Pitts paradise

The wonderful world of Curtis Pitts

January 13, 2026 By Julie Summers Walker

Curtis Pitts once famously said, “When you don’t know any better, you can do a lot of things.”

Photo by Chris Rose

His quote applies to the collection of Pitts aircraft at a hangar in Queen Creek, Arizona, outside Phoenix. The owners simply love Pitts aircraft and started accumulating them, creating what they now refer to as the Pitts Flying Museum at Pegasus Airpark (5AZ3). And what a collection it is.

From the oldest Pitts Special in existence to five of the first edition Pitts and the first production aircraft—the S–1S, the S–2A, the S–2C, and the S–1T—the collection is mind-blowing. As is the pristine hangar and the inviting Pitts bar on the second floor. There is a collection of Pitts memorabilia displayed in glass cases, posters from the many airshows where the Pitts Special performed, Curtis Pitts’ original business card, and so much more. The hangar “museum” is maintained by Pete Diaz, a former U.S. Air Force crew chief on the F–4 Phantom, and Randy Brooks, a former airshow performer. “People who have flown the Pitts will tell you it’s the closest thing to just sticking your arms out and flying,” said Brooks. “The lightness on the controls, the structural integrity just allows you a freedom of flight that if you haven’t experienced before….Everyone should have at least one flight in a Pitts.” All the aircraft in the collection are in airworthy condition and visitors can often hitch a ride.