[N941WR]

Ok, the shop is empty and the -9 is scheduled to be painted in April and I'm pacing the floor in the evenings with nothing to do.

So...

As I posted in another thread, thus hi-jacking it, it looks like I'm going to build a Pitts LSA.

I just got off the phone from ordering S1c plans from Steen Aero Lab.

This will be a 10 year project, no hurry to get it done since I have the -9 to fly.

My goal is to build it light and after getting my -9 down to 990 lbs empty, I'm thinking it is doable.

The Pitts I'm going to build will be a single place S1c (long fuselage) with flat bottom wings stretched one foot by adding an extra rib on both sides with two, not four, ailerons, open cockpit, no wheel fairings, Catto climb prop (The Catto on my -9 is only 9 lbs!), minimum electrical system (No lights, just a radio, transponder, and starter.), IO-235 pumped up to 125 HP, and any thing else I can think of to keep it light and to make the building experience more fun.

The guys at Steen and I both think I can get the stall down below the 51 MPH required by the LSA rules buy building it as described above.

The best part is it will probably fit in the hangar with the RV, so that will help keep costs down.

Is anyone else interested in joining me on this journey?

 

[N941WR]

Just moving comments over from the other thread

An LSA Pitts? You know, that might work. I think the first Pitts had a 85hp engine and was very light weight. If the stall speed is within LSA, it would meet everything else and be a real blast to fly. Cheap to build too. Go for it!
Bill

Steen Aero sells S-1C plans and they list a 57 mph TAS stall. Now if you could shave off 5 mph, you'd be in business. Seems like a lot to ask without changing the design.

Budd Davisson flew the 65 hp. No. 1 Pitts replica, empty weight 507 lbs. and claimed a 45-50 mph touchdown speed. Now that sounds like LSA territory.

http://airbum.com/Pitts/PirepPittsReplica.html

No way! I built a Pitts S1S back in the early 80's and even then, it was not cheap! It is also very labor intensive. By the time you finish it, you might have a hard time parting with it! The Pitts is one of the best flying airplanes I have ever flown. It is also the most challenging airplane I have ever landed. A completely out of rig RV taildragger would be a real snooze to land compared to a single seat Pitts!

If you take the time to master the little beast, you will have the experience of your flying life. It just won't be cheap!

The white haired gentleman in the cockpit is my flight instructor and father. I'm smiling because he just landed from his first flight in the Pitts, and both pilot and plane are fine!

 

[f1rocket]

Okay, the best of both worlds is to build a Rocket. Come on over to the dark side. Enjoy all the benefits of a RV, only better fuel economy, and do aerobatics! Of course those 250 MPH cross county trips are nice too!

 

[N941WR]

Okay, the best of both worlds is to build a Rocket. Come on over to the dark side. Enjoy all the benefits of a RV, only better fuel economy, and do aerobatics! Of course those 250 MPH cross county trips are nice too!

Hummmmm...

I'm not so sure I could make a 250 MPH Rocket LSA.

 

[MS19087]

What next . . .

You could come up to PA and help me finish my -9A!!!

 

[Pilottonny]

The flying circus!

A friend of mine already built something like that! It?s an ultra light, two place, with a Jabiru 120 hp, 6-cyl. Engine, fully aerobatic!. I do not know exactly the manufacturer and type, but it looks real cool, especially the way he painted it, with a ? The Flying Circus? logo.

It?s a bit of bummer to have to tell you that he is currently rebuilding it, after a crash into the bushes, because of an engine failure during climb-out on take-off.

If you?re interested I could find out what the manufacturer and type is!
Here is a link to the web-site of our local airfield, where you can see a picture of him filling up the tank, on the right. http://www.ebzw.be/

If you click on "pictures" there is 2 more pictures on the 4th page.

Enjoy !

Regards, Tonny

 

[bsacks05]

Great Minds Think Alike.....

