What Happens When an Ultralight Pilot Flies in a Pitts Special? 

So sorry to hear about your Uncle Richard dieing in his plane . Like you said he died doing what he loved to do . May he R.I.P.....AMEN !

A few years ago while visiting relatives of my ex-wife in California, we went to the local airfield to see a Kitfox that was owned by the brother of her father's sister's husband (got that?). While there I was introduced to the owner of a Pitts Special who offered to take me for a ride, which I jumped at. I was a low/medium hours PPL at the time and after he'd taken us through a few aerobatics and I wasn't sick, he asked if I'd like to take the controls (from the front seat of course). After a few simple manoeuvres he asked if I'd ever done any aerobatics, which I hadn't. So he showed me how to fly inverted and do simple things like loops and rolls, which I then did. He even let me bring the aircraft right down to short final on landing before he took over for the touchdown. It was one of the most awesome experiences of my life. I bet you really enjoyed this flight. BTW, condolences for your uncle. I'm sure if he'd been asked how he would like to go he'd have said 'while flying' like we all would, but it doesn't make it any easier for the loved ones he left behind. RIP

Condolences on your uncles passing. I truly feel that he passed doing what he loved. If I had one way to go out, it would be in a plane. Great video! Fair winds my friend ! Your uncle flies with you always

You continue to follow your Uncles footsteps and he will always be in your heart forever

Love your videos! So sorry to hear about your uncle! Started watching you way back in your Skywalker days. Incidentally, I have a Great Plane 1/3 Pitts I plan to FPV this season so it was very cool to see this. Always looking forward to seeing more videos from you.

Sad for the loss of your uncle. Was lucky enough to get a demo in a Pitts with Scully Levin, the leader of a well known Aerobatic Team in South Africa. It was just awesome, no other to describe it. So good I had a hard for days. Thanks for the great clip.

Sorry about your loss.......video is great and so is Pitts. Flown in and out of Benton many times so that hits home for me. Benton is just a scenic spot to fly out of over the river and Redding, Cottage Grove looks super as well........

This just popped up and it's 2 years old. Wondered why I hadn't seen any videos of yours lately! I always enjoy your videos, have loved the idea of flying ultralights since way back when they became a thing but have never flown in one. That ride you took in the Pitts looked amazing, glad you had fun and didn't get sick! It didn't look like it bothered you one bit except for just a moment there you had a look on your face that made me think uhoh! Cottage Grove isn't that far from me, but I don't think I'll be doing the Pitts ride at this point in my life. Did the skydiving thing when I was 21 and flying paragliders when I was in my 30s. Stay safe and I hope to see more of your videos I love seeing Oregon from the air! I wonder what it costs to get into a decent 2 seat ultralight, I'll have to do some research! I'm really sorry to hear about the loss of your Uncle Rick and his dog!!!

Good to see your videos again.!

I think this is the first time I've seen the voice behind the camera. I'd keep the new format. You and your videos are an inspiration. Keep up the great work and of course my condolences to you and your family.

Rest in peace uncle Richard. Dog also. Great video my friend.

Fantastic! I like the way you presented this.

Damn Sweet ! I am a Canadian Rec Pilot , number of years ago I had a chance to fly a Stearman , in Florida with an instructor . I was at at the controls , love flying anything but biplanes are damn sweet . Taught me how to perform figure eights . When got home I started doing them with my Zenair three hundred

Every time I see that S2. I think of the Movie Cloud Dancer... As my mom learned to fly an old Stearman and was a Biplane nut...

Sorry to hear about your uncle. We had a local glider go down on the 29th with 3 fatalities.. Looks like the same day as your uncle, must be some bad luck on that day.

Great editing and story - thanks for that one. Always hard to loose family - so all the best to your and yours. @crayonboxflgihts

Now retired and corporate aircraft behind me, flying a nice Ercoupe out of Grants Pass. Ive discovered a simple way to get nice audio with my GoPro without hassle. I use a simple lapel mic, take the clip off. Then insert it into the ear cup of my headset. Bingo, great audio for both radio and intercom. So any camera with a mic plug works. Thanks for the fun videos. I drive by on I-5 a lot and now realize where you are based.

Sorry for your loss, as a family of pilots( I'm 3rd generation) death has a way of claiming someone. My Uncle Buddy was killed when I was young, as a CFII multi-engine vertigo got him. But flying is such fun an enjoyable he died doing what he loved to do. Aerobatic flying to me is safer than putzing along. You are ultra alert to everything and it is the ultimate in control of your acft.

