First flight in our "new" Ercoupe...

A few months ago a group of us "pilots with kids" realized that our
pilot-rated children could no longer afford to fly even the clapped-out
rental 150s at our local FBO. Over a few beers, we started plotting a way to
help.

All of us were already aircraft owners -- but we all owned high-performance
(read: expensive to fly) aircraft. We realized that we'd have to come up
with a cheaper alternative, and started casting about for a solution.

One of the original members of our group was an Ercoupe fanatic, so we
started looking at these cute little antiques. I had flown one, once, back
in the mid-90s, and thought they were fun -- so when we found one for sale
nearby, we asked the owner to bring it into the shop for a pre-buy
inspection.

This was a '46 Model C, and it's main advantage was that it was
LSA-eligible. This was appealing for some of our original partners, who were
worried about obtaining or maintaining their medicals. Unfortunately, this
bird had more troubles than attributes, even though the owner had invested
significant money into fixing up the old plane. We decided to pass on that
plane.

In the meantime, one of our partners successfully re-upped his medical, and
the other medical-challenged partner dropped out of the picture -- so we
broadened our search to include later-model (non-LSA) Ercoupes. These had
the distinct advantage of a 200-pound greater useful load. Eventually we
found a '48 Model-E that had been in a ground accident. While on its way to
be delivered to a new owner, a fuel-truck driver backed into the wing,
crushing it. That sale was off, and the seller put the plane on a flat-bed
and returned it to Iowa.

The seller obtained new fabric wings (the damaged ones were metal), started
painting them -- and then (for reasons unknown) decided to sell the aircraft
and wings as-is. That's where we came on the scene.

One of our partners is an A&P/IA grand champion home-builder. With his
abilities, finishing the painting and installation of the new wings was a
simple, several-day project -- so we bought the plane and transported it to
our home base in Iowa City.

The aircraft was lovely, low-time, with a good panel and low-time engine.
Everything in the 60-year-old aircraft worked like new -- a true rarity --
and we immediately started sanding the wings.

Then the "Great Flood of '08" hit the Iowa City area, and the project ground
to a halt. To assure its safety in the flooding (which, thankfully never
reached the airport), we hung the little 'Coupe from the engine hoist
hanging from the ceiling in the shop, like a big Xmas ornament!

Then, when the flood waters receded, we departed on a long-planned week-long
flying vacation, so the 'Coupe project was back-shelved again.

After we returned from vacation last Thursday, we drove over to our
partner's shop -- and there, out front, was the Ercoupe -- wings mounted and
painted! While we were gone, our partner had finished the project -- and it
was drop-dead gorgeous!

Of course, even though we were just back from a week of flying, we had to
fly it. The only thing keeping us grounded was a lack of insurance -- which
I had been working on before we departed for vacation. So, it was a simple
phone call to my broker to get things rolling, and -- within an hour -- we
were covered and good to go!

Insurance being insurance, they require all of us get signed-off by a CFI
before we can fly solo. I need to get an hour of instruction before soloing.
My wife, Mary, needs five hours, while my son -- a new pilot last fall --
needs TEN. This to fly what was designed to be "Everyman's Plane" -- an
aircraft that could be flown with minimal instruction. Ah, yes, the
bureaucrats at work once again.

Luckily, Keith -- our A&P/IA partner -- has significant Ercoupe time, so he
was good to go right away. So, we were able to fly with him, no problemo.

First, the pre-flight. It's a 60-year-old antique, and things are a bit
different. To check the oil requires opening the cowling with a
screw-driver. That's where the gascolator is, too. Not exactly
user-friendly.

Then, check the control surfaces -- but know that you can't move the
ailerons, because the control yoke is connected to the nose wheel in an
Ercoupe! That's right, you steer the plane on the ground like a car, using
the yoke like a steering wheel -- rendering the ailerons immovable on the
ground.

The rudders can be moved, but just a little. They are inter-connected with
the ailerons, and there aren't any rudder pedals. You can't check the flaps,
cuz there aren't any. The rest of the pre-flight is normal.

Start up is a bit interesting. One pump of the primer, turn the key to
"both" magnetos, and then PULL the starter handle out, hard. This engages
the starter, and the little 85 horsepower Continental pops right over. The
pull starter seems odd but remember that contemporary aircraft of the
Ercoupe -- Taylorcrafts, Luscombes, Cessna 120s -- all had to be
hand-propped, so this set up was way ahead of its time.

