Yooper Rocketman

That's blacktop!! You can see the blacktop goes that wide closer to the hangar and I can see the lip of the blacktop on the hole. ARGH! I too would attempt to repair the door. Tom

I bought two main tires for my Lancair, didn't get around to actually HAVING TO change them until several months after the purchase, and then found they were too tall. I didn't realize they made more than one size tire when it's a 600-6. They are Flight Custom III's. Tubes are available too. The return stocking charge once you go over a month is ridiculous. I would rather an airplane owner gets the price discount. Tom Link to the tires; https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/lgpages/gy_tire12.php

A couple recent flights. I know, not in a Mooney, but I’m a FOREVER MOONEY LOVER!!! I’m performing an Annual Inspection on an E as I submit this. Heading back to the U.P. from Minneapolis at sunset. Two photos looking north towards Lake Superior and one of MSP at sunset. Tom

Kelly Johnson was a Yooper!! He was born and raised in Ishpeming, MI. Tom

Ya, not sure how @M20Doc gets missed in this list. He contributes more for free as one of the most informed, experienced, and reputable contributors on this list!!!! And does so recognizing he will not see any business from his contribution !!! Tom

Scott, And I still owe you a ride in the IVPT!! I might owe @aviatoreb one too, but doubt he'll ever stop on his fly overs of the U.P. Tom

Congratulations Jolie!! Tom

I met Bob and spoke with him at Oshkosh several years (most times at the Mooney Gathering). The year he was going with his grandson on that long trip I talked with him for a while and shared a story about MY grandfather. He called his grandson over and asked me to share it with him. The Readers Digest version, I explained how my time with my grandfathers doing special events were something I still cherished 30-50 years later (respective passing of my two grandfathers). And even though they had now passed, those memories were with me for life! Makes me wonder if Bob knew something even back then? He is a huge loss to our community and, based on his eulogy, it appears many other communities as well. It's most clear what a great man he was to his family. So sad to see his passing!! Tom

Your alternate air door is on the back side of your Bracket air filter assy. It is a hinged door with a magnet on it. My recollection (I sold my Rocket a 18 months ago) is once it opens you need to manually close it. It's either open or closed. I don't think you can get a look at it without removing the bottom cowl but it's possible you could view it through the nose gear well, looking at the backside of it to see if it's open. I posted a picture of the interior of the Bracket air filter assy on this post, Page 3, last post on this thread. I am amazed our resident genius / reveled leader on memory of past posts ( @carusoam ) did't beat me to this.

A couple flights this week. The panel shots were for a three leg trip bringing a friend home after helping and visiting her dying mom (after her discharge from surgery at the Mayo Clinic in KRST). The in flight photos were last night coming home from NW Minneapolis. That was looking north at Lake Superior. In the first flight photo, near the Lake Superior shore line, is a long slender lake (actually 12 miles long north to south) known as Lake Gogebic. As I was taxiing out for take-off last night, I heard a Mooney announce on long final (which wasn't a problem, I still had plenty of pre-take off checks to complete). I asked him if he was a Mooney Space participant. He said he was so I introduced myself. It was @lotsofgadgets Man this plane is fun to fly !!! Tom

I misunderstood. I thought you were doing one hangar. That DOES make a big difference when talking multiple hangars. Tom

Your cost per square foot in the additional depth will be considerably less the rest of the building because all your adding is wall, roof and floor space to expand it. The overall building cost considers all the other fixed costs that will not change due to more depth (end walls, doors, windows, electrical, etc.). Go 60' x 60' (and run the numbers on the difference in total cost to see how cheap that extra 8' is). Like Hank said, you will never hear someone complain they went too big on a hangar. (Like "A" said, I'm building a 70' x 75' hangar as we speak for our EAA Chapter. It's my fourth one I've built or assisted on). Tom

So 10 hours ago my time was 10 PM. That would be 11 PM EST. Erik............ did you start drinking adult beverages to get through this pandemic? (To be clear..... that was a joke!) Tom

Yep, That's it. A bit more than a couple years ago Tom

I wrote up a discovery and repair for a TKS float problem a few years ago. I’m not good at searching but calling Anthony @carusoam as he’s the wiz finding older topics appropriate for a new post. TOM

