Yooper Rocketman

1500+ UL TAS at 295-300 knots in the summer, 300-310 in the winter 30-32 GPH at max cruise at FL 270-280 (same power setting that sees 55 gallons an hour on initial climb, but remember how quick we gain altitude) 163 gallon capacity until 17 gallon baggage compartment tank is installed 180 gallons after baggage tank installation Takeoff lift speed 85 Knots Cruise climb 165 knots Rate of climb Almost 4,000’ a minute at sea level, drops on an even curve to about 500’ a minute near 270/280 VNE 274 knots or Mach .57 up high Landing. Over the numbers at 105 knots, land at 80-85 knots Tom

Hank! I almost fell out of my chair laughing! Nice analogy. Tom

Yes. I attended the little "airport Day" in Freemont last year in primer and thought it would be nice to return this year in new paint. I called Dan, the chapter member that was listed on the publications for the event, wanting to be sure they would reserve a spot for me in the more "restricted area" so I could control those wandering around the plane. Last year, unbelievably, an ATP flying for the majors with a really nice retract single engine Cessna was parked next to me and while viewing the plane broke one of my $85 static wicks (REALLY?). Anyway, when talking to Dan I mentioned it would be just under 40 minutes and he laughed (knowing it was true, but kind of not realistic). I met him during the event yesterday and he was flying in a 3 ship formation of Yaks. I always use Lancair 994PT as my call sign, not "Experimental 994PT" because a retired ATC controller and supervisor that spoke at a Lancair convention once stated that was a much more useful description for the controllers so they are prepared for the speeds. During my descent into Freemont, while talking with Muskegon Approach, the controller asked me if I had the "Walters engine" in my plane? I told the controller, yes it's a Walters and asked why he inquired. He said he saw my speed during my descent and knew it was likely not a piston. I was just hitting 10K about then (ground speed of 297 knots) and came back with "BTW, I'm at 248 knots indicated", concerned he might think I was busting the 250 knot reg. He came back saying no worry, but I saw your ground speed go over 330 knots on your initial descent just before Minneapolis turned you over to me. It's a really fun plane to fly!! Tom

OK, time to share the paint and interior. I picked it up from Airframes, Inc. down in Milan Tennessee (Gibson County / KTGC) on Wednesday. Steve (my hangar partner, best friend, and E Model Mooney owner) flew down with me in the Rocket, and flew the Rocket back for me to the U.P. He got off about an hour and 10 minutes before me, flying back at 13k. We agreed to talk on 122.75 once both in the air, but since I was quite a ways behind him, I waited until central Illinois before giving him a call. I asked his location and ETA to KIMT, and he said he was between Rockford, IL and Madison, WI, with 1:12 left to KIMT. I regrettably (well, not really) reported I was 1:07 from IMT and ended up passing him on descent into KIMT. We both had headwinds on the return; well more like serious crosswinds with a slight headwind component. https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N1017L/history/20180523/2050Z/KTGC/KIMT https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N994PT/history/20180523/2215Z/KTGC/KIMT Anyway, back to the plane. The paint scheme is a warped / evolution of the Braveheart logo I've had on my truck for the last 5 years (and have always liked prior to that). Scheme Designers took a concept Steve and I had come up with after he mentioned how the design seemed to have elements of it that looked like the wing structure of the Wright flyer. I wanted a "discrete" design, one that was not real obvious, of this concept. So................this is best described as " A tribute and a Contrast". It's a tribute the first Experimental airplane with the contrast being it's on the side of a 300+ knot Experimental Airplane I built in my garage. It might be corny.....but I love it and my painter liked it as well. The first two pictures are of my truck where the idea came from. The rest are of the plane. These are the first public photos of the completed paint job. You guys are seeing this before my Lancair friends! Hope you like it. Tom