Once started, you taxi out to the runway just like driving your car. There's
a brake pedal on the floor, and you steer it with the yoke. After many years
of flying "regular" planes, this was the weirdest part of all...

Run-up and mag check is normal, and then we trundled out onto the runway.
This first flight was "NORDO" because we didn't wear headsets (and there's
no speaker for the radios), so we just shouted at each other over the engine
noise.

And wind noise! The Ercoupe has a three-part canopy -- two side glass panels
that slide UP out of the fuselage, and one moveable roof panel that can be
slid to either side. When the temperatures are warm, you can fly it with the
top down -- just like a convertible. And, of course, the temperature was
pushing 90, so we opted to leave the sides down, elbows in the slipstream!

After a clearning turn, onto the runway we rolled. Without further ado,
Keith fire-walled the throttle...and not much happened but a lot more noise.
Slowly, we began to pick up speed, and -- after about 2000 feet of roll --
we hit 60 mph and just levitated off the runway! The bird flew!

Glancing nervously at the wings (that we so recently had moved on a
trailer), I was gratified to see no signs of flex or twist. The little plane
kept accelerating, slow but sure and we were soon climbing out at a whopping
300 feet per minute. Sedate, to be sure -- but with 420 pounds of "guys on
board", and hot weather, we were happy to see even THAT anemic rate of
climb.

Rounding the bend from crosswind to downwind to base to final, we were lined
up with a slight crosswind from the left. Without rudder pedals, Keith
simply crabbed the plane a bit all the way to the number, holding a fast 70
mph "just in case". This resulted in a floating touchdown, but we figured
too fast was better than too slow for our first landing.

Then, it was my turn! This time I grabbed my headsets, so we could test the
radios -- and quickly discovered a nasty surprise. At 6' tall, I was unable
to wear my Lightspeed headset with the top up! My neck was bent over at
about a 70-degree angle -- something that would make flying "interesting".
How in hell I hadn't noticed this before is beyond me, but I guess I just
never sat inside with the top up and my headsets on!

No problem -- we simply flew with the center canopy section pushed a bit
more over onto Keith's side (he's 6" shorter than me), and my head sticking
outside. No problem with the temperature pushing 90 degrees, but this would
be a serious impediment next winter! More on this later...

The throttle is this cool, art-deco quadrant slider, and I firewalled it and
waited. Normally, with the temps this hot, I'd lean to best RPM -- but the
Ercoupe has no mixture control. The carb is wired to full rich (there's an
STC'd mod to add a mixture control, but -- at $900 -- we've decided to wait
on that one), so no dice there.

In another slider next to the throttle (where you'd expect the mixture
control to be) is the elevator trim control. Cool looking, but not exactly
"normal"...

Weirdness aside, the plane flies like a dream! With dual rudders, and
limited rudder movement, combined with full-span ailerons, it's surprisingly
responsive in roll. Climb is artificially anemic, because of the limited
elevator travel (which makes the plane "stall proof", as advertised), but
certainly adequate for this class of aircraft. In the end, it's a
"knock-around" aircraft for us, and a "cheap flying" aircraft for our
kids -- and it fits the bill in both regards. Our estimate is that we should
be able to rent the plane to our kids for just FOURTEEN DOLLARS AN HOUR,
dry!

Coming around on final, I pulled the yoke back to a steady 65 mph -- a bit
slower than Keith's approach speed. The Model E has a "stop" in the elevator
that -- if pulled to that spot -- will hold the plane in the landing
attitude. Then, in the final flare to land, you give the yoke a good, hard
pull -- which allows you to pull PAST the spring-induced stop, giving you
the extra flare necessary to land nosewheel up.

So, we're happy. All that remains is for our CFI to sign us all off
(unfortunately, he's currently on the "American Barnstormers Tour", flying
his '29 Travel Air all over the midwest), and we'll be good to go. What a
fun little plane to fly!

And what about that "head out the top" problem? Having a partner who is a
grand champion homebuilder is a real plus. Within two hours Keith had built
a modified bucket seat for me that lowers me a full two inches, and pushes
me back a full two inches -- giving me all the headroom I might need. Now I
can keep my head in the plane, with our without headphones...

Now, we're gonna have to arm wrestle to see who gets to fly it to Oshkosh
this year!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
Ercoupe N94856
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Congrats Jay...
It is a big benefit to have an A&P/IA as a partner..
And I'm sure the "kids" will put more hours on it than the big 240pounders
do.

