Richard Buchan's Pitts S-1D G-OODI

G-OODI is a Pitts S-1D originally built (beautifully) by Ken Harness at Boston, Lincs, UK, in the mid 1970s. It was originally registered G-BBBU. Sold to Richard Goode who up to then had been flying his Stampe G-OODE, the aircraft went through a series of modifications to both airframe and engine. 

After flying the aircraft in the 1978 World Aerobatics Championships in Czechoslovakia and being impressed with the performance of the USA team Pitts Specials, Richard Goode began his modifications. The first step was for Bill Bonner at Shoreham to overhaul the engine to improve power output. With uprated engine, Richard Goode flew the aircraft in the World Aerobatic Championships at Oshkosh, USA in 1980, placing 17th out of 42 entrants. After flying for a season in essentially stock configuration but for the modified engine, the aircraft went to Geoff Masterton's workshop at Chessington for a major modification program. Modifications included spring-gear, 200 hp Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 engine, enlarged and servo assisted control surfaces and detailed modifications to the fuselage. The result was G-OODI, named 'Ultimate Pitts', which was at the time the most radically modified Pitts in the country, with all the latest ideas from the USA and UK incorporated. 

The aircraft became very well known on the UK air display circuit as a spectacular performer in the hands of Richard Goode until his Pace Spirit was completed, then Pete Kynsey and later Paul Bonhomme. The aircraft then passed into the hands of Mark Waldron who flew the aircraft in competition for a number of years.

The aircraft is now in the hands of Richard Buchan and has come to live at Leicester.