I was recently asked by a forum member to share the difference between Flying my 1987 factory S1T and my 1973 factory S2A. This seems to be the only forum that is Pitts specific but I am new and don't really know. These were my comments for those interested this kind of thing.
I am not an expert as I only have 1 hour in an S2C, 40 hours in the S2A, and 300+ hours in the S1T. There is little comparison to the two aircraft. The S1T is much more responsive and the performance is A LOT better in every aspect except one -cross country flying (having a second pilot to share the misery and take turns at the controls is huge!)
I happened upon the S2A when a FedEx pilot's father died and she inherited the airplane. Though a very competent pilot, she had not flown any general aviation aircraft, let alone a Pitts, for a long time. Through a friend she asked me as an insurance qualified Pitts pilot if I would fly the airplane back from Minneapolis to Washington state. I reluctantly agreed, after my 16 year old son gave me the thumbs up to sharing the adventure. I wanted to help, but having flown the S1T back from Michigan, knew that a long cross-country flight in a Pitts is a form of medieval torture (I almost made it in one day, 12 hours and 40 minutes, but got weathered out approaching the cascades just as the sun was setting.) The seats are hard and you sit on the point of your back side with your knees up holding rudder pressure as the airplane is shaped like a football and doesn't naturally fly straight. Climbing to clear the Rockies, I nearly froze to death as the Pitts does not have cabin heat. About the time you climb to altitude and level off you must start looking for your next fuel stop (I made 8!) You get the picture -not the vision I had after reading "Jonathan Livingston Seagulls" book on barnstorming across the US! The cruise speed on the T is about 160 mph while the S2A is 130, both at 10 gph. After acting as caretaker for the S2A for 4+ years, life got in the way for the owner and she realized that she didn't have time to re-engage to the level to be a capable Pitts pilot. She offered it to me at a more than fair price and I wrote the check (note to all happily married men, I'll get the nod from my wife first next time.) Maybe
Be ready for the "You already have 3 airplanes and your hanger is nearly full, why 4" discussion.
Either airplane is a lot of fun for 30 minutes of aerobatics. The S2A lets you take friends who "love roller coasters" flying, only to watch most of them get silent and want to land after one good rolling circle or tumble. The S1T snap-rolls so fast that it is a matter of timing to get it right. The S2A, you can watch the horizon go around and wait until 90 degrees before level to stop the rotation. The S1T is a rocket on takeoff (I am still thrilled every time I jam the throttle forward, accelerate rapidly, and then climb at almost a 45 degree angle at 90 MPH -watch you tube link at the end of this writing.) The S2A is not nearly as quick on the controls and after flying the T, seems generally anemic and sluggish in all respects (full aileron deflection rolls, especially to the right take much greater stick force without the now coveted spades. The S2A is slightly uncoupled as the pitch is relatively light and the ailerons not so much. The T is balanced and to be flown accurately requires the stick to be held lightly and not griped tightly with a full fist.
Before life got in the way, I flew competition aerobatics in the T. When I attempted my Intermediate routine in the S2A, I suddenly appreciated the Christen Eagle and S2A pilots with whom I used to compete who made the whole routine managing their lesser energy quotient without taking one break in a sequence of 15 maneuvers and still finishing above the hard deck. With the T I am obviously killing energy pulling higher Gs, etc as I still end up at 1200' on the last maneuver. The T will hold long up lines while the S2a you have to show the up-line, roll, and then hope to show enough line after the roll without killing the energy needed to fly off the top. In a torque-roll I can get 7 rolls on the up-line and backslide in the T and a mere 3 in the S2a. Fire-walled 185 mph level in the T will give me a vertical line of 1600' before starting to slide backwards, where as the S2A is 155 mph and 800'.
Inverted and upright flat spins are very different. The T rotates faster, gets flatter, and responds more quickly to recovery inputs.
Landings in the S1T are a bit more work than the S2A as the airplane sinks and bleeds energy faster -I come over the fence at 100 mph and come to idle during the flare. The T is a lot quicker on the controls and rebounds nicely into the air with any decent rate at touch down. The S2A just seems to settle in and doesn't require the instant rudder inputs required by the T. The visibility is much better in the S2A during the flare than the T until you put a large broad shouldered soul in the front seat and then it is about the same (note to self -the broad shouldered soul in front just put you over the gross weight for both normal and aerobatic flight with full tanks)
At the end of the day, unless I have a "I love roller coaster" friend or someone who would like aerobatic instruction or spin training, I will always walk past the S2A to fly the T and won't even think twice!
