ERCO Ercoupe
Encyclopedia
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The ERCO Ercoupe is a low-wing monoplane
aircraft that was designed and built in the United States
. It was first manufactured by the Engineering and Research Corporation
(ERCO) shortly before World War II
; several other manufacturers continued its production after the war. The final unit was completed in 1968. It was designed to be the safest fixed-wing aircraft that aerospace engineering could provide at the time, and the type continues to enjoy a faithful following.
In 1931
, aeronautical engineer Fred Weick
was assistant chief of the aeronautics division of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
(NACA). In 1934
he asked permission to build an aircraft based on the 1931 Stout Skycar
, using fabric instead of aluminum covering, and control modifications based on NACA research. Weick and a group of co-workers designed and assembled the experimental aircraft
with a group of his colleagues who worked on the project in their spare time and paid for it themselves. The resulting aircraft, known as the W-1, featured tricycle landing gear, a parasol wing
, and a pusher propeller configuration
.
Fred Weick listed the W1 design goals that were tested in later seminars:
In 1934 the Bureau of Air Commerce approached Weick's team looking for standards for a competition for a safe and practical $700 aircraft. In 1936 the winner of the competition was the Stearman-Hammond Y-1
, incorporating many of the safety features of the W-1. Two other winners were the Waterman Aeroplane
and a roadable autogyro, the Autogiro Company of America AC-35
. The W-1 was not intended for production to qualify as a competitor, but was purchased by the Bureau for continued experimental tests in spin-control safety. After the prototype W-1 underwent a forced landing, an updated W-1A was built by Fairchild, incorporating leading edge cuffs.
Weick left NACA in 1936 and joined ERCO's fledgling aircraft team as chief designer, primarily to continue improving his aircraft design. Focusing his efforts on a number of design issues, primarily simplicity and safety, Weick strove to create a reasonably priced aircraft that would not stall
or spin
. Retaining the tricycle gear, for ease of maneuvering on the ground, and limited stall-spin features, Weick switched to a low-wing monoplane configuration in his new model, powered by an engine in tractor configuration
.
The ERCO 310, which included a fully cowled engine, made its first flight in October 1937 at College Park Airport
and was soon renamed the "Ercoupe". The easy-to-fly design included unique design features, including a large glazed canopy for improved visibility. The prototype 310 featured an ERCO-made inverted four-cylinder engine, the ERCO I-L 116, which was quickly dropped due to its high manufacturing cost compared to the new Continental A-65 horizontal. Lacking rudder pedals, the Ercoupe was flown using only the control wheel. A two-control system linked the rudder and aileron systems, which controlled yaw and roll, with the steerable nose wheel. The control wheel controlled the pitch and the steering of the aircraft, both on the ground and in the air, simplifying control and coordinated turning and eliminating the need for rudder pedals. A completely new category of pilot's license was created by the CAA for Ercoupe pilots who had never used a rudder pedal.
The Ercoupe was certified by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) as "characteristically incapable of spinning." The first production Ercoupe, serial no. 1, NC15692 built in 1939 was donated to the National Air and Space Museum
. In 1941 that aircraft, designated YO-55, was used in US Army Air Force testing.
The two-seat ERCO Ercoupe 415 went on sale in 1940. LIFE magazine
described the aircraft as "nearly foolproof" and showed pictures of a pilot landing with his hands in the air. Only 112 units were delivered before World War II
intervened, halting all civil aircraft production. By mid-1941 aluminum supplies were being diverted to war-related production, so ERCO decided to manufacture Ercoupes for military use by using wood as the principal building material. The substitution of wood resulted in a heavier but quieter aircraft, because the wood absorbed vibrations from the engine and air flow. Ercoupes were flown during the war by the Civilian Pilot Training Program
for flight instruction, and the Civil Air Patrol
used them to patrol for German submarines.
Although World War II had interrupted production of the Ercoupe, general aviation
manufacturers were enthusiastic about the prospects of a post-war aviation boom. Thousands of men and women were trained as pilots by the government, and the hope was that they would want to include flying in their civilian life. Production of the model 415-C resumed in 1946, and in that year alone 4,311 aircraft were produced and sold at a cost of US$2,665. This was the same price as in 1941. At its peak, ERCO was turning out 34 Ercoupes per day, operating three shifts per day. The aircraft was aggressively marketed through non-conventional outlets such as the men's department of the Macy's
department store chain.
