The plane sounds ideal, given that's it's condition is as it should be. For learning to fly it, I think your CFI should be qualified with the differences in the Coupe. Since, as I recall, you've already got your private license, you mostly need a transition set of lessons.
Transitioning to a two-control Coupe from a Cessna or Piper isn't that big a deal. I would suggest you go fly with an experienced Couper at the very least, though. If you want to, get the Couper to train your CFI, then fly with the CFI. Things you (or your CFI) need to know about the coupe: 1. It's a short, thick wing. Much like the short-wing Pipers or the early Cherokee. This means that its best glide speeds are somewhat higher than the long wings on a Cessna. At no power and low airspeed, it comes down as steep as a Cessna with 30 degrees of flaps. Coupes are fairly clean airframes and will glide with a fairly flat approach at higher airspeeds. They glide with a steep approach at low airspeeds. You can normally control your approach with this feature. 2. Find out the minimum flying speed of THAT PARTICULAR AIRPLANE/AIRSPEED INDICATOR. Not all planes or indicators are created equal. Know your minimum flying speed for that plane before you do the first landing and do your approach at about 1.3 times that speed. 3. In a two-control, you can't slip to lose altitude during the approach. Since it is certified spin-proof (if you are within wight/balance), you can do steep turns in the pattern losing an extra 50-100 feet. (Recite to yourself as you do this: "Only in a Coupe. Only in a Coupe. Only ..." Slowing down is in the approved flight maneuvers manual. Your sink rate with the wheel all the way back is impressive. The book even says you can crank the wheel back and forth to lose more altitude faster. IF YOU DO EITHER OF THESE THINGS BE ABSOLUTELY SURE TO DROP THE NOSE AT SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE (?100-300 FEET?) SO YOU HAVE ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO FLAIR FOR A NORMAL LANDING. Freezing with the wheel all the way back will ruin your plane though people who tried it usually walked away. Dropping the nose dramatically downward at 300 feet when you are already descending quite quickly takes deliberate discipline and practice but MUST be done to regain flying speed if you do one of these maneuvers. This may be useful in emergencies. Personally, I wouldn't use it as a normal method -- I'd rather go around. Yet, if I wanted to ever use it in an emergency I would go out and deliberately practice in good conditions. 3. Cross-wind landings aren't so hard. Make sure your tail sits close to 75 inches high on the ground. Fly down the hill in a crab. Flair in the crab. Hold the plane off at 2-3 feet for as long as you can (unless it's an emergency) and let it touch down very nose high, still in the crab. Get your direction of motion right down the center line of the runway before touchdown. As you flair, lighten-up your hold on the wheel. When the mains touch, the plane will start to rotate to line up with the direction of motion. The nose wheel will probably touch before the plane finishes it's rotation but it will swivel to line up with the direction of motion as long as you hold the wheel loosely. That way the nosewheel won't interfere with the plane's tendency to line up with the direction of motion. During this rotation of the plane, your upwind wing might lift. The plane can't flip, don't let it bother you too much. If you have a strong cross-wind you can firmly push on the brake right after touch-down to drop the nose quickly and suppress the tendency for the wing to lift, according to the ERCO test pilot, Mr. Sanders. 4. On the ground, you steer with the control wheel. It'll seem natural. Don't turn the wheel (and therefore the nosewheel) on the ground without having the plane rolling forward. Turning the nosewheel without forward motion puts lots of pressure on the linkages. ----- Those are the main issues I can think of. It's not too big a transition but it's up to YOU to know the Coupe's unique characteristics. I didn't have a CFI who knew anything when I got my plane and got through it OK with book learning and a little luck. Flying with an experienced Couper will remove the need for luck. So, good luck. <grin> Ed
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