BT

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:tFi9k.174686$TT4.20883@attbi_s22...
A few months ago a group of us "pilots with kids" realized that our
pilot-rated children could no longer afford to fly even the clapped-out
rental 150s at our local FBO. Over a few beers, we started plotting a way
to help.

All of us were already aircraft owners -- but we all owned
high-performance (read: expensive to fly) aircraft. We realized that we'd
have to come up with a cheaper alternative, and started casting about for
a solution.

One of the original members of our group was an Ercoupe fanatic, so we
started looking at these cute little antiques. I had flown one, once, back
in the mid-90s, and thought they were fun -- so when we found one for sale
nearby, we asked the owner to bring it into the shop for a pre-buy
inspection.

This was a '46 Model C, and it's main advantage was that it was
LSA-eligible. This was appealing for some of our original partners, who
were worried about obtaining or maintaining their medicals. Unfortunately,
this bird had more troubles than attributes, even though the owner had
invested significant money into fixing up the old plane. We decided to
pass on that plane.

In the meantime, one of our partners successfully re-upped his medical,
and the other medical-challenged partner dropped out of the picture -- so
we broadened our search to include later-model (non-LSA) Ercoupes. These
had the distinct advantage of a 200-pound greater useful load. Eventually
we found a '48 Model-E that had been in a ground accident. While on its
way to be delivered to a new owner, a fuel-truck driver backed into the
wing, crushing it. That sale was off, and the seller put the plane on a
flat-bed and returned it to Iowa.

The seller obtained new fabric wings (the damaged ones were metal),
started painting them -- and then (for reasons unknown) decided to sell
the aircraft and wings as-is. That's where we came on the scene.

One of our partners is an A&P/IA grand champion home-builder. With his
abilities, finishing the painting and installation of the new wings was a
simple, several-day project -- so we bought the plane and transported it
to our home base in Iowa City.

The aircraft was lovely, low-time, with a good panel and low-time engine.
Everything in the 60-year-old aircraft worked like new -- a true rarity --
and we immediately started sanding the wings.

Then the "Great Flood of '08" hit the Iowa City area, and the project
ground to a halt. To assure its safety in the flooding (which, thankfully
never reached the airport), we hung the little 'Coupe from the engine
hoist hanging from the ceiling in the shop, like a big Xmas ornament!

Then, when the flood waters receded, we departed on a long-planned
week-long flying vacation, so the 'Coupe project was back-shelved again.

After we returned from vacation last Thursday, we drove over to our
partner's shop -- and there, out front, was the Ercoupe -- wings mounted
and painted! While we were gone, our partner had finished the project --
and it was drop-dead gorgeous!

Of course, even though we were just back from a week of flying, we had to
fly it. The only thing keeping us grounded was a lack of insurance --
which I had been working on before we departed for vacation. So, it was a
simple phone call to my broker to get things rolling, and -- within an
hour -- we were covered and good to go!

Insurance being insurance, they require all of us get signed-off by a CFI
before we can fly solo. I need to get an hour of instruction before
soloing. My wife, Mary, needs five hours, while my son -- a new pilot last
fall -- needs TEN. This to fly what was designed to be "Everyman's
Plane" -- an aircraft that could be flown with minimal instruction. Ah,
yes, the bureaucrats at work once again.

Luckily, Keith -- our A&P/IA partner -- has significant Ercoupe time, so
he was good to go right away. So, we were able to fly with him, no
problemo.

First, the pre-flight. It's a 60-year-old antique, and things are a bit
different. To check the oil requires opening the cowling with a
screw-driver. That's where the gascolator is, too. Not exactly
user-friendly.

Then, check the control surfaces -- but know that you can't move the
ailerons, because the control yoke is connected to the nose wheel in an
Ercoupe! That's right, you steer the plane on the ground like a car, using
the yoke like a steering wheel -- rendering the ailerons immovable on the
ground.

The rudders can be moved, but just a little. They are inter-connected with
the ailerons, and there aren't any rudder pedals. You can't check the
flaps, cuz there aren't any. The rest of the pre-flight is normal.

Start up is a bit interesting. One pump of the primer, turn the key to
"both" magnetos, and then PULL the starter handle out, hard. This engages
the starter, and the little 85 horsepower Continental pops right over. The
pull starter seems odd but remember that contemporary aircraft of the
Ercoupe -- Taylorcrafts, Luscombes, Cessna 120s -- all had to be
hand-propped, so this set up was way ahead of its time.

