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Even though I love Ercoupes, I love my J3 Cub, Especially on Skis or floats, I also love my Beautiful Piper PA17 Vagabond Cub which gets it's skis on each Winter. Both are simple simple simple to hand prop. I have had quite a few folks asking to purchase them. I completely rebuilt the PA17 23 years ago back in the Montreal area and then flew it out here to Alberta, on a 13 day Holiday trip. It is still a Beautiful Ceconite fabric LIGHT aircraft.
Hand Proping has always been a "piece of Cake" There certainly is no reason to object to that method. I would also like to own an Ercoupe that doesn't have all that extra weight of a heavy battery, starter ang Generater.
A good wood prop is 1/2 the wt. of a metal prop and in an accident, the prop goes to tooth picks without having to do an engine overhaul afterwards as would be the case with a metal prop strike.
Fishing, up in Northern Quebec or Ontario or anywhere in Northern Canada via a Piper J3 on floats is a wonderful way to go. Hand proping has always been a comfort for me. I was always confident of a restart. When you are deep in the bush country, being confident of your aircraft to get you back out is always Number ONE on your mind.
Remember what BILL LEAR had said re his LEAR JETS, "IF IT AIN'T INSTALLED, IT CAN'T GO WRONG".
THE LIGHTER THE ERCOUPE THE longer THE GLIDE AND THE SLOWER THE GLIDE SPEED. Remember also that according to physics, damage and injury is a function of speed. KEEP IT LIGHT.
Here in Canada we can register our aircraft in what is called "owner Maintenance " Capable pilots are legal to opt for that classification on most of the older aircraft. We therefore can do our own maintenance if we so choose to. This I strongly believe has made for a better and safer fleet of light aircraft. iT CAN ALSO GENERATE PRIDE IN ONE'S AIRCRAFT, PERSONAL PRIDE THAT IS PRICELESS.
Ron Hynes Alberta Canada
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