Yooper Rocketman

We match paint all the time for my dealership. A good paint supply auto parts store will usually have a "Prophet Color Matching Computer" . Works great for paint that has faded a bit and using the original paint code likely will not give you a good match. Our local NAPA store, selling PPG Paints, uses this machine A LOT, and only charges for the actual paint, not scanning for the proper color codes. This link MAY work. Otherwise just check with your local store. We've gotten small pint containers. http://www.ourlocalguide.com/cy/id25.htm Tom

I was being given vectors for an ILS into my home airport (KIMT, Runway 1) when coming from the northwest. I had been given two headings and was approaching the final approach course when the controller said "cleared for the approach" (I was in IMC) while still assigned 60 degrees off the inbound course. I queried him once whether he was going to give me another heading before clearing me for the approach. He sounded confused. I came back with I would like a heading of 040 before intercepting. He came back with "I'm sorry, you are correct, fly heading of 040 until established, cleared for the ILS runway 1, advise established". I wasn't correcting him, just wanted a workable intercept heading for the approach (was flying the prop-jet, so speed is a consideration as well for a tight turn). He never indicated he felt confronted. I think I've seen more "new" controllers the last several years that are not "quite" up to speed. I'm never confrontational, and actually think Don did a fairly rational action. I would have done the same myself. Why fly a hold in VMC when cancelling gets you to the airport easier and quicker. I often cancel when being given the scenic routing to my airport waiting another IFR arrival in VMC conditions. I can work out the spacing VFR a lot more efficiently than they will holding IFR separation standards. Tom

Can’t comment on the GA camping conditions specifically but on the Lancair Forum an owner just posted he came in this afternoon and in the Home Built Camping section it was pretty good and dying fast. He encouraged anyone holding back on coming not be concerned. I can testify the same for Camp Scholler. Areas I couldn’t walk through yesterday are dry today. It’s drying up VERY FAST. Tom

@yvesg I got there late (helping with the CAV /TKS Folks this year), hungry as all heck, ran into @xcrmckenna , @Bob_Belville and @gsxrpilot , ate quick and went down the line and met @201er and @Vector, and totally forgot to leave a donation. Please advise if you were short at all. I definitely want to get you a donation if you were!! Tom

And Charles ( @xcrmckenna ) stopped by yesterday! He reminded me I STILL OWE HIM A RIDE! I neglected to tell him if I give him the stick, @gsxrpilot set the bar pretty high on high performance airplane skills Tom

So last Monday (8 day’s ago) I got an email from the lead aftermarket TKS salesman he wanted my plane on their display at Oshkosh. He commented after looking at my plane last year he thought it was one of the nicest TKS installs he had ever seen (kudos to Brad Simmons for most of that). I graciously accepted. So, I’m on their display, just a couple spots east of the main entrance gate, on the south side. Since I was late to the Pizza Party, and only got to meet a few of you there, I would love to see any of my Mooney brethren that could stop by to say hi. I’m there about 75% of the time. @201er (who absolutely impresses me with his trips) and @Sabremech (who I found I have a ton of non-Mooney shared interests with) stopped by today. Hope to meet “in person” some more Mooney Space friends!! Tom

Missed one year in the last 30, so..... yes, I’m usually there. Tom

Erik, I was asked to display my new plane at the CAV ICE SYSTEMS (TKS) booth. It’s just a couple booths on the right walking in the main entrance gate. Stop by and say hi. I would love to meet you in person @201er and Matt @Sabremech (new early model Mooney cowl upgrade guru) stopped and said hi today. Anyone of my Mooney buds would be a welcome site if you drop by and say hi! Tom

My +1 won’t make so it will just be me. Tom

Nice Bonal, we don't get to see mountains in the Midwest. Closest thing we get is awesome clouds. Flew to Pittsburgh yesterday and a pretty good deviation on the way home in lower Michigan. Barely made it back before severe thunderstorms hit the U.P. It's all about timing. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N994PT Tom

