Re: [COUPERS-FLYIN] Ercoupe Eroubatics

[Wayne]

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Coupers::

Aerobatics in an Ercoupe/Aircoupe is a frightening concept to me!  I have known others who have attempted certain maneuvers, some were successful most were not.  The Ercoupe was designed to be forgiving of what used to be called power on and power off Stall/spin accidents.  Pilots loosing control on arrival and departure.  a serious problem at the time the Ercoupe was designed.  To accomplish this Fred designed the airframe with small rudder control surfaces, limited elevator movement, and differential aileron control. This was done to LIMIT control input by the pilot in order to keep the pilot from cross controlling the airframe and thereby loosing control in the process.

The Ercoupe lacks power, control authority, inverted systems, physical strengths, and pilot restraint, required to maneuver outside the "straight and level." control envelope.

Why on Earth anyone would want to exceed the physical limitations of a pure pleasure aircraft is beyond my comprehension!

I know of 2 people that are still with us that have looped a Coupe.  I know of 9 that are no longer with us who have failed in the attempt.  You do the math!

Wayne Woollard

----- Original Message -----

From: Marty Duke

To: flyin@ercoupers.com

Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2005 10:36 PM

Subject: [COUPERS-FLYIN] Ercoupe Eroubatics

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Hi All,

Jim Phelps story reminded me that I’ve been meaning to ask you all “What kind of aerobatics have you done in a Coupe?”.  In the past two or so years of owning a 415C, I’ve had three pilots come up to me and tell me stories of looping Coupes.  One was a fellow who said the salesman over at the Shelton Airport near here looped one with him on a demo ride in a brand new Coupe.  Another guy here in Renton said he did it regularly in a Coupe he used to own (He now has a very nice Cessna 180 on floats that he has loops as well nowadays, believe it or not).  The third was a older fellow I met at the Arlington EAA flyin last year.  He now flies a neat gyrocopter that he tows around on a trailer behind his Miata.  He and his dad had a FBO in Montana, where they rented Ercoupes.  He had a couple thousand hours in Coupes consequently.  He gave me all the details on how to loop a Coupe.  He went on to explain how you can do a real nice barrel roll in a Coupe, if you know what you are doing too. He said he loved doing a barrel roll in a Coupe, because many thought it couldn’t be done. I don’t remember all the details of his explanations of how to do these maneuvers, but he made it sound easy.  From what I remember, somewhere, a 415C is eligible for some aerobatic maneuvers, since is was built before there was a Normal Category, which limits some of this stuff in newer aircraft.  I’m not thinking of trying any of this stuff in a 60 year old airframe, but am curious if in of you out there still do any of this, or what you might have tried in one of our babies in the past.

Marty Duke N10743 KRNT WA7HOI

 

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