I am new to the biplane forum and noticed some members show a interest in a pitts being flown as a LSA. Well so do I. Due to medical reasons I may have to fly LSA if I still want to fly.
I own a Pitts S1-C that the original owner build from plans that he purchased from curtis pitts in 1966. It's a short fuselage (3") and has the shorter lower wing. The gross weight is 1050 lbs. and the listed stall
speed is 57 mph. It came with a Sensenich 74" dia. prop with a 55" pitch
which the original owner probably used to do vertical stuff. It has a IO-320
LYC. engine with christen oil system, so it's a full inverted system. It also has a skytec starter, small 40 amp alternator and a 19 amp motor cycle
battery. The planes empty weight is 760 lbs. With the climb prop (55")the
max level speed is below the required 138 mph if you keep the RPM below the 2700 RPM redline. The only problem keeping it from qualifying
as a LSA is the listed stall speed of 57 mph. But I'm not sure what the stall speed actually is, all the drawings or specs thatI have seen list the stall speed as 57 mph , it may justbe a generic number and I have never noticedit while flying because my eyes are always looking outside the
the cockpit. The FAA requires a stall speed or minimum steadyflight speed of not more than 45kts.(51.8 mph). If you use the minimum steady flightspeed of 45 kts. as the requirement,I think it may qualify because I would have the engine turning at enough power to maintain level flight
withthe nose pitched up and the 74" prop is going to be moving lots of air
over both top and bottom wings and increasing the lift. I don't know if
it would produce enough lift but I'm pretty sure you would produce additional lift. I only need to lower the stall speed or min. steady flight speed by 57 mph- 51.8 mph =5.2 mph to qualify. My pitts is down for
maintenance at the monent, but I'm going to find out soon as I can if this
will work and what the actual stall speed is.
If any pitts drivers out there have any ideas aboutlowering the stall speed, I would like to hear about them.
Thanks, PITTS 76
I own a Pitts S1-C that the original owner build from plans that he purchased from curtis pitts in 1966. It's a short fuselage (3") and has the shorter lower wing. The gross weight is 1050 lbs. and the listed stall
speed is 57 mph. It came with a Sensenich 74" dia. prop with a 55" pitch
which the original owner probably used to do vertical stuff. It has a IO-320
LYC. engine with christen oil system, so it's a full inverted system. It also has a skytec starter, small 40 amp alternator and a 19 amp motor cycle
battery. The planes empty weight is 760 lbs. With the climb prop (55")the
max level speed is below the required 138 mph if you keep the RPM below the 2700 RPM redline. The only problem keeping it from qualifying
as a LSA is the listed stall speed of 57 mph. But I'm not sure what the stall speed actually is, all the drawings or specs thatI have seen list the stall speed as 57 mph , it may justbe a generic number and I have never noticedit while flying because my eyes are always looking outside the
the cockpit. The FAA requires a stall speed or minimum steadyflight speed of not more than 45kts.(51.8 mph). If you use the minimum steady flightspeed of 45 kts. as the requirement,I think it may qualify because I would have the engine turning at enough power to maintain level flight
withthe nose pitched up and the 74" prop is going to be moving lots of air
over both top and bottom wings and increasing the lift. I don't know if
it would produce enough lift but I'm pretty sure you would produce additional lift. I only need to lower the stall speed or min. steady flight speed by 57 mph- 51.8 mph =5.2 mph to qualify. My pitts is down for
maintenance at the monent, but I'm going to find out soon as I can if this
will work and what the actual stall speed is.
If any pitts drivers out there have any ideas aboutlowering the stall speed, I would like to hear about them.
Thanks, PITTS 76
