Pitts S-2

Single Piston

The Pitts Special S-2 is a two-seat aerobatic biplane that defined unlimited-category competition aerobatics for decades after Curtis Pitts introduced the design in the 1960s. Built as a tandem-seat development of the legendary single-seat S-1, the S-2 brought the same knife-edge precision and snap-roll authority to the training and airshow world, allowing instructors to fly with students or performers to carry a passenger through the full gamut of outside loops, lomcevaks, and inverted spins. With a roll rate exceeding 300 degrees per second and a power-to-weight ratio that rivals many fighters, the S-2 remains a staple at aerobatic contests and airshows worldwide, instantly recognizable by its stacked wings, open cockpit, and the sharp crack of its Lycoming engine under G-load. The type's envelope spans from a docile 53-knot stall in landing configuration to a never-exceed speed of 194 knots, with a redline that pilots respect given the biplane's fabric-covered structure and the loads imposed during competitive sequences. Though production by Aviat Aircraft has been intermittent, the S-2 endures as the benchmark two-seat aerobatic trainer, teaching generations of pilots the discipline of energy management and the artistry of precision flying. SkyMeter has tracked flights across airframes and operators, with the largest observed operator.