However, private aircraft sales slumped after the war and the bottom dropped out of the civil aircraft market in late 1946, ending prospects for a boom market for civil aircraft sales.
Aeronca obtained a licence to produce the Ercoupe 415 as the Aeronca 12AC Chum in 1946 and built two prototypes: NX39637, with the Ercoupe twin-tail, and NX83772 with a larger, single tail, metal wings and trailing-link struts in the main undercarriage. No production ensued.
Sanders Aviation
In 1947 ERCO sold its remaining Ercoupe inventory to Sanders Aviation, which continued to produce the aircraft in the same ERCO-owned factory. A total of 213 aircraft were sold by 1950. During this time, ERCO's chief engineer Fred Wieck moved on to Texas A&M, where he developed the agricultural Piper Pawnee aircraft and eventually the popular Piper Cherokee
with John Thorpe
and Karl Bergley.
Univair Aircraft Industries
Univair Aircraft Corporation
of Aurora, Colorado
purchased the Ercoupe design from the Engineering and Research Company in 1950. They provided spare parts and customer support to the existing aircraft.
Forney/Fornaire Aircoupe
In April 1955, Univair sold the Ercoupe type certificate
to the Forney Aircraft Company of Fort Collins, Colorado
, which later became the Fornaire Aircraft Company. The aircraft they produced differed from the 415-G in its engine/propeller combination, revised engine cowling, larger baggage compartment, and aluminum-covered wing panels. Production began in 1958 and ended in 1959.
A total of 138 aircraft were produced.
Air Products Company Aircoupe
Between August 1960 and March 1964, the rights to the Aircoupe aircraft were held by the AirCoupe division of Air Products Company of Carlsbad, New Mexico
. The company was started by the city, with the hope of establishing aircraft manufacture as a local industry. They purchased the type certificate from Forney when a potential deal with Beechcraft
fell through. Only a few planes were produced before the type certificate was sold to Alon, Incorporated on March 16, 1964. Twenty-five of the F-1A Forney Trainer were produced for US$7,450 each.
Alon Aircoupe
Alon Inc. was founded by John Allen
and Lee O. Higdon, two executives who had retired from aircraft manufacturer Beechcraft
to found their own company. They had previously negotiated with Forney Aircraft to purchase production of the Aircoupe so that Beechcraft could use the design as an introductory trainer. The deal was canceled by Olive Ann Beech
, who decided to concentrate resources on the Beechcraft Musketeer
. This decision caused the executives to leave Beechcraft and establish operations in McPherson, Kansas
where they purchased the type certificate for the Aircoupe from the City of Carlsbad, New Mexico on March 16, 1964.
The Alon A-2 and A-2A Aircoupes featured a sliding canopy, a more powerful Continental C90 90 hp engine, separate bucket seats and an improved instrument panel
. The A-2 also differs from earlier two-control models in having limited-movement rudder pedals. This was done in order to make it a more acceptable training aircraft and to make it easier to counteract increased P-factor
yaw during a climb from the more powerful engine. Nosewheel steering was no longer interlinked with the control yoke, and was changed to the more common practice of being interlinked with the rudder pedals. The single control (non-differential) wheel brakes remained. The airplane had a higher rate of climb, a higher speed for best climb rate, and better engine cooling. Its non-spinning character remained unchanged.
Alon produced 245 A-2s from 1964 to 1967, with peak production of 137 in 1966. The last 25 A-2s produced by Alon had spring steel landing gear in place of the original main gear struts, light alloy castings and trailing links. The base price in 1967 was up to $7975. Production of the A-2 ceased in September 1967, and on October 9, 1967, Alon was purchased by, and became a division of the Mooney Airplane Company
of Kerrville, Texas
.
