First Time in 22 years not a Mooney Owner

[Yooper Rocketman]

   Well, N1017L, my 1982 Mooney Rocket I’ve owned since 2001, flew for nearly 2,000 hours, was officially sold as of 6:00 PM yesterday.  Both my wife and I have pretty ambivalent feelings, having flown our Rocket into probably 75% of the states in this country, and kids memories of a lot of those trips too.  My first cross country airplane in 1996 was an F model, N929PG.  We flew her for 5 years, accumulating 1300 hours with my now 26 year old being 4 years old when I bought it.  He used to sleep on a bed made on top the luggage in the baggage compartment during many Michigan to Colorado trips in the early years.  

The buyer, a very quality guy out of Austin, TX, began the initial inquiry and commitment to purchase during the air show in Oshkosh of this year.  He said once we talked extensively about the plane, he was buying from the owner more than just the plane.  I was not bashful disclosing things that I would address if I continued ownership of the plane, and a good review of my logbooks made it pretty clear I did not hold back on any maintenance throughout my ownership of the plane.  He came up and inspected during my annual, which began in August and was not finished until November (engine overhaul on another thread). He had say in every aspect of the overhaul and never got a final number from me until two weeks ago (I was waiting on all the OH bills to come in). We were $5k apart on his expected number and my final number, and he hadn’t accounted for the $5k prop OH.  A tip to other purchasers, he’s getting a lot of items that don’t normally come with the sale.  His only request to meet my number was getting a Flight Stream installed, which I provided for the sale. By not beating me up he got a lot of stuff from me I would not have been compelled to provide otherwise.

   I’ve really enjoyed my participation on this forum over the years.  I joined Beach Talk about a year ago, participated for maybe 4-6 months and although most  were pretty decent people , I found some so caustic I’ve not been back in 4-6 months.  On the other hand, this forum is the BEST ONE I’ve ever been privileged to belong to.  I will stay for a while, believing 22 years of Mooney ownership and owner supervised maintenance might be of value to a few of you here.  Many of you have followed my Lancair project through the later build years and the two years I’ve flown it.  It’s done, reliable, and a great cross country machine.  I hope as old age creeps up on me, and I no longer feel competent in the prop jet, to return to the Mooney fold for my last years flying.  You guys will never lose this pilot as a huge advocate of the Mooney airplane!

Thanks a ton fellow Mooniacs!!

Tom

 

[bonal]

Bittersweet congrats on the sale, as long as you continue your presence here on MS yours being some of the best posts on this forum.

[carusoam]

The sign says MooneySpace... But...

Speed, efficiency, and safety, are the premise...

The quality of the plane, matches the quality of the people that fly and maintain them...

You may not be in a Mooney, but the Mooney will always be in you... The passion never leaves... 

 

Tom,

I have always enjoyed your posts, pics, and sharing your knowledge and experience.

Please leave a post when you visit. No matter how brief...

Best regards,

-a-

[gsxrpilot]

Don't go anywhere Tom. Your insights, advice, and information on this forum have been a huge benefit to all. And your posts are always "must read" material.

Besides, every so often, we need a screen shot of that prop jet doing speeds over 300 knots just to help us all keep perspective.

We'll look for you at OSH 2019.

[StevenL757]

Tom, echoing Anthony and Paul, you’ll always be a Mooney owner, and certainly hope you’ll never consider leaving this forum.

Steve

[Yooper Rocketman]

Thanks for the nice comments!! I truly felt I left a part of me behind in selling that awesome Mooney.  

Tom

[aviatoreb]

1 hour ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

  I hope as old age creeps up on me, and I no longer feel competent in the prop jet, to return to the Mooney fold for my last years flying.  You guys will never lose this pilot as a huge advocate of the Mooney airplane!

:-). In that case....please write my name down as dibs to buy that turbine beast when you "grow out if it", it devalues a bit, and my income rises a bit to a point all the lines cross.  We can even make a cash-deal trade to get you back into a TKS rocket...

Until then...I'll have to visit you!  You YooperfromUP.

 

[DonMuncy]

Sorry to see you have moved out of the ownership ranks at this time. But don't go away.

[Guitarmaster]

I feel the same way Tom. My Mooney will be going to its new owner on the 3rd of January.

I love the connections and the community here. Lots of great people on this forum!

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[orionflt]

Tom,

I'm glad your Mooney is going to a good home and hope the new owner joins us on Mooneyspace, at the same time i'm sorry your Mooney has been sold because i know you will miss it even though the lancair will run circles around it.

Please stay on the forum and continue to jion us at our events, you will always be a Mooniac!

Brian

[Cody Stallings]

I hate to hear you have Moved on from your Rocket, but it’s guaranteed there is a guy in Texas with a huge grin on his face when he is in cruise configuration in it.

May I be the The guy Who asks, what drove the cost of your Prop O/H to $5K?

Do you have the same 500 Series McCauley I do? 340/414 prop.

Edited December 30, 2018 by Cody Stallings
Spelling

[Yooper Rocketman]

Yes I do.  I don’t know why the price was there.  My FBO just sends them out and passes on the cost.  I think it was done in the MSP area.  

[Yooper Rocketman]

On 12/29/2018 at 10:39 PM, orionflt said:

Please stay on the forum and continue to jion us at our events, you will always be a Mooniac!

Brian

Brian,

I’ve never said anything but your last two events I seriously considered flying in and surprising you and the group.  Don’t be surprised one of these times a noisy blue and white kerosene burner comes taxiing up if the weather between you and the U.P. cooperates!

Tom

[orionflt]

7 minutes ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

Brian,

I’ve never said anything but your last two events I seriously considered flying in and surprising you and the group.  Don’t be surprised one of these times a noisy blue and white kerosene burner comes taxiing up if the weather between you and the U.P. cooperates!

