The only thing left out of your report was all the hard work and long hours Robert Swanson contributed to make it all happen. Although I did fly in for both days with my Alon, I was regretfully unable to attend any of the functions due to out of town guest at our home. Your report filled all that in. Thank you for a job well done, Robert. George Frebert Dover Delaware N6549Q
On Sat, 15 Jul 2000 10:59:26 -0700, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > The following is the final report for the year 2000 > Ercoupe Owners Club Convention. > > The Coupe Homecoming Convention > College Park, Maryland, June 30 - July 3, 2000 > The Ercoupe Owners Club Annual Convention for the Year > 2000 > > Sixty years after the certification of the serial > number 1 Ercoupe at Riverdale, Maryland, just one mile > from the College Park Airfield (the oldest > continuously operated airfield in the world), the > Ercoupes returned to College Park for the first annual > Ercoupe Owners Club (EOC) convention of the new > millennium at the nearest airport to the original > Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) factory > where the Ercoupe was built. > Lee Schiek now manages the College Park Airfield. > Although only present at the airfield for a few > months, he has worked a miracle in improving the > condition of the airfield and providing support that > is second to none. Under Lee's direction, fuel, > parking and courteous service is now available at the > only general aviation airfield in the Washington, DC, > area that is adjacent to a Metro rail line that > connects to all the attractions of the city. > Convention support by the airfield staff was > continuously praised and absolutely deserving! > On the property with the airfield is the new College > Park Aviation Museum headed by Cathy Allen. The > museum is not quite two years old. It features > several early aviation aircraft as well as one and a > half Ercoupes - one complete Ercoupe hangs from the > ceiling and an Ercoupe without wings or tail cone sits > on the floor with transparent covers over the engine > and sealing the end where the tail cone attaches so > visitors can see into the workings of the aircraft. > The museum has kept the interest in the Ercoupe going > for years by hosting annual Ercoupe gatherings. Cathy > Allen and Betsey Weick, assisted by Shelia Swanson, > created a new 15 foot Fred Weick exhibit in the > College Park Aviation Museum for the convention that > contained many items borrowed from the Langley, > Virginia, National Aeronautics and Space > Administration museum which holds many Fred Weick > items donated by the Weick family. The College Park > Aviation Museum was a full partner in this first ever, > national, Ercoupe convention at College Park. > The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration > has a Distribution Division headed by Pat Banks now > occupying office space in the previous ERCO factory > located less than a mile from the College Park > Airfield. Pat was wonderful in permitting the > convention attendees to visit the old factory site. > Pat and several NOAA volunteers came in on the > weekend, on their own time, to assist in tours of the > factory space. > The convention received lunch support from the local > Chapter 4 of the Experimental Aircraft Association. > Dan Spicer served as the chief cook and kept a steady > supply of hamburgers and hotdogs available to the > attendees. > Two local squadrons of the Civil Air Patrol, the > Prince Georges and the Bowie Squadrons combined their > cadets and senior members in an operation coordinated > by Captain Bob Turner to establish a communications > network that supported the convention for all three > days. > The nearby University of Maryland provided rented > rooms, a dining hall, the banquet facility and even a > couple of buses for the convention. > In February of 1999, Betsey Weick (the daughter of > Fred Weick, the designer of the Ercoupe) and Robert > Swanson (an Ercoupe owner and pilot since 1980) > jointly agreed to host the year 2000 annual convention > of the Ercoupe Owners Club for the first convention to > be held at the College Park Airfield. To accomplish > the convention, they formed an Ercoupe club, the > "Coupe Homecoming Club" that met monthly at the > College Park Airfield in the College Park Aviation > Museum to recruit assistance to support the > convention. The club acquired 42 members who > contributed their ideas, funds and labor to get the > convention planned and scheduled. During the > convention many members of the club provided the > staffing that made the convention a success. Jim > Norris did an incredible job in organizing the ERCO > tour and preparing material to support that event. > Jack Crabill performed as a fulltime, on the airfield, > safety officer not only preventing accidents and > incidents but also initiating repairs and assistance > wherever there was a need. Two aircraft needed > maintenance, one for a cracked muffler and another for > a stuck valve. Both aircraft were quickly repaired > and were able to fully participate in the convention > events. Jack's