Steve, The Ercoupe is designed so that the tail is high 6' 3", I believe, so that when the airplane is on the ground, the wings are at a negative angle of attack. ( the important issue here is that the wings are at a negative angle of atteck when static on the ground). Now, this allows the coupe to dump lift when landed fast.... without ballooning..... and to land in a crab. On contact with the runway, the mass of the airplane turns the airplane in the direction it is moving ( not pointed to ) , and the nose geat touches down, the lift is dumped so the airplane stops flying. This allows the Ercoupe to handle 25 Kt demonstrated cross winds ( with some claiming they have landed in 45 degree 45 knot winds)
No other airplane I am aware of, except the DC8 can do this !! In the case of the M-10, with large single tail and three controls; one , I guess lands the M-10 like all other aircraft ( except the 2 control Ercoupe and DC 8's.) If the coupe has had installed a double fork nose gear,(which is longer than the original gear) then the nose is high - tail is low; the wings still producing lift,and the handling characteristics are ruined. With only 2 controls, you can't hold upwind aelrion and opposite rudder to track straight; and with the wings still producing lift the airplane becomes very squirley to land in difficult winds. The use of the double fork nose gear also requires that a restraining cable be attached to limit the travel of the nose gear to the original fully extended length. Otherwise the nose wheel - fully extended ( now about 3 inches longer than the original ) may drag on the runway with the Ercoupe in the crabbed, nose high landing position. This can cause real embarrassment as you ground loop, or tear off the nose gear.... With the tail high ( or nose low), the wing quits flying, and you simply drive the coupe along the runway, and to the ramp...No Problem. It works great. Now that you folks have the M--10, maybe your coupe friends - cousins will let you fly the real Ercoupe :) Hey, we love the M-10, but it is really not an Ercoupe. Why, you can even stall it, spin it, and do cross control manuvers. Ercoupes can't - even three control coupes, I am told, as the rudders don't have that much authority, and you still can't stall the airplane. In all seriousness, the Ercoupe is a different bird. The landing characteristics are VERY DIFFERENT from a three control airplane. I have never flown a three control Ercoupe, but I think that even with limited rudder control, the easiest landing in crosswinds is still "land in a crab on the main gear; let the airplane pivot in the direction of flight (down the runway); lower the nosewheel dumping lift, and drive it to the ramp.Some say safer.....some compare the Eagle to the Sparrow.... I understand the DC 8 is also landed in a crab so as to keep from dragging the wing mounted engines. Regards, Fly Safe - Have Fun Harry Francis N 93530 s/n 853 Blacksburg, Va.
<<attachment: winmail.dat>>