Mooney A2-A and M-10 Cadet
Mooney began producing the aircraft in 1968 as the Mooney A2-A. Next the company re-designed the fuselage from the cockpit back, with square windows behind the sliding canopy. Even as they produced the A2-A Cadet, the Mooney engineers were busy re-designing the aircraft. On February 23, 1968, the first Mooney Cadet M-10 flew. The aircraft has a single fin, with a vertical leading edge, as most Mooneys do.
Univair
The type certificate was sold to Univair Aircraft Corporation
of Aurora, Colorado
in October, 1974 and remains with Univair. The company has not produced any new aircraft but continues to produce replacement parts and provide technical assistance to Ercoupe owners.
Three model 415-C aircraft were procured by the United States Army Air Forces
for use during World War II.
On 12 August 1941, the first Air Corps rocket-assist takeoff
was made by a Wright Field
test pilot
, Capt. Homer Boushey, using a small civilian-type Ercoupe aircraft. Subsequent refinements of this technique were made for assisting heavily-loaded aircraft in taking off from limited space. The tests were conducted between 6 August and 23 August 1941, at March Field, California, using various combinations of rocket units mounted under the wings of NC28655.
. However, some Univair Ercoupe 415-C and 415-CD models meet the FAA requirements to be flown by sport pilots as light-sport aircraft
.
The ERCO Ercoupe is a low-wing monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
aircraft that was designed and built in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was first manufactured by the Engineering and Research Corporation
Engineering and Research Corporation
Engineering and Research Corporation was started by Henry Berliner in 1930. Berliner was the son of Emile Berliner, who had patented numerous inventions relating to sound and acoustics, and pioneer of helicopter development with the experimental Berliner Helicopter.The younger Berliner founded...
(ERCO) shortly before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
; several other manufacturers continued its production after the war. The final unit was completed in 1968. It was designed to be the safest fixed-wing aircraft that aerospace engineering could provide at the time, and the type continues to enjoy a faithful following.
Design and development
1931 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1931:- Events :* Manufacturer Airspeed Ltd founded in York, England.* Alexander Seversky founds the Seversky Aircraft Corporation....
, aeronautical engineer Fred Weick
Fred Weick
Fred Ernest Weick was one of the United States' earliest aviation pioneers, working as an airmail pilot, research engineer, and aircraft designer....
was assistant chief of the aeronautics division of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics was a U.S. federal agency founded on March 3, 1915 to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958 the agency was dissolved, and its assets and personnel transferred to the newly created National Aeronautics and...
(NACA). In 1934
1934 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1934:-Events:* Sir Alan Cobhams Flight Refuelling Ltd. develops the looped-hose aerial refueling system, a weighted cable let out of a tanker aircraft and grabbed by a grapnel fired from the receiving aircraft...
he asked permission to build an aircraft based on the 1931 Stout Skycar
Stout Skycar
-External links:*...
, using fabric instead of aluminum covering, and control modifications based on NACA research. Weick and a group of co-workers designed and assembled the experimental aircraft
Experimental aircraft
An experimental aircraft is an aircraft that has not yet been fully proven in flight. Often, this implies that new aerospace technologies are being tested on the aircraft, though the label is more broad....
with a group of his colleagues who worked on the project in their spare time and paid for it themselves. The resulting aircraft, known as the W-1, featured tricycle landing gear, a parasol wing
Parasol wing
A parasol wing monoplane is an aircraft design in which the wing is not mounted directly to the fuselage, but rather, the fuselage is supported beneath it by a set of struts, called cabane struts...
, and a pusher propeller configuration
Pusher configuration
In a craft with a pusher configuration the propeller are mounted behind their respective engine. According to Bill Gunston, a "pusher propeller" is one mounted behind engine so that drive shaft is in compression...
.
Fred Weick listed the W1 design goals that were tested in later seminars:
- Tricycle landing gear with castering nose wheel, steerable if desired
- Suitable longitudinal and lateral stability with limited up-elevator deflection, to prevent loss of control due to stalling and spinning.
- A glide-control flap
- Two-control operation using controls for pitch and roll.
In 1934 the Bureau of Air Commerce approached Weick's team looking for standards for a competition for a safe and practical $700 aircraft. In 1936 the winner of the competition was the Stearman-Hammond Y-1
Stearman-Hammond Y-1
-Bibliography:...
