Pitts Special

 VH-UDK         (fly this Aircraft)

The Bandicoot Pitts Special is a model S2A. It was the first Pitts brought into Australia and is the only Pitts in Australia that is actually a warbird. In Victoria this is the only Pitts where you can experience these flights. The Pitts Special is famous around the world as a leading competition aerobatics aircraft and has won more aerobatics competitions that any other airplane in history. Including Australia. Since 1999 Pitts have won 41% of all Australian Aerobatics completions of the 31 different types of aircraft that have competed.

Friends and well known Australian pilots who fly Pitts aircraft competitively and also perform at Air Shows are  Paul Bennett, and Chris Sperou . Other legendary Australian Pitts competition pilots are David Pilkington and Phil Unicomb. All great mentors to Aerobatics pilots.

Maintenance on our aircraft is to the highest standard of the CASA certification and is implemented by David Dawson at East Coast Aviation.

Pitts Special

Defence Force Training

Our Pitts Special undertook training for defence force personnel and is classified as a War Bird. Whilst maintained as per the CASA standard it is not a conventional war bird and doesn’t have to be as per;

  1. Military aircraft are built and tested to different standards than that put forward by CASA or any equivalent international civil aviation governing body. As such, in accordance with Civil Aviation Safety Regulation Parts 132.140, 150 and 132.155;
  2. The design, manufacture and airworthiness of the aircraft are not required to meet any standard recognized by CASA; and
  3. CASA does not require the aircraft to be operated to the same degree of safety as an aircraft used for regular public transport or charter operations; and
  4. The passenger agrees to participate in this flight at his or her own risk; and
  5. If it is reasonable to believe that a passenger cannot understand the safety briefing; said passenger must be accompanied on the flight by a parent, guardian, or carer; and
  6. A more detailed briefing will be provided to the passenger before they board the aircraft

Pitts Special Specifications

The Bandicoot Pitts is a 1973 model S2A, single-engine two-seat aerobatic biplane aircraft designed by Curtis Pitts. Factory production was performed by the US-American manufacturers Pitts Aerobatics, Aerotek, Christen Industries and since 1991 by Aviat Aircraft, Inc.

  • Propulsion 1 Piston Engine
  • Engine Model: Lycoming IO-360-A1A
  • Engine Power: 149 kW/200 hp
  • Speed: 158 mph (254 km/h)/ 137 kts
  • Service Ceiling: 6.096 m/20.000 ft
  • Range: 552 km/298 NM
  • Empty Weight: 454 kg/1.000 lbs
  • Max. Takeoff Weight: 680 kg/1.500 lbs
  • Wing Span: 6,10 m/20,0 ft
  • Wing Area: 11,6 m²/125 ft²
  • Length: 5,41 m/17,7 ft
  • Height: 1,94 m/6,4 ft

Other details of the Pitts can be found here on Wikipedia.