I was planning on sneaking in on you guys with my "other plane", the one I flew back from paint and interior completion on Wednesday (pictures yet to be posted). I don't like your weather (and mine, frankly later in the day), so heading to a small airport event down state where I can be back by 11 AM. I was thinking about you guys though!! Tom N994PT IFR GenAv LNC4/L Equip: SBDGRZ/C Dep: KIMT 1100Z 300kts FL270 Route (see below) Dest: KUKT ETE: 2:06 Altn: Item 18: PBN/C2D2 NAV/SBAS DOF/180526 Item 19: FOB: 0500 SOB: 1 PIC:TOM SULLIVAN ASOS Ph: 906-774-1999/119.02 Clnc: 888-766-8267 (64-1) FSS: 800-992-7433 (1-64-1) ATC Clnc issues? FltPlan:1-203-262-8383 Elev:1182 CTAF: 122.8 DIRECT KIMT to KUKT : TC=120° : (FMS winds: 300°/ 28) : MC= 122° : ST. LINE=643nm : AIRWAY=643nm : Extra=0% Imagery Sectionals Jet Airways Victor Airways Route Map Radar Loop Winds Aloft HELP FL290 ISA(-43) Comp FL270 ISA(-39) Comp FL250 ISA(-35) Comp FL230 ISA(-31) Comp KUKT0500 255/040 +08 +028 255/035 +09 +025 258/030 +10 +023 262/026 +10 +021 KUKT0400 254/045 +09 +030 253/043 +11 +029 254/038 +12 +025 256/034 +12 +024 KUKT0300 264/042 +10 +033 262/039 +12 +030 260/039 +12 +029 258/038 +12 +027 KUKT0200 269/035 +10 +029 266/036 +11 +029 262/037 +12 +027 259/036 +12 +026 KUKT0100 280/033 +09 +031 276/035 +11 +031 272/035 +12 +029 268/034 +12 +027 Avg. Trip Winds=> + 30 Tailwind + 28 Tailwind + 26 Tailwind + 24 Tailwind FLT TIME==> ABOVE MAX ALT. 2:06(+00) 300TAS 2:06(+00) 300TAS 2:07(+01) 300TAS Fuel Burn==> --- 77.8 Gal. 77.4 Gal. 78.8 Gal. FIX ST LAT/LON InB/Out Mag Crs Leg Rem Fuel Burn Leg Tot. Leg Rem ETE ATA WX KIMT 111.2 IRON MNTN/KI MI N4549.1W08806.9 ---/119 0 643 3.0 3 | 0:00 2:06 0:00 | KUKT0500 N4444.8W08505.6 121/122 143 500 21.8 25 | 0:32 1:34 0:32 | 122.2 KUKT0400 N4357.0W08302.5 124/126 100 400 9.6 34 | 0:18 1:16 0:50 | 122.2 KUKT0300 N4307.2W08102.8 128/129 100 300 9.5 44 | 0:18 0:58 1:08 | 122.2 KUKT0200 N4215.3W07906.3 131/132 100 200 9.5 53 | 0:19 0:39 1:27 | 122.2 KUKT0100 N4121.5W07713.0 134/135 100 100 9.8 63 | 0:18 0:21 1:45 | 122.2 KUKT QUAKERTOWN PA N4026.1W07522.9 135/--- 100 0 14.5 78 | 0:21 0:00 2:06 | Elev:525 AWOS: 119.47 CTAF: 122.72 Fuel (gal.) | Taxi: 3 | Trip: 74.8 | Altn: . | 45 min: 24.0 | Min Fuel Required: 102 HEARTWOOD AV 122.72 215-538-3055 AWOS215-538-7610 FSS Arrival Airport800-992-7433

Did you "flare"........eerrr "round out"........eerrr "transition"? Ah, never mind. Tom

I got some time in the third cockpit seat, right behind the co-pilot. What an amazing experience to fly in one. It's every bit worth the cost for the once in a lifetime memory. It's also the last airplane ride I had with my father, 3 months before he passed. Tom Semper Fi Pops!