Maybe that's why I like you, Bill. After building and flying an RV9 what's next? Hmmmmm. The -9 fulfills does so much, what kind of plane would make a nice hangar companion?.....An open cockpit biplane of course! Build it from plans, (because kits are cheating), use wood and steel (new skills to learn), two wings because it is ALOT of work and we can't be bored at home. (every pilot wants a biplane anyway, right?)

Go for it, looks like an interesting project.

 

[N941WR]

If you’re interested I could find out what the manufacturer and type is!

Tonny,

Thanks but no. The plane I want is going to be small and cheap to build and have one seat. Thus the Pitts. Besides, you can put inverted fuel and oil on an O-235 and add a smoke system.

I also hope to interest some of the older members in our chapter in the project so they start building again.

I have found that when flying my -9, it is hard to find a passenger who wants to do a roll. That and I doubt I will ever loop the -9 but a Pitts, that's a different story. This assumes my 2G back allows it. If not, I'll have a blast rolling the thing until I puke.

 

[rph142]

Im droooling. The Pitts is by far my favorite plane. An ultra light ultra simple open cockpit LSA Pitts sounds really fun. Why not use the S1S wings for better aerobatics? Would the stall speed be an issue?

 

[Mel]

LSA compliant acro bi-plane.

Bill,
If you are interested in small, light weight, you might look at the Murphy Renegade. Light-Sport compliant, 100 hp, +10-6 Gs. Empty weight 600-650 lbs. It can be built as single place. As a matter of fact, the 2-seat version has very limited front seat entry. I'm doing lots of modifications and using the Jabiru 3300. All aluminum tubing construction.

 

[frankh]

Tony at

Steve Wolf's shop had an s1 with an O235...Loved it, well right up until he crashed it (engine quit) ...I have been told as a newby aerobatic guy never to fly one...Unless I want to own one that is!

Frank

 

[N941WR]

Im droooling. The Pitts is by far my favorite plane. An ultra light ultra simple open cockpit LSA Pitts sounds really fun. Why not use the S1S wings for better aerobatics? Would the stall speed be an issue?

The trick to making the thing doable is to keep it ultra light and ultra simple as you pointed out. From what I have calulated, even with the flat bottom wings, I will be only a few MPH below that magic 51 MPH stall. Besides, with the flat wings, I won't feel so bad in skipping the inverted fuel and oil because it won't fly so well upside down.

Bill,
If you are interested in small, light weight, you might look at the Murphy Renegade. Light-Sport compliant, 100 hp, +10-6 Gs. Empty weight 600-650 lbs. It can be built as single place. As a matter of fact, the 2-seat version has very limited front seat entry. I'm doing lots of modifications and using the Jabiru 3300. All aluminum tubing construction.

Mel,

I've looked that Renegade before but it is larger than what I want. The deal with the Pitts is it can share a small hangar with the RV, thus keeping my storage costs down.

Nora is not interested in acro and as much as I think she would like to in an open cockpit, I would be tempted to roll it or some such move and that wouldn't be good as I don't like cleaning the inside of a bi-plane. Been there, done that.

 

[designerX]

Nice! sounds like more fun from Bill's aircraft factory.

Bill,

I'm looking forward to seeing your Pitts in the aerobatic box over NC26... 10yrs eh? I *should* have the hangar finished by then. Are you ready to sell me your -9 so I can stop practicing setting rivets?

Stan

 

[N941WR]

Steve Wolf's shop had an s1 with an O235...Loved it, well right up until he crashed it (engine quit) ...I have been told as a newby aerobatic guy never to fly one...Unless I want to own one that is!

Frank

Frank,

Could you introduce me to Steve? Needless to say, I have 1,000,001 questions for him.

Bill,

I'm looking forward to seeing your Pitts in the aerobatic box over NC26... 10yrs eh? I *should* have the hangar finished by then. Are you ready to sell me your -9 so I can stop practicing setting rivets?

Stan

Stan,

You are funny man! Sell the -9, Nora would kill me. We are off to Chattanooga this morning to visit her parents. OH, and I'll probably document the Pitts build similar to what I did with the -9.