To say that I like my Coupe would be an understatement. To also say that I'd like to make some improvements on it, is an even larger understatement. It's fun and easy to fly. It don't go too fast, but my speed days are behind me. It only holds 24 gal. of fuel, but that's more than my bladder will withstand. I just wish it had more power. 100 hp ain't enough. I want a 125 hp Franklin installed in it. That'd give me around 120 mph cruise, make her climb out like the dickens, and I could haul more payload. I understand I'd have to convert over to a D model, but if I had that, I'd be a happy camper. My bitch is that it's an early morning solo airplane at 5000 msl and summer heat. I'd like to fly down to Lake Powell with the wife, and be able to get off the ground in the afternoon. The strip down there's around 3500 ft, and bowl shaped no matter which way you take off, you've gotta clear a hill on each end. I'd guess the strip itself must be 75 ft. lower in the middle than on either end. My other bitch is the Feds. My buddy has an RV-9 in construction. It'll do everything I'd like the Coupe to do, only faster. And, he can do all the maintenance, and do his own annual. I gotta pay an A&E $100.00 to file a couple of nicks out of my prop. I figure Franklin engine and all, I'll still be lots less in the Coupe than he will be in the RV-9, but I gotta put up with the Feds.
Larry Jim McLean wrote: > I like the Ercoupe just the way it was designed by Fred Weick and produced > by ERCO. I wouldn't be interested in 30 gal. tanks because 1) they aren't > original to the design and 2) I rather enjoy flying no longer than 3.5 hours > before I can land, get out and stretch. My interest in the Ercoupe is that > it is really a part of aviation history and such a unique example of the > 1040's era....the airplane to replace the automobile! What could be cooler > to own than an Ercoupe? So, I wouldn't pay more for a 'Coupe with 30 gal. > tanks. I wish some independently wealthy 'Coupe owner would buy the Type > Certificate and set up a non-profit corporation to begin reproduction of the > parts we need. Then if he or she would hire me to work there, life would be > complete for me. Seriously, however, Warren raises an important issue > concerning the survivability of our 'Coupes. They are failing at a faster > rate now. Where as I _would_ put $3,000 into a $15,000 'Coupe to save it > from the aluminum crusher, many people, if not most, would not just because > of the economics. In my travels I have seen a lot of 'Coupes sitting along > fence lines or out behind hangars at airports just rotting away. Spare > parts have become difficult to locate. We need to pool our collective > intellect and figure a way out of this situation. > Jim > N87112 > -----Original Message----- > From: Vern Hendershott <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [email protected] <[email protected]> > Date: Tuesday, April 18, 2000 5:58 AM > Subject: [COUPERS] Duel list- chit chat- Alon /M10 Fuel tanks use your > delete as need > > >The short answer to the question is NO. I would not pay a great deal more > >for the 30 gallon tanks on any variant of a Coupe. > > > >It is much like houses and improvements to them. You do not get back from > >an improvement what you put into it. It is sad but true in most cases. What > >you may get is an aircraft that will sell faster because it is more > >desirable at a similar price. This may not be fair but it is the way I have > >found the world. I, like most people look for good quality and value. If I > >found two similar aircraft and one had the larger tanks that might sway me > >to it. > > > >On the more limited issue of the 30 gallon tanks modification. There are > >several things that I do not care for IMHO. I do not like fiberglass fuel > >tanks as I have found that they do not last particularly with auto gas > >(keep in mind the new 82 octane that we are being switched to is just auto > >gas). I do not like to have to modify the wings to have the extra room for > >the tanks. I like the engine driven fuel pump and do not like to have to > >use electric pumps. I would not refuse to own a Coupe with these tanks but > >I would not go out of my way to get one. I like good metal tanks and if > >properly maintained the Coupe fuel systems are all OK. They are not new and > >they may need the tanks rebuilt at some point, so we can do that it is hard > >work but it can be done. What will you do if the current manufacture of the > >fiberglass tanks stops making them and one is damaged or goes bad? Hard to > >go back to original tanks!!! > > > >This is just MY opinion and I respect other who will have a different view. > >I do agree that we need to put real money into old aircraft to keep them in > >good safe condition. We must still do our maintenance right and not use the > >excuse that parts are hard to get or expensive. > > > >I do think that the Luscombe people have the right idea and they are doing > >the right thing for their breed. They have just recently done a proper > >shoulder harness with either a factory approval or STC (they are the > >factory) so that all of their breed can have a simple and legal way to go > >with proper shoulder harness. They have done many other interesting > >modification projects and they either find acceptable parts or get a new > >unit approved. Take our fuel valve that is not available. They just pick > >another good quality fuel valve and get it qualified as manufacture > >approved. Then any Luscombe owner can use one when his goes bad. > > > >We need to do something to get support for our type. Univar is not doing > >all that they could to do what we need. They are doing OK but not going > >forward. There are important parts that are not available. Wings are > >becoming a problem which will get much worse fast. We should have their > >help on this and it is not coming forward from what I have seen. > > > >We need to find a way to purchase the Type Certificate and set up an > >organization much like the Luscombe group so that we can work on the > >problems as a group dedicated to keeping Coupes flying and not just as a > >business that will help when they can make some money on it and who will > >let the problem get very bad before they can see that they will make a lot > >of money by solving it. I am afraid we saw Univars true colors during the > >Alon baggage compartment go around. > > > >Have a good day and go flying your Coupe will love you for it. > > > >Best regards, > > > >Vern > >N94892 1949 415-G > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________________ __ > _____ > >To unsubscribe from this list please send > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >________________________________________________________________________ > >Start an Email List For Free at Topica. http://www.topica.com/register > > __________________________________________________________________________ ______ > To unsubscribe from this list please send mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > _________________________________________________________ > Enlighten your in-box. http://www.topica.com/t/15 __________________________________________________________________________ ______ To unsubscribe from this list please send mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] _________________________________________________________ Enlighten your in-box. http://www.topica.com/t/15
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