Yooper Rocketman

And then goes in and out of “Beta” as you taxi to the runway. At idle that beast puts 125HP to the prop (at a measly 18 gallons an hour) unless in Beta. Tom

Thanks. But it’s a Walters Turbine. Now owned by GE.

I've never done a video before, so not sure this will work. I flew a friend (Bruce St Onge) over to the MSP area after he covered an all day med flight for me when he should have been driving to MSP for his Sun Country job (737 pilot). Bruce helped me build the Lancair, back in the earlier years, and I covered the first third to half of his PP expenses which he completed (as well as his IFR rating) before he graduated from high school. I didn't realize until yesterday he had never gotten a ride in the plane yet. He video'ed me starting up and taxing off from KLVN (Air Lake) but his phone died after about a minute. He had intended to video the take-off too. He was pretty impressed with the plane, showing all his buddies in the crew lounge last night my trip back to IMT. After all the hours he put into my project, I'm glad he was able to enjoy our flight last night! Beware (and turn your volume up), it doesn't sound like your typical Lycoming or Continental when it fires up. Tom https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N994PT 12-19-19 KLVN IMG_0495.mov

Flew down to see our son in Madison, WI Saturday. Five hour drive, 40 minute flight. We departed just before sunset and were treated to a pretty impressive one from the cockpit on our northbound leg back to the U.P. MSP Center started asking me which runway I intended to land on from 80 miles out (VMC conditions with 4k-6k overcast, I was at FL180). He asked another plane the same, who I could see on my ADS-B Traffic depiction, and was quite a bit closer to KIMT. Then a supervisor came on and asked both of us again a few minutes later (winds out of the south and both of us planning runway 19). Then he told me to keep my speed up, I was number one. I had 80 knots on the Pilatus and don't think he was impressed. I DID cancel once the field was in sight so he didn't get any delay. I was shutting down at my hangar when he reported final. (And I built this plane in my garage! ..... COOL). Tom

Could not have been said better!! Tom

Just ordered a set for my Lancair after a presentation by a firm believer in them at our Lancair convention in October. Tom

I went out to the chapter hangar project Tuesday afternoon pulling forms and removing Styrofoam off the last pour before a major winter system moved in Tuesday night. Had to use the backhoe Steve and his dad owned for 30+ years that we became partners on a couple years ago when spun main bearings rendered the repair worth more than the machine ( I covered labor, he covered parts). Realized during the project, by myself, that the last time we saw each other it was working on the hangar project and using the backhoe. Made the afternoon pretty surreal. It will take years to find a friend I feel the same way about as I did Steve. Makes Thanksgiving a bit of a challenge. Guess maybe I should be thankful for a wife, one month short of 45 years, making a truly concerted effort of filling the void Steve left in my life. She gave her relaxing evening up in front of the TV to bundle up in winter clothes and help me, under lights and brisk cold winds, remove, stack and secure the Styrofoam on a trailer to bring home for the winter Tom

Erik, I NEVER second guess a “no go” decision. It appears you don’t either. Looks like a smart call. Hopefully you and I will sit on a porch one day in rocking chairs reminiscing about our days flying before we become really old men. Tom

So did another mercy flight on Friday. This guy had a liver transplant late this summer and his follow up around Labor Day rendered him a 30 stay the the prized resort "U of M Hospital". He came home with a feeding tube up his nose a week ago and will have weekly visits for the foreseeable future. His attitude is good though. The last picture is the Door County Peninsula. Tom https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N994PT/history/20191122/1300Z/KIMT/KARB

I think there is a real possibility WE, mankind, “may” have impacted our environment some. But, I also believe the biggest driver to Global Warming AND Climate Change is the money!! Universities and Research Institutions getting government money to research it. If the theory dies, so does the money stream. That said, I’ve always been an advocate to leave this world a better place than when I entered it, at least as far as my contribution. So, how does a guy flying a prop jet getting 10-12 MPG justify his impact? How about providing an affordable solar product that today eliminates 10,000 KW hours of mainstream energy a day. Yep, 10 Megawatts of daily power generated from a DIY solution I’ve made affordable through my “sideline business”. https://www.aluminum-solar-absorbers.com/ (and yes, I need to update my site!!). And ironically, most who pound the drum of Climate Change and Global Warming do virtually nothing besides pound the drum. My wife and I have been recycling and implementing leading edge energy saving technologies for 30 years, without fanfare. Yet I get beat up because I’m not a “true believer”. Tom

