Sport Aerobatics Magazine Article and Flying the Pitts S-2C

CC268

CC268

Final Approach
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CC268
A while back I posted about my aerobatic training I took at Chandler Aerobatics in the Great Lakes 2T-1A-2. A fella on here, (Stearman), asked if I would be interested in writing a short article for their local IAC newsletter. I of course said yes! So I wrote the article and sent it over to Stearman. Before I knew it, Lorrie Penner, Executive Director of IAC asked if she could submit the article to the Sport Aerobatics magazine editor. Once again, I of course said yes, absolutely!

Anyways, I will receive a hard copy of the magazine, but for now I have a link to the August issue of Sport Aerobatics with my article in it (page 10). Feel free to read it (I did verify that I could share the link with others by the way). The article is longer and in greater detail than the one I originally posted here. I hope some of you enjoy it.
https://www.iac.org/files/magazines/SA-2017-08.pdf
https://www.iac.org/files/magazines/SA-2017-08.pdf

To top this off I got an email from Mr. Ron Chadwick, the local IAC Chapter 62 President here in AZ. He generously offered a free aerobatic ride in his Pitts S-2C! An absolute beautiful airplane. Ron is a very cool guy with quite the background. He flew over 225 combat missions in Vietnam in the F-100 Super Sabre and also flew F-105 Thunderchiefs in the Air National Guard. He is also the owner of The Vertical Works through which he offers aerobatic instruction in his Pitts.

This thing is a monster! I was amazed at the power when I pushed the throttle forward on takeoff. I have to admit I really over-controlled the plane when we first left the ground. I had a bit of death grip before Ron told me to relax and simply fly the airplane with two fingers and my thumb! I had never flown something so sensitive and light on the controls. This thing was the Ferrari of the skies!

We headed out to the aerobatic area and we did some steep turns to start off. The plane flies effortlessly, it is amazing. We did a couple rolls - the Pitts is by far the fastest rolling airplane I have flown. The Great Lakes is a pretty slow roller. We practiced some 45 degree uplines as well as some 45 degree uplines and then rolling inverted. Amazing how you can literally roll the plane inverted, let go of the stick, and it will still fly that perfect 45 degree upline. We practiced a couple "wedges" (I think that is what they are called) - we did a 45 degree upline, rolled inverted and then pulled into a vertical downline quickly and held vertical for a while before pulling out. These were a little scary at first! We did a few hammerheads, one of my favorites, before moving into a few loops. Next, we did a vertical roll into a hammerhead, and a half roll on the way down. Finally, we finished off with a snap roll! We headed back to KSDL and I flew the pattern - to my surprise Ron let me land it! I thought I did a pretty good job. He helped me keep it straight once we were on the ground (you really have to be focused about not letting that nose get out of shape).

What a blast! I only wish I could go back up and do it again. I hope I can make it out to fly the Pitts again someday.

Special thanks to Mr. Samuel Weaver, Lorrie Penner, and Evan Peers for giving me the opportunity to share my experience with others. Thanks to Mr. Ron Chadwick for his incredible generosity and giving me the opportunity to fly his beautiful Pitts!

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Awesome! What a shiny Lycoming too!

I've always wanted to fly a Pitts or at least ride in one. They must be pretty squirrelly with that shorter wheel base and high torque. Bet they're fun!
 
Skyrys62 said:
Congrats on getting printed.... I hope to do the aerobatics one day. Pitts are beautiful planes.
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Thanks! I'd love to do competitive aero at any level some day...
 
Ryanb said:
Awesome! What a shiny Lycoming too!

I've always wanted to fly a Pitts or at least ride in one. They must be pretty squirrelly with that shorter wheel base and high torque. Bet they're fun!
Click to expand...

Man it was a blast, it's almost a feeling you can't put into words. Definitely been bit by the bug. Ron said the learning curve is actually really quick with landing and taking off in the Pitts...but it is definitely intimidating at first with all that power and speed behind you. We did 120 mph on final in this plane because with that three bladed prop you drop like a rock as soon as you cut power. That 3 blades prop is a serious speed brake! Budd Davisson is across the way (he was out there this morning too) and he has a S-2A. That has the two bladed prop and apparently in that plane you can cut the power abeam the numbers on downwind and be fine.
 
Congratulations on the article. It was well written and interesting to read as well.

I suspect most people who own aerobatic airplanes don't own them to "go somewhere" as many people say about their airplanes, but instead to have a blast in the air. You should join IAC even if it is a few years before you take the plunge and get your own aerobatic mount. Regarding advantages of aerobatic training, in his book, "The Basic Aerobatic Manual," Bill Kershner says "The third factor is that it will likely be the most enjoyable flying of your career, and this is icing on the cake. It will be challenging as well as enjoyable. (Instrument training is challenging and, for some, enjoyable...". ) Mr. Kershner's Cessna 152 Aerobat is hanging in the Smithsonian in Washington. I agree with him on this :) As long as you can hang onto your lunch, what could be more fun!?
 
somorris said:
Congratulations on the article. It was well written and interesting to read as well.

