Doesn’t anyone have a photo of a Champ on a pole? How about raising funds for a Champ project then ceremoniously burning it at the National Ercoupe Convention?
Don’t get mad, get even! ; ) BR, Mike On 30/1/08 15:18, "Dan Hall" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Hi Bill, > No apologies necessary for the comments or long post. I'm basically in > agreement with you. > > In general Mr. Berge's technical inaccuracies were relatively minor however; > the tone and comments were needlessly snide, derogatory, & repetitive. > > No doubt I am biased towards the Coupe however; I didn't write an article in a > national publication pushing my biases. I did write the letter with some bias > in an attempt to off-set what Paul had written. The blog was the more > appropriate place for a number of the comments that were published in AC. > > As you point out my post to the blog was largely redundant however; judging by > Mr. Berge's PETA jokes he didn't get it the first time (and admittedly > probably won't get it the second time). > > If the AC article had not come out with the snide comments it did, I would > have been laughing right along with you & Mr. Berge about the PETA comments. > I have not totally lost my sense of humor, however I have become probably a > bit tired of Coupe jokes. My sensitivity to that humor depends upon the > venue & tone / intent of the speaker. > > You points about ambassadorship are well taken. That is where the energy is > better spent, and I do try to promote such things in the Region 7 Newsletter & > web site when the opportunity arises. > > I'm sure that my comments on the blog will be torn apart, with 'humor' by Paul > & others. Meanwhile, I'll happily keep flying my Coupe. > > Point well taken. No anger or flames here.... > > Best regards, > Dan Hall > >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> >> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> To: [email protected] >> >> Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 6:31 AM >> >> Subject: Re: [ercoupe-tech] Ercoupe Wars, news from the front !! >> >> >> >> >> Dan: >> >> >> In response to your request for input, I read this current post as well as >> opinions given in the two links you provided. >> >> >> It’s clear that Paul Berge has a bias against the Ercoupe but I would >> classify his inaccuracies as minor. It’s also clear that you have a bias >> toward the Ercoupe and I would suggest that the defensive tone of your >> response did little to alter any opinion. Your follow up is repetitive. >> The Ercoupe is not as bad as Paul reports nor as good as we believe. It’s >> just an airplane. Whenever I hear myself or others speak of the Ercoupe as >> some sort of shrine to the airplane gods, I think back to my first Ercoupe >> adventure: >> >> >> My son and I flew to the College Park Convention and as part of that, we >> toured the factory where most of our airplanes were made. While waiting in >> line, I struck up a conversation with the woman next to me who turned out to >> be Fred Weicks daughter. I’m sorry that I can’t remember her name but she >> was real tall and real nice. The line was long so we talked a whole bunch >> and when the conversation turned to her flight training, I asked if she >> learned to fly in an Ercoupe. She gave me a funny look and said oh no, my >> father insisted that I learn to fly in something with rudder pedals! I >> love Ercoupes, and I think Fred Weick was a brilliant engineer, but I’m not >> sure that he shared the same reverence for the Ercoupe that we do. >> >> >> To my mind, the folks that fly these things are more important than the >> airplane and that’s the key to ambassadorship. The best way to change >> opinions about this misunderstood aircraft is simply by being good >> citizen-pilots. There are so many examples: All the folks that give eagle >> flights, Syd leading flights into Oshkosh and Sun & Fun, Lynn Nelson >> flying his grandson around the country and taking the time to write a crazy >> good log of the adventure, Linda flying into LAX. This is where the >> battle is won. In terms of good press, the most wonderful thing about the >> Ercoupe is how it has allowed folks to fly that can’t use their legs so well >> or don’t have legs. That video telling the story of how an Ercoupe was >> modified to allow Kim Blackseth to fly is awesome. Kim is a C-6 >> quadriplegic and for motivation, I keep a picture in my shop of Kim being >> lowered into that airplane by his friends using some fabricated sling. >> >> >> Our cause is better served by scaling back our sensitivity to criticism. >> Brent suggests that we have lost our sense of humor and he may be on to >> something. Mine is not completely gone though. Although those two PETA >> vignettes that appear on the Hanger Flying Theater site were fundamentally >> mean spirited, I was able to see the humor and I did in fact laugh. (yikes) >> >> >> I hope that I have not hurt your feelings Dan. It’s not my intent and you >> can take comfort in the fact that no one on this list will share this view >> and I suspect a summons from the Ercoupe tribunal is forthcoming where I >> will be found guilty of heresy and burned at the stake. >> >> >> My apologies for such a long post. >> >> >> Cheers, >> >> Bill >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Dan Hall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: Tue, 29 Jan 2008 1:49 am >> Subject: [ercoupe-tech] Ercoupe Wars, news from the front !! >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Hey ya'll....I'm