What beautiful airplane. Thanks for making this video.

Nice video. I have a Pitts S2A based near Chicago. It's the most fun you can have with your pants on.

Great video if that was me standing there listening to him being told our flight plan my jaw would been on the ground , fantastic flying

Bloody good video, thanks for sharing!

So sorry for losing your uncle Richard.

Sorry for the loss.

I love the Pitt’s special I have the 3/4 scale RC plane I had been up in the real deal and feel in love with the Pitts

Great show and music

A fantastic video as always but I am very sorry for the loss of your uncle Richard, unfortunately, flying is the greatest thing mankind has ever done but we do pay a terrible price when it goes wrong as the saying goes "those of us that fly have our debts to pay"

Just found this video I have always loved the pitts since I was a kid go to airshows see Sean D Tucker fly. Sorry to hear about your uncle and his dog I want to get my PPL I worry about getting killed seems like there is one everyday of the week in the news. I guess no where to land straight ahead where he lost his engine that term "wing and a prayer is all you got" sometimes is true.

i just ran across your channel today.. this is my 2nd video of yours.. 1st off, my condolences for the loss of your uncle and his dog.. it's true, i'm sure he was doing what he loved most when he got his final clearance.. flying is the only thing i can think of (other than sex) that literally consumes a person and completely take over their passion for a lifetime.. i try to think of what else.. boats.. cars.. guns.. sports.. electronics.. gambling.. drugs.. etc.. sure to a degree, but aviation.. man it gets you.. and sucks you in.. and due to the cost barrier to entry, it keeps most of the riff-raff out.. so it remains a great thing to be addicted to.. now, about the Pitts ride.. while building my multi time in my dad's duke, i had my chance to get some time in a Christen Eagle II that was kept in the same hanger with the My Mooney 231, My Dad's Duke and Glasair II RG.. the Christen Eagle II is very similar to the Pitts.. wider body.. i'm a big guy.. and i barely fit.. lots of fun.. i got to learn some aerobatics in it.. then got to build quite a bit of time in my Dad's Glasair II RG.. slower roll rate but also fully aerobatic.. i always wanted a Pitts. but I just don't fit in one.. maybe a Glasair III with a Turbine one day tho... :)

Loved your video! The death is always near, but life it is too much interesting and love never dies! Sorry for your uncle, but as I said love never dies and wherever he is, You can touch the sky eveytime you get up in a airplane and fly! That is what really matters in life for me. God Bless you!

Nice video I was also a microlight pilot. Sorry about the loss of your uncle.

I bet your Uncle Richard would highly approve of your method of dealing with the news and flipping the bird at the reaper. Enjoyed the video!

Sorry about your Uncle. And congratulations on handling that Pitts ride.

Great vid! Very sorry about your Uncle. I'm an old CAP Pilot. Can't hold a 3rd class anymore so I dream about a good Ultra Light. I've been a sub since before you did spin recovery in the Shark, 😂 Thanks for all of the great vids. My 1st time to comment 👍

Now, that's a proper Pitts, in every sense of the word. Godspeed, Uncle Rick. (I am also an Uncle Rick.)

Nothing beats the Pitts for the classic aircraft feel.

I live in creswell so i get to see him flying all the time. Great fun.

I have close to 1000 hours in all types of ultralights. Lots of fun. I always thought I was a good pilot until I purchased my Pitts S1S. It taught me how to really fly an airplane. Fly a Pitts Special for 300-500 hours and you'll become unbelievably skilled pilot.

Looks like a dream come true. was this in central Oregon ??? sorry to hear about UNCLE RICH. BLUE SKY'S AHEAD BRO. 😎

I live here in Redding and stopped by the crash site along side the road just 10 minutes after the crash, was a very sad day

Sorry for your loss, but congrats on that wild ride. Jealous.

The more acrobatic a plane is, the more mentally fatiguing it is to fly. You have to fly them all of the time.

Loved this video, I went up in one of the Red Baron Pizza planes one time. What a rush, I got nauseous but held on. I’d do it again in a heartbeat. So sorry about your uncle. Thanks for sharing.

Your Uncle would love this tribute to him! Do you have a facebook page as well?

