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AirVenture Today
Not your usual flying farmers
PHOTO BY PHIL WESTON
By Randy Dufault
This is the first time that (L-R) Jim Thompson, Keith Thorsgard, Kevin Solberg, and Edson Grindeland brought all four Pitts Specials composing the Hatton Flying Circus to AirVenture.
F
or many the words flying farmer conjure up visions of a bright yellow Cub floating slowly over a gently rolling landscape of green fields. But over the croplands of northeastern North Dakota that vision may turn out to be one, two, three, or four brightly painted Pitts Special biplanes doing a few aggressive maneuvers while out checking on the cows.
The four little planes are part of what Edson Grindeland and his friends call the Hatton Flying Circus. Edson flies his experimental Pitts S-1C, Kevin Solberg flies an experimental S-1S, Keith Thorsgard flies a factory-built S-1S, and Roger Thompson, along with his son Jim, fly a factory-built S-2B. They fly off of a grass strip on Edson’s brother Ethan’s farm
outside of Hatton, North Dakota. “We grew up around airplanes, Ethan and me,” Edson said. “Our grandpa and dad flew all the time, so we’ve been around airplanes our whole life. Over time we’ve had Champs and Bonanzas and the like. “But Roger Thompson bought [a Pitts] a few years back and I’m not sure what spurred him to get one.” Eventually Roger offered to let Edson fly the biplane if he first got some training. After a round of instruction in Arizona, Edson and Roger spent time in the airplane just enjoying the sprightly performance of the aerobatic Pitts. The sheer fun of it all brought Edson to consider the purchase of an S-1C located in Montana. A deal was made and although he had considered using parts off the plane for an RV-8 project, the flight back to North Dakota convinced him otherwise. “I flew it home and had way too much fun in it to take it apart,” he said. One thing led to another. Kevin purchased his Pitts to replace a Bonanza lost in a tornado and, four years ago, Keith purchased number four in the group. This is the first time they have all
been here, although they regularly fly together at events throughout eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota. As Oshkosh veterans the pilots had managed to develop a cache of gear that they store in Oshkosh from year to year. Ultimately it became practical to come with just a duffel bag small enough to fit into what little luggage space the Pitts provides. None of the planes have heaters. and this year that required a drive into town for warmer clothing on one of the two fuel stops. Although they all started out from the same basic Curtis Pitts design, there are differences. Each tail has different dimensions; the aileron configurations are all dissimilar; and modifications done on the two experimental one-seaters departed a bit from the plans. Kevin’s is the fastest as it includes several speed mods a prior owner installed to race at Reno. Any aerobatics beyond the loops and rolls they occasionally do now? “I’m too old for that, Edson said. “But one day if Keith and Jimmy want to do it, they have the airplanes to do it in.” AVT
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