- Joined
- Sep 18, 2011
- Messages
- 79
- Reaction score
- 29
Not entirely sure why I am writing this but for those of you on biplane forum, specifically reading the Pitts stream, I am certain that you will get it....
...I love my Pitts ( 24 MC... (as in Marion Cole)) to bits. This is not about writing about a technical issue, or competitive aerobatic question, but rather a stream of consciousness about my affair with 24 MC. Starting out with one hour dual with Steve Wolf in his S2b, and his (after)words, 'I think that this might be the most expensive one hour of dual you have ever spent.' , I moved onto my very second Pitts hour. That second hour was en-route from California to Florida in the front seat of my newly acquired S2A, (24 MC) ,and I was wondering 'what the heck have I done ???...what was I thinking ??? ..it was soooo tight and sooo uncomfortable "
Fast forward 3 years and after quite a few hours of dual with Steve (landing and much MORE !!) and plenty of solo flying which generally ended with 'falling out of most of everything I tried on my own', it was time for a for a little cross country. Instead of leaving her in the Florida hangar for the summer, this year I flew 24 MC to my home in Toronto Canada. What a great 1000 + mile ride. Crappy weather, aching back ( I am over 60.all backs ache at over 60) ...but so many nice people and such a wonderful flight. Not an engine hiccup and I even figured out how to get up to talk to Buffalo and get a transponder code to get into Canada
I am already two months here in Canada with 24MC and very thankful that I am not returning to Florida this fall (like in previous years) without any Pitts play after a typical summer away. My rolls (almost) stay at the same altitude, my loops don't look like eggs and my Canadian friends finally believe that I didn't just photo-shop my face into a Pitts.... I really have a Pitts and can (almost) fly it.
I have some transcontinental flying experience (all NORDO) in 'exotic' aircraft that include piper cubs, aeronca champs and a tiger moth (crossing Canada coast to coast twice), but honestly, nothing can compare to a Pitts. ( again those of you here in Pitts 'forum land' get it). As I started this post, I am not entirely sure why I am writing this but I did want to wax a bit poetic on the affair that I am having with 24MC... both in aeros and cross country... and to state that out of all the airplanes I have owned ( and that has been quite a few) a Pitts is more than a classic...more than a legend...a Pitts brings flight to life.
I am unable to weigh in on the technical issues, or the finesse of competition flying but hopefully can remind all 'y'all of why many of us fly and more specifically why we have chosen a Pitts as our conscious aircraft of choice.
...I love my Pitts ( 24 MC... (as in Marion Cole)) to bits. This is not about writing about a technical issue, or competitive aerobatic question, but rather a stream of consciousness about my affair with 24 MC. Starting out with one hour dual with Steve Wolf in his S2b, and his (after)words, 'I think that this might be the most expensive one hour of dual you have ever spent.' , I moved onto my very second Pitts hour. That second hour was en-route from California to Florida in the front seat of my newly acquired S2A, (24 MC) ,and I was wondering 'what the heck have I done ???...what was I thinking ??? ..it was soooo tight and sooo uncomfortable "
Fast forward 3 years and after quite a few hours of dual with Steve (landing and much MORE !!) and plenty of solo flying which generally ended with 'falling out of most of everything I tried on my own', it was time for a for a little cross country. Instead of leaving her in the Florida hangar for the summer, this year I flew 24 MC to my home in Toronto Canada. What a great 1000 + mile ride. Crappy weather, aching back ( I am over 60.all backs ache at over 60) ...but so many nice people and such a wonderful flight. Not an engine hiccup and I even figured out how to get up to talk to Buffalo and get a transponder code to get into Canada
I am already two months here in Canada with 24MC and very thankful that I am not returning to Florida this fall (like in previous years) without any Pitts play after a typical summer away. My rolls (almost) stay at the same altitude, my loops don't look like eggs and my Canadian friends finally believe that I didn't just photo-shop my face into a Pitts.... I really have a Pitts and can (almost) fly it.
I have some transcontinental flying experience (all NORDO) in 'exotic' aircraft that include piper cubs, aeronca champs and a tiger moth (crossing Canada coast to coast twice), but honestly, nothing can compare to a Pitts. ( again those of you here in Pitts 'forum land' get it). As I started this post, I am not entirely sure why I am writing this but I did want to wax a bit poetic on the affair that I am having with 24MC... both in aeros and cross country... and to state that out of all the airplanes I have owned ( and that has been quite a few) a Pitts is more than a classic...more than a legend...a Pitts brings flight to life.
I am unable to weigh in on the technical issues, or the finesse of competition flying but hopefully can remind all 'y'all of why many of us fly and more specifically why we have chosen a Pitts as our conscious aircraft of choice.