wife, Joni, along with Robert's wife, > Shelia, operated the reception center for the full > period of the convention with assistance from Bonnie > Voll, Robert Donelan and Ann Dixon. Ann's husband, > Ron, provided aircraft parking assistance along with > Ben Poinsett, Bill Tench, Greg Gorecki and Ronald > Madsen (not a local club member, but a convention > attendee from Watertown, South Dakota who pitched in > and helped where needed). Another area where club > members invested a lot of time and effort was local > transportation. Andy Neyens provided the central > direction and coordination for a fleet of vehicles > driven by club members Charles McKeown, Mike Nichols, > Greg Gorecki, Frank Glynn, Robert Donelan, Jim Norris, > Shelia Swanson, and Bill Tench. Both the College Park > Aviation Museum and the Airport staffs provided > vehicles and drivers to help with the transportation. > Bob Voll and Charles McKeown accomplished photo > coverage of the convention. > Approximately 5,100 Ercoupes were built in Riverdale > from 1940 through January of 1952. Another 500 > variations of the Coupe were built from 1956 through > 1970 by holders of the manufacturing rights after > production ceased in Riverdale. The total Coupe > production was about 5,600 aircraft. > Fifty-six Coupes, or about 1% of the total production > of Coupes returned to College Park for this year's > convention. Another half dozen contemporary aircraft > brought additional convention attendees as well as > there being many attendees arriving by automobile and > commercial airline travel. Total convention attendees > exceeded 220 people based on the security logs where > people signed-in to attend the ERCO factory tour > arranged by Betsey Weick and Jim Norris, both of whom > worked many weeks contacting former ERCO employees and > encouraging them to come and volunteer their time to > give first-hand reports on what it was like to work in > the ERCO factory and to produce the Ercoupe and other > ERCO products. Also, Jim did all the work in > preparing the signboards with the pictures showing the > factory producing Ercoupes. The signboards were > placed in the factory for the tours to show what the > factory looked like in the 1940s. Jim neither owns an > Ercoupe nor is a pilot, but in 1999 he expressed his > fascination with the Ercoupe and ERCO and joined the > Coupe Homecoming Club that met at the College Park > Airfield to contribute to the sharing of the knowledge > of how the Ercoupe was produced. I believe Jim has > become the most knowledge person about the factory > today. > The 56 Coupes included 415C, 415D, 415C/D, 415E, and > 415G Ercoupes, Forney Aircoupes, Alon Aircoupes, a > couple of Mooney Cadets and even a home-made Mini > Coupe. The Coupe that flew the longest distance > directly to the convention was an Alon A-2, N6362V, > flown by George Watts from San Antonio, Texas. George > received a trophy during the banquet for the Longest > Distance Flown directly to the convention. Trophies > this year were handmade solid balsa models of the > Coupe suspended from handmade wooden arch trophy > stands. Joe McCawley of Orlando, Florida, the Ercoupe > Owners Club Board Chairman, served as the Master of > Ceremonies for the banquet and smoothly directed the > events of the banquet on Saturday evening. > The first Coupe to arrive at the convention site was > Mark Hardin's 415C, N37143, which is distinctive as > the PQ-13, the only warbird Ercoupe in existence. > Mark arrived at 11:30 on Wednesday, June 28. The > PQ-13 won Mark two awards that were presented during > the banquet. He received a trophy for having the Most > Unique Coupe and he won a second trophy for having the > Ercoupe with the Lowest Serial Number. The PQ-13 is > the last pre-war produced Ercoupe and its serial > number is 110. > Syd Cohen with Brandon Garrity as his co-pilot along > with Arden Krueger arrived Wednesday evening as the > Mid-west Flight in look-a-like Ercoupes. Although the > aircraft looked alike, Syd's is a 415D, N94196, and > Arden's is a 415C, N2926H. Syd's aircraft began life > as a 415C but has been converted to a 415D. Syd took > home the trophy for having the Best Ercoupe and Arden > took home the trophy for having the Most Original > Ercoupe. > The People's Choice trophy went to Ronald Blackadav > from Peabody, Massachusetts, and his Alon A2, N423LF. > The trophy for the best Forney went to Bob King from > Mauldin, South Carolina, and his Forney F1, N7556C. > At last year's convention this airplane was stripped > bare and riding on a trailer. Today it is a beautiful > airplane. > The trophy for the best Alon went to Ed Hoak from > Duncannon, Pennsylvania, and his Alon A2, N5616F. > The winner of the trophy for the best Mooney Cadet was > Lynn Rotz of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, and his > Mooney M10, N9510V. Lynn wasn't present at the > banquet to receive his trophy so it will be shipped to > him. > Selection of trophy winners was accomplished by a > judging team consisting of Rick Krens and his father > from Sterling, Virginia, Ed Meyer of Bolingbrook, > Illinois