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AKPilot
24th January 2009, 12:49 PM
What was the name of the vendor who used to do clone kits, that quit about two years ago due to his wife's health problems.

He used to post here and he had some fantastic kits. His wife, sadly, got cancer, so he shut down. She got better and they were enjoying life, but he never came back.

And does anyone have contact info?
Rocketcrab
24th January 2009, 01:03 PM
Thrustline Aerospace, and the owner's name will only come to me in the middle of the night. :eek:
AKPilot
24th January 2009, 01:09 PM
Yea, that's it Thrustline!

If anyone has contact information, could they please send it to me - again.

Thanks
Rocketjoe13
24th January 2009, 04:21 PM
Pretty sure that was John Rowenstein with Thurstline.
AKPilot
24th January 2009, 04:24 PM
Pretty sure that was John Rowenstein with Thurstline.


Okay, we've got a name and a company. Can we narrow it down to a city?
matthew
24th January 2009, 04:44 PM
His name is John Rowan-Stern. I bet you could find an address if you tried whitepages.com. ;)
gpoehlein
24th January 2009, 06:02 PM
You could always try this:

http://web.archive.org/web/20070625093446/http://www.thrustaero.com/

There is some contact info at the bottom.
mach7
24th January 2009, 06:23 PM
He lived/'s in western Mass. I don't remember the town. He never flew with CMASS. I really liked his rockets. Very good quality and service.

I'm Very glad his wife was doing well. Hope all is still well, and would buy some of his kits if he started up again.
SwingWing
24th January 2009, 06:31 PM
He used to frequent another forum, (lawnsite) but his last activity on that forum was 8/02/08. More recent than here, but still a while ago. I tried to send him a message about a month ago, but that forum doesn't do PMs, just visitor messages to the profile page. He didn't answer.
mach7
24th January 2009, 07:09 PM
He had great clones, but also great original kits also.

I don't know if it is still active, but an old email was

rocketman1959@netzero.com

Some of his plans are over at Ye Olde rocket shop.
tonypv
24th January 2009, 09:26 PM
Amherst, MA

Great kits. I have 4 or 5.
AKPilot
24th January 2009, 10:13 PM
Managed to get a number and give him a call. He wasn't home so I spoke to someone else and left my number. I'll keep everyone posted on what I hear, or if there's even an inventory left.
Buzzard
24th January 2009, 10:30 PM
CSI: The Rocketry Forum

Geez...more acronyms....

Chas
MarkM
24th January 2009, 11:52 PM
He had great clones, but also great original kits also..

I have the Arapahoe. Great kit and he had several others I was interested in, then shut down the business to care for his wife.

Hope all his well with him & his wife...her illness really took a toll on him - understandably so.
Pantherjon
24th January 2009, 11:54 PM
I have a couple of his kits..I think I got them from Jonrockat..can't recall..Nice quality parts from what I can see thru the bag..Old school where you have to cut out the fins:eek:..Will have to build one one of these days..:rolleyes:
harsas
25th January 2009, 04:26 AM
A quick scan of my room and I count 10 of John's kits. Some of the best kits I have ever built. I sure do miss Thrustline.
Excelsior Rocketry
26th January 2009, 01:24 AM
John was a great guy. I used to supply the decals for his kits.

Phred
AKPilot
26th January 2009, 01:58 AM
Well come to find out, John IS a good guy!

Just got off the phone with him and found out that both him and his wife are doing good. She's cancer free and her hair is growing back.

We talked for a bit, and I mentioned that NARCON was being held about an hour away from him and he stated that he'd like to go to it. He also stated that we may seem on TRF in the near future.

As for Thrustline, there are not kits currently bagged, but all the parts are still there for each of the kits.

So there you go . . .
MarkM
26th January 2009, 02:24 AM
... both him and his wife are doing good. She's cancer free and her hair is growing back.
That's wonderful news!
jj94
26th January 2009, 02:29 AM
I can't wait to see what the future holds for the rocketry community. However, even if he does decide not to return, it's very assuring to hear that his wife is in good health.
brianc
26th January 2009, 02:35 AM
I have the Arapahoe. Great kit
Mark- I flew my Arapahoe at TTRA last week. Roger Smith caught
a shot of it and my son's Bull Pup- http://www.payloadbay.com/gallery/v/ttra/2009-01-17/2009-01-17-13-05-00-00001.jpg.html

I like the Arapahoe so much, I've been working on a Goonie version
this weekend- http://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?p=2850#post2850
mach7
26th January 2009, 03:37 PM
Thats very good news! I am very glad to hear his wife is doing well.


Thanks for the update.
Excelsior Rocketry
26th January 2009, 05:08 PM
That is just great news, Thanks for following up on this for us Troy.
rocketcrazee
26th January 2009, 07:01 PM
Mark- I flew my Arapahoe at TTRA last week. Roger Smith caught
a shot of it and my son's Bull Pup- http://www.payloadbay.com/gallery/v/ttra/2009-01-17/2009-01-17-13-05-00-00001.jpg.html

I like the Arapahoe so much, I've been working on a Goonie version
this weekend- http://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?p=2850#post2850

I had the Arapahoe e as well but lost it too a thermal so I built this instead for my level 3

I do hope thrustline comes back, need another one
Stymye
27th January 2009, 06:18 PM
awesome L3!

I like the design so much ,I also had to do an upscale.
unfortunately I lost it to deep brush on a thermal, but plan to do annother.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/stymye/Arapahoe%20F/arapahoeF-20.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v11/stymye/Arapahoe%20F/arapahoef4.jpg
jetlag
27th January 2009, 10:20 PM
Well come to find out, John IS a good guy!

Just got off the phone with him and found out that both him and his wife are doing good. She's cancer free and her hair is growing back.

We talked for a bit, and I mentioned that NARCON was being held about an hour away from him and he stated that he'd like to go to it. He also stated that we may seem on TRF in the near future.

As for Thrustline, there are not kits currently bagged, but all the parts are still there for each of the kits.

So there you go . . .

Troy
Did John hint about whether he might start up again? Man, that would be great!
Maybe, if he goes to NARCON, it will light the fire to start up again. Perhaps some of you folks who are going will take some of his rockets to fire. Someone go by his house and pick him up and take him!!!
I know the LP community would really welcome him back, especially with the demise of PDR.

SO GLAD to hear his wife is in remission. I'm sure it's been a tough row to hoe in every respect.
Allen
AKPilot
28th January 2009, 02:03 AM
Check here on TRF, he posted elsewhere under Thrustline.
Kaycee
28th January 2009, 02:24 AM
Phil & Stymye...

Masterfully-built rockets....You guys ROCK!

Thrustline kits are top-notch. I'd love to see them available again.
rocketcrazee
29th January 2009, 11:17 PM
Phil & Stymye...

Masterfully-built rockets....You guys ROCK!

Thrustline kits are top-notch. I'd love to see them available again.

aaaawwwh shucks Kacee :o

No seriously thanks

The rocket is 10 ft tall and went too 7000 feet

BUT I still need too replace my missing arapahoe e so John if you are reading
please please bring back the e