Chris suggested a nose tank bladder as a crash survivability multiplier.
Chris, The nose tank has long been discussed and no one has had the gumption, time and money to do anything about it. The tank bladders weren't available when Fred was designing and building Ercoupes. Though I don't have numbers, my observations from 30 years of hanging around Ercoupes are these: 1. The fewer-stupid-mistakes fuel system saves more people than bursting nose tanks kills. 2. If you get your Ercoupe to the ground in an attitude that somewhat approaches landing attitude, it'll probably take care of you and you. You probably won't have a burst nose tank and you have a good jump-out-of-the-plane opportunity. This is greatly enhanced with shoulder harnesses. Here's a further observation: The wing tanks are, effectively, in the cockpit, too. That wing root section is fully open into the cockpit. And, doesn't the end of the tank show, right there? So, if you rupture the wing tank in a crash, that fuel could, in theory, give you a problem. I don't know how survivable the crashes are that rupture tanks. On the other hand, I got no injuries at all when I ran my Corolla into a guard rail at 55 mph 31 years ago - I was wearing my seat belt and shoulder harness. Had that been a Coupe crash, I could have jumped right out through the sliding door/window like a Couper did in a wire-strike accident at my first airport (before I started flying there). [Side note: If you gotta get out of a Coupe or Forney RIGHT NOW, I bet you can push the windows out of their tracks instantly provided you are not severely injured.] _______________________________ Having said the former, I'll say this: If it weren't prohibitively expensive, I'd want a bladder or other similar system in my Coupe and would also give up a couple of gallons of nose tank fuel and take a 10 pounds weight penalty to get it. I think the FAA might just look favorably on such an innovation but they almost certainly would require a write-up done by an FAA Designated Engineering Representative. If someone can do this and make it affordable (and profitable to the developer), please go for it. JMHO Final thought: What the Coupe community needs is an active Couper who is also an FAA DER. Please, everyone, go out and addict a good DER to Couping for us! Ed
