It's a ways off, but I plan to own a light, simple S-1C one of these days. I only hope that my rudder skills don't degrade so much by then that I can't fly it. With the Hiperbipe in the hangar, at least I got to keep the skills honed after too much time in the RV. And if it had been a while in the RV, the HB sure let me know my feet were lazy!
The pitts is fun for about 50 hrs, then I got tired of it. You couldn't go anywhere and it was expensive to fly. It only held 29 gl and burned 15/hr.
However, yours would be less with smaller engine. The 30 minutes of acro was fun, but the 8 hrs of headache that followed was not. I kept making myself sick doing that stuff and that was 10 yrs ago when I was a young pup. Hate to think what it would do to me now.
You won't have any problems. I was flying the pitts and stearman at the same time and you can't get any further apart than that. One rudder very sensitive with one inch throw, the other very stiff with two foot throw.
Aerobatics in the Pitts is effortless, and mades you look much better than you are!
A friend let me fly his Extra 300S once, and I'd love to experience the Giles. I bet I'll be waiting along time for some one to hand me the keys to one!
I think rather it might make you feel you're better than you are...that is until you get some ground critiquing. Due to light controls, a Pitts definitely requires less physical effort than many types, but requires the same amount of concentration and skill to fly high quality figures compared to any other type. If you think a Pitts has light controls, fly a Giles sometime.
Bryan, that's a nice S1C with spring gear, which will make the landings a little easier. I have owned three S1's, S1C, a factory S1S, and a modified experimental(factory fuze) S1S. The last was a blast. It took me about a
100 landings to get my right hand to stop sweating, especially in cross winds.
Your spades are on the inside so crosswinds will be easy(well, maybe not easy) but some not "purty". After 15 years flying a Pitts it always seemed like every 100 landings or so there was one that was ugly ugly. And if you are "pushing" on the rudder, it's got to be way too much, just a 1/4 inch or so......yep...(with 3 inches added rudder width )
I could never get beyond a 15 know crosswind, spades a few inches from the ground, spring gear that would "shoot" you off the runway if touching in a crab. But what a dream to fly, put six gallons of gas in her(4 in tank, 2 in header) and she performed like a different acro mount. Loved to fly it. Curtis did a fine job. Curtis always said he didn't build that airplane to do wheel landings, so don't do those either.
BTW, your spring gear does not have "cuffs" on them. This will cause buffeting in the tail, more on hammers. 160mph entry speed (about) on hammer, 140mph stall, buffet. I didn't like it so on went the cuffs.
When you get to feeling she is a part of you, home free, but never ever stop flying her until the prop is stopped.
Have fun.
Other than being a real 'pilots' airplane, I can take the Pitts out for 20 minutes and REALLY feel like I did something. I could never do that in the RV's or Rocket's. Cheap and easy way to wring out your mind and learn something every time you fly. I will agree that it's not the best for traveling but it can be done, I have a pretty good size baggage area in the turtledeck. Best to have one of each IMO .