I had a new employee hired about 2 months prior to my dealership "year end" (September 30, 2015) and had bought an "almost new" truck from a dealer down near Sheboygan, WI on that day. She was to drive it back after our flight down and she had never flown in a GA airplane before. She was "coached" as to my experience and the confidence my staff had to fly with me (warranted or not). With the usual concern she asked me some questions during the flight down about what would happen if the engine quit, how long and how many hours I had been flying, the usual "new GA passenger" type questions. I talked about the altitude I flew at (always as high as practical for the trip), how I was always cognizant of the closest airport, and how I watched everything on the plane closely, including maintenance. She then exclaimed "you must feel pretty safe, with your hours, that you will never see an engine failure". I said "quite the opposite, I flown way too many hours to NOT have had some type of situation so I feel my odds are stacked against me. I fly every trip EXPECTING something will happen and am happy when it doesn't". I think she thought that was overkill. Three months later when I returned to my shop after the turbo induced engine failure, on the way to see my dad on his death bed, she excitedly recalled "you said this was going to happen!" I'm thinking, great, she'll never fly with me again. She and her husband attended my dad's funeral a few weeks later, with that event being the first time I had seen her husband since "my flying event". I said to him, I suppose you don't want your wife flying with me at work anymore. He replied (surprisingly), absolutely no problem. You've demonstrated you can handle an emergency. I have no problem with her flying with you anytime. Fly like you expect something can happen, practice for it, review it in your mind (especially while your are motoring along fat and happy on a non-eventful flight). If and when it does happen, you will be prepared. I flew a medical flight over Lake Michigan yesterday. I did a full briefing on emergency procedure with my back seat passengers, how to remove the seat belt from the life raft, how to open the door, etc.(in an BE36T Bonanza). My routing and altitude was appropriate for a dry landing at any engine failure point over the water (see my Flight Aware track). Again, start every flight prepared and your outcome will always be better. Tom https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N7256A/history/20180516/1030Z/KIMT/KARB (note altitude during lake crossing) https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N7256A/history/20180516/1715Z/KARB/KIMT (they offered direct on both trips, which was turned down for the minimum lake crossing distance)

Andy.......if there was a "double Like", you would have gotten that from me. That's the very first change I made to my Rocket was removing those stupid chains. The K model has the dumb sh*t valves, you know, those paddles that close off the fuel cap opening if you FORGET to install your cap! That's probably why the AD doesn't apply to the K models. BUT, I'm not dealing with a re-skin of my wing in the fuel cap area because a forgotten cap has hammered the hell out of the top of the wing while tethered to the fuel tank opening. A new cap would be much much cheaper and you would likely need a new cap anyway after it was banged on the wing. Tom

Brad Simmons, Airframes Inc. on KTGC. He's pretty much nationally know for his Lancair work, and has had many award winning planes at airshows. The reason I'm familiar with your airport is you have an AWOS, KTGC does NOT. When flying in I always listen to the 3 surrounding airport AWOS's to get a feel on what to expect at KTGC. Have fun with the Comanche. Tom

Nice story. Hope the previous owner gets a few more years worth the trips out to see it. Dyersburg?? I've made multiple flights into Gibson County over the last several years. Hoping to fly in there next week and pick up MY second plane with new paint and interior. Do you know Brad? Tom

I don't know about that. I believe Bob W. from Lancair mentioned at one of our banquets several years ago he was taking his dad with him on a sales trip to Russia in the Evolution. @orionflt might know something about that. Tom

It's a rare day I would recommend against a Rocket purchase but this is like my long established trigger points for making a go/no go decision on flying. I have a list of "strikes", like questionable weather, night time flying, tired, plane out of recent serious maintenance, any "get there itis" tied to the trip, etc. Not one will stop me from flying, but two gives me serious pause, three and it's an absolute no go. I've never violated that rule and believe it's done me well. This plane, although a very nice specimen and awesome performer, hits a lot of the "strikes" for this pilot. Low time, no IFR rating, flying in heavy airspace, flying in a region that restricts flight level flying for GA, has a very low MPG down low in a region with high gas prices, AND he wants to land on grass strips in probably the worst Mooney there is to put on grass. I don't wish him anything but good luck on his future purchase, and will share any and all knowledge I have from 17 years of Rocket ownership. I just don't think it's a good fit. Tom

