I have to cast my vote with Percy. We need a Sport Aviation license with no medical requirement. This would let young people who fly PC simulators come out and have FUN!!! flying. We need small airports with social facilities so that people can both fly and enjoy sitting around talking and learning from others who enjoy flying. Think of it some what like the flying clubs in Europe. The kind of flying most of us like to do is FUN and we do it for the FUN of it. At most airports today the FUN is gone and the few young people who do come out find tall fences and to often very little welcome. I hope that this will change.
The Ercoupe just about the way it was first built is just what is needed. It is easy to fly. It would fly much like the PC simulator (wheel or stick only, yes I know that you can have rudder petals but many do not) to these young people it will seem very natural to not have rudder petals. The 65 & 75 HP Ercoupes do very well under 1260 gross weight and if the limit was 1200 pounds it could be done with care to keep the aircraft light. We would not need IFR instruments, keep saying to your self that this is FUN FLYING, yes a GPS and a comm. radio. You can still do great VFR cross countries hopefully with several friends in their Coupe going along like the Airstream trailer people. I see a basic Ercoupe with only a few small improvements: Alon spring gear may be lighter and cheaper to build and would have less maintenance. The 70 HP Zoche diesel with a motorglider three position prop (the prop will make up for the lower HP and the engine is turbo charged so it holds 70 HP through most airport field elevations) The side sliding glass is cheaper and safe. Much cheaper to build and maintain Large baggage area would be nice Fuel system set up with the same header tank and a way to use left and right wing tanks separately This permits the use of only one wing tank when two people are to fly and the longer range when only one person is flying cross country. Keep in mind that the Zoche Diesel only uses 3 gallons per hour. Most do not have bladders with that kind of range. It should have the "E" split elevator A basic wing leveller auto pilot is cheap and a great safety feature I am sure some of you will have other good ideas of possible improvements Now how can we make it happen? I have talked with my lawyer and we can deal with the liability issues and yes the parts would be built off shore by good aircraft manufactures jet like Boeing builds there Jets. We need several things to make it a real possibility: The Sport Pilot License program We need an association much like the Don Luscombe group who purchased the Type Certificate (in this case from Univare) who would issue a production license to a new company set up to produce the New Ercoupe just as the Luscombe group has licensed the Renaissance Aircraft company. Please understand I have no problem with Univare they are great but the Type Certificate needs to be in neutral hands who want more Ercoupes. Univare can still be a big parts support company (some one needs to do it and they are good at it) We would need the group to provide the kind of promotion supplied by the Luscombe group and some of you may wish to start the local FUN FLYING Centre in your areas We of course would need money and proof of a market I think the aircraft could be done for just under US$ 40,000 if produced in 100 aircraft lots so the first big question is who would buy them so I put it to the group who among you would sell your current aircraft and buy a great new Ercoupe If you would like to send your answers to my address I will report on the support that might come from this group. It could be very interesting and it would be a lot of work but it can be done and it would work it just needs real support and desire from great people like the ones on this list. Have a good day. Best regards, Vern
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