General Specifications

Airframe

Overall fabric and paint in reasonable to good condition. Fuselage fabric is good, wing fabric is reasonable (crack in the fabric located on top wing, leading edge - picture below). Built in the United States in 1987 and imported into the U.K in 1988, the airframe has 350 hrs total time. Painted in red with white 5-pointed stars, 'Yankee Lima' is certainly an attractive aeroplane.

The 'S' model benefits from symmetrical wings and 4 ailerons. Elevator gap seals are fitted to further improve control authority. 'Yankee Lima' has the so-called 'long' fuselage (only early model 'C' aeroplanes had the shoter fuselage). The tailwheel fitted is the excellent Laing unit, generally accepted to be the preferred tailwheel of choice of Pitts Specials and Christen Eagles.

Engine : Lycoming O-320-E2D (150hp)

Clean, strong engine. 82 hrs since top-end overhaul (carried out by Andy McCluskie in 2000). Engine has 1937 hrs total time (removed from a C172 at approx 1500hrs).

Top-end overhaul work carried out (2000):

Cylinders honed
New piston rings fitted
Magnetos (slick) replaced
Spark plugs REM-40E replaced
Corrosion treatment reprotected at engine bearers and crankshaft flange
All engine hoses replaced
Engine tacho cable replaced
Exhaust guides replaced
Exhaust valve seat replaced
New valve springs fitted

The aeroplane is fitted with inverted fuel (Ellison Throttle Body Injector EFS-4) and oil system (Christen), and a wobble pump as is standard on Pitts Specials.

Economy

Good performance on very good economy. 'Yankee Lima' burns approximately 26 litres/hr at 75% cruise setting, and around 30 litres/hr at 90% aerobatic setting.

The benefits of operating on a PFA Permit to Fly mean that maintenance costs are kept to a minimum.

Performance

Very good sporting aerobatic performance on a budget. Roll-rate is approximately 180°/sec. Initial climb rate up to 2000ft/min at aerobatic weight.

Fitted with a standard 72 litre tank, this gives 'Yankee Lima' an endurance of around 2 hours with a reserve.

Intruments/avionics

ALT, ASI, VSI, RPM, T&S, G-meter, Eng gauge (eng temp, fuel press, oil press), voltmeter, compass, electric clock/stopwatch.

'Yankee Lima' has a fitted hand-held ICOM radio with PTT on stick.

Photos

This photo was taken in April 2008 at Bossington Airstrip in Hampshire.

These photos were taken at Slinfold Airstrip, West Sussex in July 2006.

These photos were taken in November 2007 at Bossington Airstrip, Hampshire.

This photo shows the crack in the fabric on the top wing, leading edge