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A friend of mine is physically not able to pilot any longer, he has a ercouple that he was restoring. it had cloth wings and he covered them in aluminum, engine is not together but is all there.

if anyones interested, I can get you in contact.

wallymayfield@hotmail.com

the plane is hangar at BIH.

I wonder how much more the aluminum skin weighs over the original fabric? What engine?

Bill

I am not interested but it might help to give a bit more information.
The original Erocoupe was a "no electric" airplane that right no generator, no battery, and no starter strictly a hand prop plane, yes I have seen one. A bit of information as to the condition etc, There is a very important SPAR AD has that been complied with? Which engine?

Wish your friend good luck finding a new home for his plane.

There was a nice Ercoupe just north of my home for sale a while back and a fairly local A&P bought one and was polishing the aluminum skin. It was looking really nice. He mentioned renting it out as a sport pilot plane. I don't know what happened but they are no longer in business. Difficult to make a living in aviation sometimes.

There are a few Ercoupes around my area now that I think about it. No rudder pedals.

I've always liked the looks of an Ercoupe, and might have bought one instead of the 150 if I'd found one with rudder pedals. Then the spar AD came out, and I was glad I hadn't. A neighbor has been restoring one, and has plans to cover the wings with aluminum and modernize the panel.

I am thinking that the Ercoupe with the baggage compartment STC and upgrading the C-85 to 100HP could be a very useful LSA. I have chatted with a number of folks familiar with the Ercoupe saying that those without the rudder pedals are the preferred as performing better in crosswinds.

Bill

Bill,

Please add me to those who have the opinion that the Ercoupes without rudder pedals are preferred for dealing with crosswinds

Warmest regards,
Rick

Hey Rick.... how does that work ??? No rudder in crosswinds being the preference for the Ercoupe.

I have a friend that wanted something with no rudders for his daughter that is somewhat physically challenged. He was looking at the Ercoupe but never got one.

It think it is a pretty cool plane the way the top opens and all that. years ago a guy had one with a RAF paint job.

Gene,

The original Ercoupe came with an interconnect between the ailerons and rudders-so roll and yaw was controlled with the yoke. No rudder pedals. It is considered a "two-control" airplane. (Very late versions had rudder pedals and area a "three-control" airplane.)

The main landing gear is trailing beam, so on touchdown in a crosswind the airplane straightens itself out (you land crabbed) so that it points in the direction it is traveling over the ground (you do get jostled to the right or left as it does so, it's kind of abrupt). You then steer the airplane (nosewheel steering connected to the yoke) as you would a car during rollout and taxi.

On takeoff you steer the airplane with the yoke, as you break ground you turn into the wind (interconnect makes it a coordinated turn) to establish the crab on climbout.

If the airplane is rigged correctly, you can land it in a level attitude at something over 100 MPH (never had the guts to try it). It will handle astonishing crosswinds, in excess of 30 knots. The only thing to remember is, on rollout, you have to steer away from the wind (yoke downwind) rather than into it (yoke upwind) as you do in a three-control airplane.

More on the Ercoupe: http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/1998/November/1/Ercoupe-Pilots-Smile-a-Lot

Quite a few physically challenged people have learned to fly Ercoupes. They're wonderful airplanes. They won't stall. However, they are not short field machines as are their two-place peers of the time, the Cub and Champ.

Warmest regards,
Rick

My brother had a 1946D for awhile. If you change the engine, I think you lose the LSA capability.

My brother said there is a set of rubber doughnuts in the gear that are absolutely necessary. It keeps the wings at a negative angle of attack on the ground to help hold the airplane down. It the doughnuts are worn, it affects the crosswind landing ability. My brother loved his, but sold it when a friend was flying it and the mag gear came off and the engine swarmed. He has since wished he had it back.