Yooper Rocketman

Nah, when it grows it will have no cylinders!

Why you flying spam can on a nice day light that? Tom

I am driving down so will have a vehicle (I suppose you will too if staying in Appleton). Let's see what kind of a group commits and timing works for the most of us. You can get on the grounds without a wristband, just can't get out on the flightline. There are at least a few eateries out the wrist band access area and I think the north 40 is accessable sans a wrist band too. We can exchange cell numbers when we get closer to then. Tom

I was going into Baltimore many years ago in the Rocket for a dealer meeting, up in the flight level with a decent tailwind (260 knots GS) and I started asking the controller several times for lower, to which he denied. Finally he gives me a crossing restriction for 12k at an intersection for which I was not familiar (don't fly out east very often). I set the descent up at 1k a minute while I looked for the crossing point. Just as I find it and realize there is no way I can make it, even with everything hanging out, the controller comes on and asks me if I can make the crossing restriction (the same one that had denied me my earlier descent requests). A little perturbed, I replied "No, not with both wings still on the plane". He comes back with "360 approved". He must have thought I was a turboprop. Tom

Anyone else interested in meeting up for those that have to work on Monday? Seems like it could be Wednesday evening or lunch on Thursday? Tom

I thought about that but at the speed I was going and the controller's "Expedite descent", I would have burned a lot more time at level or climbing time get speed down to gear extend. I gave him what I could get and figured their poor planning didn't make me an emergency. Dev, you are right on the lack of E time and my Rocket (normal ride) with lots of options creating some of this issue. Tom

I needed to fly customers from the U.P. to Mankato, MN on Thursday and my Rocket was AOG for a leaking waste gate controller (internally leaking out the drain line). Customers wouldn't wait for my plane to be repaired (would drive over and buy from the dealer instead of my dealership on a transfer). Since the weather was generally good, and Steve offered up his "E" model (N1258X) which was a real need of some flying time, I decided to fly the customers over in the "E". Steve and I went up the day before to check the plane over (just out of annual and MANY calendar days since last flight). It was at that time I realized he has no autopilot. Not a deal stopper, but it's been over 15 years since I flown a plane without that "back-up" option. I found out really quick how much my hand flying skills had eroded from too much dependence on the autopilot. I DO fly without it, but generally turn it on even on those flights when dealing with "in cockpit issues". Within 20 minutes I was getting comfortable with it, but was amazed how quickly the plane would start rolling when I looked down for more than a couple seconds for radio and navigation adjustments, or other distractions. When I was just south of Minneapolis I was given a "descend and maintain 4,000'" from 6k and I started down. His E model has a bunch of speed mods, so descent management is more challenging than my Rocket (higher red line, 3 blade prop and speed brakes) without hitting the NE red line. After just 40-50 seconds I get another "repeat" of the original descent instruction (and I am down 500' already). I read back again and then a Supervisor comes on and asks me to expedite my descent. With throttle just above gear horn blaring, I get it down at 800' a minute with the airspeed just below red line. My next instruction after leveling at 4k is descend to 2800'. When I reply back, I add I had the plane just below red line to get his earlier request "to expedite descent". Later, with the airport in site and cancelling IFR, the Supervisor comes on and specifically thanks me for the help. .................Got to wonder, was he working a new controller? They sure didn't give me the descent instruction early enough to get what they wanted without extra work on my side (surely they didn't think I was a turbo prop with my "E model speed" flying into the wind). On the trip back I got some quality IMC time, which could have been avoided with either a 2k climb or descent, but I clearly needed the practice. I felt a lot better about my hand flying skills at the fourth hour than I did in the first 30 minutes. George is going to turned off a lot more frequently after that wake up call. My first 1300 hours of IFR was all done sans autopilot, with lots of hard IMC, but having that option since those days has sure made me lazy. Tom

