ED.
I looked at the ad in Barnstormers: INVESTORS WANTED • INVESTORS WANTED • Seeking investors to help launch a new and updated version of the Ercoupe call the CoupeCruiser. Major of design and analysis has bee completed, looking to produce prototype and kits. • Contact Keith A. Courson, Owner - located Thornton, CO USA • Telephone: 303-523-5974 • Posted March 19, 2010 There is a picture included that shows the "Coupe Cruiser". So it is the guy you are talking about. I think it is legit, but I don't think that this design will ever take off. When you think it through, it needs only a few minutes to come to the conclusion that building an ErCoupe is not feasible anymore. At least not a two control aircraft. The Coupe Cruiser was meant to be a three control version. If you build a three control airplane, there is no point in having the expense of dual rudders with the complicated mechanic that drives them. One good sized rudder would be enough. That changes the elevator as well. Conventional controls resulting in a conventional aircraft. With a three control aircraft you don't need a trailing landing gear since cross wind landings can be mastered by cross controlling the plane, and step by step the design of the Ercoupe, it's unique features disappear. You will end up along the lines of an Rans like airplane or one of the Zenith aircraft - a Zodiac maybe. Or the Sport Cruiser that Piper just bought from the Czechs. They call it Piper Sport and it is a big hit in my eyes. http://www.newpiper.com/home/pages/PiperSportPhotoGallery.cfm The creators of the Sport Cruiser do have a new plane out there. This time made from composite materials, where the Sport Cruiser is an aluminum airframe. http://www.dynamicaero.org/performance-specs.htm Like the Coupe Cruiser is planned to be made from. The Coupe Cruiser would compete with these existing models. And I am afraid that market is not that easily to penetrate anymore. And the market for a true Ercoupe, following the safety ideas of Fred Weick probably never existed. Hartmut To: [email protected]; [email protected] From: [email protected] Date: Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:23:44 -0500 Subject: RE: [ercoupe-tech] Ercoupe revival This is the guy who has been working for several years to build an updated Coupe. He has some files and messages on his long-time forum on Yahoo: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/coupecruiser/ I’ve corresponded with him a few times in the past and he seemed like a sensible person. He’s been taking it slowly. But, I don’t know what the production costs would be on a plane with his construction. Would it be viable? No idea. Are his design changes to the structure and aerodynamics good – again, I have no idea. Note: Please don’t double post. There are only a couple of people who are not members of –tech. Ed _________________________________________________________________ Your E-mail and More On-the-Go. Get Windows Live Hotmail Free. https://signup.live.com/signup.aspx?id=60969
