Pitts Groundloop

Totally agree with what you say, Dudley. Maybe my machine has a toeing
problem, but it's one my guru told me to watch out for, so he seems to think
the bigger swings happen at lower groundspeed as a regular feature of the
type. I've never flown an S-1 other than my own so I can't really comment.

Either way, it's one hell of a fun airplane to fly! I was out this weekend
working on a sequence to use to get my UK display authorization as well as
some snap rolls. Both still need a lot of work to before they're good
enough in my mind, but my hammerheads are coming along much better now
(reducing power as the nose comes across seems to solve the torquing
problem). The only thing my S-1 is missing is a second seat to share the
ride with friends!

Shawn
"Dudley Henriques" wrote in message
nk.net...

"ShawnD2112" wrote in message
...
All other comments here not withstanding, the Pitts has a funny quirk
in
that it tracks straight and true in the initial landing and rollout
but when
it gets down to about 30 mph, does get really squirrely and tends to
make
it's most dramatic attempts at groundlooping. As everyone else has
said,
it's not too big a deal and smooth but quick feet are all you need to
make
it behave.

Shawn
Pitts S-1D

From my old personal checkout notes for pilots I was checking out in the
Pitts;

"The Pitts on roll out can be a very interesting machine if your mind
has already completed the landing but the airplane is still fooling
around with it :-))))
"Keep your heels firmly planted on the floor and make a fulcrum out of
your ankles so that when you apply rudder pressure on either side, the
pressure is controlled by the ankle instead of the knee.
This allows a much more subtle use of rudder and brake which is
absolutely imperative in a tailwheel airplane, ESPECIALLY one as closely
coupled as the Pitts, during the last phases of your roll out on landing
as rudder effectiveness is decreasing as the result of decreasing
dynamic pressure on the control surfaces!!!!"
Dudley Henriques
International Fighter Pilots Fellowship
Commercial Pilot/ CFI Retired

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