Another Pitts arrives from the USA

[old man emu]

We pulled another Pitts out of a seatainer at Camden yesterday.

 

It's a Pitts S2B. I was too busy disassembling the packing crates to take photos or to chase its history and future. Might get some pix next week.

 

OME

 

 

[Guernsey]

Stone the crows, fancy getting us all excited and building us up with a story like that without any details or photos!!!

 

I recon that's the absolute Pitts. Alan.

 

 

[old man emu]

[winsor68]

He's stalling...

 

:hittinghead:

 

 

[old man emu]

Well, we've got her together and the rigging is done. I've just got to pick up the compass from the instrument man (checked for Southern Hemishpere dip) and once that is installed we can call the owner to pick it up. It is staying on the US register and will live in Queensland, whereabouts unknown.

 

[ATTACH]11721[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH]11716[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH]11717[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH]11718[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH]11719[/ATTACH]

 

[ATTACH]11720[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[fly_tornado]

those photos are way too small! i didnt know that you could put a 6 cylinder engine into a pits

 

 

[old man emu]

Yeah, Sorry about teh size of the pix. I'll take some more tomorrow and make the files bigger than the ones above.

 

It's normal to have a 6 cylinder in a two hole Pitts.

 

OME

 

 

[djpacro]

It's normal to have a 6 cylinder in a two hole Pitts.

Personally, I think that the older 4 cylinder Pitts models are nicer to fly than the 6 cylinder S-2B and S-2S. The newer S-1-11B and S-2C are extremely nice to fly and go well too.I saw that orange one on Barnstormers - seemed like a good deal if you liked the colour.

 

 

[winsor68]

Personally, I think that the older 4 cylinder Pitts models are nicer to fly than the 6 cylinder S-2B and S-2S. The newer S-1-11B and S-2C are extremely nice to fly and go well too.I saw that orange one on Barnstormers - seemed like a good deal if you liked the colour.

How much was it selling for? I have often been surprised by the price of some Pitts you see on Barnstormers... Are they worn out old hacks generally DJ or do they have plenty of sport flying left in them?

 

 

[djpacro]

A number of people have imported airplanes and have been dismayed to find that it was a project. Trouble with a Pitts (being wood, rag & tube) is that if it needs work then it is very labour intensive. People often sell airplanes when they see big bills coming up. The Pitts in my avatar was around the prices you see currently but a couple of big expenses that were unexpected. The ones you see now may very well last you or I a lifetime of fun. S-1C models are very cheap because no-one wants a two-aileron model - one has just arrived as a container-filler. Another S-1C modified to have four ailerons should never have got a CofA here in my opinion as it will kill some-one.

 

All very tempting with the current exchange rate and state of the US market.

 

 

[old man emu]

It is well worth spending a couple of grand on air fares to go to the US to have checked out any plane one would like to buy. The money thus spent is a good insurance premium against nasty surprises when the plane gets here. This is the time that to involve the LAME or L2 who is going to do the maintenance for you.

 

You really must research all ADs and Service Bulletins relating to both the airframe, the engine and the prop. It is the owner of the airplane who is responsible for ensuring its airworthiness, not the LAME.

 

OME

 

 

[fly_tornado]

I wouldn't buy a used Pitts. Maybe an incomplete kit but never a used one.

 

 

[winsor68]

Of course... the price of an airfare to the US and back (combine it with a holiday) would be cheap insurance if you were to look at an imported aeroplane.

 

 

[fly_tornado]

its all part of the adventure

 

 

[Guest Howard Hughes]

as they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

 

[Guest nunans]

I had the pleasure of flying in an S2B with phil unicomb at Rutherford and it was fantastic, I hope the new owners of this one have heaps of fun with it.

 

 

[old man emu]

Don't be surprised if this one appears in the For Sale ads pretty soon. The owner may have bitten off more than he can chew. Sorry, I haven't any info about a possible price.

 

OME

 

 

[ossie]

we've all (us at Camden) wondered why it aint come outta the shed..!!!!!

 

 

[winsor68]

Does it need expensive work Emu?

 

 

[old man emu]

All it needs is the paperwork to be put on the Australian Register, and a periodic. However, I think there is something about the time on the engine. I'm not sure if the engine is "On Condition" We didn't see anything that needed attention, other than the colour scheme, but I thnk it looks OK.

 

OME

 

 

[Wayne T Mathews]

Apart from the stall speed and the fact we can't aren't allowed to do aerobatics, is there a reason why a pitts can't be registered RA Aus?

 

Wayne.

 

 

[djpacro]

Don't be surprised if this one appears in the For Sale ads pretty soon. The owner may have bitten off more than he can chew. Sorry, I haven't any info about a possible price. OME

We should try to find a nice home for it if that is the case.

 

Apart from the stall speed and the fact we can't aren't allowed to do aerobatics, is there a reason why a pitts can't be registered RA Aus? Wayne.

I don't know if many people have achieved the "book" empty weight for an S-1C of 650 lb but I understand that it is possible with a small engine and nil electrics . "Book" stall speed is 50 kts (the C has the flat-bottom wing) at max weight of 1150 lb.