And you have HOW MUCH ROCKET TIME? I owned and flew one for 18 years and just shy of 2,000 hours. Take your advice from someone with experience, not just an opinionated uninformed Jealous J owner. I have flown many 3 person flights, even a few 4 person flights, NEVER OUT OF CG OR GROSS. And the comment on extended range tanks, I don’t believe I’ve EVER SEEN a more misinformed comment. PM me personally if you want REAL ownership experience. I’m not sure I can take this total BS from the above to grace this topic with another post. Tom

And Don, I hope to meet you at Oshkosh. I’ve been an admirer of you and your Mooney knowledge for far longer than most on this forum. Been watching and learning from your posts here and on a previous Mooney Forum since 1996. Tom

Ed, Wish I had known you were below me. I added your N number to your name in my phone contact list so next time I hear a Mooney on frequency I can look to see if it’s you!!! And as far as the speed, I have to fly a lot longer trips to put the same hours in the logbook (at considerable more cost). It’s all a matter of prospective. Tom

Had to take a patient getting back surgery tomorrow from Houghton, MI ( KCMX) to Milwaukee (KMKE). Had some weather to navigate between Green Bay and Milwaukee, going both ways. Here's some photos from the trip down. We were at FL230 until just before the picture. We were descending through FL200 when I snapped the picture of the G3X screen, more to show how altitude sure helps navigating around weather. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N994PT/history/20190715/1515Z/KCMX/KMKE https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N994PT/history/20190715/1645Z/KMKE/KIMT Tom

I did a mercy flight yesterday, bringing back a cancer patient from Ann Arbor to the U.P. As usual I got the full route STAR, with a couple altitude crossing restrictions and a speed restriction of 250 knots at the first one, the RNAV 24 approach, and another full route SID. Probably because of my climb rate, I never made it to my first SID way point before being cleared Direct to home. Anyway, when I taxied in, there was a nice looking M20J sitting on the ramp. As I got out of the plane, the guy that ground handled me (an older gentleman) asked what kind of plane I had. He said it was the first Lancair propjet he had ever seen. I told him I had been to ARB quite a few times with it recently. He then introduced himself as John Solo (Solo Aviation was the FBO). I commented how great his operation was to our pilots coming out of the U.P. frequently for med flights. The fuel guy came right up and asked if I wanted fuel and I gave him my fuel order, with John reminding the guy very firmly "JET A"! I could tell he was a business owner. SO I met my passenger and saw the Jet A fuel truck pull to my plane right away, so a few minutes later when he was no longer parked by my plane, I tried paying my fuel bill. The desk girl apologized and said I HAD NOT been fueled yet, the Mooney was first in line, going to depart soon, so he had to fuel him first. I said no problem, I wasn't in a hurry. I looked out and saw the Mooney owner pre-flighting, so decided to meet him and make sure he didn't think I was trying to jump him on getting fuel. I asked if he was on Mooney Space, to which he replied he had just joined. Apparently he just bought the plane. I wish I would have taken a picture of it. It was a very nice blue plane (clearly I don't like blue, sarcasm alert). I mentioned I had been flying Mooney's since 1996 and just moved out of my Rocket. He said "looks like a pretty significant move up", to which I replied "not many planes are a move up from Mooney's"!! Sounds like this is his first "owned" plane, having done rentals previously. I said that's a pretty big jump to which he mentioned he flies for a living. Anyway, he said his name is Brian (Bryon?) so hoping he becomes an active member. Tom

Thanks Kevin. I suspected the article would hit the July issue based on feedback from the editor. They requested an article from me last fall. I usually don't read the on-line version, typically waiting for my paper copy. Charles ( @xcrmckenna ) texted me a few hours ago so I just found out it published this month. I tried to get as many helpers and contributors mentioned, as completing something as complex as that couldn't have been done without all those that helped. See you all at OSH. Tom