Daytona Beach, Florida on my trip back to the U.P. Tuesday morning. Tom https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N994PT/history/20191112/1330Z/7FL6/KIMT

Thanks for sharing Don. It sounds like you can really relate. Steve and I would tow our campers down a week before the show (we live just under 3 hours away by car). I would leave my truck down there so when I flew in on Sunday I had a vehicle for the week. We staged our campers next to each other, door to door. We never started or ended a day down there without each other. It's not that I wouldn't enjoy the show, it's that there will be no one to share the entirety of the event with. Camping by myself just doesn't have any appeal. Hopefully I can find someone that wants to experience Oshkosh like the two of us did. Tom And BTW, I bought my Nonin from Bob after purchasing my Rocket in February of 2001. I still use it today.

Ed, He was at the chapter meeting you attended after covering that last Airlifeline Flight for me. I refrained from commenting on this thread up until now because how truly painful this loss has been. That said, my community of Mooney pilot friends has made getting through this just a little easier. I absolutely appreciate every reaction and comment to my original post as I try to figure out how I’m going to get through tomorrow, his funeral. And to be clear, I’m a tough love type of old fart. Not real good at relaying my feelings towards people Fairly recently I was talking to Steve and mentioned him as “friend”. He looked at me and said “friend”? I retracted and said “best friend !!” Only then did he smile and was happy with my response. He clearly wanted assurance he “was MY BEST FRIEND” . Not sure how I’ll find the enthusiasm to attend another Oshkosh “Air Adventure” after losing him. It will NEVER be the same. Thanks, Tom

In 1991, my aspirations to fly and be part of aviation were finally satisfied, as my cousin and close friend invited me to be a fourth partner in a hangar project. My cousin, Dave Oliver, and Steve Phillips, who he worked with at a Fed Ex maintenance facility, had added a third partner, Bob Larson, (the founder of Northwoods Airlifeline) just prior to my opportunity. I complained that not only could I write the support check, I had carpentry skills and was capable of helping with the build. Just as we completed the hangar, Dave decided he wanted out for a pretty silly reason (that was his way), and Steve, who barely knew me, asked "I suppose you want out too?" I said emphatically NO. A partnership and friendship blossomed from there. Steve owned the beautiful E model Mooney I've posted pictures of in the past. He accompanied me in 1994 for the pre-purchase of my first plane, a C-150 (Steve was an A&P too). He flew me down to Falcon Field in March of 1996 to do the same blessing on my first Mooney, an F model. He flew with me to Seattle in 2001 to do the same on my Rocket purchase. I performed most the maintenance and annuals on all 3 planes over the years, under Steve's guidance and leadership. By the end of the years he trusted me to perform his annuals as well. We flew many, many airlifeline flights together, flew to Florida for a pre-purchase on my sister's Cherokee 180, and he flew it to Denver for her with me in chase (well, he was in chase to MY Mooney). About 3 years before finishing my Lancair, I talked him into giving up his last job, truck driving (he loved the road) to help me finish the Lancair. He asked how much time before we would be done. I told him 6-9 months. He never failed to remind me that ended up being 2.5 years. He also drove for my dealership, delivering trucks that were far enough away they would require an airplane ride from me once delivered. He took on another Lancair Propjet project, moving it to our hangar, to finish the instrument panel and wiring installation (Joe Trepicone's from Columbus OH). Steve was with me on two engine failures in the flight levels. He helped me by flying the Rocket down to TN when I dropped the Lancair off for paint and interior, and brought me down to pick it up when done in May 2018. We flew both planes to Houghton for a Young Eagles Event, and have flying stories long and deep enough I could write a book. He was my camping buddy at Oshkosh too. Most recently, he was "key man one" on the EAA Chapter hangar/concrete project I just posted about, there for every work session in spite of his own on going home re-siding project. 28 years ago he was new friend. 15 years ago he was one of my 3 best friends. For the last 10 years..... he was my best friend....... I mean BEST FRIEND! While in Florida this past Monday (came home Tuesday), he son called me and told me he died of a surprise heart attack. Man this hurts!!!! Tom Picture of Steve's last flight with his Mooney and him and his wife this summer at Oshkosh.