, incorporating many of the safety features of the W-1. Two other winners were the Waterman Aeroplane
Waldo Waterman
thumb|200px|Waldo Waterman in 1920Waldo Dean Waterman was an inventor and aviation pioneer from San Diego, California...
and a roadable autogyro, the Autogiro Company of America AC-35
Autogiro Company of America AC-35
|-See also:-Notes:* Popular Science Monthly, October 1933, conceptual drawing based on information supplied by manufacture...
. The W-1 was not intended for production to qualify as a competitor, but was purchased by the Bureau for continued experimental tests in spin-control safety. After the prototype W-1 underwent a forced landing, an updated W-1A was built by Fairchild, incorporating leading edge cuffs.
Weick left NACA in 1936 and joined ERCO's fledgling aircraft team as chief designer, primarily to continue improving his aircraft design. Focusing his efforts on a number of design issues, primarily simplicity and safety, Weick strove to create a reasonably priced aircraft that would not stall
Stall (flight)
In fluid dynamics, a stall is a reduction in the lift coefficient generated by a foil as angle of attack increases. This occurs when the critical angle of attack of the foil is exceeded...
or spin
Spin (flight)
In aviation, a spin is an aggravated stall resulting in autorotation about the spin axis wherein the aircraft follows a corkscrew downward path. Spins can be entered intentionally or unintentionally, from any flight attitude and from practically any airspeed—all that is required is sufficient yaw...
. Retaining the tricycle gear, for ease of maneuvering on the ground, and limited stall-spin features, Weick switched to a low-wing monoplane configuration in his new model, powered by an engine in tractor configuration
Tractor configuration
thumb|right|[[Evektor-Aerotechnik|Aerotechnik EV97A Eurostar]], a tractor configuration aircraft, being pulled into position by its pilot for refuelling....
.
The ERCO 310, which included a fully cowled engine, made its first flight in October 1937 at College Park Airport
College Park Airport
College Park Airport is a public airport located in the City of College Park, in Prince Georges County, Maryland, USA. It is the world's oldest continuously operated airport.-History:...
and was soon renamed the "Ercoupe". The easy-to-fly design included unique design features, including a large glazed canopy for improved visibility. The prototype 310 featured an ERCO-made inverted four-cylinder engine, the ERCO I-L 116, which was quickly dropped due to its high manufacturing cost compared to the new Continental A-65 horizontal. Lacking rudder pedals, the Ercoupe was flown using only the control wheel. A two-control system linked the rudder and aileron systems, which controlled yaw and roll, with the steerable nose wheel. The control wheel controlled the pitch and the steering of the aircraft, both on the ground and in the air, simplifying control and coordinated turning and eliminating the need for rudder pedals. A completely new category of pilot's license was created by the CAA for Ercoupe pilots who had never used a rudder pedal.
The Ercoupe was certified by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) as "characteristically incapable of spinning." The first production Ercoupe, serial no. 1, NC15692 built in 1939 was donated to the National Air and Space Museum
National Air and Space Museum
The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
. In 1941 that aircraft, designated YO-55, was used in US Army Air Force testing.
The two-seat ERCO Ercoupe 415 went on sale in 1940. LIFE magazine
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
described the aircraft as "nearly foolproof" and showed pictures of a pilot landing with his hands in the air. Only 112 units were delivered before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
intervened, halting all civil aircraft production. By mid-1941 aluminum supplies were being diverted to war-related production, so ERCO decided to manufacture Ercoupes for military use by using wood as the principal building material. The substitution of wood resulted in a heavier but quieter aircraft, because the wood absorbed vibrations from the engine and air flow. Ercoupes were flown during the war by the Civilian Pilot Training Program
Civilian Pilot Training Program
The Civilian Pilot Training Program was a flight training program sponsored by the United States government with the stated purpose of increasing the number of civilian pilots, though having a clear impact on military preparedness....
for flight instruction, and the Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
used them to patrol for German submarines.