Once started, you taxi out to the runway just like driving your car.
There's a brake pedal on the floor, and you steer it with the yoke. After
many years of flying "regular" planes, this was the weirdest part of
all...

Run-up and mag check is normal, and then we trundled out onto the runway.
This first flight was "NORDO" because we didn't wear headsets (and there's
no speaker for the radios), so we just shouted at each other over the
engine noise.

And wind noise! The Ercoupe has a three-part canopy -- two side glass
panels that slide UP out of the fuselage, and one moveable roof panel that
can be slid to either side. When the temperatures are warm, you can fly it
with the top down -- just like a convertible. And, of course, the
temperature was pushing 90, so we opted to leave the sides down, elbows in
the slipstream!

After a clearning turn, onto the runway we rolled. Without further ado,
Keith fire-walled the throttle...and not much happened but a lot more
noise. Slowly, we began to pick up speed, and -- after about 2000 feet of
roll -- we hit 60 mph and just levitated off the runway! The bird flew!

Glancing nervously at the wings (that we so recently had moved on a
trailer), I was gratified to see no signs of flex or twist. The little
plane kept accelerating, slow but sure and we were soon climbing out at a
whopping 300 feet per minute. Sedate, to be sure -- but with 420 pounds of
"guys on board", and hot weather, we were happy to see even THAT anemic
rate of climb.

Rounding the bend from crosswind to downwind to base to final, we were
lined up with a slight crosswind from the left. Without rudder pedals,
Keith simply crabbed the plane a bit all the way to the number, holding a
fast 70 mph "just in case". This resulted in a floating touchdown, but we
figured too fast was better than too slow for our first landing.

Then, it was my turn! This time I grabbed my headsets, so we could test
the radios -- and quickly discovered a nasty surprise. At 6' tall, I was
unable to wear my Lightspeed headset with the top up! My neck was bent
over at about a 70-degree angle -- something that would make flying
"interesting". How in hell I hadn't noticed this before is beyond me, but
I guess I just never sat inside with the top up and my headsets on!

No problem -- we simply flew with the center canopy section pushed a bit
more over onto Keith's side (he's 6" shorter than me), and my head
sticking outside. No problem with the temperature pushing 90 degrees, but
this would be a serious impediment next winter! More on this later...

The throttle is this cool, art-deco quadrant slider, and I firewalled it
and waited. Normally, with the temps this hot, I'd lean to best RPM -- but
the Ercoupe has no mixture control. The carb is wired to full rich
(there's an STC'd mod to add a mixture control, but -- at $900 -- we've
decided to wait on that one), so no dice there.

In another slider next to the throttle (where you'd expect the mixture
control to be) is the elevator trim control. Cool looking, but not exactly
"normal"...

Weirdness aside, the plane flies like a dream! With dual rudders, and
limited rudder movement, combined with full-span ailerons, it's
surprisingly responsive in roll. Climb is artificially anemic, because of
the limited elevator travel (which makes the plane "stall proof", as
advertised), but certainly adequate for this class of aircraft. In the
end, it's a "knock-around" aircraft for us, and a "cheap flying" aircraft
for our kids -- and it fits the bill in both regards. Our estimate is that
we should be able to rent the plane to our kids for just FOURTEEN DOLLARS
AN HOUR, dry!

Coming around on final, I pulled the yoke back to a steady 65 mph -- a bit
slower than Keith's approach speed. The Model E has a "stop" in the
elevator that -- if pulled to that spot -- will hold the plane in the
landing attitude. Then, in the final flare to land, you give the yoke a
good, hard pull -- which allows you to pull PAST the spring-induced stop,
giving you the extra flare necessary to land nosewheel up.

So, we're happy. All that remains is for our CFI to sign us all off
(unfortunately, he's currently on the "American Barnstormers Tour", flying
his '29 Travel Air all over the midwest), and we'll be good to go. What a
fun little plane to fly!

And what about that "head out the top" problem? Having a partner who is a
grand champion homebuilder is a real plus. Within two hours Keith had
built a modified bucket seat for me that lowers me a full two inches, and
pushes me back a full two inches -- giving me all the headroom I might
need. Now I can keep my head in the plane, with our without headphones...

