Yooper Rocketman

I wasn't sure if you were referring to the post just before yours, or my original? If you were asking me about my original post, my wife WAS a true red head until age does what it does to most of us. The good thing is her red did not turn gray, but to kind of a dishwater blonde. Other than a little less "endowed", she was every bit as sharp when at the age of the one depicted on the decal, and still looks pretty good today. Tom

You obviously (and probably conveniently) forgot my Comanche story. That wasn't a typo! Tom

Yaa, kinda of like I enjoy passing ANY Comanchees!! Tom

I have no idea why this topic posted twice, other than I posted it from my Iphone at my hangar. My cell coverage is pretty poor, so maybe it sent it twice? Tom

Just went over 100 hours on it. That's in 5 1/2 months with lots of down time the first 3 months working out avionics bugs. It takes some serious cross country flights to get the hours with the speed this thing cruises at. Maybe another 100 hours and I'll actually be proficient in it. Tom

I told my wife if I have to fly in primer a while before final paint I really need "Nose Art". I've had several people comment it looks "Military" in primer, so would look natural with Nose Art. I DID tell her it was going to be of this nature and she said "it's your plane, only going to temporary, do what ever you want. I think it's appropriate for the plane. Tom

I told my wife if I have to fly in primer a while before final paint I really need "Nose Art". I've had several people comment it looks "Military" in primer, so would look natural with Nose Art. I DID tell her it was going to be of this nature and she said "it's your plane, only going to temporary, do what ever you want. I think it's appropriate for the plane. Tom

I've done a lot of Mooney annuals, mine (F model and Rocket) and assisted with my A&P's E model and we have always used the 100 hour inspection in the manual. It is several pages long! You would be hard pressed to get an E model "inspection only" ( no squawks) done in 20 hours and actually have done a good job. My Rocket annuals typically run 30-40 hours with some (or a LOT of squawks). A few have run closer to 50 hours. I pride myself in the amount of squawks I can actually FIND. This is NOT a time to be looking at how "few hours" you can get through an annual. If price is a factor, put some owner sweat into it! Tom

I've never done a selfie before but, Chris, you've given me hope now!!! Tom

Anytime you use a handle like Rocketman you're OK with me!!!! Tom

Reminds me of a book I had to read as part of a truck dealership leadership training program years ago "Who moved my cheese?". Tom

Alex, As you were going through your ordeal I was in intense "finish an 18 year build project" so had not read any of your thread. I spent the last two evenings, resting tired bones from more work on our Spruce Creek home, reading your 20 pages of detail about getting your airplane airworthy. I had no idea what you had been through before flying down here with Hector to Spruce Creek to visit my wife and me. I was impressed with you, your quiet girl friend, and Hector when you visited, but have to say after reading this, Beth and I owe you and your friends a nice dinner the next time we meet!!!!! You should be extremely proud of your plane and your accomplishments at your age! The bar has been set though. I'll start watching for one of these Spruce homes coming up for sale for you! Tom

Pretty sure they are the dominant carrier at Midway (Chicago) too. Tom

Just looked up the airlines flying out of KRDU and there's now way I confused a Southwest planes company colors for Delta or United. I couldn't tell you the difference between a Boeing or an Airbus. Just going by what the controller said. Both planes called out to me were Southwest Airlines planes. Tom

Who flys out of KRDU? The controllers called two different planes Airbusses and they LOOKED like Southwest planes?

