Been waiting all year since january to book a flight in a pitts at a local aerodrome. Today was the day! Perfect conditions although a little bumpy untill we got to 4k.
The pilot was called bruce and he was a diamond guy. He was quite senior and had retired from flying comercial airliners recently, but very much full of life still. He let me have at least 45 mins on a 30 min ticket. I had flown quite a few light planes before but nothing very aerobatic. This was unbelievable compared to gliders and cesnas or the odd RAF cadet trainer.
Bruce handed over the controls at 1k right after takeoff and told me to climb out to 2.2k and keep this heading. We cleared the restricted airpace by an airport and then continued up to 4k at a steady 100 on the airspeed indicator. The controls were so light and sensitive I kept hitting negative G instantly if I slipped the stick forward at all.
Once we hit 4k we leveled off and, still directed by my pilot, headed over Henly town and found a spot of air to play in over a motorway. Bruce talked me through the speed and angles of a few moves then let me have at it. Dive to 160, then crank it back gently at first then full stick pressure up to the top where I must ease off, making care to keep the wings level. I did a very sloppy loop first, releasing the stick too far on the top and dropping a wing. I tried again and pulled a slightly better loop but still went too flat over the top. Third one was perfect, right on the buffet edge he said. Then I did some slow and fast rolls, amazing how difficult it is to stay steady on the pedals when you throw a little plane about. I was in a daze of pure bliss.
Next we swapped control and Bruce showed me a stall turn. Just like i imagined, straight up, stall point, kick hard left and stick right. He was an excelent pilot. I tried and again it took me a few tries to get a clean one. Next he allowed me to try anything i wanted. So I went for a half cuban, one attempt and nailed it
Bruce was very kind and generous about my ameteur flying. But now was time to show me a thing or two. He hammered us round the sky pulling some crazy tight chandells and loops. Then he asked if I wanted to see a 'tumble'. Not being entirely sure what a tumble was I was not going to miss out and said yes please!
He asks me if I'm ready for it, then the next instant we are flying backwards and my legs and arms are bumping all over the canopy. I clearly wasnt ready but I was whooping with joy. I actualy have no idea what the tumble looked like, all i know is the world was a spinning blur and the switchees from neg to pos G were sickening. We lost 2,000ft before Bruce pulled out and started climbing again. Did I like that, he asked. Yes i liked that, very much.
So back at 3k he asked if I wanted to feel a bad spin. Of course I did. And I did feel a bad spin. My god....
Leveled off and heading back for home he handed em the control again and I flying slowly decending back into the restricted low alt zone and he says I can fly anywhere I want on the way back as long as i stay low. I reply that actualy he better fly home, as i think I need a sick bag. Still both of us laughing I honk a little bit of sick into the bag and instantly feel much better.
We check the gauges and the max G we pulled was +4/-3.
One final gem of joy on the way home. A small light aircraft came at us head on at under 1000 yards and passed just low off our right side. We had been talking about how fun a pitts armed with twin vickers would be not 15 mins before. So Bruce gets this mad tone to his voice and says 'We would be on them in half a second' and I replied 'They dont stand a chance'. Bruce then says, 'Let's get 'em'. Smiling from ear to ear I sit int he front seat as he banks round and in persuit of the enemy aircraft. Diving slightly Bruce closes to a range where we can clearly make out the tailwheel. He hold our nose on target for a few moments then banks sharply away and does a victory roll. I couldnt stop laughing and we kept chatting about it on the way home. We crusie back to White Waltham and land. Spent another hour chatting whith him over a hot drink in the bar there. He really made the experience for me, a great character.
Wow, long post! Though I would share for those who might enjoy that sort of thing. Pics to come later tonight, although I only have one of me on the ground just before take off. It was truly the most fun flying I have ever done, this game is so easy from a stationary chair, the stuff we do would splatter our heads against the canopy in real life...
batfink
S!
