The ERCO Ercoupe is an American low-wing
monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...
aircraft that was first flown in 1937. It was originally manufactured by the
Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) shortly before
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
; several other manufacturers continued its production after the war. The final model, the
Mooney M-10
The Mooney M10 Cadet is a light airplane manufactured by the Mooney Aircraft Company in 1969 and 1970. The M10 is derived from the ERCO Ercoupe, the type certificates for which Mooney purchased from the Alon Corporation in 1967.
Design
The M10 i ...
, first flew in 1968 and the last model year was 1970. 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
Fred Weick
![Weick W-1 - GPN-2000-001399](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Weick_W-1_-_GPN-2000-001399.jpg)
In
1931
Events
January
* January 2 – South Dakota native Ernest Lawrence invents the cyclotron, used to accelerate particles to study nuclear physics.
* January 4 – German pilot Elly Beinhorn begins her flight to Africa.
* January 22 – Sir I ...
,
aeronautical engineer
Aerospace engineering is the primary field of engineering concerned with the development of aircraft and spacecraft. It has two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering. Avionics engineering is sim ...
Fred Weick
Fred Ernest Weick (1899–1993) was an airmail pilot, research engineer, and aircraft designer. Working at the NACA, he won the 1929 Collier Trophy for his design of the NACA cowling for radial air-cooled engines. Weick's aircraft designs inc ...
was assistant chief of the aeronautics division of the
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a United States 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 ...
(NACA). In
1934
Events
January–February
* January 1 – The International Telecommunication Union, a specialist agency of the League of Nations, is established.
* January 15 – The 8.0 Nepal–Bihar earthquake strikes Nepal and Bihar with a maxi ...
he asked permission to build an aircraft based on the 1931
Stout Skycar
The Stout Skycar was a series of four one-off American light aircraft of the 1930s.
Development
William Bushnell Stout was a prolific designer of road vehicles and aircraft, including the Ford Trimotor series. He was founder of the Stout Metal A ...
, 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
Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle g ...
, a
parasol wing
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...
, and a
pusher propeller configuration.
Fred Weick listed the W1 design goals that were tested in later seminars:
*
Tricycle landing gear
Tricycle gear is a type of aircraft undercarriage, or ''landing gear'', arranged in a tricycle fashion. The tricycle arrangement has a single nose wheel in the front, and two or more main wheels slightly aft of the center of gravity. Tricycle g ...
with castering nosewheel, 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
The Stearman-Hammond Y-1 was a 1930s American utility monoplane built by the Stearman-Hammond Aircraft Corporation and evaluated by the United States Navy and the British Royal Air Force.
Development
In the early 1930s Dean Hammond designed the ...
, 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.
ERCO
Weick left NACA in 1936 and joined
Engineering and Research Corporation's (ERCO) 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
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes.
A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing confi ...
monoplane configuration in his new model, powered by an engine in
tractor configuration
In aviation, the term tractor configuration refers to an aircraft constructed in the standard configuration with its engine mounted with the propeller in front of it so that the aircraft is "pulled" through the air. Oppositely, the pusher co ...
.
![Erco 415-CDX Ercoupe Owner-maintenance CF-LUN 02](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Erco_415-CDX_Ercoupe_Owner-maintenance_CF-LUN_02.JPG)
The ERCO 310, which included a fully cowled engine, made its first flight in October 1937 at
College Park Airport
College Park Airport is a public airport located in the City of College Park, in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. It is the world's oldest continuously operated airport. The airport is located south of Paint Branch and Lake A ...
and was soon renamed the "Ercoupe". The easy-to-fly design included unique design features, including a large glazed canopy - with almost as much visibility as a
bubble canopy
A bubble canopy is an aircraft canopy constructed without bracing, for the purpose of providing a wider unobstructed field of view to the pilot, often providing 360° all-round visibility.
The designs of bubble canopies can drastically vary; s ...
- for improved visibility. The prototype 310 featured an ERCO-made inverted four-cylinder engine, the
ERCO I-L 116
The ERCO IL-116 was an American inline aircraft engine designed and built in the late 1930s. The type was not placed into series production due to competition from cheaper engines.
Design and development
In late 1938, the Engineering and Resea ...
, which was quickly dropped due to its high manufacturing cost compared to the new four-cylinder
Continental A-65
The Continental O-170 engine is the collective military designation for a family of small aircraft engines, known under the company designation of A50, A65, A75 and A80. The line was designed and built by Continental Motors commencing in the 194 ...
air-cooled
boxer engine
A flat engine is a piston engine where the cylinders are located on either side of a central crankshaft. Flat engines are also known as horizontally opposed engines, however this is distinct from the less common opposed-piston engine design, wh ...