Now, we're gonna have to arm wrestle to see who gets to fly it to Oshkosh
this year!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
Ercoupe N94856
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote

The carb is wired to full rich (there's an STC'd mod to add a mixture
control, but -- at $900 -- we've decided to wait on that one), so no dice
there.

If you have to put that nasty lead gas in it, will it have a problem loading
up the plugs on a long idle taxi?

Our estimate is that we should be able to rent the plane to our kids for
just FOURTEEN DOLLARS AN HOUR, dry!

Wow!

That include the cost of buying the plane, engine reserve, insurance,
annuals and repairs, and hangar?

And what about that "head out the top" problem? Having a partner who is a
grand champion homebuilder is a real plus. Within two hours Keith had
built a modified bucket seat for me that lowers me a full two inches, and
pushes me back a full two inches -- giving me all the headroom I might
need. Now I can keep my head in the plane, with our without headphones...

I thought you were going to say that you built a homebrew headset from some
in the ear plugs and an old microphone from an old headset. That has been
done, and that would be my firs choice, I think.

Now, we're gonna have to arm wrestle to see who gets to fly it to Oshkosh
this year!

Are you kidding? You going to pull a trailer with the 'coupe, with all of
your camping gear in it? g
--
Jim in NC

Jay, why am I not reading this in
AOPA, or Flying magazine?
This is a great story.
Lou

If you have to put that nasty lead gas in it, will it have a problem
loading
up the plugs on a long idle taxi?

That's a great question. I don't know, but we'll probably be using The
Mighty Grape to fuel it with that sweet, "cheap" (ha!), unleaded mogas most
of the time anyway...

Keith really wants to get rid of this carburetor, and so do I -- but (as
with all of these things) it would be easy to dump $5K into this right away,
which completely negates the idea of this being "cheap flying". So I'm
trying to put the brakes on all of our "wants" until we've flown the plane a
while.

Our estimate is that we should be able to rent the plane to our kids for
just FOURTEEN DOLLARS AN HOUR, dry!

Wow!

That include the cost of buying the plane, engine reserve, insurance,
annuals and repairs, and hangar?

Yep, that's the number we came up with using AOPA's expense estimator web
page. I think it'll work out to closer to $20/hour (dry) in the long run,
but we'll subsidize it for the kids to keep it cheap.

Now, we're gonna have to arm wrestle to see who gets to fly it to Oshkosh
this year!

Are you kidding? You going to pull a trailer with the 'coupe, with all of
your camping gear in it? g

We've actually been trying to figure out how to fly the 'Coupe into OSH a
couple of days early, park it in the antique/classic section, and then hitch
a ride back to KIOW so we can do the pool party and fly up in formation with
everyone in Atlas.

With our schedule, that probably won't happen -- but Joe's just too green to
fly it in by himself. Maybe next year!
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

On Sat, 28 Jun 2008 03:58:17 GMT, "Jay Honeck"
wrote:

A few months ago a group of us "pilots with kids" realized that our
pilot-rated children could no longer afford to fly even the clapped-out
rental 150s at our local FBO. Over a few beers, we started plotting a way to
help.

All of us were already aircraft owners -- but we all owned high-performance
(read: expensive to fly) aircraft. We realized that we'd have to come up
with a cheaper alternative, and started casting about for a solution.

One of the original members of our group was an Ercoupe fanatic, so we
started looking at these cute little antiques. I had flown one, once, back
in the mid-90s, and thought they were fun -- so when we found one for sale
nearby, we asked the owner to bring it into the shop for a pre-buy
inspection.

This was a '46 Model C, and it's main advantage was that it was
LSA-eligible. This was appealing for some of our original partners, who were
worried about obtaining or maintaining their medicals. Unfortunately, this
bird had more troubles than attributes, even though the owner had invested
significant money into fixing up the old plane. We decided to pass on that
plane.

In the meantime, one of our partners successfully re-upped his medical, and
the other medical-challenged partner dropped out of the picture -- so we
broadened our search to include later-model (non-LSA) Ercoupes. These had
the distinct advantage of a 200-pound greater useful load. Eventually we
found a '48 Model-E that had been in a ground accident. While on its way to
be delivered to a new owner, a fuel-truck driver backed into the wing,
crushing it. That sale was off, and the seller put the plane on a flat-bed
and returned it to Iowa.

The seller obtained new fabric wings (the damaged ones were metal), started
painting them -- and then (for reasons unknown) decided to sell the aircraft
and wings as-is. That's where we came on the scene.

