Steen Aero Lab Skybolt

Single Piston

The Steen Skybolt is a high-performance aerobatic biplane sold as a plans-built kit by Steen Aero Lab since the 1970s, designed by Lamar Steen as a two-seat evolution of the classic Pitts Special formula. With its robust steel-tube fuselage, fabric-covered wings, and symmetrical airfoil, the Skybolt delivers genuine unlimited aerobatic capability in a design accessible to amateur builders—hundreds have been completed worldwide, making it one of the most successful homebuilt aerobatic aircraft in history. Most examples fly behind Lycoming engines in the 180-200 horsepower range, giving the lightweight airframe a power-to-weight ratio that enables vertical performance, snap rolls, and outside maneuvers with authority that rivals factory-built competition aerobatic machines. The Skybolt's appeal lies in its combination of serious aerobatic credentials and forgiving handling—it's both a trainer for pilots learning competition sequences and a capable mount for advanced aerobatics at airshows and contests. Its open-cockpit configuration and classic biplane lines evoke the golden age of barnstorming, while modern builders often incorporate contemporary avionics, electrical systems, and engine monitoring. The type's never-exceed speed of 230 knots and maneuvering envelope make it one of the faster homebuilts in its class, though most owners fly it for the joy of loops, rolls, and hammerheads rather than cross-country speed. SkyMeter has tracked 1 flights across 1 airframes and 1 operators, with BORMES JOHN M among the observed operators.