Tom

I can't wait

Brian

[Hank]

Once a Mooniac, always a Mooniac!

Hope to see your new ride in person one day!

[steingar]

You’re going to miss that Mooney. Joe is thinking about partnering up in mine. Yeah, his Lanceair is going to be an amazing machine. But if he just wants to do a short burger run on a nice day, it might not cut it where a Mooney will.

[Yooper Rocketman]

Yesterday was a bittersweet one.  I spent the last couple days knocking out my final squawks on the plane for delivery, scheduled for Saturday.  We actually came back early from Florida to allow time to prep and deliver the plane, which had been paid for back on the 27th.  I flew down to Milwaukee to pick up Steve, the new owner.  I arrived at 7 AM, let him fly it back to KIMT, teaching him the differences in my Rocket from his current "partnership Rocket".  He did well.  After loading all the stuff that went with the plane and taking him to lunch, I sent him off at about 2:30 PM.  It was a more sad moment than I was expecting.  

Tom

[exM20K]

Tom,

When I sold our 231 in 2008, we had owned it for 12 years, through various chapters of life:

• Commuting long distance
• Couple going on weekend trips.
• Young family doing the same and visiting grandparents

It is a remarkable and versatile machine. I  don't regret selling it then, as it would have fallen into disuse, and the buyer is a great guy (sometimes on this forum) who appreciates the plane for what it is and can do.

Fast forward to 2016, and I needed a fast, FIKI bird for my business, so here I am with the M20TN, a mooniac all over again.  It felt like i never left.

Thanks for your contributions to this forum, and maybe we will bump into you at the Creek some day.

-dan

[Marauder]

Yesterday was a bittersweet one.  I spent the last couple days knocking out my final squawks on the plane for delivery, scheduled for Saturday.  We actually came back early from Florida to allow time to prep and deliver the plane, which had been paid for back on the 27th.  I flew down to Milwaukee to pick up Steve, the new owner.  I arrived at 7 AM, let him fly it back to KIMT, teaching him the differences in my Rocket from his current "partnership Rocket".  He did well.  After loading all the stuff that went with the plane and taking him to lunch, I sent him off at about 2:30 PM.  It was a more sad moment than I was expecting.  
Tom

You mean it doesn’t feel like boat ownership? The two happiest days of ownership is the day you bought the plane and the day you sold it?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

[SWL]

Steve here, signing in...  Cody, I'm the guy from Texas with a big grin on his face.  Tom and I met at Oshgosh as he mentioned.  He was sanding the white stripes off of the propeller on his beautiful new lancair, i was wearing a mooney cap...   When we shook hands the next month in yooperland, i knew that i was about to purchase the best kept mooney from a top-shelf owner.  After spending a day getting to know Tom, i was certain i'd found the mooney deal of a lifetime.

I lifted off the runway Saturday afternoon Jan 5 and tipped a wing to the Rocketman... it felt a bit like i was leaving with his mistress.  Its been a couple of days now, and I'm still wearing an ear-to-ear grin.

To all of you out there in mooneyspace who may be eye-ing Tom's turbo-prop; i plan to take good care and trade his mistress back to him when he is ready to slow back down to 230kts!

To anyone who has not yet seen the best m20k rocket in North America, i am considering placing a velvet rope between shiny brass posts in front of the hangar and charging a buck a visit.  ...wonder if i can cover the monthly hangar dues ;-)

Relatively new to most things air borne.  A 300hr rocket flyer, with 600 hrs since PP in 2015.  I've learned a lot from all of you on mooneyspace in the past two or three years.  If i'm still around in 40 or 50 years, i may have contributed a bit as well, all in an attempt to live in the shadow cast by N1017L's Rocketman.  Meanwhile, Tom's number is on my speed dial in case the mistress gets fussy.

 

[carusoam]

Welcome out in the open, Steve!

Great pics.

Update your avatar details.

Fly often.

Best regards,

-a-

[kris_adams]

Tom I've loved the stories and would love to see the IVP one day!!  I've always loved that plane.

Steve welcome aboard!!

[Yooper Rocketman]

On 1/7/2019 at 2:00 PM, Kris_Adams said:

Tom I've loved the stories and would love to see the IVP one day!!  I've always loved that plane.

Steve welcome aboard!!

Kris,

Griffin GA.....really.  That's where my first Mooney, N929PG went after I sold it.  I think it was Jim Gore, a doctor?  His dad was a Mooney owner too.    I actually delivered the plane to him.

Tom

 

[aviatoreb]

On 1/7/2019 at 2:11 PM, SWL said:

To anyone who has not yet seen the best m20k rocket in North America, i am considering placing a velvet rope between shiny brass posts in front of the hangar and charging a buck a visit.  ...wonder if i can cover the monthly hangar dues ;-)

Welcome Steve!!! And CONGRATULATIONS!!! on your new to you bird!  Sounds like you got a great one, and what a great seller you worked with!  But please forgive me if I refute your claim of the best M20K rocket in North America - mine is awfully sweet and some very special upgrades too and looking sharp - how about we call it a gentleman's tie?  Anyway - I figure we are rocket buddies since there aren't too many tks rockets out there.

[kris_adams]

On 1/8/2019 at 7:47 PM, Yooper Rocketman said:

Kris,

Griffin GA.....really.  That's where my first Mooney, N929PG went after I sold it.  I think it was Jim Gore, a doctor?  His dad was a Mooney owner too.    I actually delivered the plane to him.

Tom

 

So small world!  Yes Dr Gore is still around and flying.  He's in an RV10 now...