Post war sales
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
manufacturers were enthusiastic about the prospects of a post-war aviation boom. Thousands of men and women were trained as pilots by the government, and the hope was that they would want to include flying in their civilian life. Production of the model 415-C resumed in 1946, and in that year alone 4,311 aircraft were produced and sold at a cost of US$2,665. This was the same price as in 1941. At its peak, ERCO was turning out 34 Ercoupes per day, operating three shifts per day. The aircraft was aggressively marketed through non-conventional outlets such as the men's department of the Macy's
Macy's
Macy's is a U.S. chain of mid-to-high range department stores. In addition to its flagship Herald Square location in New York City, the company operates over 800 stores in the United States...
department store chain.
Other production
AeroncaAeronca obtained a licence to produce the Ercoupe 415 as the Aeronca 12AC Chum in 1946 and built two prototypes: NX39637, with the Ercoupe twin-tail, and NX83772 with a larger, single tail, metal wings and trailing-link struts in the main undercarriage. No production ensued.
Sanders Aviation
In 1947 ERCO sold its remaining Ercoupe inventory to Sanders Aviation, which continued to produce the aircraft in the same ERCO-owned factory. A total of 213 aircraft were sold by 1950. During this time, ERCO's chief engineer Fred Wieck moved on to Texas A&M, where he developed the agricultural Piper Pawnee aircraft and eventually the popular Piper Cherokee
Piper Cherokee
The Piper PA-28 Cherokee is a family of light aircraft designed for flight training, air taxi, and personal use. It is built by Piper Aircraft....
with John Thorpe
John Thorpe
John Thorpe or Thorp was an English architect. Little is known of his life, and his work is dubiously inferred, rather than accurately known, from a folio of drawings in the Sir John Soane's Museum, to which Horace Walpole called attention, in 1780, in his Anecdotes of Painting; but how far these...
and Karl Bergley.
Univair Aircraft Industries
Univair Aircraft Corporation
Univair Aircraft Corporation
Univair Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft manufacturer holding the type certificate for the Stinson 108 series, and Ercoupe series aircraft, including the Forney, Alon and the M-10 Cadet. The company holds PMAs for Aeronca Champion, Bellanca Citabria, Bellanca Decathlon, Aeronca Scout,...
of Aurora, Colorado
Aurora, Colorado
City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality spanning Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties in Colorado. Aurora is an eastern suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city is the third most populous city in the Colorado and the 56th most populous city in the...
purchased the Ercoupe design from the Engineering and Research Company in 1950. They provided spare parts and customer support to the existing aircraft.
Forney/Fornaire Aircoupe
In April 1955, Univair sold the Ercoupe type certificate
Type certificate
A Type Certificate, is awarded by aviation regulating bodies to aerospace manufacturers after it has been established that the particular design of a civil aircraft, engine, or propeller has fulfilled the regulating bodies' current prevailing airworthiness requirements for the safe conduct of...
to the Forney Aircraft Company of Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, and is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Fort Collins is located north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2010 census...
, which later became the Fornaire Aircraft Company. The aircraft they produced differed from the 415-G in its engine/propeller combination, revised engine cowling, larger baggage compartment, and aluminum-covered wing panels. Production began in 1958 and ended in 1959.
- 56 of the F-1 Forney Deluxe were produced in 1958 and sold for $6,995 each.
- 59 of the F-1 Forney Explorer, Execta and Expediter were produced in 1959 and sold for $6,995.
- 23 of the F-1A Forney Trainer were produced in 1959. It was sold for $7,450.
A total of 138 aircraft were produced.
Air Products Company Aircoupe
Between August 1960 and March 1964, the rights to the Aircoupe aircraft were held by the AirCoupe division of Air Products Company of Carlsbad, New Mexico
Carlsbad, New Mexico
Carlsbad is a city in and the county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 26,138. Carlsbad is the center of the designated micropolitan area of Carlsbad-Artesia, which has a total population of 55,435...
. The company was started by the city, with the hope of establishing aircraft manufacture as a local industry. They purchased the type certificate from Forney when a potential deal with Beechcraft
Beechcraft
Beechcraft is an American manufacturer of general aviation and military aircraft, ranging from light single engine aircraft to business jets and light military transports. Previously a division of Raytheon, it has been a brand of Hawker Beechcraft since 2006....
fell through. Only a few planes were produced before the type certificate was sold to Alon, Incorporated on March 16, 1964. Twenty-five of the F-1A Forney Trainer were produced for US$7,450 each.