See my PM Tom

That's not "Mark - The Iceman" from Marquette MI is it? Tom

I'll be there. Tom and Steve

"this is all I could get ........." Smart Ass. Looks pretty amazing to me!! Tom

Richard, I've said for 20+ years; IMHO, it's not a cross country flight unless after you're first fuel stop, you are still flying away from your original departure point. My first Cross Country trip, in a C150, I had 3 fuel stops BEFORE arriving at my destination. You, my friend, have qualified in the "Tom's book of true Cross Country flights"!! Way to use a Mooney like it was intended! Tom

Yes, He left a 3 year old son behind. Tom

He made it 12 days after I flew him down. RIP Jack!! Tom Published in Lexington Herald-Leader on June 19, 2019 Jack Wayne Frost February 25, 1959 - June 15, 2019 Quinnesec, Michigan Jack was born on February 25, 1959 and passed away on Saturday, June 15, 2019. Jack was a resident of Quinnesec, Michigan at the time of passing. He was also a U.S. Army veteran. Funeral Services will be conducted at 12 Noon Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at Red House Baptist Church, 2301 Red House Rd, Richmond with Dr. Deron Cobb and Dr. Tim Patterson officiating. Burial will be at 2:30 PM Wednesday at Camp Nelson National Cemetery in Jessamine County with full military rites. Visitation will be after 10:00 AM Wednesday at the church

Why thank you sir. Honestly though, I’m not posting for credit, but to show how helping others less fortunate can be rewarding in spite of the pain AND hoping to motivate others to do the same. I flew a 46 year old gal this last week I wanted to adopt last year, after 3-4 trips over to the Mayo Clinic last fall, on her final Med flight. Mayo confirmed she should be in hospice as well, with under a month to live. That’s my last two flights ......... flying pretty special people home for short term hospice. Although it really sucks (and actually “hurts”), I try not to lose prospective that THEIR LIVES STILL COUNT, even if they’ve been deemed terminal. Tom

So, as flight coordinator for our mercy flight organization based in the U.P. of Michigan, I field all flight request calls and dispatch the pilots for those flights. I’ve done this job on and off many times over the last 25 years, taking it back most recently April 1, 2018 after a 13 year break from another Mooney pilot that got burnt out. The negative with me dispatching, I hate telling patients we can’t find a pilot. I performed 30+ flights last year, and looking to be the highest flight count pilot this year as well. I got a call from an under 60 year old vet, back in March, with cancer. He was considering going to the U of M in Ann Arbor, but decided to continue treatment through the VA. Just over a week ago he was given 2-4 weeks to live (and I’m not sure ANY medical facility could have done him any better) and wanted to know if we would transport him back to his “home town” in KY where he had most of his family to support him in hospice. Although that’s out of our normal range, I said we would do it. We were scheduled to fly out Sunday but he was admitted for issues that morning. I had serious concerns he said was “transportable” when they called this morning he would be discharged and “ready to go”. I said I needed a doctors approval he could fly and got a call from the physician ( I was clearly impressed). So, he wanted to fly in my Lancair prop jet, but I would take him in our Bonanza (rear door boarding) if he couldn’t board the Lancair. We were looking at under one hour and forty minutes in the Lancair, a solid hour longer in the Bo. My return would be and hour and a half longer too His wife, an RN, was as my minimum requirement to do the flight, so she and their 3 year old son came along and she monitored and managed his health during the flight. He WAS ABLE to board the Lancair, so that’s what we took. We had some anxious moments during the first third of the flight, but everything relaxed after that and I covered a 12-14 hour drive (not doable for him) in one hour 39 minutes. I know I’ll never see him alive again, but the smile on his face when his family greeted him, just south of Lexington KY this afternoon when we landed, was priceless. THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE JACK!!!! Tom Sorry, no pictures. Here’s a link to the flight. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N994PT/history/20190603/1600Z/KIMT/KRGA