On my March visit to Spruce Creek I noticed the fuel strainer dripping on the hangar floor so pulled it apart to see what was up. One of the o-rings was leaking so went over to the Daytona A.S.'s shop on Spruce Creek and the guy working there looked through his o-rings, then looked up the proper part number for me (my parts manual was in Michigan). He didn't have it in his shop but called the Daytona shop and had them look for it and then had them set it out for me to pick up. He spent a good 15 minutes helping me (I'm a shop owner so understand the cost involved here and even offered to just forget it). I drove up to the shop in Daytona and they got me the part, processed the sale in a clerks office, and had me on my way in short order. I was impressed with their commitment to help their customers, even ones looking for a lowly $5 o-ring. I just missed Jake as he was going out into the shop as I finished my transaction and said I would like to say hi to him. They let me in the shop to do that but he disappeared so quick I felt uncomfortable just walking around so headed back to Spruce Creek with parts to get my airplane fixed to fly back to Michigan. Jake doesn't know me but has my respect for what I've seen him do with Mooney's (and how professionally he's handled some of the flack from a few of our posters). I can see why he posts little on this forum anymore. Tom

I'm not sure that would be a good idea. I took a Florida "F" model owner up for a ride in my Rocket, which will be on the market in the next 4 months, who wanted first purchase option on mine. He couldn't wait after the ride and is in the middle of a PPI right now on one. But.....he's up near or over (can't remember) 1,000 hours TT as a PP with an IFR rating. His transition will be much more comfortable. Tom

Hook up with @Hyett6420 He’s a respected regular here with a beautiful J model and a ton of GA experience in Europe. He’ll point you in the right direction! Tom

If you take the ownership on like our military pilot did, like "it's your job", the transition is doable. The IFR ticket should be part of that plan. Do you have the discipline to know and understand your limitations to keep yourself from getting in over your head before your experience and skill levels meet the capabilities of the airplane? Only you can answer that question honestly. If you do then maybe this would work. The old saying is pretty appropriate with this situation. You hope your "experience bucket" fills up before your "luck bucket" is emptied". If you take a conservative approach to your flying this COULD be safely done. The history would need to come from the current owner (and maybe the logbooks). Not sure what relevance the timing on the Rocket conversion has. They converted these over a relatively short time, and ceased doing the conversion quite a few years ago. The "standard shell" was a 252, likely a fairly stock one. Again, log books will tell that story. I love my Rocket, have had it for 17 years, and there are few Mooney's that would be a serious improvement to it in performance (especially in it's price range). It IS a lot more airplane than your typical trainer or very next level up. If you accept that and RESPECT that (get the training and invest the hours to get proficient), your dream is not unrealistic. Just be safe about it! Tom

I’d be sitting down with the manager when the job’s completed. No sense making an issue before then. Get the $40 gauge Paul noted and deal with it when picking it up.

I’ll be there the whole week. Probably bring the Lancair in on Friday or Saturday (Warbird Arrival if on Saturday). Bringing my 30’ camper down maybe Thursday to get a decent spot. Hope a few of you come by to check out my project. Tom

With the extra 100+ pounds on the nose and less prop clearance, I don’t recommend grass strips. I did one trip into a grass strip with light fuel, max baggage compartment weight (specifically placed for THAT trip) and no passenger going in, a passenger in the BACK SEAT coming out, and decided I would never do that again. That was 16 years ago. I taxi on hard surfaces with the yoke full aft due to the susceptibility of the prop coming too close to the ground on any bumps. If your nose pucks are over 5 years old they should be replaced. 800-1,000 hours on turbo should be a planned R&R for overhaul. 500 hours on the mags.....same thing. Check for wear of the heat muff on the front exhaust “Y”. I use “exhaust /header wrap” around the pipes to stop wear of the heat shield on the pipes. Your engine is a 1600 hour TBO, but run right many will see 2,000 hours (I’m nearly 2,100). The updraft intake on the TSIO520NB is challenging to run LOP. At ROP, normal cruise will be 19-20 GPH. If you’re not flying 11k up into the Flight Levels, you’re really not gaining the advantages of the turbo and speed vs. the fuel flow. You can fly it slow for sight seeing but won’t see fuel flows like a 4 cylinder non-turbo. Fuel in the U.S. is cheap relative to Europe so the fuel efficiency for us is not going to be the same consideration for those across the pond. Tom

I’m with Bravoman. That’s a lot of airplane for a low time pilot. If you move forward with this purchase I would recommend you fly with a qualified pilot for the first 50 hours to help with the transition. Do you possess an IFR Rating? That training could be combined with your transition training. We lost a well liked member here a few years ago after his transition to a Rocket with less than typical experience (more than you have indicated). I read on another blog about a fatal TBM accident recently with the similar circumstances; pilot moving up too quick and getting behind the plane in weather that was not forgiving. It can be done safely with the right steps. Be careful. Tom

