Re: Light-Sport Aircraft Yahoo group Slightly Revised, and Modernized Ercoupe for the LSA Market

You have not heard of the stretch ercoupe?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm only kidding but it would be a great idea. I don't know why someone doesn't rethink the older proven models and styles as in cars as well. Can you imagine a carbon fibre ercoupe and maybe a longer model to cover more people.

Bruce

 

On Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 12:10 PM, swferris@sbcglobal.net <swferris@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

 

I agree with you completely! I think that a slightly revised and modernized (while keeping the essence of the design, and the building materials the same or similar as the original) Ercoupe could be the PERFECT LSA!!! The Rotax 912 would be a great engine option, and the Jabiru could also be a great and an even lighter engine option . . . especially with the 2200 4 cylinder. Continental now offers a lighter LSA version of their O-200 100HP engine that reportedly sheds around 40 pounds off the original engine. . . . It would be great if Continental would start offering new modernized, and lighter versions of their 65HP and 85HP engines, that would be targeted towards the homebuilt, experimental, and LSA markets.

By the way, back in the era when the Ercoupe was designed, I have read that most aircraft designers designed their aircraft for the average "Joe" which was at that time around 160 to 170 pounds in weight, and 5' 9" to 5' 10" tall. My grand fathers and my dad were right around these target weights and heights. The average "Joe" is now quite a bit larger . . . I don't know if my height and weight are the average for men today, but I am over 6' tall, and I weigh a little over 200 pounds. Most of the men in my age group (mid 40s), and in my area (Mid America), are around my size, or even slightly larger than I am.

I do hope that some company steps up, and relaunches a modernized version of the Ercoupe!!!

* - A BRS chute option would also be a great new safety feature for a revised, and modernized Ercoupe.

--- In Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com, Helen Woods <Helen_Woods@...> wrote:
>
> Just not a lot of useful load. You have to remember that American's
> were a good deal smaller when the Ercoupe was designed than they are
> today, especially all the young men returning from war for whom these
> planes were marketed. Just because a plane is insurable doesn't mean
> the insurance company is going to pay out if there is an accident and
> they determine the pilot was intentionally flying over gross. The
> Ercoupe, like a lot of the old classics, is a great plane that I think
> would be even greater is someone did the R&D to STC a 912S to it so 2
> modern American (ie. hefty) men could fly it legally with full fuel.
>
> Helen
>
> On 3/14/2010 9:42 AM, Dan wrote:
> > W&B issues? That plane has flown a long time. What's wrong with it? Too many have flown for 70+ yrs? Maybe the same issues that state that you can't fly a J-3 with full fuel 2 people ,floats and what ever you can fit in it and on the spreader bars. People have since the beginning and are still today. All are insurable. I myself have never heard of a scarecoupe not being flown because a person couldn't get insurance.
> > Dan
> >
> > --- In Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com, Helen Woods<Helen_Woods@> wrote:
> >
> >> Don, as an Ercoupe guy, perhaps you can answer my long standing
> >> question. Who owns the type certificate for Ercoupe these days and why
> >> haven't they put it back into production? 5 years ago I would have laid
> >> bets that that would have been the very first LSA to go into
> >> production. Great safety record, easy trainer, wicked crosswind
> >> capability, and the insurance companies know how to insure it. Yes,
> >> there's W&B issue but I suepct that you could hang a Rotax on it to take
> >> care of the weight and shift a few items around to take care of the
> >> balance issues caused by the lighter Rotax and then have a great, safe,
> >> and easily insurable plane. Any ideas?
> >>
> >> Helen
> >>
> >> On 3/13/2010 8:52 PM, Donald wrote:
> >>
> >>> I chose an Ercoupe. Flying for over 70 years now and still going strong! Spinproof and stallproof, can land in a crosswind that makes others cringe. My insurance reflects that and is quite reasonable - especially for an old geezer with zero previous time in a coupe.
> >>>
> >>> --- In Sport_Aircraft@yahoogroups.com, Helen Woods<Helen_Woods@> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>> The LSA industry is so new that you are probably going to find that
> >>>> insurance rates are based more on hull value that safety records. You
> >>>> will of course pay a premium for anything tailwheel, seaplane, or
> >>>> experimental as with any plane.
> >>>>
> >>>> I can't speak for other brands but Tecnam has only ever had one fatal
> >>>> accident in the USA, that was caused by a mechanic leaving a flashlight
> >>>> in the tailcone that got snagged in the control linkages. Tecnams are
> >>>> built with a steel roll cage that makes nearly any accident survivable.
> >>>> Also, their P92 series is about the closest thing to spin proof that you
> >>>> can get without being an Ercoupe.
> >>>>
> >>>> Helen
> >>>>
> >>>> On 3/13/2010 5:46 PM, swferris@ wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>> To all:
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Which LSAs have the best safety record, and the lowest insurance cost?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Thanks,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Steve
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> ------------------------------------
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> >>
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------
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