Mike Newman and his family know the Pitts well.  His family has owned 5 of them. We asked Mike to share his story with us:

”The S-2A was my dad’s – which he bought from Jim Mc Kinstry in ’77,  I believe. I was ten at the time.  Betty Stewart gave him a checkout in it. One take off,  one landing and said he was good to-go. He had a lot of time in Cubs and a Decathlon by then.

I think it was 1978 when he purchased the S-1S from the factory N14RN. I fell in love with that aircraft!  I used to wax it every chance I had and would sit in it for hours!

When I finally had the chance to own my own I purchased an S-2C. I actually soloed that one before I had my license. Michael Church gave me the check out in it. I think everyone thought there was something wrong with me. I actually flew it before but I never told them until this year. Figured they couldn’t be too mad by now.

I flew that aircraft 800 hrs and to this date it’s the finest machine I’ve owned,  and I wish I still had it! I earned all the patches through advanced and was almost finished with the unlimited patch when I sold it…My heart still belongs to the Pitts!

When I was a boy,  some of the U.S. Team members would come to our farm in western Nebraska to practice. It was really cool to see five or six S-1 setting out in front of the hanger! Jim McKinstry, Betty Stewart, Chipper Melton, Rich Bastian just to name a few. Im 49 now so it’s been a 40 year story for me and there will be another Pitts in my hanger one of these days!” – Mike Newman