. 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 nosewheel. 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 the first aircraft certified by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) as "characteristically incapable of spinning." The high-winged
General Skyfarer obtained the second certification by licensing the ERCO technology. 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
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
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 aircraft were delivered before
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
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 airflow. Ercoupes were flown during the war by the
Civilian Pilot Training Program
The Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) was a flight training program (1938–1944) sponsored by the United States government with the stated purpose of increasing the number of civilian pilots, though having a clear impact on military prepare ...
for flight instruction, and the
Civil Air Patrol used them to patrol for German submarines.
Postwar sales
![1946 Ercoupe Advertisement in Skyways](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/1946_Ercoupe_Advertisement_in_Skyways.jpg)
Although World War II had interrupted production of the Ercoupe,
general aviation
General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...
manufacturers were enthusiastic about the prospects of a
postwar 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 1945, and in 1946 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 unconventional outlets such as the men's department of the
Macy's
Macy's (originally R. H. Macy & Co.) is an American chain of high-end department stores founded in 1858 by Rowland Hussey Macy. It became a division of the Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores in 1994, through which it is affiliated wi ...
department store chain.
![1949 Ercoupe Advertisement in Flying](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/1949_Ercoupe_Advertisement_in_Flying.jpg)
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. A 30-day layoff at the factory in November resulted in rivets tossed around the factory and some aircraft sides and signs being painted. The year ended with an Ercoupe flown by a test pilot and mechanic breaking up in flight.
Other production
;Aeronca
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. The Chum was powered by a
Continental C-85J with a cruise speed. No production ensued.
;Sanders Aviation
In 1947 ERCO sold its remaining Ercoupe inventory to
Sanders Aviation
The ERCO Ercoupe is an American low-wing monoplane aircraft that was first flown in 1937. It was originally manufactured by the Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) shortly before World War II; several other manufacturers continued it ...
, 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
Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...
, where he developed the agricultural
Piper Pawnee
The PA-25 Pawnee is an agricultural aircraft produced by Piper Aircraft between 1959 and 1981. It remains a widely used aircraft in agricultural spraying and is also used as a tow plane, or tug, for launching gliders or for towing banners. In ...
aircraft and eventually the popular
Piper Cherokee
The Piper PA-28 Cherokee is a family of two-seat or four-seat light aircraft built by Piper Aircraft and designed for flight training, air taxi and personal use.Plane and Pilot: ''1978 Aircraft Directory'', pages 62–64. Werner & Werner Corp, ...
with
John Thorp
John Willard Thorp (June 20, 1912 – April 18, 1992) was an American aeronautical engineer who made significant contributions to aircraft design throughout his life.
Born in French Camp, California, John Thorp grew up from age four in the ...
and
Karl Bergey.
;Univair Aircraft Industries
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 Mooney M10 Cadet. The company holds parts manufacturing app ...
of
Aurora, Colorado
Aurora (, ) is a home rule municipality located in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties, Colorado, United States. The city's population was 386,261 at the 2020 United States Census with 336,035 residing in Arapahoe County, 47,720 residing in ...
purchased the Ercoupe design from the Engineering and Research Company in 1950. It provided spare parts and customer support to the existing aircraft.
;Forney/Fornaire Aircoupe
![Forney F-1A Aircoupe G-ARHB,](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Forney_F-1A_Aircoupe_G-ARHB%2C.jpg)
In April 1955, Univair sold the Ercoupe
type certificate
A type certificate signifies the airworthiness of a particular category of aircraft, according to its manufacturing design (''type design''). It confirms that the aircraft of a new type intended for serial production, is in compliance with applica ...
to the Forney Aircraft Company of
Fort Collins, Colorado, which later became the Fornaire Aircraft Company. The aircraft produced differed from the 415-G in its engine/propeller combination they were upgraded to a C-90 engine, revised engine cowling, larger baggage compartment, and aluminum-covered wing panels. The F-1A model had three axis controls and bucket seats. 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 ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 32,238. Carlsbad is centered at the intersection of U.S. Routes 62/180 and 285, and is the principal city ...
. The company was started by the city, with the hope of establishing aircraft manufacture as a local industry. It purchased the type certificate from Forney when a potential deal with
Beechcraft
Beechcraft is an American brand of civil aviation and military aircraft owned by Textron Aviation since 2014, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Originally, it was a brand of Beech Aircraft Corporation, an American manufacturer of general avi ...
fell through. Only a few airframes were produced before the type certificate was sold to Alon, Incorporated on March 16, 1964. 25 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
Beechcraft is an American brand of civil aviation and military aircraft owned by Textron Aviation since 2014, headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Originally, it was a brand of Beech Aircraft Corporation, an American manufacturer of general avi ...
