----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]----
Mike wrote: > Very informative, and interesting. One question does > come to mind...How does this plane deal with a cross > wind landing? From the pictures it doesn't seem to > have the Coupe's castering main gear. And with no > rudders to straighten out just prior to touchdown I > would think the mains would take a heck of a beating. > > Thanks > > Mike Ummm, Mike, the Coupe does NOT have a castering main gear. A Coupe's main gear is firmly rigid laterally. Only the nose-wheel swivels, just like on the Skyfarer or on a Cessna or a Bonanza. When a Coupe touches down in a crab, the firmly mounted main gear does suffer a side load while the nose gear swivels. Because the nose wheel lines up with its instantaneous direction of travel, it provides no lateral resistance. The main gear wheels DO continue to have side loading until the entire airplane rotates to line up with the direction of instantaneous motion. That is why the airplane rotates to line up with its direction of motion. If the Coupe is landed properly (not slammed down) in the crab, the side loads to the main gear are entirely supportable. Ed Burkhead http://edburkhead.home.insightbb.com/ [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: Mike Dean [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2002 11:55 AM To: Ercoupers Subject: [COUPERS-FLYIN] FW: More on the Skyfarer ----[Please read http://ercoupers.com/disclaimer.htm before following any advice in this forum.]---- Here's an exchange I had with Chris Cagle (who is selling this particular plane) on the Skyfarer. Thought some of you might find what he had to say interesting. I know the list will not support attachments so if anyone wants the "information" sheets he talks about, e-mail me direct and I'll pass them on. Mike Dean [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- Hi Mike; I thought you might like a little more info on the Skyfarer, so here is a copy of the information I had in an ad for it. Hope you find it interesting. One thing for sure-- it is easy to find in the parking lot! If you or your friends have any questions I will be glad to do my best to answer them. (I've flown 65 and 85 horse Ercoupes, and they are fun. Never tried to loop one, but I have looped the Skyfarer. Neat trick with only 11 degrees of up elevator. Incidentally, as suggested in the enclosed info, there are no rudders, nothing at all hinged on the vertical axis. All for now. Chris Cagle ----- Original Message ----- Hi Chris, Very informative, and interesting. One question does come to mind...How does this plane deal with a cross wind landing? From the pictures it doesn't seem to have the Coupe's castering main gear. And with no rudders to straighten out just prior to touchdown I would think the mains would take a heck of a beating. Thanks Mike -----Original Message----- Morning Mike. The Skyfarer lands out of a curving approach in a crosswind. One of the little problems Dr. Koppen didn't have worked out too well, and probably one of the reasons mine is the only one left flying! I have a letter in my file from a man who owned either three or four Skyfarers over the years and wrecked them all. He said he sure would like to fly mine...! He was in a circus and flew his planes from show to show, landing in fields where the tents were to be erected. No doubt that's where he wiped out his planes. The factory sales literature says the plane can be landed at any speed between 40 and 80 MPH. Just drive it on. I use about 60 in the pattern, fly a slight power approach, and touch down just above a stall with the nose a foot or so off the ground. Same technique for a crosswind, but out of a circling approach. The tall langing gear is to accomodate the long prop on the geared 75 horse Lycoming engine. Chris ====================== TO UNSUBSCRIBE go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm ================================================================== TO UNSUBSCRIBE go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm
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