Hi Gary,
Maybe you are trying too hard.
Pilots with experience in other planes must force themselves to bring a
coupe in for landing holding the yoke
with two fingers and a stabilized approach. I have pictures of factory
pilots landing the coupe with both hands
held up in the air (but I don't recommend that to us mere mortals)!
The Ercoupe was DESIGNED to accomplish
the brief transition from flight to ground operation without pilot
input.
Accept that there are times in landing and takeoff that the coupe is
"pre-programmed". It is designed to do the
right thing at the right time automatically. When a pilot does NOT
yield conscious yoke control from the time
the mains chirp for the two seconds it takes for the nose wheel to
absorb it's share of the coupe's weight and
align itself (and the plane) with the runway, it is not uncommon that
every firm and decisive action decreases
the predictability and smoothness of the landing.
Before feeding in power for a crosswind takeoff, remind yourself that
"soft field" technique (where you pull the
yoke all the way back and let the plane lift off when it can) is NOT
appropriate. I ALWAYS take off and land with
my trim set for cruise so I am FLYING the bird entirely myself at these
critical phases of flight. The Ercoupe
Instruction Manual (p. 3) says "The position indicator...can be left in
the cruising position at take-off as the
control forces are very light."
When the Ercoupe Instruction Manual (p. 6, bottom) says that "...the
airplane may be set on the ground at up
to twice the minimum speed, and as long as the control wheel is not
pulled back will stay on the ground",
that is most certainly not true during a crosswind takeoff if trim is
set nose high (Land). Unless the trim is set
in cruise position for takeoff in crosswinds a coupe WILL gradually
lose some steering authority as flying
speed is reached unless the effect of the trim is consciously
overridden with the yoke.
As Ed said, accelerate to 5-10MPH above whatever your "soft field
takeoff speed is and then make a distinct
rotation. With cruise trim you must exert rearward yoke force to
rotate. In one to two seconds the coupe will
realign its heading from that of the runway to that necessary for a
flight track down the runway in a level or
climbing crab. Let it do that...adjust ONLY the track (left or right
gently) to stay over the runway, and set your
trim for the "cruise-climb" speed of your choice. I usually choose an
airspeed of 86-91MPH TAS and then
reduce throttle from full power just enough to drop 1 MPH. Pitch is
stabilized and rate of climb is what it is.
At this point, think of Fred Weick's brain as "the Force". TRUST IT!
The Ercoupe is the only low wing design
with sufficient wing dihedral to be laterally inherently stable without
pilot input. The engine right thrust
compensates for "P-factor". Down thrust compensates for an above the
wing thrust line at all power settings,
thus the Ercoupe is also inherently stable (as trimmed) in pitch at a
given power setting.
All the pilot need do is select and hold heading and adjust the trim
for "level cruise" and (later) "descent from
cruise". It just doesn't get any simpler.
One question: what is the free play in your ailerons and what did you
do with it when they were rigged?
Best regards,
William R. Bayne
.____|-(o)-|____.
(Copyright 2009)
--
On Apr 18, 2009, at 20:41, G. Davis wrote:
Ok, I have waited for this day for months now;I have been flying at
sunset with zero wind, and trying to get the feel of my Coupe
N94027....Now, I have strayed a bit and doing some x-wind take offs
and landings. The landings seem to be just right in spite of my poor
input at times. I do LOVE the low wing touch down, compared to the
only plane I have ever flown, the Cessna. But.......right after lift
off, is where the excitement begins. I cant seem to level the wings,
keep the nose the right pitch, NOTHING!. I seem I am behind the plane
always, and never control it, it is controlling me. But, the landings
are sweet. What the heck am I doing wrong, other than trying to fly an
Ercoupe?
Humbly,Gary
