----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]----
Fellow Coupers:: I see by the subtle hints that some comment from me about Coupe Crusin' is applicable. I have done a sufficient amount of cross country in various Ercoupes/Aircoupes. I like to cruise at the prevailing altitude required to stay reasonably cool and sufficiently smooth in order to be comfortable, yet low enough to see the great American "Outback" that you cannot see from 6 miles up! The Alon presents you with an observation platform second to none, and an incredible sauna. I have tried various methodologies in order to increase ventilation, and reduce solar radiation. I have had limited success in both endeavors. I like to fly early in the morning make three legs and get out of the airplane by 4 o-clock in the afternoon, this is what I like to do, but this is not always what you can do! I have been places where it was easy to get into town from the airport, and find lodging, and it was almost impossible to get back, especially on time. I have resorted to calling limo's, Tow trucks, auto clubs, and Sheriffs offices, in light of busses and cabs. Three things you must have when you cross country for long distances, your up to date address book, a cell phone, and cash! Don't be afraid to pay a little money to get out of a bad situation. Go prepared, take enough charts with you to cover the area you intend to fly, the Airguide books are important also. When you are through with something that you are carrying as cargo, either throw it away or send it home, even dirty clothes! File flight plans, Monitor to Flight Watch, (122.0) be observant of your environment as to weather buildups, and dust storms. Above all be careful, take care of yourself, you are the only one of yourself there is! >From a mechanical viewpoint, I always cruise with the airplane leaned to approx 1300 degrees of EGT on the #2 cyl, no specific reason for the #2, it just happens to be the cylinder I chose when I began my cockpit setup. I run my engine right at redline, No specific reason here either, the engine performs smoothly, remains clean of carbon, operates coolly, and this is the point from which further revolutions produce minimum gain in speed or efficiency. I do not refill the oil tank when it indicates 4 and a half quarts and above, my engine is worn enough that it just regurgitates the upper half quart anyway, so I get no cooling or lubrication benefit. I will fly around afternoon buildups , but I do not avoid small showers and such. This is a Big country and you will encounter all kinds of weather in just a days flight. Listen to your briefer when he warns of mountain obscuration and avoid going where you cannot see. I have owned three different configurations of Ercoupe/Aircoupe 1) Ercoupe with add on rudder pedal kit and a D model, a C model with minimum configuration and no rudder pedals, and an Alon with factory rudder pedals and almost every other convenience known to mankind. I must confess the 415 C minimum configuration airplane was the most fun to fly and enjoy, windows down 2,500 feet AGL and 105 MPH hard to beat. Thanks for tolerating my dissertation. Wayne Woollard ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ed Burkhead" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Coupe-List" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, October 16, 2004 7:06 AM Subject: [COUPERS-FLYIN] Coupes for cross country flying > ----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any > advice in this forum.]---- > > > > Wayne has surely done more Coupe cross country than I have. Still, I > got around some. > > By flying high and leaning and slowing down some for better range, I > flew from Iowa City to Chester, Connecticut in three legs, about 980 air > miles. Left home early morning and arrived at 5:00 p.m. The trip home > took longer against the prevailing winds and with an overnight due to > weather - home by 10 a.m. the next morning. > > When my friend and I flew out to Martha's Vineyard, and had to cross 12 > miles of ocean, I was cautious. I climbed to 12,500' so I could glide > to the land. As soon as we got TO the edge of the ocean, I saw we were > so high, we needed to start down already and we did - even so, I had to > circle for 20 minutes over the island to use up the rest of the altitude > to get down. > > > On my Grand Tour out west, I mostly followed I-80 from Iowa City to the > Minden Ercoupe National Convention. Flying west, I formulated my VFR > travel doctrine: You can usually get where you want to go if you're > willing to detour a state or so off your route to go around bad weather. > In Nebraska, I had to detour north to the South Dakota border to go > around the weather. > > That took me across Wyoming by a different route than I'd pre-planned > but it sure was scenic. > > I learned that in the high-desert Western states, I wanted to take off > at morning twilight and stop flying at 10:30 due to the thermals. Then, > maybe fly a few more hours in the evening. Twice I took off at 10:30 > and had an unpleasant hour and a half getting to the next airport just > 100 miles away. I slowed down to 70 so the thermal bumps couldn't > damage anything and let the roller coaster take me up and down. > > From Minden, I flew northwest to Klamath Falls, then over Crater Lake, > then into the middle of Oregon. Across to the coast for a bit, then up > the Columbia River Gorge at 6500-7000' early in the morning when there > was still no wind. From the Gorge, I flew northeast to Coeur d'Alene, > Idaho. An Early morning takeoff didn't work because there were low > clouds in the mountain valleys to the east so I landed and waited. By > almost noon, the weather was better and I followed I-90 to near the > Flathead valley then went North to Kalispell where the motels are right > by the Downtown Airport - I tied the plane down by my motel. > > After a few days in Glacier National Park by rental car, I flew around > the park's south side, then along its east side up to the Canadian > border. Then I followed a straight line across the Great Plains back to > Iowa city (with some wiggling around to avoid weather). > > What a Trip! > > From Peoria, I flew down to Lakeland, Florida, for Sun-N-Fun, stopping > for an overnight at Chattanooga, TN, with relatives. > > Overall, I'd observe that with rudder pedals, my knees didn't like long > cross country trips too much - on cross countries, I wished I didn't > have those pesky pedals. Also, that my Coupe did adequately in the > mountains, flying solo at about 1350 lb., with a climb prop. > > I do miss my Coupe a lot. When I sold it to John Wright, Jr., I hoped > it'd get fixed up. Two guys from my own airport bought it and paid for > some major restoration done by John. You other pretty airplane > contenders had better polish well - this plane will be good competition > at Nationals next summer. > > I'd better get busier on building my Challenger so I can get back in the > air. It only will cruise about 75 but I still want to take it all over > the country. I'll just be lower and slower. > > Ed Burkhead > http://edburkhead.com/ > ed -at- edburkheadQQQ.com (change -at- and remove the QQQ) > > > > > ========================================================================== ==== > To leave this forum go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm > Search the archives on http://escribe.com/aviation/coupers/ > > > > ========================================================================== ==== To leave this forum go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm Search the archives on http://escribe.com/aviation/coupers/
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