Many of you have seen the hangar queen at the rear of my hangar on pictures I've posted of my Mooney or the Lancair in the hangar over the years. Steve, my hangar partner and best friend, has put some time into it lately NOW THAT HE CAN GET A MEDICAL! He's the A&P I work under on my certified planes and the reason my first "cross country airplane" became a Mooney. So he repaired and upgraded his Garmin 430 to WAAS, installed an MT 3 blade prop to rid himself of the prop AD, and completed an annual and three flight tests (the last two of an hour or more). This is the first time this plane has flown in several years, me being the last one, taking it to Mankato, MN when My Rocket was down for waste gate repairs. I wrote on a submission last summer, when he flew my Rocket up and back from Houghton for a day of Young Eagle Flights, "When you realize your best friend is a good stick" how impressed I was with how quickly he was back in the saddle after getting his Basic Med. He had been fighting prohibitively expenses medicals for 12 years (getting a 9 month medical about every 4 years due to cost), which meant the nice little E model got lots of hangar time. My posting of his abilities was shared (by him) with his nervous wife and she is now willing to travel with him. Anyway, this afternoon they took off to see their son, daughter-in-law, and grand kids down in the Kansas City area, making a 12+ hour drive in just 3.5 hours (with a head wind). I was pretty excited for him!!! When he texted me after landing, I said to ask Patti (his wife) how she liked 3.5 hours in the plane instead of 12 hours plus in the car. She said "I Like It! Here's a picture of them firing up at the fuel pump for departure and a link to his Flight Aware track. He'll be taking me down in the Rocket to Tennessee late next week to pick up the Lancair with it's new paint and interior. Tom https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N1258X/history/20180510/1700Z/KIMT/KGPH

Oh, we knew it was coming. But the smaller runway (3800') was originally only going to be down a couple days, while the air carrier one (6500' x 150') was for over two weeks. That changed last minute to 6 days down on the smaller one, right smack in the middle of my trip. We should be completely back open by Monday, with brand new blacktop. Tom

I can relate, Hank. I flew airline to my dealer meeting in New Orleans last week on Monday, out of Green Bay (through Chicago) because my airport is shut down for runway rehabilitation. Due to the drive time and budgeted TSA time, by the point I was sitting in my seat in Green Bay I would have been on the ground in New Orleans. The trip back was the one to remember though. Thunderstorms hanging around Chicago last Wednesday afternoon/evening during my return caused 5 announced delays, 5 gate changes, over 5 hours, and then by midnight an outright cancellation of my flight with an offer to re-book a day later. It was rental car to Green Bay (at a hefty price since it was being left there, not in Chicago). My office is along the way of my drive back from Green Bay so I stopped in for a few minutes (about 9 AM now the next day) to update my staff why I wouldn't be in on that day. It definitely got the office staff nervous, me showing up in a 3 piece suit, wondering if the office dress was about to change. A quick explanation that I'm still wearing the clothes I put on 28 hours ago in New Orleans for my Wednesday AM meeting and I've had no sleep in that time frame either. My only regret is that the wife was not with me. She STILL thinks airline is the way to go. She would have had a nut putting up with the travel that day. Had I flown home in the Mooney, I could have deviated 50 miles east of ORD and been home for supper. Tom

Erik, ALL OF US THINK about doing something new or different things based on another person's experience. If you DON'T KNOW, then you NEED TO KNOW, this wasn't a post intending to question you. I have done the same thing a hundred times in my life, saw a good piece of advice requiring some work on my end to accomplish it, and life and 100 other things got in the way before I did it. There's no better example than the CO Monitors. I read and heard a ton of stories on CO dangers, yet never acted on it until we almost lost a Mooney friend just over a year ago. Not because I didn't believe it was worth the cost or time to get one, but because it just didn't work it's way up my priority list. My intention now is for OTHERS to consider taking several of our scary experiences and ACT upon procedures that could very well prevent them from posting in a couple years the same experience you and I have had. Tom