I hope this answers your questions. Call if you would like to discuss this further,
Cheers,
Tracey 360 761 9393 cell
I am not an expert as I only have 1 hour in an S2C, 40 hours in the S2A, and 300+ hours in the S1T. There is little comparison to the two aircraft. The S1T is much more responsive and the performance is A LOT better in every aspect except one -cross country flying (having a second pilot to share the misery and take turns at the controls is huge!)
I happened upon the S2A when a FedEx pilot's father died and she inherited the airplane. Though a very competent pilot, she had not flown any general aviation aircraft, let alone a Pitts, for a long time. Through a friend she asked me as an insurance qualified Pitts pilot if I would fly the airplane back from Minneapolis to Washington state. I reluctantly agreed, after my 16 year old son gave me the thumbs up to sharing the adventure. I wanted to help, but having flown the S1T back from Michigan, knew that a long cross-country flight in a Pitts is a form of medieval torture (I almost made it in one day, 12 hours and 40 minutes, but got weathered out approaching the cascades just as the sun was setting.) The seats are hard and you sit on the point of your back side with your knees up holding rudder pressure as the airplane is shaped like a football and doesn't naturally fly straight. Climbing to clear the Rockies, I nearly froze to death as the Pitts does not have cabin heat. About the time you climb to altitude and level off you must start looking for your next fuel stop (I made 8!) You get the picture -not the vision I had after reading "Jonathan Livingston Seagulls" book on barnstorming across the US! The cruise speed on the T is about 160 mph while the S2A is 130, both at 10 gph. After acting as caretaker for the S2A for 4+ years, life got in the way for the owner and she realized that she didn't have time to re-engage to the level to be a capable Pitts pilot. She offered it to me at a more than fair price and I wrote the check (note to all happily married men, I'll get the nod from my wife first next time.) Maybe
Be ready for the "You already have 3 airplanes and your hanger is nearly full, why 4" discussion. Either airplane is a lot of fun for 30 minutes of aerobatics. The S2A lets you take friends who "love roller coasters" flying, only to watch most of them get silent and want to land after one good rolling circle or tumble. The S1T snap-rolls so fast that it is a matter of timing to get it right. The S2A, you can watch the horizon go around and wait until 90 degrees before level to stop the rotation. The S1T is a rocket on takeoff (I am still thrilled every time I jam the throttle forward, accelerate rapidly, and then climb at almost a 45 degree angle at 90 MPH -watch you tube link at the end of this writing.) The S2A is not nearly as quick on the controls and after flying the T, seems generally anemic and sluggish in all respects (full aileron deflection rolls, especially to the right take much greater stick force without the now coveted spades. The S2A is slightly uncoupled as the pitch is relatively light and the ailerons not so much. The T is balanced and to be flown accurately requires the stick to be held lightly and not griped tightly with a full fist.
Before life got in the way, I flew competition aerobatics in the T. When I attempted my Intermediate routine in the S2A, I suddenly appreciated the Christen Eagle and S2A pilots with whom I used to compete who made the whole routine managing their lesser energy quotient without taking one break in a sequence of 15 maneuvers and still finishing above the hard deck. With the T I am obviously killing energy pulling higher Gs, etc as I still end up at 1200' on the last maneuver. The T will hold long up lines while the S2a you have to show the up-line, roll, and then hope to show enough line after the roll without killing the energy needed to fly off the top. In a torque-roll I can get 7 rolls on the up-line and backslide in the T and a mere 3 in the S2a. Fire-walled 185 mph level in the T will give me a vertical line of 1600' before starting to slide backwards, where as the S2A is 155 mph and 800'.
Inverted and upright flat spins are very different. The T rotates faster, gets flatter, and responds more quickly to recovery inputs.
Landings in the S1T are a bit more work than the S2A as the airplane sinks and bleeds energy faster -I come over the fence at 100 mph and come to idle during the flare. The T is a lot quicker on the controls and rebounds nicely into the air with any decent rate at touch down. The S2A just seems to settle in and doesn't require the instant rudder inputs required by the T. The visibility is much better in the S2A during the flare than the T until you put a large broad shouldered soul in the front seat and then it is about the same (note to self -the broad shouldered soul in front just put you over the gross weight for both normal and aerobatic flight with full tanks)
At the end of the day, unless I have a "I love roller coaster" friend or someone who would like aerobatic instruction or spin training, I will always walk past the S2A to fly the T and won't even think twice!
I hope this answers your questions. Call if you would like to discuss this further,
Cheers,
Tracey 360 761 9393 cell