Pretty sure it was one of those mylar ones. She said it was orange and blue. Can't say I'm totally up to speed yet with the transition. It's getting easier but still not as intuitive and comfortable as my Mooney. But do I enjoy the speed? Absolutely. Just need to work hard to ensure I don't add to the horrible accident statistics this plane has compiled. Tom

Flew to Spruce Creek this morning and knew we had some weather to contend with over Kentucky and Tennessee. We were in the clear through the weather area but it was pretty cool that we didn't have to deviate at all. I told the wife it was the parting of the seas for us. The wife saw a party balloon go by us pretty fast and really close at FL270. Reported it ATLANTA Center and he asks me how fast the balloon was going? Kind of baffled I said WE went past it at 300 knots but I think the balloon is moving at the same speed as the winds. Tom

Ahhhhhh, that would not be accurate at all. If retract pilots forget the gear a MAJORITY OF THE TIME we could never insure them and they would be in the shop all the time. Transitioning to an early model Mooney (C,D,E,F) would not be THAT difficult. It will take some hours and a serious attitude about the training but it is clearly doable. YOU and Skates97 may have less of a possibility of a gear up than many who transition after many more hours in fixed gear. You're taking your training right from Private Pilot to complex and conditioning your approach to landing with the gear being something in your checklist (and a last check for the second or third time on short final). One thing that helped me was my instructor started making me say "gear, down and locked" in my C150 during my pre-landing check list. He even made me look out the window at the gear and verify it was down. Seemed funky at the time but sure helped in the transition to my first Mooney. It all comes down to instruction and your commitment to your checklists (and a little paranoia !). Tom

We had a well respected CFI that was flying from the lower peninsula of Michigan to the U.P., going over Lake Michigan near the Mackinaw bridge, disappear. It was in the late fall, snowing, and at night. He was in an older fabric airplane (like a Pacer). They searched for him for a while and finally gave up thinking he ended up in the bottom of Lake Michigan. His wife couldn't get the life insurance to pay because they could never find the body (this was 30+ years ago). Later in life she ended up the airport manager of KESC (Escanaba). Anyway, it was like 8-12 years later some hunters found the plane and skeleton, still sitting behind the controls, in a nasty swamp where you couldn't see 25' in front of you. Tom

I mentioned in another post I had conducted my first donated medical flight in the Lancair for the mercy flight organization I am part of (actually President right now). Anyway, it was from KIMT (Iron Mountain, MI, in the U.P.) to Raleigh, NC (KRDU). I ended up with a STAR going in, then vectored around a Southwest Airbus heading west at 7,000' and they held me at 8'000' within 5 miles of the airport. When I could finally come down, I was getting vectors for a long downwind until I told them I could get down with no problem (a clear advantage with turbines). I was given 5L, which is the big runway. Not sure why 5R wasn't offered, as it ends right next to the GA FBO's. Anyway, after fueling and dropping the passengers off (and some distractions from ramp guys wanting to know about the plane) I got my clearance (SID of course, one not authorized for turbines????), started up and got taxi instructions. I was cleared to runway 5R (great news as I saw no activity on that runway, less stress). I taxied to the end, did a few quick items and changed to tower for my TO clearance. Just as I changed to tower, for some reason I looked back down the taxiway. There sits a Southwest Airbus less than 100 yards behind me. Holy crap they look big, that close, when your sitting in a 4 place GA plane! Needless to say I didn't delay my take-off. So much for getting the "quiet runway". Tom

OMG, don't bait him! Hopefully he won't do this to a new member!! Tom

Sorry. Got a really sore backside tonight so you're safe from me. Flew the Lancair on its first donated medical flight. Took a local CFI and well respected pilot to Raleigh NC for follow up on a lung transplant related rejection issue. He was absolutely giddy to fly in a home built airplane at 330 knots in 2 1/2 hours to a destination 900 miles away. With " cheap temporary " seats, I needed a massage when I got back but the wife just laughed historically at me with that suggestion. Hope you paint job goes well!! Tom

You better hurry up PeeVee. You're in Colorado, I'm in Michigan, and Erik is in NY. Guess who has the shorter flight? Maybe I'll take the Lancair over there. That'll keep the body shop guys distracted on the ramp while I pull it off. Tom

The Rocket ready to go, the Lancair looking "military", in primer, for now. Tom

I just flew the Lancair into Appleton for follow up on thumb surgery (Hand to Shoulder Clinic of Wisconsin). Landed on north runway and started turning the wrong way on the taxiway. Guess I hadn't been down there since they moved the FBO. The line guys really liked the Lancair. Tom