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Yopper Rocketman Returns to Mooney Ownership Today

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Yooper Rocketman Veteran

Yooper Rocketman

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Today, as the proud and excited new owner (AGAIN) of N1017L, an awesome Mooney Rocket I owned for 1700 hours and 17 years, I conducted my first flights since Xmas morning 3 1/2 months ago.  I did them alone, in Lago Vista TX, conducting 3 separate takeoff’s and landing’s, at an airport with incredibly unforgiving options should your engine fail at 500’ after takeoff (not that that would be on my mind :o ).  I did fine and will be returning to the U.P. of Michigan tomorrow.  

An additional plus is I picked up some Lancair parts (vertical tail section) for my ongoing “new project” to be flown back with me.  I will share WHY with my favorite aviation forum soon ( I know, I’ll do it soon!  It’s been painful.).   Sorry for not sharing more but extenuating circumstances preclude me posting more on a public forum.  
 

I definitely think I want to hook up with @mike_elliott now as committed “high quality training” CLEARLY has an effect on outcomes when handed terrible flying challenges.  And Erik @aviatoreb you hold no advantage any more on 4 blade MT props on Rockets ;)

Tom 

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aviatoreb Grand Master

aviatoreb

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Wow Tom,  What serendipity in all this that you were able to reacquire your own trusted steed back to your own stable.  Well yay for that.

And with a fancy new prop!

Two four blade rockets on the forum now!  Welcome (back) aboard - however you got here again - you are always welcome.

Erik

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Yooper Rocketman Veteran

Yooper Rocketman

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12 minutes ago, aviatoreb said:

Wow Tom,  What serendipity in all this that you were able to reacquire your own trusted steed back to your own stable.  Well yay for that.

And with a fancy new prop!

Two four blade rockets on the forum now!  Welcome (back) aboard - however you got here again - you are always welcome.

Erik

I was blown away the massive change in landing the Rocket with 30 pounds taken off the nose on a plane with all that extra weight firewall forward related to 95 more HP.  IMPRESSIVE!!

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aviatoreb Grand Master

aviatoreb

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8 minutes ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

I was blown away the massive change in landing the Rocket with 30 pounds taken off the nose on a plane with all that extra weight firewall forward related to 95 more HP.  IMPRESSIVE!!

Yah - and generally much lighter/more balanced in pitch.

I bet you'll find it to be quieter/smoother too.

I will be interested if you feel there is any change in cruise speed - I think it is tad faster.

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Will.iam Veteran

Will.iam

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Just like it’s good to get a different set of eye’s on your annuals so true of your piloting technique as well. I always like to observe other pilots techniques as i usually learn something every flight. I also welcome feedback and critiques of my skills as well. It’s what you don’t know or not aware of that can be damaging to lethal. 

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steingar Grand Master

steingar

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Tom, I hope we can catch up at Oshkosh.  I too am saddened beyond words at the intimation that an untimely fate might have befell your amazing project.  My hope is you were offered so much money for it that you just couldn't refuse.

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MIm20c Grand Master

MIm20c

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22 hours ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

should your engine fail at 500’ after takeoff (not that that would be on my mind :o ).  

Oh my, in a TP IV that had to be really exciting…not in a good way. We’re ready for the full story when you are.  I’m glad you got your old plane back with all the good memories it brings back. 

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Yooper Rocketman Veteran

Yooper Rocketman

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So here our two ownership change pictures.  One in Milwaukee at Mitchell Field, in January 2019 Obviously we are in winter clothes as I hand Steve the keys to my favorite airplane over the last 17 years.  
 

The other picture was yesterday in Texas, as Steve hands the keys back to me.  His mission has changed since his current employment situation won’t allow use of the plane for the next several years.  His exact words “it would have been restricted to pancake breakfast’s and occasional hamburger runs”.  He graciously offered my plane back to my custody until my Lancair is airworthy again, clearly a two year project for the most optimistic (and motivated) amongst us.  
 

As I crawled home at 11k yesterday with 30-40 Knot headwinds I realized how another 100 Knots TAS makes those kind of winds on the nose less painful.  But then I also came to realize I covered a lot of ground from southern Texas to the U.P. I brought back parts from Lancair I couldn’t afford a shipping company to damage (they’re not made anymore) and I had done the driving time to pick them up.    My 7 hour flight with serious headwinds would have been 23 hours one way (46 hours round trip).  Fitting those composite parts in the plane as stow aways worked pretty great!

Tom

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LANCECASPER Grand Master

LANCECASPER

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41 minutes ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

So here our two ownership change pictures.  One in Milwaukee at Mitchell Field, in January 1999.  Obviously we are in winter clothes as I hand Steve the keys to my favorite airplane over the last 17 years.  

Was that in '99 or '19?

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aviatoreb Grand Master

aviatoreb

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1 hour ago, Yooper Rocketman said:

So here our two ownership change pictures.  One in Milwaukee at Mitchell Field, in January 1999.  Obviously we are in winter clothes as I hand Steve the keys to my favorite airplane over the last 17 years.  
 

The other picture was yesterday in Texas, as Steve hands the keys back to me.  His mission has changed since his current employment situation won’t allow use of the plane for the next several years.  His exact words “it would have been restricted to pancake breakfast’s and occasional hamburger runs”.  He graciously offered my plane back to my custody until my Lancair is airworthy again, clearly a two year project for the most optimistic (and motivated) amongst us.  
 

As I crawled home at 11k yesterday with 30-40 Knot headwinds I realized how another 100 Knots TAS makes those kind of winds on the nose less painful.  But then I also came to realize I covered a lot of ground from southern Texas to the U.P. I brought back parts from Lancair I couldn’t afford a shipping company to damage (they’re not made anymore) and I had done the driving time to pick them up.    My 7 hour flight with serious headwinds would have been 23 hours one way (46 hours round trip).  Fitting those composite parts in the plane as stow aways worked pretty great!

Tom

66AD52F8-51D2-4423-8EE3-2CA9164F44C2.png

A2280A76-2A14-4C61-BA76-832317F0F475.png

I think it is funny, how your journey through ownership of a turbine Lancair, and now back in a Mooney rocket for a bit - that the Mooney rocket is a pokey-ol' little piston thing.

Many of us mere mortals still think a rocket is a fire breathing rock and roll machine!

Enjoy!

E

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Hank Grand Master

Hank

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1 hour ago, Browncbr1 said:

What happened to the TP IV?

Tom is, understandably, not ready to post the details, but has said that he will later. 

Hints are scattered throughout several recent posts.

I'm awaiting the opportunity to learn what he did right to walk away!

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Yooper Rocketman Veteran

Yooper Rocketman

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3 hours ago, Hank said:

Tom is, understandably, not ready to post the details, but has said that he will later. 

Hints are scattered throughout several recent posts.

I'm awaiting the opportunity to learn what he did right to walk away!

Thanks Hank. I’m past the emotional pain. It’s under investigation by the NTSB and I’m being careful what I discuss publicly right now.  

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