(Again, replying to -tech as this is an issue worthy of the entire community)
Bill, Your message (posted on -flyin) is exactly right. Sorry I didn't think of it in my response (though I couldn't have expressed it as well as you did). This may have been the predominant reason for the Ercoupe's "scare coupe" label, even more than the tail-low wing-lift problem. Especially for crosswinds - those of us who know how to properly land a Coupe can also clearly visualize several possible wild diversions that would result from an ignorant pilot trying to land in the crosswind. (Here, I include 10,000 hour pilots who have not researched or been taught the few necessary Coupe differences.) For this, too, when someone brings out the "scare Coupe" label, I spend time discussing it with them and have, I think, almost always been able to overcome the prejudice (or rare personal experience). Ed _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of William R. Bayne Sent: Friday, May 01, 2009 1:21 AM To: 'ercoupe Ercoupe Flying' Subject: Re: [ercoupe-flyin] scare-coupe Hi Darick, I agree with all that Ed shared. I would, however, respectfully suggest that a person can be neither "nice" nor a "lady" that would use a derisive term in public without knowing it is derisive OR that would seek to advance their own credibility by such discourtesy and obvious lack of personal experience. Andy Anderson's experiences with the older pilot and the young CFI better exemplify a somewhat related and persistent level of ignorance. Whenever something unflattering is said about an Ercoupe, always consider the source. I believe (and no one is likely to prove one way or the other) the primary reason for this derisive (and it IS derisive) term is that way more than a few proud and well experienced aviators with the not-uncommon attitude that "I can fly anything with wings" one day got into an Ercoupe without the slightest awareness of its design and/or capabilities and proceeded to prove it [you guess which] ;<) Flying is largely a matter of power and lift. Every season tornado or hurricane winds prove flight is possible without intelligence. Controlled flight, however, is somewhat more complicated; particularly in crosswinds. Even a brand new Ercoupe with level sills and tight, properly rigged controls, is going to do what it was designed to do. If the flight was begun and ended in relatively calm air, our aero wizard will likely prevail by the "luck of the draw". Such persons are usually unable or unwilling to perceive any limit to their skill(s). If the day was one of significant crosswind the stage was set for an impromptu "show" for spectators one and all. Whether taking off or landing, the moment our proud and confident aviator's "seat of the pants" tells him to lift or lower a wing at a time the nose wheel still has steering authority his control input is directly contrary to the one absolutely necessary in an Ercoupe. As things take an unexpected "turn" (pun intended ;<), his reflexive actions can only increase such (incorrect) input. If he is taking off, desperation may cause him to chop power and hit the brakes, with all sorts of attendant possibilities. If he is landing and the nose wheel touches with a vise grip on the controls and the nose wheel at an angle to the runway, it takes little imagination to visualize the chain of events thus set in motion! Such an experience is so uniquely and distinctly humbling that the only way to salvage one's dignity is for the person actually responsible to instead attack the handling characteristics of the Ercoupe so as to draw attention away from his personal stupidity and ineptitude. Then let one of these talk to another and, over time a chorus of kindred spirits sings loudly to all who will listen. With each telling, each of them feels a little more the victim of a poor design. They make up in passion what they lack in knowledge. The falsehood repeated far and wide gains credibility undeserved every time the telling goes unchallenged. "Preaching to the choir" is a supremely ineffective method of spreading the truth to the uninformed. Perhaps if our choir became more "involved"? Best regards, William R. Bayne .____|-(o)-|____. (Copyright 2009) -- On Apr 30, 2009, at 20:45, [email protected] wrote: Really now! I'm in the hangar working on my beloved Ercoupe with the local, well-seasoned mechanic, when in walks an old friend of his and she says, "Hi Russ, I see you're working on a scare coupe"! She really was a nice lady so I didn't say something like, "this is MY Ercoupe and it's the safest thing you'll ever fly, so back off!" That's what I really wanted to say. But the question remains, where did that come from? Has anybody else ever heard that? Darick
