This is a Pilot Report from "Flying" Magazine from September 1966!!!! It's on the Alon A2 Aircoupe. I hope you will enjoy. I'll be typing this article in two parts and sending one tonight and one right away in the morning. Enjoy!!
"THE AIRCOUPE" Alon's Gerry Spear told us, "will grow on you." Never
having been grown on by an airplane before, it was with some trepidation
that we borrowed 5661 Fox for a three day weekend in which to observe the
phenomenon. We're relieved to report that Spear was using a figure of
speech. And he was more or less right.
Getting started off on the wrong foot, both figuratively and
literally, was the biggest problem we had with the airplane.
Figuratively, that's an easy thing to do. Though other designs may
remain in customer favor unto a second and third generation, there's
this traditional fear that a come backer may be out of step with the
times-no matter how many improvements.
So you approach the airplane with your left foot forward. You
notice first that quaint split tail. Then a great gap in the elevator
that
might be an omen of weird control responses. And finally that
over-the-side entry and egress.
There's where the wrong-foot-foremost problem becomes literal.
On out first encounter a year or so back we got out feet tangled up and
decided the Aircoupe can best be gotten into like that guy on TV gets in
to a Hertz convertible.
When we arrived at McPherson, Kansas, however,, to pick up 61
Fox, Spear did some advance cultivating on us to aid the growing
process. "First," he cautioned, "be sure the flaps are up(not wing
flaps; seat flaps for stepping onto), then lead off with the aft
(airplane wise) leg, placing the foot where you'll sit."
From there on, we found, it's practically a walk-in. Really.
Just don't forget to lower your flaps before landing in the cushions.
Exit is the same thing in reverse.
Even before you get the hang of it you'll find the canopy
arrangement had it's points. You feel quite sporty in summertime
taxiing out with it shoved back. Noisy, but we had no difficulty
hearing the cabin speaker. Ground ventilation was fantastic.
The canopy may be opened at in flight speeds of less then 87
knots (100mph), which we tried. Noisy, drafty, but sporty. Alon is
strong on sportiness. There's even a stubby stick-shift on the floor.
You twist the knob for elevator trim. For 25$ you can get an elegant
Naugahyde cockpit cover, just like the convertible MGs have; in pure
white, with black snaps and everything.
Once we got our best foot forward, our Aircoupemanship improved
rapidly. A half-dozen stalls convinced us there's nothing ominous about
that double, split tail. Alon says the new Aircoupe, like the old, is
spin proof. Must be. Not enough elevator for a deep stall and not enough
rudder to get it turning anyhow. The rudder is soft at all speeds.
Slips and cross wind landings require a leg stretching full travel.
Ailerons are very effective through the stall. They're almost full
span, and the up one goes up,up,up; the down one hardly moves. Adverse
yaw is nil and a canted engine takes care of torque.
This is the thing about the old Aircoupe: It's had all those
modern features since way back yonder. Incidentally, a rudder
pedal-less Aircoupe is still available for 95$ above the base $8.395.
The clincher on the Aircoupes ease of control came when we
returned to McPherson's one way strip for landings. Through a 15knot wind
was
blowing, with gusts to 25, we had no difficulties. A couple of touch and
goes, a factory tour(production rate is 2 and a half each week with more
then 200 deliveries) and a pleasant chat with Alon President John Allen,
then we were off.
Since Alon's slogan is "For the Fun of It," we'd planned to have
fun. We were going over into the lake resort country of eastern
Oklahoma, the Southwest's answer to bikini land, for a thorough check of
the tremendous visibility through that bubble canopy. As luck would have
it, through, high winds make it more prudent to fly south in to the
tranquil skies.
Well, there's about the first half of the article...Just remember this is
what people thought of the Aircoupe(Yes it's Air not Er) in September of
1966. A real piece of history. The rest will be out Sunday. Night.
Zach Freiberg
Co-Pilot
NC94196
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