Upside Down Under - Upside Under

For Gen's big six zero birthday, I thought we'd give it a go with flying aerobatics in two biplanes, side by side and upside down.


The first planned time had to be rescheduled because the 1943 Stearman biplane needed a part sent from USA. However, Nov 15th was all systems go.

Southern Biplanes runs operations from its hangar at Albion Park Rail, near Wollongong. Our booking was for a Wingman flight: the Pitts biplane and the Stearman biplane flying together with one each of us upfront, and the pilot behind.

Checkin involved emptying our pockets of items like coins that would not be wanted flying independently in the cockpit; learning the drill for sea landing; wrestling with a clunky flying suit; and admiring the condom-like sickbag which zipped handily into the left top trouser pocket.


Shaun, sure and steady, flew Robert in the ‘Red Baron’, described by Southern Biplanes as:
"Our Flagship aircraft, ‘Lilly Warra’ (a play on the word ‘Illawarra’) is a 1943 Boeing PT-17 Stearman. In a previous lifetime she was a part of what is today significant military history. Originally modelled off the Tiger Moth, the Stearman became the primary training aircraft for the Tuskegee Airman, the first ever African-American military aviators.

After being declared as excess military stock in 1944 she was sold and used commercially before being put to rest for an extended period of time. After sitting in the background for decades, an American Airlines pilot discovered her and began the restoration process alongside a team of expert restorers. It was not too long after work had been completed that our chief pilot, Chris Clark, became aware of her existence in New Hampshire and sought to bring her ‘down under’ to her current home at Southern Biplane Adventures."


Chris, cool and confident, flew Gen in the Pitts biplane, described by Southern Biplanes as:
"Adrenaline junkies, meet your match! The little brother of Lilly, our Pitts Special S-2C, has a bad case of ‘little biplane syndrome’. This particular aircraft is a little aerobatic monster, designed to push the limits. The Pitts S-2C is the most advanced of its kind on the market today, with a bigger engine, higher roll rate, and superior g-capability to previous models. What this means is like our pilots, it is highly advanced for the job at hand. With the ability to take passengers to +6g and -5g there is no wonder this plane is a show pony and crowd pleaser at air shows worldwide!"

We taxied across the airstrip for a wingtip to wingtip takeoff. Amidst the control tower chatter, we soared over the coast and peeled off out to sea to the perfect altitude for aerobatics.  First up for a few Gs was a hanging turn, then we progressed to looping and diving, pulling up to 4Gs, before going for a triple barrel roll. Cockpit video shows Robert grinning and screeching with his face puckered up, inhaling the heady fumes of Avgas. Gen twirled in the Pitts, ducking and diving, taking in upside down coastline views, before rushing up in  a roller-coaster whoosh. What a rush of adrenaline!

As rain clouds closed in, we sped back to the airfield and did a wingtip to wingtip landing: Gen on asphalt; Robert on the grass. Back at the hangar, we were unclipped from our harnesses, proudly handed back the intact sickbags; and wrestled like Houdini to escape the flying suits. What a bloody brilliant biplane buzz!