I've been instructing in a Super Decathalon for 4 months now and have around 100 hours in the plane from training, competition, and instructing. What a ride it has been: Flying over 900 miles one way because of weather when straight line was around 500; Meeting reat people at the competitions; x-country flying with only a compass is a lot harder than I thought too.

As for some future goals, I really want to make a career out of aerobatic flying, whether that be instruction or airshow. I know this takes years of practice and I feel that I have a head start with my age. I also have the drive and dertimination to be the best. Back to the topic...

I guess my questions are: Is it viable to buy a two seat Pitts or Extra and instruct in it to pay for expenses? Since I'm 23 and in debt somewhat from flight training, I don't exactly have a lot of money to spend on flying. I have also been looking at single place pitts and they seem to be relatively cheap compared to factory 2 seaters.

Basically, I'm love flying anything but straight and level, so any tips to afford this addiction would be great.

thanks and fly safe

• RE: Lots of questions...,Patty_Wagstaff, 19:46z, 09-22-05
  • RE: Lots of questions...,stuckingfk, 21:26z, 09-22-05
    • RE: Lots of questions...,Pittsboy, 13:57z, 10-04-05
• RE: Lots of questions...,Patty_Wagstaff, 16:10z, 10-05-05

>
>I guess my questions are: Is it viable to buy a two seat
>Pitts or Extra and instruct in it to pay for expenses?
>Since I'm 23 and in debt somewhat from flight training, I
>don't exactly have a lot of money to spend on flying. I
>have also been looking at single place pitts and they seem
>to be relatively cheap compared to factory 2 seaters.
>
>

Hi there

Well....are you making money now? You might want to stick with the Decathalon for awhile and then move on? It all depends on where you're located, how many students you have etc. You'll have to crunch the numbers. I can tell you that you won't be able to make a profit with a single seat Pitts, at least until you're really established and perhaps doing airshows.

Word of caution, no matter how much time you have in a Decathalon, please dont' even consider soloing the Pitts until you have done the complete spin course, with emergency recovery training.

It's not easy, but sounds like with your dedication you can find a way to make it work!

Patty

Thanks for the response. About your Pitts advice, what is so different about spinning them? The articles I've been reading in Sport Aerobatics seem to suggest the same thing you have. Since I've never flown one, just wondering what's up.

I'll give you some more info about me. I work for a university flight program in the tundra (I bet you can guess where that is) and I compete for the school at the chapter contests. As for my job, I'm a full time CFI and the students are plentiful here. So yes I am making money right now, just not enough as I'd like to.

A thing I've been thinking of is going in on a S2B with another guy and then leasing back to the school. The students are never ending and I think it would make ownership much better if we were ablt to make it swing. I know there are tons of pitfalls with this, but for now it is just an idea.

Anyways, thanks for the help and look foward to more responses.

I have (sort of) the same problem but with the Extra.

I live in Europe and fly Airbuses for a living. Ever since my first aerobatic session during flight training in Phoenix (about 4 years ago), I immediately fell in love with aerobatics. At the time we were training in a C152 Aerobat. Not too fancy, but an excellent training tool before moving on.

As I'm from Belgium (that's an itsy pitsy teenie weenie country) opportunities for aerobatic flying are limited to say the least. 3 years ago I met a guy (one of my best friends now) who owns a lot of aircraft, among which a beautifully maintained Pitts S-2A. Strange but true: he isn't even checked out on it.

I checked out on his Pitts after 4 hours (in retrospect, no one should ever fly a Pitts after only 4 hours) and have about 80 hours on it by now, largely aerobatics. I try to take up passengers to reduce the cost as much as possible.

My 2 cents: try to find a Pitts for an introductory flight. If you like it (which I'm sure you will) then find one to rent before purchasing. Flying a Pitts is demanding but rewarding at the same time.

And always get professional instruction before trying out aerobatic figures yourself (I'm sure you know this already, but I learned that the hard way). A Pitts is notorious for its spin characteristics, as Patty suggested. After some instruction and practise you'll find it no harder to spin the Pitts than any other aerobatic plane.

Now my friend is thinking of buying an Extra 300. Although I've never flown it, I'm sure it must be an exciting rig. Problem is that I feel like I haven't explored all the possibilities of the Pitts. It's like an extension of my body whenever I'm in it. What I'm trying to say is: the Pitts will keep you busy for a long, long time.
The Pitts is an excellent choice and you'll quickly fall in love with it, guaranteed.

Just beware of the pitfalls of (co-)ownership. Be sure to have sufficient demand to keep it in the air as much as possible and make good, solid agreements with this other guy.

(Sorry for my English, it's not my mother tongue.)

And Patty: I'm reading your biography 'Fire and Air' and I love it! It keeps me company on those long flights. I had great respect for you before, but that has increased tenfold by now. Happy flying !

Hi there

Well, I would try look at the airplane you buy as potential money maker. You can instruct in a two place Pitts with no problem, but if you can only afford an S-2A, then you'll be able to go up to intermediate. Advanced competition would be hard and hard on the airplane. The Decathalon can compete in Intermediate as well.

Take it one step at a time, and think of how you'll earn an income.

Hope this helps.
Paty