- Joined
- Jul 13, 2012
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Thought I'd start a thread to track some of my build progress and maybe give some motivation to others as well as gain some knowledge and tips from all the great people on here. I have been in possession of my coveted Pitts S1S plans for about 6 years now but have only just recently started on the Bipe project, the research phase has been a long one but I learnt some hints and had a great time looking at how people go about their projects. It's fantastic to have such active members in the community and I'm very grateful having Chris, Tony, and Kevin to mention a few of the greats on here 
.
The goal is to have a very light aircraft. Not LSA (No one turn this into the LSA Pitts thread). Just light. Simple. Low HP - not really but lower than what people run in 2017. Cheap back to basics fun. I fly a commercial jet during the week so this should be at the other end of the scale and this to me, is it. It's not a competition plane I don't want to compete it's just for my weekend enjoyment. If I wanted a competition machine I'd be going a very different route.
After looking at the ultimate 10-100 plans I wasn't happy with moving away from the Pitts, I also felt the weight was never going to be the same or less than a Pitts. So it was off to get some original C plans and get as close to the original as possible and something designed for the power level I'd be aiming at.
The aircraft will end up something like this.
S1C wings - 2 aileron no idler. Squared wolf style tips.
S1S fuselage - possibly shortened 3 inches in the turtle deck like Curtis'. This would give the original C length without shortening the cockpit. This is yet to be decided as it's a fair way away but the less weight out the back the better.
Carbon - Nose Bowl, turtle deck, instrument panel, open cockpit.
Minimal side panelling only enough to assist maintenance.
Titanium firewall, tailwheel spring, and drag wires possibly from Benny Davis.
Bungee gear with lamb tires.
A few other bits and pieces along the way.
Power - 120~HP fixed pitch wood or carbon prop.
Cockpit - MGL Xtreme and handheld comm. that's it. The MGL meets the minimum requirements so anything else would be fruit.
Some pics so far,
Rib jig pretty much finished.
All the small gussets cut.
Nose ribs rough cut and router template made just have to finish them all off.
Hope you guys enjoy!
.The goal is to have a very light aircraft. Not LSA (No one turn this into the LSA Pitts thread). Just light. Simple. Low HP - not really but lower than what people run in 2017. Cheap back to basics fun. I fly a commercial jet during the week so this should be at the other end of the scale and this to me, is it. It's not a competition plane I don't want to compete it's just for my weekend enjoyment. If I wanted a competition machine I'd be going a very different route.
After looking at the ultimate 10-100 plans I wasn't happy with moving away from the Pitts, I also felt the weight was never going to be the same or less than a Pitts. So it was off to get some original C plans and get as close to the original as possible and something designed for the power level I'd be aiming at.
The aircraft will end up something like this.
S1C wings - 2 aileron no idler. Squared wolf style tips.
S1S fuselage - possibly shortened 3 inches in the turtle deck like Curtis'. This would give the original C length without shortening the cockpit. This is yet to be decided as it's a fair way away but the less weight out the back the better.
Carbon - Nose Bowl, turtle deck, instrument panel, open cockpit.
Minimal side panelling only enough to assist maintenance.
Titanium firewall, tailwheel spring, and drag wires possibly from Benny Davis.
Bungee gear with lamb tires.
A few other bits and pieces along the way.
Power - 120~HP fixed pitch wood or carbon prop.
Cockpit - MGL Xtreme and handheld comm. that's it. The MGL meets the minimum requirements so anything else would be fruit.
Some pics so far,
Rib jig pretty much finished.
All the small gussets cut.
Nose ribs rough cut and router template made just have to finish them all off.
Hope you guys enjoy!
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