Steve's plane has no autopilot. I found out really quick how much my hand flying skills had eroded. Luckily no IMC until the return leg. I ended up with a good 45 minutes of IMC (high clouds only) and the hand flying got a lot better in the last two hours (vs. the first two hours). I will be turning off the autopilot more often after that wake up call. The waste gate controller showed on Thursday and they shipped the wrong one. Well, actually, they shipped mine to another buyer and his to my FBO. Chad asked if I wanted them to ship next day air to cover their mistake (originally ordered second day air). I said, no............I have nothing planned so no need to be ignorant about it. Plane should be done on Monday. Tom

Well the pesky oil leak I had was not fixed with the work noted above (well the starter drive no longer leaks anyway). I found a lot of oil on the belly after my last several flights again and realized it was all coming out of the drain tube bundle. I had Kubick Aviation look at it so I can stay working on the project plane and they found the waste gate controller was porting oil out it's drain line (tie wrapped with other tubes to the breather line). Rebuilt exchange waste gate controller will be installed today. Needed to fly customers to look at a truck over in Mankato MN today, and trip couldn't be delayed until tomorrow. So... I talked Steve into letting me put some hours on his long sitting E model today. We went up for a test flight (just came out of annual) and reorientation flight yesterday. That is one beautiful "E" model that will likely be on the market in the next couple months. Tom

I could do lunch, or sometime in the afternoon. I have the LOBO Banquet Thursday evening (Lancair Owners and Builders Organization). Tom

I already went through this drill with a Bonanza. If the FIKI system is on before other mods, and no substantial changes are made to the required components (still has two pumps and a standby alternator), the STC holder for the newest STC is responsible to determine if THEIR STC substantially changes the prior one for the FIKI Deice system. We could NOT have the Tornado Alley engine upgrade with the turbo installed first, and then get CAV to install the FIKI TKS system. For the record, if the windshield had been modified to a thicker windshield, it would disqualify the FIKI option. CAV wants a totally stock airplane, even if the mod has no relevance to the TKS install. We COULD get the FIKI TKS system installed first and then have the Tornado Alley upgrade after and still have FIKI (which is exactly what we did). So........there can be Rocket conversions out there, of 252 airframes, that are certified for FIKI. The key is the model 252 was the oldest Mooney airframe that CAV certified for FIKI. Although the 231 is a "K" model, it is considered for FIKI certification a different "model" than the 252 in CAV's eyes, and can't get FIKI. This same issue, to an even more extreme point, is present in the Bonanzas. The break is within the model of the BE36, determined by year of manufacture (1985) only. Identical airframes, 1984 and 1985 are the break point for FIKI. We sold a perfectly good 1982 and bought a much rattier 1985 just so we could get a platform for FIKI TKS on our airlifeline plane. And yes, I know this is not that relative to the OP's question, but I think it's important to understand the qualifying FIKI factors for our Mooney's (and Bonanza's). Tom (Who just installed my fourth TKS system, this time on a Lancair Prop-jet).

There have been several 252's converted to Rockets, and those CAN have FIKI TKS systems. Never heard of the dual batteries, but Rockets have two batteries anyway. The only differences between the A36 we had that was FIKI and the one that wasn't was the standby alternator and the second pump. I have have close to 2k hours in TKS equipped birds, with most of those hours in non-FIKI ones. I had a deice failure (in icing too) in the FIKI A-36 a couple years ago and it was a component outside of the FIKI redundancy. It's got one of the pumps out right now for overhaul because it failed too (during another icing encounter). By the time I figured out the system wasn't pumping, I was out of the icing. The FIKI makes you "LEGAL", but my experience doesn't show it's been any safer. Tom

Erik....Maybe not your last one even with the change. I am pretty sure there is a restriction for flying in the flight levels where you still need a 3rd class medical. I know it won't work for me anyway, as I am up there a lot now and will be all the time with the new bird. Tom

Guess that gives a whole new meaning to "Grocery Getter". Tom

We need more guys like me, that can't remember very well. While looking through my finances this spring to compile aviation expenses for taxes I found I had made TWO $50 donations in one year. Maybe I can get an extra year of "Supporter" status for that. Tom

I responded to your PM, but not with the thought that you were possibly a brand new GA pilot. Your PP (private pilot) experience plays a serious part in how smart this venture would be. This is NOT an air frame for a newly minted PP. Tom

