Buying a Pitts for aerobatics and touring

"flynrider via AviationKB.com" u32749@uwe wrote in message
news:71338767bcae8@uwe...
drclive wrote:
I been dreaming to buy a machine to do aerobatics as well as touring.
Currently I'm doing aerobatic training in a Pitts S2A, but its
avionics doesn't seem very suitable for touring or navigation
exercises. I have seems some Pitts S1S and the same problems.
Can anybody advice me what would the best solution to this?

CR
Neither the Pitts S1 or S2 versions are really suitable for touring. I
have a friend that does airshows in an S1. He loves flying the
aerobatics,
but he dreads getting there. Not only is the panel limited, the range is
not
ideal for long cross country jaunts. That narrow cockpit isn't something
I'd
want to spend a whole lot of time in (at least while straight and level).

I'd recommend looking for an RV6/7. They are great cross country
machines
and stressed for aerobatics. The controls are very light and fast. Well
suited for aerobatics.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

As an RV-6 Builder/owner/flyer, I second this recommendation. On Sunday, I
returned home (solo) from camping at SnF. With a slight tailwind, I was
cooking along at 170-180 knots. When I got bored, I performed the occasional
roll or lazy 8 to break up the monotony of a 400 nautical mile, 2.5 hour
cross country where the airplane probably burned 20 gallons of fuel.

My wife and I have taken it from Atlanta to Oshkosh several times with a
baggage area full of camping gear and full fuel tanks (good for 600+
nautical miles).

Solo and with no baggage, it is capable of +6/-3 aerobatics plus a 50%
safety factor. This means loops rolls, wingovers, split esses, Cuban 8's,
and any other "gentlemen's" aerobatics are easily within the capabilities of
the airplane.

Look hard and you can find a nice VFR equipped RV-6 for between $50k and
$60k. If you want IFR, you can pay more, or if you are willing to accept an
airplane that doesn't have the best aesthetics, you can get one for $50k.
RV-4's are priced lower than comparable RV-6's, and allegedly fly even
better at the cost of range, space, and payload.

KB