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 (September 25, 1903 – July 6, 1993) was an American aerospace businesswoman who was the co-founder, president, and chairwoman of the Beech Aircraft Corporation. She founded the company in 1932 with her husband, Walter Beec ...
, who decided to concentrate resources on the
Beechcraft Musketeer. This decision caused the executives to leave Beechcraft and establish Alon in
McPherson, Kansas, which 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."
![ALON A2 (N6503Q) - 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/ALON_A2_%28N6503Q%29_-_2.jpg)
The Alon A-2 and A-2A Aircoupes featured a sliding canopy, a
Continental C90
The Continental C90 and O-200 are a family of air-cooled, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, direct-drive aircraft engines of 201 in³ (3.29 L) displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower (67 and 75 kW).''Federal Aviation Admini ...
engine, separate bucket seats and an improved
instrument panel. The A-2 also differed 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, also known as asymmetric blade effect and asymmetric disc effect, is an aerodynamic phenomenon experienced by a moving propeller,) where the propeller's center of thrust moves off-center when the aircraft is at a high angle of attac ...
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 (this was the same system that was installed in the Forney F-1A). The older two axes control system was offered as an option. 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 characteristics 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
Kerrville is a city in, and the county seat of, Kerr County, Texas, United States. The population of Kerrville was 24,278 at the 2020 census. Kerrville is named after James Kerr, a major in the Texas Revolution, and friend of settler- ...
.
;Mooney A2-A and M-10 Cadet
Mooney began producing the aircraft in 1968 as the Mooney A2-A. Next the company redesigned the fuselage from the cockpit back, with square windows behind the sliding canopy. Even as it produced the A2-A Cadet, Mooney was 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 is an American aircraft manufacturer holding the type certificate for the Stinson 108 series, and Ercoupe series aircraft, including the Forney, Alon and the Mooney M10 Cadet. The company holds parts manufacturing app ...
of
Aurora, Colorado
Aurora (, ) is a home rule municipality located in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties, Colorado, United States. The city's population was 386,261 at the 2020 United States Census with 336,035 residing in Arapahoe County, 47,720 residing in ...
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.
Operational history
Military
![USAAF XPQ-13](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/USAAF_XPQ-13.jpg)
Three model 415-C aircraft were procured by the
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
for use during World War II.
![First JATO assisted Flight - GPN-2000-001538](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/First_JATO_assisted_Flight_-_GPN-2000-001538.jpg)
On 12 August 1941, the first
USAAF
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
rocket-assist takeoff was made by a
Wright Field
Wilbur Wright Field was a military installation and an airfield used as a World War I pilot, mechanic, and armorer training facility and, under different designations, conducted United States Army Air Corps and Air Forces flight testing. Lo ...
test pilot
A test pilot is an aircraft pilot with additional training to fly and evaluate experimental, newly produced and modified aircraft with specific maneuvers, known as flight test techniques.Stinton, Darrol. ''Flying Qualities and Flight Testin ...
, 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
March is the third month of the year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. It is the second of seven months to have a length of 31 days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteorological beginning of spring occurs on the first day of Ma ...
, California, using various combinations of rocket units mounted under the wings of NC28655.
An additional Ercoupe was evaluated by the Royal Air Force in 1947. This aircraft was serial number 4784, carried Royal Air Force markings VX 147 and was polished metal all over with RAF roundels.
Light sport use
The Ercoupe is a
type certified aircraft. 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 characteristics of the Ercoupe helped
Jessica Cox
Jessica Cox (born 1983 in Arizona) is the world's first licensed armless pilot, as well as the first armless black-belt in the American Taekwondo Association. (who was born without arms) to become a qualified pilot.
Variants
;ERCO 310
:Appearing in 1937, this two-seat low-wing monoplane was the origin of the Ercoupe dynasty, powered by a
Continental A40
The Continental A40 engine is a carbureted four-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air-cooled aircraft engine that was developed especially for use in light aircraft by Continental Motors. It was produced between 1931 and 1941.
Design and develop ...
.
;ERCO 415
:Initial production aircraft powered by
ERCO IL-116
The ERCO IL-116 was an American inline aircraft engine designed and built in the late 1930s. The type was not placed into series production due to competition from cheaper engines.
