His government-issued ID name is Robert Costello, but in the homebuilding community he is only known as “Rocket Bob.” He comes by this title honestly.
Growing up on a farm near Ocala, Florida, Bob graduated high school without much of a solid plan. Like many in the late 1970s, Bob turned to the United States Marine Corps to help him see the future. Growing up near the Ocala airport pattern, Bob thought the overflying general aviation aircraft looked extremely cool, so he told his Marine recruiter to sign him up for anything aviation related. After a few twists and turns, Bob ended up as a navigator on KC-130 tankers. From there, he proceeded to see the world, including the Azores, Rota, Spain, Hawaii, Okinawa and Korea.
In 1980, Bob graduated from the Marines with a wealth of experience, aviation knowledge and the wherewithal to forge his future. Thanks to the GI Bill, Bob graduated from the University of Florida with an aviation engineering degree at the ripe age of 30. From there, he went to Boeing in Seattle, Washington, to work as a mass properties engineer. Although that sounds like something in the real estate industry, it actually involves the intricate calculations of how mass and inertia affect flying vehicles in all phases of flight. Bob moved to Huntsville, Alabama, and started working on the Delta IV Boeing booster rocket. From there, he graduated to the SLS program, engineering Artemis rockets. Step back and look at all of this with a little perspective—a Florida farm boy fascinated by the sight of Cessna Skyhawks in the pattern becomes a certified rocket scientist and an integral part of America’s space program.
Bob retired from Boeing in 2016 and longed to fly the kind of aircraft he saw in the pattern of the Ocala airport as a kid. He wanted to pursue a private license but then learned about Light Sport licensure. Bob happened upon a little-known EAA program called Oshkosh Academy. Taking only three students at a time, the program utilized three instructors and three aircraft (then Cessna 162 Skycatchers, now Van’s RV-12s) to turn students into Light Sport pilots in one month. Bob lived at the EAA lodge behind the museum, flew almost every day and graduated with a fresh LSA license. He recounts it as an incredible experience in his life.
After such a month in Oshkosh, Bob was destined to build his own aircraft. He found a partially completed RV-12 kit in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, loaded it up and transported it to Huntsville. Needless to say, the rocket scientist made short work of completing the RV-12 and conducted his first flight in N754RC (after extensive transition training by noted instructor John Young) on December 1, 2020. Bob relates that it was an exhilarating experience he will never forget.
Since his first flight, Bob has racked up over 650 hours on his beloved RV-12. It didn’t take long for the homebuilding community to give him the call sign Rocket Bob. He has made appearances at airshows across the country, including several trips to AirVenture and Sun ’n Fun. Next AirVenture, he plans to fly the Chicago lakefront VFR corridor to the show. He also plans to fly the famous Hudson Corridor around the Statue of Liberty and beside Manhattan. For now, however, he is really enjoying camping with his buds at Homebuilt Camping here at Sun ’n Fun.