I want to recognize my uncle, Gerald ((Larry) Sullivan. Served in the Marines from August 1941 to October of 1945 in the South Pacific (that’s right ...... for the entire war!!!). Semper Fi uncle Larry. You definitely defined “The few, the Proud, the Marines. Tom

So the wife went to our Florida home last Sunday with two of her girlfriends for almost 2 weeks. With maybe one day since then even hitting above freezing for the high, and lows in the low teens, she sends me a beach photo on Thursday rubbing in the great weather she’s seeing. After a smart remark from me about feeding her horses in the lowest temps of the day (daybreak) she says “well, if you knew someone with an airplane you could be down here in 3.5 hours”. Wrong tease ...... I snuck in on her yesterday around noon. I was able to wash and wax my plane OUTSIDE this morning. Just staying for a few days but what an awesome break to an early onset of winter in the U.P. Tom https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N994PT

I conducted another mercy flight Thursday afternoon. I didn't get out until later in the afternoon (was working on the hangar project I posted about last night). Picked up the patient in RST (Mayo Clinic) and brought her back to Houghton. There was a solid overcast (with icing, argh) so put my deicing system back to work. It was pretty much dark when I left Houghton but as soon as I busted through the tops I got an amazing view of the sunset. Tom

The first 4 pours were 6 bag mix with ash and fiber, warm water for number 4. But, the temps were dropping for every pour and number 4 was a bitch. It was 8 hours before I could get the power trowel on it and the temps were dropping fast. I ended up hand troweling the entire slab so I could get Styrofoam on it before it cooled down too much. The slab was in the 50's the next morning, despite outside temp of 22 degrees. The one we did yesterday had 1% chloride added to it (I cried uncle). That helped a ton as I was done troweling be 6 PM and had it insulated, tools clean, and was driving home by 7 PM. Tom

So, today, I was the last man (for the fourth time in five work sessions) finishing up number 5 of five concrete pours on our chapter hangar. A 75’ x 70’ EAA Chapter hangar, broken down into 5 manageable pours for a total of 125 yards of cement, I actually finished the day in under 14 hours of time (pour #4 was an 18 hour day). Thank god my wife is understanding, as her honey do list was pushed off for this late fall project. Dedicated old men shouldn’t be messed with!!! Tom

And just for the record , none of the younger refs I crew with run as much as me either !!!! Tom

It’s a freakin number. 6 months ago, before me third hand surgery, I was running 30 miles a week at 63 years old. I have two employees in my dealership 15 years younger than me that couldn’t stay with me for 1/4 mile. I still officiate high level soccer (center referee) and run for 90 minutes in a normal match. A lot of guys 20 years younger than me could never keep up with me. I LOVE HEARING STORIES of people staying active as they age. I find it inspirational!!! Tom

No, I rarely ever pull back power. Especially when flying cross country. If the trip had been long enough I would have climbed to FL270 and dropped the fuel burn to 30-31 GPH. Probably would have picked up some more tailwind too. Tom

I know it’s all a matter of perspective, but how can you fault a guy from getting excited about something he poured 18+ years of his life into, probably 10,000 man hours of work, after a flight like today? Did an AIRLIFELINE flight today; fighting an 80+ knot headwind on the westbound leg but boy was the flight home amazing. Beat my previous best ground speed of 412 knots! Just couldn’t quite hit the 420 knot barrier but got really close. Had jet traffic called out a 1,000’ below me going INTO the same wind I was enjoying on my tail. He passed immediately under me and the closing speed was impressive. Pretty darn sure I was kicking his butt on ground speed today. I am having WAY TOO MUCH FUN!! https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N994PT Tom

Maybe this post will help you. Tom

Bonal, Do you have to muddy this up with FACTS? LOL Tom