I suspect most people who own aerobatic airplanes don't own them to "go somewhere" as many people say about their airplanes, but instead to have a blast in the air. You should join IAC even if it is a few years before you take the plunge and get your own aerobatic mount. Regarding advantages of aerobatic training, in his book, "The Basic Aerobatic Manual," Bill Kershner says "The third factor is that it will likely be the most enjoyable flying of your career, and this is icing on the cake. It will be challenging as well as enjoyable. (Instrument training is challenging and, for some, enjoyable...". ) Mr. Kershner's Cessna 152 Aerobat is hanging in the Smithsonian in Washington. I agree with him on this :) As long as you can hang onto your lunch, what could be more fun!?
Click to expand...

Thanks! Yea I suppose I should join EAA/IAC. I don't think I will have the funds to do aerobatics anytime soon since I have other flying priorities (I am trying to pay for my ratings up to CFI for now as I am thinking about flying for a living). If I had the funds I think I would absolutely do competitive aerobatics at some level though. I think it would be a blast. I hope I can continue to do some aerobatics here and there throughout my flying journey!
 
That issue of the magazine just arrived today so will look at it later.

Interesting to read the notes on the S-2C as I just bought one. Formerly N121C.120391AF-407D-406D-8D15-E390575D9948.JPG
 
Sweet plane, the stuff of my dreams! Congrats on the plane and the article.
 
Cool, you're published!

Question: Did you do any 45 degree uplines? It was a little unclear if you did that or not. ;):)
 
Timbeck2 said:
Cool, you're published!

Question: Did you do any 45 degree uplines? It was a little unclear if you did that or not. ;):)
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Ha yea I guess my point was we did the 45 degree upline and then did a lot of the maneuvers from there.
 
CC268 said:
A while back I posted about my aerobatic training I took at Chandler Aerobatics in the Great Lakes 2T-1A-2. A fella on here, (Stearman), asked if I would be interested in writing a short article for their local IAC newsletter. I of course said yes! So I wrote the article and sent it over to Stearman. Before I knew it, Lorrie Penner, Executive Director of IAC asked if she could submit the article to the Sport Aerobatics magazine editor. Once again, I of course said yes, absolutely!

Anyways, I will receive a hard copy of the magazine, but for now I have a link to the August issue of Sport Aerobatics with my article in it (page 10). Feel free to read it (I did verify that I could share the link with others by the way). The article is longer and in greater detail than the one I originally posted here. I hope some of you enjoy it.
https://www.iac.org/files/magazines/SA-2017-08.pdf

To top this off I got an email from Mr. Ron Chadwick, the local IAC Chapter 62 President here in AZ. He generously offered a free aerobatic ride in his Pitts S-2C! An absolute beautiful airplane. Ron is a very cool guy with quite the background. He flew over 225 combat missions in Vietnam in the F-100 Super Sabre and also flew F-105 Thunderchiefs in the Air National Guard. He is also the owner of The Vertical Works through which he offers aerobatic instruction in his Pitts.

This thing is a monster! I was amazed at the power when I pushed the throttle forward on takeoff. I have to admit I really over-controlled the plane when we first left the ground. I had a bit of death grip before Ron told me to relax and simply fly the airplane with two fingers and my thumb! I had never flown something so sensitive and light on the controls. This thing was the Ferrari of the skies!

We headed out to the aerobatic area and we did some steep turns to start off. The plane flies effortlessly, it is amazing. We did a couple rolls - the Pitts is by far the fastest rolling airplane I have flown. The Great Lakes is a pretty slow roller. We practiced some 45 degree uplines as well as some 45 degree uplines and then rolling inverted. Amazing how you can literally roll the plane inverted, let go of the stick, and it will still fly that perfect 45 degree upline. We practiced a couple "wedges" (I think that is what they are called) - we did a 45 degree upline, rolled inverted and then pulled into a vertical downline quickly and held vertical for a while before pulling out. These were a little scary at first! We did a few hammerheads, one of my favorites, before moving into a few loops. Next, we did a vertical roll into a hammerhead, and a half roll on the way down. Finally, we finished off with a snap roll! We headed back to KSDL and I flew the pattern - to my surprise Ron let me land it! I thought I did a pretty good job. He helped me keep it straight once we were on the ground (you really have to be focused about not letting that nose get out of shape).

What a blast! I only wish I could go back up and do it again. I hope I can make it out to fly the Pitts again someday.

Special thanks to Mr. Samuel Weaver, Lorrie Penner, and Evan Peers for giving me the opportunity to share my experience with others. Thanks to Mr. Ron Chadwick for his incredible generosity and giving me the opportunity to fly his beautiful Pitts!

