Tom Roorda

Born in Denver, Colorado in 1949, I’ve lived in Sequim since 1992. I’m a retired Licensed Land Surveyor, a Viet Nam combat veteran and I was an Engineering Aid in the Navy SeaBees.

I earned my Private pilot license in 1985 in Fort Collins, Colorado at the Downtown Fort Collins Airport which doesn’t exist now. I soloed in a C152 in 1985 and got my private pilot license in the same plane 3 months later. I learned to fly a conventional Grob glider and also a Grob motor glider at the Fort Collins – Loveland Airport near Loveland, Colorado. During a business trip to Alaska in 1986, I got my Single Engine Sea Plane rating in a ’46 Taylorcraft at Lake Hood in Anchorage.

I moved to California where I bought my first plane, a Grumman Yankee TR2 with 115hp Lycoming O235C engine. This plane was based at Ramona California. I made friends with the owner of a ’67 Mooney M20C. He had a partner in this plane and I was able to buy him out in 1990. This was the start of my “real training,” flying with a guy in his 80’s who had been flying all of his life. He and I did all of the maintenance and I really learned aircraft repair from him. We flew the Mooney every weekend all around the Southwest, the most memorable flight being a non-stop from Ramona to Albuquerque, New Mexico. We sold the Mooney and I decided to buy a tailwheel plane. I found a Maule M4 in Vashon, WA and my instructor and I flew it back to Ramona. This plane had the 220 Franklin and a constant speed prop. I flew the Maule for about 700 hours, the most memorable flight being to Courtney, BC and return from Ramona.

I moved to the Great Northwest, Port Angeles. On the ferry flight here, the engine spun a main bearing and I had to land at Anacortes due to low oil pressure light coming on. I had been monitoring a drop in oil pressure and was ready to land on the beach if necessary. Fortunately, I made it to the airport. While the engine was being rebuilt, I joined the local Civil Air Patrol and flew their C182 and C206 for 2 years where I met Bill Benedict. He and I have flown together off and on ever since.

I bought a house on the runway at Rake’s Glenn and flew the Maule until 2001. I then sold the Maule and delivered it to the new owner in Nashville, TN. Needless to say, that was an adventure. On the way to Nashville, I was forced to land near Palm Dessert due to weather and that is where I found my next airplane which was a ’68 Citabria 7ECA. I have flown that aircraft now for 18 years and over 1000 hours. I have had some success with Aerial Photos using a GoPro camera mounted on the tailwheel spring in this aircraft I recently sold the Citabria which gave me the opportunity to get into a partnership with my friend Bill Benedict in his RV-6. The RV-6 has an IO-360 with a constant speed prop and cruises at around 160 mph. It’s definitely the most exciting plane that I have flown so far.

My future plans are to get the Commercial and possibly the Instrument rating, as well. I have over 2,500 total hours at this time.

My wife Sharon and I got married 3 months ago and enjoy flying, bike riding, and travel.