and Norm Patrum of Stilesville, Indiana. > Of special note, although we did not have a trophy for > them, recognition is due to Lynn and Joel Nelsen who > arrived at College Park on Friday morning, June 30, > after flying their 415D Ercoupe, N99387, 7,730 miles > in 79 hours of flying time on a trip around the > country that started from their home in Frostproof, > Florida. Following several other visits after the > convention, I believe they arrived back in Florida > with 9,000 miles of flying experience under their > belts. I hope we see the report of their trip in the > Coupe Capers in the near future. > Certificates were presented during the banquet to > Frank Glenn of Crofton, Maryland, as the Oldest > Certified Pilot who flew his Coupe to the convention; > Rick Krens of Sterling, Virginia, as the Youngest > Certified Pilot who flew his Coupe to the convention > and Dave Perozek of Mercer Island, Washington, for > Longest Direct Distance Traveled to the Convention by > means other than a Coupe. > This year's award of the Fred E. Weick Award was > presented as a joint award to John Wright, Jr. and his > wife Kathy Wright as well as to Eileen Wright for > their years of service to the EOC as well as in > recognition for the two conventions hosted by John and > Kathy and for the outstanding job Eileen has done as > the EOC Secretary for many years. > During the banquet, an afghan donated by the Coupe > Homecoming Club was raffled raising $117 for the Fred > E. Weick Scholarship Fund with the Embry-Riddle > Aviation University. Additionally, four items were > auctioned raising an additional $521 for the > Scholarship Fund. These items were the serial > number one lithograph of the Ercoupe painting donated > by Charles Downs (the artist) that was purchased by > Larry Ulshafer for $155; a copy of "From the Ground > Up" signed by Betsey, Dick and Don Weick was purchased > for $60 by Joe McCawley who immediately put it right > back on the auction block where it was sold a second > time for $76 to Rick Krens; a historical jumpsuit was > purchased by Clem Beauchemin for $30 and the rights > for the future first copy of a CD of all the tapes > dictated by Fred Weick in providing the source > material for "From the Ground Up" was purchased for > $200 by Ronald Madsen. Another $103 was raised for > the scholarship fund from the combined selling of > Ercoupe drawings by John Liebl, three boxes of books > donated to be given away during the convention in > exchange for donations to the scholarship fund and a > three-dollar contribution by an individual convention > attendee. The total amount of money raised for the > scholarship fund was $741. > High dollar value door prizes, which included the $100 > gift certificate from Airtex, the $50 and $35 gift > certificates from UNIVAIR and the gift certificate > from Skyport, were awarded during the banquet. > Once again this year, Steve Kish of Center Valley, > Pennsylvania, and Clem Beauchemin of Farmington, > Connecticut, teamed-up to produce the individual pilot > souvenirs consisting of aircraft photos and the > convention logo in a frame for each pilot who flew > into the convention. > Both Steve and Clem also brought door prizes that were > awarded at the various seminars held throughout the > convention. Clem's Connecticut honey was a big hit. > The material door prizes donated by Miles Recreational > Accessories, Skyport, Trade-A-Plane, Sporty's, > UNIVAIR, Aircraft Spruce & Specialty Company, Wag-Aero > Group, Chief Aircraft and the AOPA were awarded during > the seminars. > The seminars were well attended often with folks > standing to get into the rooms to benefit from the > presentations. The first seminar, "The Old Gray Mare, > She Ain't What She Used To Be" led by Greg Gorecki of > Fort Washington, Maryland, was based on a slide > presentation of the changes made to the Ercoupe over > its production life and since production. It should > have held special interest for those who attended last > year's convention because all the slides were taken of > the aircraft present for that convention. Lively > discussion debated the need and purpose of some of the > changes. > Betsey Weick's seminar on "Growing Up With The > Ercoupe" had a an overflow crowd in attendance and > held a bonus treat for the audience when both of > Betsey's brothers, Don and Dick, joined her in making > the presentation. > The Saturday seminar "The Ercoupe - The Aircraft That > Corrected The Deficiencies of Early Aircraft" was > presented by Robert Swanson of Fort Washington, > Maryland, at a rescheduled, less busy time, on Sunday > afternoon and was well attended and followed by a > discussion among the attendees that resulted in the > sharing of even more favorable information about the > Ercoupe. > The technical seminar on Sunday morning was led by > Robert Donelan of Glen Burnie, Maryland, and was > characterized as a comfortable exchange of information > about common Coupe maintenance problems and ways for > dealing with these problems based on the experience of > the attendees. > Terry Bell of Hagerstown, Maryland, presented the > Carburetor