Alon Aircoupe
Alon Inc. was founded by John Allen
John Allen
-Politicians:*John Allen , U.S. Representative from Connecticut*John B. Allen , first U.S. Senator from Washington*John Clayton Allen , U.S. Representative from Illinois...
and Lee O. Higdon, two executives who had retired from aircraft manufacturer Beechcraft
Beechcraft
Beechcraft is an American manufacturer of general aviation and military aircraft, ranging from light single engine aircraft to business jets and light military transports. Previously a division of Raytheon, it has been a brand of Hawker Beechcraft since 2006....
to found their own company. They had previously negotiated with Forney Aircraft to purchase production of the Aircoupe so that Beechcraft could use the design as an introductory trainer. The deal was canceled by Olive Ann Beech
Olive Ann Beech
Olive Ann Beech was a U.S. aviation pioneer and businesswoman.With her husband, Walter Herschel Beech, she founded the Beech Aircraft Company....
, who decided to concentrate resources on the Beechcraft Musketeer
Beechcraft Musketeer
The Beechcraft Musketeer is a family of single-engine, low-wing, light aircraft that was produced by Beechcraft. The line includes the Model 19 Musketeer Sport, the Model 23 Musketeer, Custom and Sundowner, the Model 23-24 Musketeer Super III the retractable gear Model 24-R Sierra and the military...
. This decision caused the executives to leave Beechcraft and establish operations in McPherson, Kansas
McPherson, Kansas
McPherson is a city in and the county seat of McPherson County, Kansas, United States, in the central part of the state. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,155. The city is named after Union General James Birdseye McPherson, a Civil War general...
where they purchased the type certificate for the Aircoupe from the City of Carlsbad, New Mexico on March 16, 1964.
"A new company formed by former Beechcraft executives Allen and Higdon, who have purchased all assets, jigs, tools, and engineering of the program from the city of Carlsbad NM. They expect to deliver the first of 30-50 Aircoupes to be built next year for about $8,000." (-- Aviation Week 3/30/64)
The Alon A-2 and A-2A Aircoupes featured a sliding canopy, a more powerful Continental C90 90 hp engine, separate bucket seats and an improved instrument panel
Flight instruments
Flight instruments are the instruments in the cockpit of an aircraft that provide the pilot with information about the flight situation of that aircraft, such as height, speed and altitude...
. The A-2 also differs from earlier two-control models in having limited-movement rudder pedals. This was done in order to make it a more acceptable training aircraft and to make it easier to counteract increased P-factor
P-factor
P-factor, also known as asymmetric blade effect and asymmetric disc effect, is an aerodynamic phenomenon experienced by a moving propeller, that is responsible for asymmetrical relocation of the propeller's center of thrust when aircraft is at a high angle of attack.- Causes :When an aircraft is in...
yaw during a climb from the more powerful engine. Nosewheel steering was no longer interlinked with the control yoke, and was changed to the more common practice of being interlinked with the rudder pedals. The single control (non-differential) wheel brakes remained. The airplane had a higher rate of climb, a higher speed for best climb rate, and better engine cooling. Its non-spinning character remained unchanged.
Alon produced 245 A-2s from 1964 to 1967, with peak production of 137 in 1966. The last 25 A-2s produced by Alon had spring steel landing gear in place of the original main gear struts, light alloy castings and trailing links. The base price in 1967 was up to $7975. Production of the A-2 ceased in September 1967, and on October 9, 1967, Alon was purchased by, and became a division of the Mooney Airplane Company
Mooney Airplane Company
The Mooney Aviation Company, Inc. is a U.S. manufacturer of single-engined general aviation aircraft. Mooney has been a leader in civil aviation even though the company has gone bankrupt and changed ownership several times...
of Kerrville, Texas
Kerrville, Texas
Kerrville is a city in Kerr County, Texas, United States. The population was 20,425 at the 2000 census. In 2009, the population was 22,826...
.