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Great write up! I owned and taught in an S2 Pitts for many years, one of the things I worked hard at was teaching people that the planes are not the monsters to land that they have the reputation for being. Like any taildragger, you fly it to the tie-downs, and it does have narrow gear and a short wheelbase, but I have had more trouble with a Luscombe than a Pitts.
You did a great job- I think I'll head out to the hangar and go fly!
 
Eagledriver65th said:
Great write up! I owned and taught in an S2 Pitts for many years, one of the things I worked hard at was teaching people that the planes are not the monsters to land that they have the reputation for being. Like any taildragger, you fly it to the tie-downs, and it does have narrow gear and a short wheelbase, but I have had more trouble with a Luscombe than a Pitts.
You did a great job- I think I'll head out to the hangar and go fly!
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Thanks! It was a good time.
 
I'm new to the forums and although this is over year old I really enjoyed your article and congratulations on getting it printed. Beautiful Pitts also :)
 
Eagledriver65th said:
Great write up! I owned and taught in an S2 Pitts for many years, one of the things I worked hard at was teaching people that the planes are not the monsters to land that they have the reputation for being. Like any taildragger, you fly it to the tie-downs, and it does have narrow gear and a short wheelbase, but I have had more trouble with a Luscombe than a Pitts.
You did a great job- I think I'll head out to the hangar and go fly!
Click to expand...
When I bought my Pitts, I too was surprised that it was not the beast I'd been led to believe it would be. Unfortunately, the fellow I sold it to damaged it three times by ground looping it before he sold it. I guess he didn't get the memo.
 
G550 said:
I'm new to the forums and although this is over year old I really enjoyed your article and congratulations on getting it printed. Beautiful Pitts also :)
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Thanks!
 
Not new to the forum but missed this thread somehow, maybe during one of my "POA vacations" perhaps. :)

Man did that guy tell ya any war stories about flying in VN? Wonder if he was a Weasel. And the 105, love that jet.
 
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mscard88 said:
Not new to the forum but missed this thread somehow, maybe during one of my "POA vacations" perhaps. :)

Man did that guy tell ya any war stories about flying in VN? Wonder if were a Weasel. And the 105, love that jet.
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Haha na we didn't talk much about it, we were focused on the aerobatics, but I can only imagine all the experiences he had.
 
Welcome to the dark side. Too bad you didn't get to fly the Great Lakes from the back and learn to land it. I did my tailwheel training in a Great Lakes and it is really fun to land with that oleo gear. They cut me loose in it in 7 hours. That was 1978 and the airplane had less than 200hrs on it and rented for $32hr wet. How times change. Get your dad hooked and trade the Cherokee in for a Super Decathalon. Still a good cross country traveller and a great aerobatic teacher. I should have the Nanchang CJ-6 done around mid summer so grab your dad and come up to Idaho in the fall and we'll go fly. Don
 
I missed this one too.

You should link your original post where you were a bit tentative about flying at first.
 
yakdriver said:
Welcome to the dark side. Too bad you didn't get to fly the Great Lakes from the back and learn to land it. I did my tailwheel training in a Great Lakes and it is really fun to land with that oleo gear. They cut me loose in it in 7 hours. That was 1978 and the airplane had less than 200hrs on it and rented for $32hr wet. How times change. Get your dad hooked and trade the Cherokee in for a Super Decathalon. Still a good cross country traveller and a great aerobatic teacher. I should have the Nanchang CJ-6 done around mid summer so grab your dad and come up to Idaho in the fall and we'll go fly. Don
Click to expand...

Yea I really need to get my tailwheel endorsement. I have almost 8 hours of tailwheel time. Just been too busy with the IR. I've tried to talk my dad into a Vans, but he doesn't fly a whole lot and can't justify spending much on an airplane (especially since my mom hates small airplanes ha). Would definitely like to get up to Idaho sometime. That would be a blast.
 
Love the Pitts, great agile li'l airplane. Wish I could fly it some more.
Congrats on the article.
And btw, the pax manifold pressure gauge needs to be OH-ed. ;)
 
CC268 said:
Yea I really need to get my tailwheel endorsement. I have almost 8 hours of tailwheel time. Just been too busy with the IR. I've tried to talk my dad into a Vans, but he doesn't fly a whole lot and can't justify spending much on an airplane (especially since my mom hates small airplanes ha). Would definitely like to get up to Idaho sometime. That would be a blast.
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Get him up here this summer and I'll let you guys fly the RV7. That should change his mind.
 
yakdriver said:
Get him up here this summer and I'll let you guys fly the RV7. That should change his mind.
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That would be great! The terrain heading up to Idaho is HIGH...the climb rate in our 140 above 9K is next to nothing haha
 
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