Design and development
In late 1938, the Engineering and Resea ...
engines. The -A and -B suffixes were never used; the company's official records use only the -C suffix, which stood for "Continental", once the IL-116 was no longer used. 10 aircraft were built from 1939 to 1940.
;Wooden Ercoupe
:Two aircraft were built using birch and plywood in 1941 to demonstrate use of non-
strategic materials, but no further aircraft were built and the test articles were scrapped.
;ERCO 415-C Ercoupe
:The prewar 415-C Ercoupes were powered by
Continental A65-8
The Continental O-170 engine is the collective military designation for a family of small aircraft engines, known under the company designation of A50, A65, A75 and A80. The line was designed and built by Continental Motors commencing in the 194 ...
engines. The postwar Ercoupes were powered by
Continental C75
The Continental O-190 (Company designations C75 and C85) is a series of engines made by Continental Motors beginning in the 1940s. Of flat-four configuration, the engines produced 75 hp (56 kW) or 85 hp (63 kW) respectively. ...
engines. One Ercoupe was built in 1946 with a retractable undercarriage but no production followed. These models were built under type certificate A-718, giving them a maximum gross weight of 1,260 pounds, making this model light sport compliant.
;ERCO 415-D Ercoupe and 415-CD Ercoupe
:From 1947, further refinement introduced a 9° elevator up-travel restriction, stainless steel front fuselage skin and increased gross weight (1,400 pounds under type certificate A-787), powered by the
Continental C75
The Continental O-190 (Company designations C75 and C85) is a series of engines made by Continental Motors beginning in the 1940s. Of flat-four configuration, the engines produced 75 hp (56 kW) or 85 hp (63 kW) respectively. ...
. One consequence of the increased gross weight was to make these models ineligible to be flown by light sport pilots.
:One ERCO 415-D was modified under a
Supplemental Type Certificate to fit a
Lycoming O-235-C2C powerplant.
:During 1947, pilots complained that it was too difficult to land with the limited elevator travel. Some of the aircraft produced in 1947 had the 9° elevator up-travel restriction of the 415-D removed and the gross weight lowered. These were designated as model 415-CD Ercoupes. This model used the A-718 type certificate, giving it a gross weight of 1,260 pounds, making this model light sport compliant.
;ERCO 415-E Ercoupe
:From 1948 the -E model, powered by an
Continental C85
The Continental O-190 (Company designations C75 and C85) is a series of engines made by Continental Motors beginning in the 1940s. Of flat-four configuration, the engines produced 75 hp (56 kW) or 85 hp (63 kW) respectively ...
, introduced the split elevator with 20° of up-elevator travel. The -E elevator restored the landing characteristics of the -C model, while having the 1400 lb. gross weight.
;ERCO 415-F Ercoupe
:415-F aircraft had fuel injection.
;ERCO 415-G Ercoupe
:, the 1949 model was powered by an
Continental C85
The Continental O-190 (Company designations C75 and C85) is a series of engines made by Continental Motors beginning in the 1940s. Of flat-four configuration, the engines produced 75 hp (56 kW) or 85 hp (63 kW) respectively ...
, and ''Kiddy-Seat''.
;ERCO 415-H Ercoupe
:Seven aircraft built in 1949 powered by
Continental C75
The Continental O-190 (Company designations C75 and C85) is a series of engines made by Continental Motors beginning in the 1940s. Of flat-four configuration, the engines produced 75 hp (56 kW) or 85 hp (63 kW) respectively. ...
engines with no electrical systems.
;ERCO YO-55
:A single Ercoupe was acquired for evaluation for the military observation role.
;ERCO XPQ-13
:In August 1941 the US Army Air Corps (USAAC) evaluated use of the Ercoupe as a man carrying aerial target. Similar to the pre-war 415-C. Erco provided two aircraft to Wright Field, Dayton Ohio for evaluation. One aircraft was used for JATO testing, with modified extended rudders. Because of the modifications and damages from JATO testing the aircraft was not returned to civilian service. The remaining aircraft continued to serve at the Army Mechanics training school at Lincoln Army Airfield, Lincoln Ne. then assigned from the Lincoln Army Airfield to the Nebraska Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, on 05/29/1944, ultimately returned to civilian service. In the end the military determined the Ercoupe was unsuited for use as an aerial target role.
;ERCO Twin Ercoupe
:in 1948 J. B. Collie of Southeast Air Service produced a Twin Ercoupe by joining two Ercoupe fuselages with a new centre section, similar to the
North American P-82 Twin Mustang
The North American F-82 Twin Mustang is the last American piston-engined fighter ordered into production by the United States Air Force. Based on the North American P-51 Mustang, the F-82 was originally designed as a long-range escort fighter ...