considering responding to the comments on Paul Berge blog, >> and Brent's comments in particular. IF you've read Brent's comments and >> Jason's rebuttal on the blog, I'd appreciate your thoughts on this draft >> reply below. >> >> >> >> Here's the link to the Blog site; >> >> http://bergeflyingtheater.blogspot.com/ >> >> >> >> Here's the link to the comments (read Bent & Jason's comments - I'm mainly >> replying to those); >> >> https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9129460132495073333&postID=216821154 >> 3851538132 >> <https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=9129460132495073333&postID=2168 >> 211543851538132> >> >> >> >> Dan Hall >> >> N3968H >> >> &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& >> >> >> >> >> >> Jason, thank you for your support and comments. I agree strongly with your >> posts regarding the Ercoupe. >> >> >> >> Contrary to Brent's insinuations, my letter not claim that the Ercoupe was >> best or that it should have won; and that was not the reason I wrote the >> letter. However Jason's comments hit the nail on the head. >> >> >> >> Ercoupe owner are collectively extremely tired of 60+ years of often snide & >> belittling comments about the Ercoupe, often based on ignorance (and / or >> pride & arrogance). >> >> >> >> With that thought firmly in mind, I'd like to re-fresh Bent's memory with >> the following "objective" quotes taken directly from Mr. Berge's article; >> >> >> >> >> >> "Amazingly it will straighten itself out....the way a dead cow straightens >> out when dropped off a moving truck." >> >> >> >> "The Ercoupe, top, is an acquired taste savored by owners who can do without >> rudder pedals. Crosswind landings are faith-based flying." >> >> >> >> "The flight experience is best described as quirky, especially in cross >> winds, it has no rudder pedals." >> >> >> >> "If you have lazy feet, the 75 HP Ercoupe 415C may be for you..." >> >> >> >> "These legacy LSA's are not terribly comfortable, and if you can't fly >> coordinated and learn to use your feet they'll be neither pleasant nor kind, >> especially on the runway." (Ercoupes are pleasant & kind) >> >> >> >> "(....doing 95 MPH)" (try 100-108) >> >> >> >> "One broke up in flight due to center section corrosion." (Nope) >> >> >> >> "Ercoupe 415C is LSA eligible..." (and the 415CD??) >> >> >> >> “We can't say we're crazy about this plane...." (Ah, honesty!) >> >> >> >> "Last pick is the Ercoupe. They aren't cheap and, in our view, lack the >> charm of the tail draggers which except for the cub, are all bargain for >> beginner or lingering pilots." >> >> >> >> >> >> Here Mr. Berge comes out and most clearly his own obvious personal >> subjective bias FOR tail draggers and their "charm", and against the >> tricycle gear Ercoupe. >> >> >> >> Let's see; 4 rag & tube tail-draggers, one all metal tricycle gear model, >> and the only tricycle gear model comes in dead last in the comparison with >> the commentary noted above. >> >> >> >> Brent, do you honestly NOT see a pattern here??? >> >> >> >> Paul Berge clearly prefers rag & tube tail draggers, and I don't begrudge >> him that - all of the planes tested are fun little birds to fly. >> >> >> >> However I and MANY Ercoupe owners certainly DO take GREAT exception to the >> comments he chose to use to describe the Ercoupe in the Aviation Consumer. >> Those comments carry a strong personal bias and have no place in a national >> publication like AC. >> >> >> >> WHERE were the genuinely objective comments about the Ercoupes obvious >> advantages, such as; >> * Tri-cycle gear for stable landing & ground handling. >> * Superior cross wind landing capabilities. >> * Effective / good brakes >> * Stall resistant and spin proof. >> * Responsive full span ailerons. >> * Electrical system. >> * Excellent visibility. This is a great safety feature for avoiding mid-air >> collisions! >> * Windows down "open cockpit" flying experience! >> * Higher speed cruise than other LSAs with the same engine >> * Mostly metal or all metal construction. >> * Very simple systems: no fuel tank switching and no flaps. >> >> >> >> Do you still wonder why I and may other Ercoupe owners lost our collective >> sense of humor after (re) reading the quotes from the article??? >> >> >> >> >> >> While I have tail wheel experience and my next airplane may be an RV-4, for >> the record; I take far dimmer view of (tail wheel) snobs than Mr. Berge >> takes of Ercoupes. >> >> >> >> If & when the time comes for my next airplane I'm quite sure that I'll miss >> my 60 year old classic Ercoupe, and frankly would never give up the Coupe if >> I could afford to keep two planes. I just hope I don't regret the day the >> keys to my lovely classic Coupe are handed over to it's next 'care taker' >> (as virtually all former Ercoupe owners have lamented to me over the years). >> >> >> >> >> >> The Ercoupe is a unique and special gem of a classic flying machine. The >> Ercoupe deserves just as much respect as the rag & tube tail draggers (more >> IMHO), and that sir, is the point !!!!! >> >> >> >> Dan Hall >> Ercoupe 415CD >> N3968H >> >> >> >> >> >> More new features than ever. Check out the new AOL Mail >> <http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/mailtour/aol/en-us/text.htm?ncid=aol >> cmp00050000000003> ! >> >> >> >> >> >> >> No virus found in this incoming message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.19.16/1250 - Release Date: 1/29/2008 >> 10:20 PM > ________________ Alon A2 A-188 G-HARY www.ercoupe.co.uk