seminar and shared his extensive knowledge > based on his career as a fulltime carburetor > maintenance specialist. > The ERCO and Garber tours were extremely well attended > with 220 people visiting ERCO and 125 people visiting > Ercoupe serial number 1 at the Garber facility. Coupe > Homecoming Club member John Fay coordinated the access > to the Garber facility and may have been instrumental > in having the Ercoupe lowered from the ceiling where > it was stored for the last 20 years. With the > aircraft on the ground, attendees could get a much > better look at it and the equipment on the aircraft. > These are most likely the last times people will be > able to visit either of these sites. The ERCO > building has been purchased by a developer and will > probably be torn down in the near future. Likewise > the Garber facility is closing to the public in the > very near future as the aircraft and material there is > prepared for movement to the new aerospace museum to > be built at the Dulles Airport in Virginia. > The tours of the College Park Aviation Museum and its > restoration shop headed by John Liebl, a Coupe > Homecoming Club member, were well attended and must > have made people feel at home because many attendees > were seen returning again and again to the museum. > The walking tour of the airfield conducted by Bob > Kovalchek was less well attended, but it was scheduled > at the same times the ERCO and Garber tours were > occurring. It was meant as an activity for those who > had already been to ERCO and Garber. Some of those > who didn't go on the College Park Airfield "Field of > Firsts" formal walking tour made the tour on their own > by following the little white airplanes painted on the > tarmac that led to the signboards recording some of > the aviation history of College Park. > The poker run on Saturday was changed to a flight to a > grass airstrip across the Chesapeake Bay that has a > marina restaurant nearby that serves some incredible > crab cakes. In fear of having all the Coupes fly out > to this site on Saturday morning, information on this > special treat was not widely disseminated. > The EOC Board Meeting held Saturday afternoon was an > experience of "conducting business as usual" without > the moments of terror that accompanied last year's > meeting when Skip expressed his desire to step down as > the Executive Director of the EOC. Good work by Joe > McCawley and others to distribute Skip's workload has > allowed him to remain as the Executive Director. > During this year's meeting, a formal web site for the > EOC was approved and everyone will be getting details > on it as it becomes operational. Also Mark Hardin > confirmed he would host next year's convention in > Terrell, Texas on the last weekend in June. Marvin > Dunlap is exploring the possibility of the 2002 > convention being hosted in Michigan. > The nondenominational worship service Sunday morning > focused on three paragraphs from Fred Weick's "From > the Ground Up." They provided examples of the love > that existed between Fred and Dorothy and the love and > humbleness that characterized Fred's life. > The "Coupes Over Washington" flight by 12 Coupes has > been classified so I can neither confirm nor deny the > flight ever took place. However, the pilots and > crewmembers that might have or might not have > participated in this event sure had a lot to talk > about on Sunday after the flight, which did or did not > occur. > The last of the Coupes attending the convention > departed College Park Airfield on Wednesday, July 5. > This convention reaffirmed the special nature of > "Coupers." The "Oshkosh" standard of courtesy, > respect and self-policing was exceeded by the added > dimension of family involvement that makes the Coupers > special. No other aviation group has more spouses, > children, grandchildren and significant others > involved with the pilots, as does the EOC. This > family involvement added wholesomeness to the > gathering that was noticeable and appreciated by our > hosts at the College Park Airfield, the College Park > Aviation Museum, the current NOAA employees occupying > the ERCO factory building, the Experimental Aircraft > Association Chapter 4 members who provided the > hamburgers Saturday and Sunday, the Civil Air Patrol > cadets and seniors providing communication support and > the University of Maryland where many attendees stayed. > > __________________________________________________________________________ ______ > To unsubscribe from this list please send mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > ___________________________________________________________ > T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 > Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics _______________________________________________________ Say Bye to Slow Internet! http://www.home.com/xinbox/signup.html __________________________________________________________________________ ______ To unsubscribe from this list please send mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
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