You are aware of the increased Gross with the Rocket conversion? My trips to Florida would require 2 fuel stops in my F model. I do them routinely with one fuel stop now. I COULD do them non-stop, at times, but will not fly longer than 3 1/2 hours without stopping. Have done that a few times and the fun of flying (especially for the wife) goes away really fast. As far as the extended range tanks, fuel goes in them based on mission, so absence of fuel, they pose no weight penalty. When flying alone (185 lbs) or with my wife (115 lbs) I really maximize utility of the fuel capacity on long trips by fueling less at high cost FBO's and filling completely at low priced fuel stops. I've had times I've saved well north of $100 in my trips to Florida from the U.P. of Michigan with that management technique. Tom

I've used 2 1/2 gallon water jugs on the rare occasion it's been an issue. They can be dumped out anywhere when no longer needing the weight. I usually just put the heaviest passenger in the back seat. I have often wondered about drilling a seat latch hole in the farthest aft position of the co-pilot seat (up against the rear seat) as that would give a real advantage in W&B sometimes. Tom

If someone sets up a Wednesday evening gathering, let me know when and where. You can count me in. Tom

I have yet to have the "useful load" be an issue (15+ years of rocket ownership). I've flown 4 adults across almost the entire state of Oregon with no issue (and yes, within the legal W&B of 900+ lbs). I just flew two good sized guys to Minnesota yesterday to purchase a truck, again, with no W&B or Gross issues. Anteras, I will be closing on property in Florida on Friday for winter refuge and should be a regular visitor once your weather cools off. I will be glad to hook up with you in my Rocket. Tom

I can do Wednesday, Wednesday night, or Thursday during the day. Thursday evening I am attending the Lancair LOBO Banquet. Tom

I was going to suggest the same thing. I had a couple cylinders that wouldn't pass until I used the orifice tool several years ago. Last year those cylinders were in the low 60's. This year they were down in the low 50's and I was thinking it wasn't going to be long (well over TBO). After my speed run to Florida, I decided to compression check again and both those lower cylinders went up 10 and 12 lbs respectively, with nothing lower than 64 lbs. That just goes to show you the compression test is very subjective. I believe the recent 12 hours of flight time in hot weather actually helped "seat the rings" a bit. The leakage, in my case, was clearly not valves as they will not get better with more hours on them. Tom

Well, not really. I traveled out to Lancair in 1999 when I bought the kit for a two week builders assist, which gave me the basic skill set to actually start on the project. During the long, almost non-stop trip back I got a blood clot in my shoulder (thoracic outlet syndrome), spent 10 days in a Green Bay hospital, 5 of those in ICU. I got a lot of time to reflect on my life and decided the airplane project was NOT more important than raising my kids so I spent a good part of those 17 years building up my business and most of my off time with my kids (soccer coaching, camping, boating, fishing, vacations, etc). Now that they are all out of college and relocated away from home I have put a ton of hours into it trying to finish it. Tom

Dave, Not in an airpark. Based at KIMT, which is Iron Mountain, MI in the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) of Michigan. That's where "Yooper" comes from. It's a local slang for U.P. 'er. I am about 2 weeks from moving a Lancair prop-jet project from house to the airport for final assembly. I have some pictures of it on my profile page. It's been a 17 year project, not that I am proud of the time it's taken to build it. Tom

The floor is done, dried for 72 hours, and I was able to park the Rocket back on it. Lots of room in the back for the project too, now that my Piper Clipper and Steve's M20E are moved out). I used a Sherwin Williams two part epoxy paint that comes in a kit with enough to cover 250 square feet, and then a clear coat goes over it that covers 400 square feet per gallon. It was on sale for 40% off, so did the hangar for less than $1k. It's nicer than the the product from them I used in my dealership, but no where near what the fancy stuff is that runs a ton more money. I just couldn't justify dropping $6k on the floor for the DIY thick stuff, or $12k-$15k to have it ground professionally and covered. We DID seal all the floor cracks, most were at seams in pours or where I had installed Zip Strip for controlled cracking 22 years ago when we poured. Overall, very happy with it. Tom