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Like many of us, Tom Talamo is a 'Born Again Rocketeer', someone who flew rockets as a kid and then got out of the hobby and back in years later.
"My first rocket was an Estes 9" tall WAC Corporal in 1965. At the time the biggest thing we could get was a 'D' motor.", said Tom.
"I flew until I went to college in 1971."
"I retired in 2019 and was delighted to find out that high power rocketry was a well established hobby."
"In 2022 I joined NAR and the Grove City rocket club and got my Level 1 cert and Level 2 in 2023.", according to Tom.
After a flight at Grove City the Magnum was lost in a corn field for months. The farmer found it and Tom cut out the damaged sections and rebuilt it, naming it the Scarecrow.
With a NAR Level 2 certification, Tom Talamo is new to TRIPOLI Pittsburgh but not new to rocketry.
The big LOC Magnum, er, Scarecrow of Tom Talamo heads up off of the high power pads on a big K455 DMS motor.
Tom and his family watch the action.
"Some of my family and colleagues think I'm a litte nuts...", said Tom, "I did most of my certification learning without a mentor and had a hitch here and there."
Seeing the big Scarecrow fly tells us that he seemed to work out the kinks pretty well.
And most of us are used to others thinking we are a little nuts.... we are aren't we?
Tom looks a little too happy installing his igniter in his great looking Zephyr.
Maybe he is a little nuts but who of us isn't?
Tom's Zephyr takes off on a H-100.
Tom's Zephyr takes off on a J-350.
Tom and family watch the Zephyr decend under parachute for an easy recovery.
New TRIPOLI Pittsburgh member Tom Talamo had a couple of very successful flights and had thought about a couple more. But due to his unfamiliarity with the field, he decided to call it a day. A wise choice for someone who is clearly NOT nuts.
When asked about his Level 3 certification, Tom had said that he had submitted his proposal to NAR and was waiting to hear back.
Before finishing this report, Tom did hear back. The guys at NAR had approved his project but recommended that he do his L3 through the guys at TRIPOLI Pittsburgh. Imagine that.
So we at TRIPOLI Pittsburgh welcome new member Tom Talamo and anyone else who want to join us nuts.
And we'll try not to hold it against him that he is a member of NAR.