[COUPERS-FLYIN] Learning about Coupe flying

[Ed Burkhead]

----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]---- ----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]----   To Dick but mostly to new Coupe pilots,   Learning about Coupes from magazine articles can be valuable – but beware.   Actually, that was how I learned to fly Coupes since I couldn’t find an instructor or pilot who knew diddly-squat (including the seller).   The articles were a pretty good tutorial on Coupe flying.  The only problem was the list of working speeds of the airplane I gleaned from the articles.  They said the approach speed should be 70 and that worked adequately on my first three landings with some power for approach path control.   My fourth landing, the next day, was in an open field, plowed and covered with a foot of dense, early February snow.  I used the glide speed of 70 and, with no engine (that being the cause of the landing in the field), had a very steep approach.  When I pulled back to flare, the plane just leaned back a little and went WHUMP! as it hit the ground.  It was a very short ground roll but no damage was done.   It turns out the airspeed indicator on that plane was WAY off indicating 65 when I was doing a true airspeed of 50 mph.  My 70 mph glide speed was about 54 true and we all know how nicely Coupes glide at 55 mph!   The moral of the story for new pilots is, enjoy the articles, learn everything you can from every source then GO FLY THE PLANE AND TEST WHAT YOU’VE READ TO FIND THE TRUTH!  Learn, then VERIFY!   Ed Burkhead http://edburkhead.com/ [EMAIL PROTECTED]    -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 4:32 PM To: flyin@ercoupers.com Subject: [COUPERS-FLYIN] Past issues of airplane magazines   Dear Ercoupers:         I would like to purchase any old magazines having articles on the Ercoupe. I learned to fly in 1971 and remember reading a article in "Private Pilot" about an owners Ercoupe. This motivated to buy my first Ercoupe. I woud like to buy magazines such as "Private Pilot",Plane and Pilot",Flying,etc. Thank You for your response.     Sincerely Yours, Dick Morris Dallas,Texas ============================================================================== 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/