, for use in airshows by
Thrasher Brothers Air Circus, Elberton GA. Flown by Grady Thrasher and his brother, who rolled, looped, and spun it. The aircraft had a smoke system for each engine, and could be flown from either cockpit.
;Forney F-1 Aircoupe
:The Fornaire Aircraft Co. continued development of the ERCO Ercoupe 415-G, as the F-1 Aircoupe powered by a
Continental C90-12F They also built the Forney F1A that had standard three axis controls, to be sold as a basic trainer.
;New Aircoupe
:The rights to the Aircoupe passed from Fornaire, via the
Carlsbad civil government, to
Air Products Co. which marketed the air craft as the New Aircoupe. In 1962 the rights were passed on to Alon.
;Alon A2 Aircoupe
:After acquiring the rights to the Forney Aircoupe (aka Ercoupe), Alon Inc modernized the Ercoupe with a new panel and sliding canopy. Fitting a 90hp
Continental C90
The Continental C90 and O-200 are a family of air-cooled, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, direct-drive aircraft engines of 201 in³ (3.29 L) displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower (67 and 75 kW).''Federal Aviation Admini ...
.
;
Mooney M10 Cadet
The Mooney M10 Cadet is a light airplane manufactured by the Mooney Aircraft Company in 1969 and 1970. The M10 is derived from the ERCO Ercoupe, the type certificates for which Mooney purchased from the Alon Corporation in 1967.
Design
The M10 i ...
:A single-tailed version of the Alon Aircoupe, powered by a
Continental C90-16F, aka Mooney-Coupe, with 59 aircraft built.
;
Bryan Autoplane
:
Leland D. Bryan built a series of roadable aircraft using an Ercoupe fuselage, calling this line the Bryan 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.
;Lasher Little Thumper
:
C. W. Lasher built and flew a single-seat open-cockpit
taildragger
Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft undercarriage consisting of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel or skid to support the tail.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Term ...
aircraft called "Little Thumper", using an Ercoupe center section and wing assembly and an
Aeronca Champ
The Aeronca Model 7 Champion, commonly known as the "Champ", or "Airknocker",Bellanca Aircraft Corp, " d: "The Champ only $4,995"" ''Flying Annual & Pilots' Guide,'' 1971 ed., pp.36–37 iff-Davis NY is a single-engine light airplane with a ...
aft fuselage.
Specifications (Ercoupe 415-C)
See also
Notes
References
*
*
*
*
"Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields: Maryland: Central Prince George's County area" by Roger Freeman, ''
Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields
Abandoned & Little-Known Airfields is an online database detailing information and first hand memories about airports in the United States which are no longer in operation, or are rarely used.
The website was started by Paul Freeman in 1999 a ...
''
"CAC Manuscripts: MS 162" by Marilyn Levinson, ''Center for Archival Collections,
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University (BGSU) is a public research university in Bowling Green, Ohio. The main academic and residential campus is south of Toledo, Ohio. The university has nationally recognized programs and research facilities in the ...
''
"College Park Aviation Museum: History: ERCO" ''
College Park Aviation Museum
College Park Airport is a public airport located in the City of College Park, in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. It is the world's oldest continuously operated airport. The airport is located south of Paint Branch and Lake Ar ...
''
"ERCO Ercoupe" by Roger Guillemette, ''US Centennial of Flight Commission''
''
National Air and Space Museum''
"American airplanes: Ab – Ak" ''Aerofiles''
''Aerofiles''
''Aerofiles''
''Aerofiles''
External links
Owl Plane Can't Spin Or Stall''Popular Science'', October 1940
* Richard Harris
"Ercoupe: Fred Weick's 'Safer' Airplane," ''AAHS Journal,'' Vol 59 No 1 - Spring 2014,
American Aviation Historical Society, retrieved 2016-08-09.
* Richard Harris
"ERCOUPE: Fred Weick’s 'Safer' Airplane - References" (bibliography), ''AAHS Journal,'' Vol 59 No 1 - Spring 2014,
American Aviation Historical Society
AVweb guide to the Ercoupe and Cadet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Erco Ercoupe
1930s United States civil utility aircraft
World War II utility aircraft of the United States
Light-sport aircraft
Aviation in Maryland
Low-wing aircraft
Single-engined tractor aircraft
Ercoupe
The ERCO Ercoupe is an American low-wing monoplane aircraft that was first flown in 1937. It was originally manufactured by the Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) shortly before World War II; several other manufacturers continued it ...
Aircraft first flown in 1937
Twin-tail aircraft