One of our partners is an A&P/IA grand champion home-builder. With his
abilities, finishing the painting and installation of the new wings was a
simple, several-day project -- so we bought the plane and transported it to
our home base in Iowa City.

The aircraft was lovely, low-time, with a good panel and low-time engine.
Everything in the 60-year-old aircraft worked like new -- a true rarity --
and we immediately started sanding the wings.

Then the "Great Flood of '08" hit the Iowa City area, and the project ground
to a halt. To assure its safety in the flooding (which, thankfully never
reached the airport), we hung the little 'Coupe from the engine hoist
hanging from the ceiling in the shop, like a big Xmas ornament!

Then, when the flood waters receded, we departed on a long-planned week-long
flying vacation, so the 'Coupe project was back-shelved again.

After we returned from vacation last Thursday, we drove over to our
partner's shop -- and there, out front, was the Ercoupe -- wings mounted and
painted! While we were gone, our partner had finished the project -- and it
was drop-dead gorgeous!

Of course, even though we were just back from a week of flying, we had to
fly it. The only thing keeping us grounded was a lack of insurance -- which
I had been working on before we departed for vacation. So, it was a simple
phone call to my broker to get things rolling, and -- within an hour -- we
were covered and good to go!

Insurance being insurance, they require all of us get signed-off by a CFI
before we can fly solo. I need to get an hour of instruction before soloing.
My wife, Mary, needs five hours, while my son -- a new pilot last fall --
needs TEN. This to fly what was designed to be "Everyman's Plane" -- an
aircraft that could be flown with minimal instruction. Ah, yes, the
bureaucrats at work once again.

Luckily, Keith -- our A&P/IA partner -- has significant Ercoupe time, so he
was good to go right away. So, we were able to fly with him, no problemo.

First, the pre-flight. It's a 60-year-old antique, and things are a bit
different. To check the oil requires opening the cowling with a
screw-driver. That's where the gascolator is, too. Not exactly
user-friendly.

Then, check the control surfaces -- but know that you can't move the
ailerons, because the control yoke is connected to the nose wheel in an
Ercoupe! That's right, you steer the plane on the ground like a car, using
the yoke like a steering wheel -- rendering the ailerons immovable on the
ground.

The rudders can be moved, but just a little. They are inter-connected with
the ailerons, and there aren't any rudder pedals. You can't check the flaps,
cuz there aren't any. The rest of the pre-flight is normal.

Start up is a bit interesting. One pump of the primer, turn the key to
"both" magnetos, and then PULL the starter handle out, hard. This engages
the starter, and the little 85 horsepower Continental pops right over. The
pull starter seems odd but remember that contemporary aircraft of the
Ercoupe -- Taylorcrafts, Luscombes, Cessna 120s -- all had to be
hand-propped, so this set up was way ahead of its time.

Once started, you taxi out to the runway just like driving your car. There's
a brake pedal on the floor, and you steer it with the yoke. After many years
of flying "regular" planes, this was the weirdest part of all...

Run-up and mag check is normal, and then we trundled out onto the runway.
This first flight was "NORDO" because we didn't wear headsets (and there's
no speaker for the radios), so we just shouted at each other over the engine
noise.

And wind noise! The Ercoupe has a three-part canopy -- two side glass panels
that slide UP out of the fuselage, and one moveable roof panel that can be
slid to either side. When the temperatures are warm, you can fly it with the
top down -- just like a convertible. And, of course, the temperature was
pushing 90, so we opted to leave the sides down, elbows in the slipstream!

After a clearning turn, onto the runway we rolled. Without further ado,
Keith fire-walled the throttle...and not much happened but a lot more noise.
Slowly, we began to pick up speed, and -- after about 2000 feet of roll --
we hit 60 mph and just levitated off the runway! The bird flew!

Glancing nervously at the wings (that we so recently had moved on a
trailer), I was gratified to see no signs of flex or twist. The little plane
kept accelerating, slow but sure and we were soon climbing out at a whopping
300 feet per minute. Sedate, to be sure -- but with 420 pounds of "guys on
board", and hot weather, we were happy to see even THAT anemic rate of
climb.

Rounding the bend from crosswind to downwind to base to final, we were lined
up with a slight crosswind from the left. Without rudder pedals, Keith
simply crabbed the plane a bit all the way to the number, holding a fast 70
mph "just in case". This resulted in a floating touchdown, but we figured
too fast was better than too slow for our first landing.

