered down like some in the States!

Isn't it nice to be able to boast that you have flown your Elite upside down down under!.


Regards

Ian Donaldson

I lived in South Australia for 5 years and never came across the term "septic". Australia was great! Of course, all the time I spent upside down in my Murphy Renegade Spirit helped me enjoy Australia. And I agree with Ian about the wine. I think it was called the Borossa Valley north of Adelaide where the wine country was located. But I feel it is only proper to also mention that I've had beer from all over the world, and Australia has the best.

Mike Kimball
SR#044

[Rick Harper]

G'day Mike ;

(Rick Harper here this time ...)

I 'm pretty sure I nearly bought THAT BD4 ! ...before we decided to build a Rebel , I was talking to an officer in the Australian air force (I forget who gave me his number)...but, he owned a BD4 & was based at Woomera from memory and he used it to commute to South Australia "somewhere" regularly...small world eh !?!

Rick

----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Kimball (mkimball@gci.net)
To: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com (murphy-rebel@dcsol.com)
Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2002 1:18 PM
Subject: Australian Adventure


At the risk of boring the rest of the list browsers, I worked at the Joint Defense Facility, Nurrungar, near Woomera, South Australia. This was a facility manned jointly by Australian and American Air Force personnel in support of the Defense Support Program (DSP). I was not in the military. I was a contractor working for Lockheed Martin with responsibility for maintaining the state of health of the satellite. The best part was the 8000 foot runway and 20000+ square foot hangar that they let me use while I was there - no charge! I only had to give up MY runway about once a year when the RAAF came up for exercises. This can be a problem once in a while. I once took off at an intersection, came around to land on the threshold, just to find an aircraft arresting cable draped across the runway in front of me. Came to a stop just in time before hitting the cable. Teach me to check NOTAMs won't it. Another good thing was my good friend who was the Australian commander at the site, who owned a BD-4. Good to have another general aviation aviator in a position of authority there. That Renegade sure made it easy to choose the SR!

Mike Kimball
SR#044

-----Original Message-----
From: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com [mailto:murphy-rebel@dcsol.com]On Behalf Of Ian Donaldson
Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2002 3:29 AM
To: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com
Subject: Re: First Flight


G'day Mike

Just what were you doing in South Australia?

The term "septic" is not widely used and I think it is slightly derogatory, but always used in good spirits.

The Barossa Valley, in my opinion, is the home of Australian wines. It is hugely popular and rivals the Napa valley in California Our beer is quite good and Fosters is available in the USA (etc). It's a proper beer, not watered down like some in the States!

Isn't it nice to be able to boast that you have flown your Elite upside down down under!.


Regards

Ian Donaldson

I lived in South Australia for 5 years and never came across the term "septic". Australia was great! Of course, all the time I spent upside down in my Murphy Renegade Spirit helped me enjoy Australia. And I agree with Ian about the wine. I think it was called the Borossa Valley north of Adelaide where the wine country was located. But I feel it is only proper to also mention that I've had beer from all over the world, and Australia has the best.

Mike Kimball
SR#044

[Mike Kimball]

What's that old saying about only 6 degrees of separation between any two people on the planet?

Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com [mailto:murphy-rebel@dcsol.com]On Behalf Of Rick Harper
Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2002 6:25 AM
To: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com
Subject: Re: Australian Adventure


G'day Mike ;

(Rick Harper here this time ...)

I 'm pretty sure I nearly bought THAT BD4 ! ...before we decided to build a Rebel , I was talking to an officer in the Australian air force (I forget who gave me his number)...but, he owned a BD4 & was based at Woomera from memory and he used it to commute to South Australia "somewhere" regularly...small world eh !?!

Rick

----- Original Message -----
From: Mike Kimball (mkimball@gci.net)
To: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com (murphy-rebel@dcsol.com)
Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2002 1:18 PM
Subject: Australian Adventure


At the risk of boring the rest of the list browsers, I worked at the Joint Defense Facility, Nurrungar, near Woomera, South Australia. This was a facility manned jointly by Australian and American Air Force personnel in support of the Defense Support Program (DSP). I was not in the military. I was a contractor working for Lockheed Martin with responsibility for maintaining the state of health of the satellite. The best part was the 8000 foot runway and 20000+ square foot hangar that they let me use while I was there - no charge! I only had to give up MY runway about once a year when the RAAF came up for exercises. This can be a problem once in a while. I once took off at an intersection, came around to land on the threshold, just to find an aircraft arresting cable draped across the runway in front of me. Came to a stop just in time before hitting the cable. Teach me to check NOTAMs won't it. Another good thing was my good friend who was the Australian commander at the site, who owned a BD-4. Good to have another general aviation aviator in a position of authority there. That Renegade sure made it easy to choose the SR!

Mike Kimball
SR#044

-----Original Message-----
From: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com [mailto:murphy-rebel@dcsol.com]On Behalf Of Ian Donaldson
Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2002 3:29 AM
To: murphy-rebel@dcsol.com
Subject: Re: First Flight


G'day Mike

Just what were you doing in South Australia?

The term "septic" is not widely used and I think it is slightly derogatory, but always used in good spirits.

The Barossa Valley, in my opinion, is the home of Australian wines. It is hugely popular and rivals the Napa valley in California Our beer is quite good and Fosters is available in the USA (etc). It's a proper beer, not watered down like some in the States!

Isn't it nice to be able to boast that you have flown your Elite upside down down under!.


Regards

Ian Donaldson

I lived in South Australia for 5 years and never came across the term "septic". Australia was great! Of course, all the time I spent upside down in my Murphy Renegade Spirit helped me enjoy Australia. And I agree with Ian about the wine. I think it was called the Borossa Valley north of Adelaide where the wine country was located. But I feel it is only proper to also mention that I've had beer from all over the world, and Australia has the best.

Mike Kimball
SR#044