The Plane

The Plane - Pitts S-1-11B Muscle Bi-Plane

The aircraft Jon flies is the awesome looking Black and Yellow factory built Pitts “Muscle” Bi-Plane.

There are only two factory built S-1-11B aircraft flying in the world today. With a 330+ H.P. six cylinder Lycoming (AEIO-540) motor, Cold Air Induction, 10.5 to 1 High Compression pistons, and 3 bladed Hartzell “Claw” Propeller, this aircraft has all the ingredients for a great airshow performance. The S-1-11B has only a single seat and it is very light weight (1085 pounds dry), providing a perfect platform for flying high energy aerobatics! The Pitts bi-plane is made of metal tubing frame, wood spar/ribs, and mostly fabric covering. This helps keep the airplane light weight. However, fabric is sensitive and can quickly puncture if not careful!

This S-1-11B cruises at 195 MPH and can climb nonstop vertically from zero to 2,500 feet at sea level. During normal climb out, it does an amazing 4,000+ feet per minute climb rate!  Compared to a small single engine passenger plane that climbs at around 750 feet per minute.

Fuel capacity on this aircraft is 28 gallons in a single main tank and 15 gallons in a reserve tank. Fuel burn at cruise is approximately 14 gallons per hour. During the airshow routine, the S-1-11B is burning approximately 25+ gallons per hour.

The smoke you see behind the airplane is created with special oil which is the same consistency as salad oil. Usually using Canopus 13 or Dialys-ax grade of oil.  This is stored in a 6 gallon smoke tank located under the main fuel tank. The smoke oil is pumped to the aircraft exhaust via a standard automotive fuel pump. Once the oil hits the hot exhaust pipes, it turns into smoke! The oil does not catch on fire if the aircraft is moving. The burnt oil doesn’t smell great, especially in the cockpit.

For traveling, there are two on-board GPS navigation systems, both providing a moving map display. One of the systems is a fixed mount and the secondary is a full color portable GPS with XM Weather radar and XM radio. Jon loves the XM radio and weather, keeping him busy during some of the “long” flight legs.

With the speed, agility, and on-board navigation systems, Jon can fly his Pitts Bi-Plane to any show in North America!!  With a transport container, the Pitts can easily be taken apart and shipped to anywhere in the world.

“Bold actions bring bold results!”