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In a message dated 2/11/2006 9:55:00 AM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
Gordon
Welcome to the group and the world of Ercoupe ownership. Please don't be
put off by this thread. Everyone is entitled to an opinion and it is the
freedom to discuss these topics that, if nothing else, will generate
thought. I am a relatively new Ercoupe owner, having mine less than two
years. What I am about say next is based on 27 years of airplane ownership.
I have owned a Cherokee, a Glasair, a Grumman Yankee and currently own a
Grumman Tiger as well as my Coupe. Ercoupes are one of, if not the cheapest
production airplanes to buy AND MAINTAIN. For example, I bought a new
windshield for my Tiger a couple of years back for around $600. I bought a
new windshield for my Coupe this year for about $250 (thank you John Cooper
at Skyport). The prices may have good up as many on this forum have
complained about...but what hasn't? My Tiger annuals over the past 14 years
have averaged $3000. My first (and only so far) Ercoupe annual was about
$1500 and that was with a lot of extras I wanted, not needed (thank you Lynn
Nelsen-AKA Florida's Ercoupe Guru). I live in a fly-in community with over
600 pilots. We talk airplanes all the time. I have a pretty good base of
information from which I say "Ercoupes are cheap planes to buy and cheap to
own". With regard to this recent SB...I thank Univair for bringing it to
the table and causing all this stir. I would rather be informed and allow
these discussions to shake up the pot rather then have my head in the sand.
My experience is that "most" SB's and AD's have been rightfully issued
(OK...there were a few exceptions like the Cherokee AD requiring pulling the
wings and one for the Tigers requiring cutting an inch off the ailerons,
both those were exceptions, not the norm). I for one, will feel more
comfortable having my airplane inspected. I know that every time I hit a
bit of turbulence I will wonder if I popped another rivet. If I find
nothing, I will have spent my money, but not wasted it. If I find
something, I may have saved my life or the life of the students who fly my
Coupe. Ok...I will now dismount from my soapbox!
Glen Davis CFII
Grumman Tiger N70GD
1946 Ercoupe N3103H
Glen,
I agree with everything that you said, 100%. Couldn't have said it better myself. I especially agree with the Coupe being one of the most affordable airplanes. I'm sure there are less expensive ones out there, but the Coupe is, and has always been, close to the bottom of the food chain.
I too live in a fly-in community and talk with other pilot/owners every day. My neighbor has a Yak. The prop on his plane costs more than I paid for my whole airplane. He just had to have an oil leak in the prop fixed, and he won't even talk about how much it cost, but the prop went out of here in a great big plywood crate and came back about 3 months later. I'd hate to have paid that bill!
Best Regards,
Wayne DelRossi
Alon N5618F
Hours logged since restoration:
Wayne DelRossi
Alon N5618F
Hours logged since restoration:
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