Flying Circus Aerodrome - Charlie Schwenker

Biography	Charlie Schwenker Charlie and his Pitts S-1T
Flying History Charlie started flying sailplanes in 1975 and went on to earn a FAI Gold badge with one ‘Diamond’ for a flight of over 300 kilometers (nearly 200 miles) and has climbed to 18,000 feet – (not bad for flying without a motor) He instructed in Sailplanes for several years. He has about the same amount of time in Sailplanes and Power Planes, but his current passion is aerobatics. Charlie started flying competition aerobatics in 1990. Competition results include winning the Canadian National Aerobatic Championship and regional International Aerobatic Club contests up and down the east coast. At the Flying Circus, Charlie usally flies his Pitts S-1T. Curtis Pitts originally designed this little bi-plane in the 1940’s with a 65 horsepower engine. The S-1T is the modern version of that plane with a 200 horsepower engine and a constant speed propeller. It weighs around 900 pounds and has a roll rate of around 270 degrees per second. This plane was factory built in 1983. When not busy flying at the Flying Circus, Charlie can be found at various airshow in the US.
Airplane Pitts S-1T Extra 300 Primary Acts Aerobatics Ratings Commercial Pilot	Charlie demonstrating "Knife-Edge Flight" in his Extra 300

About the Extra 300.

Walter Extra designed this 300 horsepower carbon fiber and composite airplane specifically for aerobatics. It weighs around 1500 pounds and has a roll rate of about 400 degrees per second. Maximum speed is 250 miles per hour. This plane was factory built in 1991 in Germany , and stressed to take 10 g’s positive and negative. The symmetrical airfoil and inverted fuel and oil systems let it perform equally well right side up or up side down.