- Joined
- Nov 29, 2009
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Hi Guys.
Without doubt, the best mod I did to my S1S recently was to improve the view from the cockpit. I now can do better landings, see more of the box markers, enjoy the scenery, cope with low visibility cross country flights better and better enjoy everything about flying my single seat Pitts.
This mod only took me about two hours.
The S1's were designed as an open cockpit machine, the pilot sat low to stay out of the wind and the hole on the fuselage was kept small to reduce the wind into the cockpit. A large padded cushion was then placed around the cockpit hole in the fuselage which further reduced your peripheral vision and the vision of your instrument panel, see photo. The forward part of the windscreen is attached with a 2 inch wide strip of aluminum which wipes out a large amount of angular downward peripheral vision on account of it being very close to your eyes.
Once you place a full canopy on the Pitts S1's, the above reasons are not required so get rid of them.
Start by taking off the padded cushion around the cockpit hole then take a pencil and trace the inside shape of the windscreen right up to the screen. This will take about 1.5 inches off the front of the hole, continue right around the side of the cockpit by about 1.5 inches all the way to your shoulders but just above the canopy sliding rails.
Drill off the stiffener 1/4" tube around the perimeter of the cockpit hole.
Unscrew the canopy skin off the fuselage.
Take a jigsaw and cut along the pencil line opening up the hole by 1.5 inches approximately. Deburr the edge of the new cockpit hole. Cut the 1/4" tube stiffener in half at the front and reattach around the new hole starting from the rear corner, there will be a gap in the ends of this tube at the front near the instrument panel. Blind rivet stiffener tube back on.
Leave the padded cockpit edging off permanently, you do not need it.
The biggest improvement is in modifying the windscreen attachment strip that is blocking so much forward and downward peripheral vision for your landings and that has given the Pitts it's bad reputation for being difficult to land. I feel more confident landing on narrow runways now because I can see the edges.
See photo attached for the number of screw holes to modify on the windscreen attach strip.
Remove windscreen attach strip and aggressively scallop between the screws on both sides, Deburr and refit. Be prepared to be amazed at how much extra side downward vision you have, how much more you can see on landing and how much better you enjoy the landings. A concept that is not normally associated with Pitts aircraft.
Ideally I would Sikaflex bond the forward windscreen to a mounting strip with no restriction of peripheral vision and the same should be considered if attaching with fiberglass, do not throw away your peripheral vision.
I love my Pitts S1S even more since I did these mods and am a lot more confidence allowing non Pitts drivers to have a go in my plane now they can see much better than when I first tried a Pitts S1S on for size.
Enjoy.
Morris.
Without doubt, the best mod I did to my S1S recently was to improve the view from the cockpit. I now can do better landings, see more of the box markers, enjoy the scenery, cope with low visibility cross country flights better and better enjoy everything about flying my single seat Pitts.
This mod only took me about two hours.
The S1's were designed as an open cockpit machine, the pilot sat low to stay out of the wind and the hole on the fuselage was kept small to reduce the wind into the cockpit. A large padded cushion was then placed around the cockpit hole in the fuselage which further reduced your peripheral vision and the vision of your instrument panel, see photo. The forward part of the windscreen is attached with a 2 inch wide strip of aluminum which wipes out a large amount of angular downward peripheral vision on account of it being very close to your eyes.
Once you place a full canopy on the Pitts S1's, the above reasons are not required so get rid of them.
Start by taking off the padded cushion around the cockpit hole then take a pencil and trace the inside shape of the windscreen right up to the screen. This will take about 1.5 inches off the front of the hole, continue right around the side of the cockpit by about 1.5 inches all the way to your shoulders but just above the canopy sliding rails.
Drill off the stiffener 1/4" tube around the perimeter of the cockpit hole.
Unscrew the canopy skin off the fuselage.
Take a jigsaw and cut along the pencil line opening up the hole by 1.5 inches approximately. Deburr the edge of the new cockpit hole. Cut the 1/4" tube stiffener in half at the front and reattach around the new hole starting from the rear corner, there will be a gap in the ends of this tube at the front near the instrument panel. Blind rivet stiffener tube back on.
Leave the padded cockpit edging off permanently, you do not need it.
The biggest improvement is in modifying the windscreen attachment strip that is blocking so much forward and downward peripheral vision for your landings and that has given the Pitts it's bad reputation for being difficult to land. I feel more confident landing on narrow runways now because I can see the edges.
See photo attached for the number of screw holes to modify on the windscreen attach strip.
Remove windscreen attach strip and aggressively scallop between the screws on both sides, Deburr and refit. Be prepared to be amazed at how much extra side downward vision you have, how much more you can see on landing and how much better you enjoy the landings. A concept that is not normally associated with Pitts aircraft.
Ideally I would Sikaflex bond the forward windscreen to a mounting strip with no restriction of peripheral vision and the same should be considered if attaching with fiberglass, do not throw away your peripheral vision.
I love my Pitts S1S even more since I did these mods and am a lot more confidence allowing non Pitts drivers to have a go in my plane now they can see much better than when I first tried a Pitts S1S on for size.
Enjoy.
Morris.
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