Quick 1

My Feedback: (6)

Ok here is the situation. I'm running a saito 1.80 on my cermark pitts. On takeoff the aircraft wants to torque left severly. I have put in about six degree's of thrust but it still has an issue and I'm just about out of cowl clearance! When in the air the aircraft crabs alot and the rudder needs a ton of right for straight and level flight. Also this aircraft has an issue with nosing over on taxi and I personally cannot obtain a better C.G. than what it has now which is dead center as far as that topic is concerned. I am taking off from grass. Anyone who has any info on these topics would be greatly appreciated this plane is a handfull on every flight and since have put it away untill a good fix is retrieved. (lots of money) Thank you all who reply!!!!!

Tired Old Man

My Feedback: (1)

At 6 degrees, you are already using a lot more right thrust than you should. 2 or 3 degrees should have been tops. Is it possible that the engine is not mounted squarely on the beam mounts, and you are trying to correct two problems at once without knowing it?

That big Saito has a lot of torque, and jamming on the throttle will make a short coupled plane like the Pitts want to bite itself in the butt. The Cermark Pitts is a good, no, make that great, plane to fly, but like all Pitts', takes finesse. Grass, while making the landing easier, will make the takeoff require a little more initial throttle to get it started, but keep it gentle and smooth.

The rudder trim in level flight troubles me. It makes me think that the problem is not with the engine, but with the planes overall alignment. Put her on a table and check all the wing measurements. The top wing tips measure the same to the tail and to the nose? The bottom wing the same? The distance from the horizontal stabilizer tips to the center of the firewall are equal? The vertical gap between the front and back of the wings in the middle and at both ends are the same, or the trailing edge is 1/8 of an inch higher from end to end? 1 to 1-1/2 degrees of negative incidence in the top wing is ok, but no more, and no positive incidence anywhere. All of the ailerons are set in proper alighment? One of them out of rig would cause big trim problems.

I think you might find the larger cause of the flight problem somewhere in the last paragraph. Good luck.

Quick 1

My Feedback: (6)

Thanks alot for your reply I'll let you know how it went. I'm not the builder of the plane and those actions completely skipped my mind. And the finesse part of your post is so true. Great airplane, but is my first pitts! Lot to learn on my end. Once again thank you !!!!!!!!!