Justiciar, am around this week and at the w/e. SS was threatening to come over this morning but I think the wx has put paid to that.
IS is due to make contact tonight to let me know his plans for flying with you and partying this w/e, though I think England in the RWC final might prove a more tempting prospect for both of us than flying with you Sunday!!
I like the Eagle, I really do, I think that some bits of it have been very well thought out. I like the single bubble canopy, I like the spring gear. Yes it more capacious and it faster but it seems a lot heavier in all 3 axis than the S2A. More akin to an S2B.
I don't particularly enjoy bringing it into a short strip with a howling x-wind - zero dihedral really does have the wing tip close to the ground. Not such a big deal somewhere (like in the US) long as you can approach a wee bit faster and wheel it on.
I don't like the oil cooler mounted to the botom cowl, what a pain in the arse that is! I don't like how close the bottom cowl is to the oil return pipe on #2cyl.
And in general, they are a heavier, my S2A < 1100lbs. Most Eagles (with all the bits on!!!!) are >1100lbs
If I couldn't have a Pitts, then I'd have an Eagle.
Hell, I even like Extras, hat they don't have imho, is the timeless appeal of the Pitts. A biplane on steroids!
ZA - although I agree with you, you must remember that 30 years ago very few competitive mounts had c/s props. The chaps just worked harder or ignored overspeeds.