Mooney A2-A and M-10 Cadet
Mooney began producing the aircraft in 1968 as the Mooney A2-A. Next the company re-designed the fuselage from the cockpit back, with square windows behind the sliding canopy. Even as they produced the A2-A Cadet, the Mooney engineers were busy re-designing the aircraft. On February 23, 1968, the first Mooney Cadet M-10 flew. The aircraft has a single fin, with a vertical leading edge, as most Mooneys do.
Univair
The type certificate was sold to Univair Aircraft Corporation
Univair Aircraft Corporation
Univair Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft manufacturer holding the type certificate for the Stinson 108 series, and Ercoupe series aircraft, including the Forney, Alon and the M-10 Cadet. The company holds PMAs for Aeronca Champion, Bellanca Citabria, Bellanca Decathlon, Aeronca Scout,...
of Aurora, Colorado
Aurora, Colorado
City of Aurora is a Home Rule Municipality spanning Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties in Colorado. Aurora is an eastern suburb of the Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area . The city is the third most populous city in the Colorado and the 56th most populous city in the...
in October, 1974 and remains with Univair. The company has not produced any new aircraft but continues to produce replacement parts and provide technical assistance to Ercoupe owners.
Military
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
for use during World War II.
| Construction Number |
Construction Date |
Civilian Registration |
Purchase Date |
Army Air Force Designation |
Army Air Force Serial Number |
Service Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | December 4, 1940 | NC28655 | January 4, 1941 | YO-55 | 41-18875 | February 26, 1941 |
| 110 | NC37143 | August 19, 1941 | XPQ-13 | 41-25196 | December 8, 1941 | |
| XXX | unknown | unknown | unknown | XPQ-13 | 41-39099 | unknown |
JATO
JATO is an acronym for jet-fuel assisted take off. It is a system for helping overloaded aircraft into the air by providing additional thrust in the form of small rockets....
was made by a Wright Field
Wright Field
Wright Field was an airfield of the United States Army Air Corps and Air Forces near Riverside, Ohio. From 1927 to 1947 it was the research and development center for the Air Corps, and during World War II a flight test center....
test pilot
Test pilot
A test pilot is an aviator who flies new and modified aircraft in specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques or FTTs, allowing the results to be measured and the design to be evaluated....
, Capt. Homer Boushey, using a small civilian-type Ercoupe aircraft. Subsequent refinements of this technique were made for assisting heavily-loaded aircraft in taking off from limited space. The tests were conducted between 6 August and 23 August 1941, at March Field, California, using various combinations of rocket units mounted under the wings of NC28655.
Light sport use
The Ercoupe is a type certified aircraftType certificate
A Type Certificate, is awarded by aviation regulating bodies to aerospace manufacturers after it has been established that the particular design of a civil aircraft, engine, or propeller has fulfilled the regulating bodies' current prevailing airworthiness requirements for the safe conduct of...
. However, some Univair Ercoupe 415-C and 415-CD models meet the FAA requirements to be flown by sport pilots as light-sport aircraft
Light-sport Aircraft
A Light-sport aircraft, also known as light sport aircraft or LSA, is a small aircraft that is simple to fly and which meets certain regulations set by a National aviation authority restricting weight and performance...
.
Variants
- In 1948 J B Collie of Southeast Air Service merged two Ercoupes at the wing roots to create a twin-engine, triple-tail, four-passenger aircraft. The Thrasher Brothers Air Circus used the aircraft to perform loops, rolls, spins. The aircraft had a smoke system for each engine, and could be flown from either cockpit.
- Leland D. Bryan built a series of roadable aircraft using an Ercoupe fuselage. He called his line the "Autoplane". Significant modifications included a double articulated folding wing mechanism and a pusher engine. It still retained Ercoupe features such as the twin tail and the center section. The first flight was in 1953, and the model II flew 65 hours. The Model III with a single wing fold mechanism crashed in 1974 killing Bryan.
- C. W. Lasher built and flew a single-seat open-cockpit taildraggerConventional landing gearthumb|The [[Piper PA-18|Piper Super Cub]] is a popular taildragger aircraft.thumb|right|A [[Cessna 150]] converted to taildragger configuration by installation of an after-market modification kit....
aircraft called "Little Thumper". He used an Ercoupe center section and wing assembly and an Aeronca Champ aft fuselage.