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81 Turn World Record Inverted Flat Spin

This video of a world record breaking inverted flat spin will make you dizzy just watching it.

The Pitts S-2B just drops like a rock! Watch as he plummets, upside down over 21,000 feet.

Air show performer Spencer Suderman makes an 81 turn, three minute long inverted flat spin in his Pitts S-2B that took him from 23,000 feet to less than 2,000 feet over the California desert. You can watch the altimeter spinning as he’s descends, upside down.

Number of spins: 81.7 – now that’s a precise count.

This was his third attempt to beat the previous record, which is 78 turns set by airshow legend Wayne Handley in a Giles 202 in 1999. In his previous attempts at beating that record, he was able to do 64 spins and 77 spins.

Suderman credits ElectroAir, who makes FAA-certified, variable-timing, electronic ignition systems for this success, allowing his engine to operate at that altitude and throughout the spin.  He is helping the company collect engine data for FAA certification in six-cylinder Lycoming engines.

Suderman had to apply for FAA permission to fly the VFR biplane, built in 1984 over the California desert. Over El Centro, in the Salton Sea, he climbed up to 23,000 which took him approximately 30 minutes. He wore gloves, an oxygen mask and several layers of clothing as the outside temperature was 9 degrees F.   The event was recorded with three onboard cameras.


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