I can’t answer your specific question Erik, but I can opin as a guy flying behind fuel gauges of both types. IT’S PROBABLY IN THE TOP FIVE of improvements moving to my new plane. Comparing fuel monitoring between factory gauges and my G3X, I think the only thing close to comparing it is a cave man hammering a crude chisel on a chunk of rock to a modern machine shop CC machine cutting the same stone. Knowing what I know now, I would place converting to CIES sensors to the top of ANY “want list”!!! The safety aspect and peace of mind is beyond measurement. Tom

Like Paul said, but a little tip. I've calibrated the fuel tanks on my Lancair 4 times. I won't go into why, but suffice to say I thought accuracy on that was an absolute safety issue. We always pulled the fuel line off the delivery side of the fuel pump and pumped the fuel off (draining was just too messy). We pumped until the fuel flow decreased enough we knew we couldn't rely on the engine running on what what the diminished flow was. AT THAT POINT, we then drained the remainder of the fuel from the tank and measured that as "unusable". We reinstalled the unusable quantity, then programmed my Garmin G3X after every 5 gallons was added, until reaching the full point. Not sure how the certified Garmin products work, but the G3X allows programming as many points along the fuel level curve as you want, which gives incredible accuracy (and confidence) during flight. Tom

Forgive me but I can’t resist. A UPS Delivery Driver’s Last Day. So this UPS Driver has been sharing with his customers for many months the anticipated arrival of his Retirement Day after a great and rewarding 37 year career. The last day nearly every customer has a gift for him, from cards, to gifts including a watch, gift cards, and other appreciated items. But the delivery to one of his favorite, and very good looking, customers is one he’ll never forget. Upon his knock at the door she opens it wearing the most appealing/attractive night gown he’s ever seen. She invites him in, takes him to her bedroom, and he has an hour of the most remarkable time he’s ever had in his life. She then takes him to the kitchen, where the most amazing breakfast is prepared and waiting for him on the table. As he starts eating, he can’t help but notice a five dollar bill sitting under his coffee cup. Reflecting on this unbelievable experience, he finally says to her, “I hate to ask, but after that amazing time in your bedroom, and then this incredible breakfast, what’s with the five dollar bill under my coffee cup”? She replies I asked my husband last night what he thought I should do for you to say thanks for 38 years of service as you complete your last day of work before retiring? He said “f**k him, give him five bucks”. The breakfast, “that was MY IDEA”! Tom

No worries on falling asleep. Just watch the TAS and GS. That will keep you motivated!! Tom

Ya, I used a lot of O2 over the years in my Rocket. Don't need it much anymore with the IVPT. I DO hang the mask around my neck and require all passengers to do the same anytime above FL-240 though. Too long to get to a breathable altitude from there. I also have an Icarus altitude alert that my headset cord plugs through (6 pin) that works amazingly well for cabin altitude deviations. There would be many more pilots alive had they been using this valuable tool. Tom

You got IV ports in the plane too (just like at work)?

I was told it was dropped to satisfy the FAA on total HP for the airframe. As Erik said, a negotiation to get the STC approved. Tom

When I had my Rocket Engine OH'd they had trouble getting the max RPM set for a bit. I had 2700 RPM for a while (would have been really tempted to leave it there had I not been selling it). That IS why the H.P. was dropped to 305. I will tell you, that extra 50 RPM felt like a lot more than 5 more HP !!!!!! I was blown away how much more power it had. Could have been a new engine vs. a 500 over TBO old one too. Almost as impressive as 724 HP on my 2500 pound (empty weight) Carbon Fiber garage built experimental. Tom

Well ....... it finally happened. With less than one COVID-19 case per 1,000 people ( we are actually at 1 in every 3,000), and only 7 new cases for the month of May across our 311,000+ population, our governor considered the U.P. safe enough to open up. If we were our own state, we would likely have had the lowest state infection rate in the country. Sure hope you poor folks downstate don’t have to reach OUR numbers to be freed up. You’ll be locked down until next year. There’s a lot of happy “Yooper” red necks today. Tom

Mine is tuned for FL 280. 300 knots (give/ take 10 knots depending on temps) on 30 GPH. Not exactly real efficient but then neither was my 305 Rocket. I’m a pretty well documented “Speed Guy”. Tom