Then, it was my turn! This time I grabbed my headsets, so we could test the
radios -- and quickly discovered a nasty surprise. At 6' tall, I was unable
to wear my Lightspeed headset with the top up! My neck was bent over at
about a 70-degree angle -- something that would make flying "interesting".
How in hell I hadn't noticed this before is beyond me, but I guess I just
never sat inside with the top up and my headsets on!

No problem -- we simply flew with the center canopy section pushed a bit
more over onto Keith's side (he's 6" shorter than me), and my head sticking
outside. No problem with the temperature pushing 90 degrees, but this would
be a serious impediment next winter! More on this later...

The throttle is this cool, art-deco quadrant slider, and I firewalled it and
waited. Normally, with the temps this hot, I'd lean to best RPM -- but the
Ercoupe has no mixture control. The carb is wired to full rich (there's an
STC'd mod to add a mixture control, but -- at $900 -- we've decided to wait
on that one), so no dice there.

In another slider next to the throttle (where you'd expect the mixture
control to be) is the elevator trim control. Cool looking, but not exactly
"normal"...

Weirdness aside, the plane flies like a dream! With dual rudders, and
limited rudder movement, combined with full-span ailerons, it's surprisingly
responsive in roll. Climb is artificially anemic, because of the limited
elevator travel (which makes the plane "stall proof", as advertised), but
certainly adequate for this class of aircraft. In the end, it's a
"knock-around" aircraft for us, and a "cheap flying" aircraft for our
kids -- and it fits the bill in both regards. Our estimate is that we should
be able to rent the plane to our kids for just FOURTEEN DOLLARS AN HOUR,
dry!

Coming around on final, I pulled the yoke back to a steady 65 mph -- a bit
slower than Keith's approach speed. The Model E has a "stop" in the elevator
that -- if pulled to that spot -- will hold the plane in the landing
attitude. Then, in the final flare to land, you give the yoke a good, hard
pull -- which allows you to pull PAST the spring-induced stop, giving you
the extra flare necessary to land nosewheel up.

So, we're happy. All that remains is for our CFI to sign us all off
(unfortunately, he's currently on the "American Barnstormers Tour", flying
his '29 Travel Air all over the midwest), and we'll be good to go. What a
fun little plane to fly!

And what about that "head out the top" problem? Having a partner who is a
grand champion homebuilder is a real plus. Within two hours Keith had built
a modified bucket seat for me that lowers me a full two inches, and pushes
me back a full two inches -- giving me all the headroom I might need. Now I
can keep my head in the plane, with our without headphones...

Now, we're gonna have to arm wrestle to see who gets to fly it to Oshkosh
this year!

you redeemed your internet chutzpa totally with that post.
good one.

even bertie the bunyip will be impressed!

Stealth Pilot

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message news:tFi9k.174686$TT4.20883@attbi_s22...

Insurance being insurance, they require all of us get signed-off by a CFI
before we can fly solo. I need to get an hour of instruction before soloing.
My wife, Mary, needs five hours, while my son -- a new pilot last fall --
needs TEN. This to fly what was designed to be "Everyman's Plane" -- an
aircraft that could be flown with minimal instruction. Ah, yes, the
bureaucrats at work once again.



Completely bogus insurance company there. You need to shop around and find one that knows what they are insuring!

CA Kingsford-Smith, son of the real deal and owner of a Luscombe once
remarked that the "biggest delta X in flying was getting off the
ground!"

I guess you are demonstrating that. More of us will be doing so.

Bill Hale

In article o%p9k.229366$yE1.40599@attbi_s21,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

Keith really wants to get rid of this carburetor, and so do I -- but (as
with all of these things) it would be easy to dump $5K into this right away,
which completely negates the idea of this being "cheap flying". So I'm
trying to put the brakes on all of our "wants" until we've flown the plane a
while.

That is a hard to find carburetor with the mixture control for that
engine. I know, I looked for one for several years to put on the Champ.
There are some junk ones that people want too much money for, so let
Keith look before you buy.

With our schedule, that probably won't happen -- but Joe's just too green to
fly it in by himself.

He's not going to learn any younger. Send him out early, before the
crowds are expected. He will do fine.

Jay:

If you could make it to West Bend or preferably Waukesha, I would be glad to
give you a ride to Iowa City. I am free the weekend before OSH, and could
have you back in around an hour from when we met.

You can contact me offline if this works for you.

JN