Chatting with another Couper I got off on a tangent...
Wouldn't it be neat if a company could take old coupes and completely
strip them and beef them up, maybe counterweight the controls or
whatever, and make them slick as everything. Make them capable of a
Vne of 165-180.
Now put in a nice auto conversion like a Soob or a CAM-125 with a
good
prop and a real tight cowl. Streamline and gap seal everything.
Really do your drag reduction homework.
Bet you could get these birds to cruise about 140-145 on about 4
gallons per hour (that's what the watercooled engines give you) and
have a fun little XC ship. Selling price would be up around
$35K-$40K
I figure.
I wouldn't change the stall characteristics or add rudder pedals-
just
increase the cruise speed for fast, fun, little bird.
Anyway, just dreaming. Three letters stand in the way as I see it...
F A A !
Joa
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