RIP Uncle Richard ~BlueSkies~

Aerobatics is only exploring the limitations of your airplane

Sorry about your uncle. I understand though having lost several friends to flying. Too many stories to tell here. I will say that I took aerobatic lessons from Dwayne Cole. One of the original barnstormers. He was The “granddaddy of aerobatics” in his day. His books are still out there. The old guys will know him. Way to many stories. Campfire flying time.

there's a pitts for sale near me if you're wanting to upgrade

R.I.P Steve Van Eck..Who passed practicing a cuban 8 for the battle Creek (MI) airshow 28 years ago.

What a cool ride!

Wow, I'm sorry to hear about your uncle. :(

Love the Pitts

Looks like a beautiful airport.

I've been up in a Pitts and a Waco, and in both cases, IF I had had to bail out....I don't think I would've even been able to extricate myself from the cockpit. And I'm only 5'8"/175#. It's tight.

What company is building this plane?

Not exactly a short field landing was it?

this is great reminds me of a flight i toke in a yak we did a loop a couple of rolls and several dives it really is great

Sorry about your uncle...can you share the cause of the engine failure?

My condolences

The pilot is not going to be happy till you crap your pants.

My dad died doing a takeoff wingover, and stalled too close for recovery. Instant death.

I noticed the livery on the Pitts is the same as the Ki-10 on War Thunder!

Wow, 90kts over the fence and 80kts stall warning and touchdown - that feels just a little different doesn't it!! LOL... I bet you're hooked! I would have been tempted to ask him to forgo the aeros and let me to some takeoffs and landings hehehe..

Sorry about your uncle, fella.

So how long till you make the jump from the shark to the race biplane? Seems like a natural progression. Rc plane, you flied it to the extreme distances then the shark you’ve done some fun so now is it time to go big 😎

hey I know you from few yrs ago !!! FPV guess what im looking for A PITTS M_12, thanks bro you got me going in both !!!! life is good ,,, FREE BIRD r,v rip an your uncle !! my heart felt sorrows to you an your family !!!!

Hey could you reply with what this cost and please put the cost and date where you can contact that guy.... Obviously awesome experience and might add well advertise for him besides plenty of us would love to just need to know how much and where

It must be scarier as the passenger cuz ur not in control

The guy at my airfield with a Pitts is strapping 2 jet engines to it!

Sorry about your Uncle.

Not to be a jerk but did the dog die im sorry about your unce rip

oooh boy thats a nice looking plane.

I experienced aerobatics in a Citabria. I had a great time.

God if I ever afford an ultralight, be fun to ship it to OR!

Dont know you fella but my condolenses for you loss.

great ride...

very good video nice

12:33 when you tell google to do a barrel roll

You should have played music from "Top Gun"

Condolences....., I for sure would have had to use the “barf-bag”, great experience, can’t wait to see the shark do a barrel roll...😂😂😎🇺🇸

That music really ruined the video, had to cut out early.

There's no such thing as an ultralight 'pilot.' If it doesn't require a license, you're an operator.

From flying rc planes my whole life I feel like I could be a good aerobatic pilot!

For my honeymoon (my present from fucking me- to me!) I bought myself a stunt airplane ride over the shores of Kona, Hawaii. At 5'8"/175#- there was NO WAY that I would've been able to get out of the front cockpit in the WACO biplane I was riding in. The pilot did it all....and I barely escaped not tossing my cookies. At altitude, very fun; amazing experience. Close to ground....TWITCHY comes to mine.

I watch Live PD, TOO.

The Pitts aircraft is the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

Pitts be sooo cool! But it's not fair to change the aim of the camera in mid aerobatic maneuver. Only a five out of ten on the vid.

*DO A BARREL ROLL*

you are a lucky dog!!!

$175...so worth it!

Did the dog die?

My dream is to ride in a pitts

If anyone has old plans or a copy of sny UL .its my dream and i having. Hard time finding anything not even a project.if u got a old rotten one but can be started over .a barn find i can come up with shiping and parts every payday .im trying anything .its my dream .all i want in life .ive amost want to try a go fund me .but i tryed when my family died didnt make but 20 bucks and 5 at a car wash .so that was a thought .ended up useing what i had saved for years .but family first .ill start over

I’m sorry about your uncle but don’t blast us pilots about it not being safe, if you not have a check list that’s your first issue and always pre flighting your plane before it leaves the ground, it’s more dangerous to drive to the airport then to fly a damn plane it’s all the pilot

This video is 70% useless, the 30 remaining is actually about flying

clear barf bag.... ick...

Hey why don't you pay your parents off for there credit cards lol

SaDDDDDD RIP THE DOG

Someone should think about getting rid of the buddha statue... God said make no graven images, and have no other Gods before Him. :) Jesus loves you!