Such a great plane. Owned both a 415D and and A-2 Alon Imported both from Michigan to Windsor, Ontario. The best time of my life flying these planes.
Garnett Stancil, e-mail, 08.03.2013 01:23
Did the U.S.Army Air Aircorp use this aircraft for training purposes?
Greg Bierck, e-mail, 21.01.2013 23:45
I have about 350 hours flying mine, currently in my museum, N99327, SN 1950. Quite a bit if fun to fly cheaply, as long as you didn't have to lift a lot and didn't mind being a bit cramped. Definately designed for two, 150 lb. occupants. Landing one can be scary at first, as one lands this airplane completely differently than taught. It will handle a large cross wind component. It was very simple to maintain. No flaps. The best glide path was simple to figure. Throw a brick out the window an follow it down. Many hours were flown topless or open cock pit. Really nice on hot days and really cold int he winter. It used 5 gallons an hour tops, and I usually tooled around in it at abouta little less than 90 MPH.
Dan Bolle, e-mail, 01.12.2012 01:39
My Dad had one from 1958 to 1963. A dream to fly. Used to fly from Milwaukee to Washington Is on the tip of Door County Peninsula in WI for fishing. He sold it because Dad, Mon and I could not all fit anymore. Sure wish they had made a 4 seater, I think it would still be in production. Great plane!!!
Klaatu83, e-mail, 13.11.2012 01:30
This is one of those airplanes that has been so good for so long that one can only wonder why they aren't still being made somewhere today.
Scottb60, e-mail, 05.06.2012 06:12
A older gentleman bought a Mooney version of what we called the Barf-Cup and a Maule, that he had no idea how to fly them was beside the point.
I taught his wife how to fly the Barf-Cup but the owner pretty much gave up after one or two lessons, plenty of people willing to do the flying for him, for free and that was fine with him.
The Maule was pretty nice, when he had to break down and pay someone to fly it to get somewhere. His wife flew the Maule pretty well also, but he wouldn't fly with her without someone else.
D. Howerton, e-mail, 03.06.2012 23:43
You are some really lucky people to have flown and owned this marvelous little airplane. A retired AF helicopter and fixed wing pilot, I never had the pleasure, but I've admired the simple design of the Ercoupe since my childhood. Someone once said, "If an airplane looks good, it'll probably fly good." The Ercoupe sure looks fine to me.
Mary Burkhead, e-mail, 30.04.2012 23:24
Family has N94352 purchased used Dec 46 by greandad. He flew it l000+ hrs. Claude jr flew it 1000+ hrs. Now son Claude III has flown over 1000 hours. We enjoy flying to visits in NC SC area every weekend to see our many friends
Roger Carney, e-mail, 08.12.2011 23:10
I got my private pilot ticket at Purdue U. in 1953. The PP course was given in Cessna 140A's and Ercoupe's, the latter for all x-country requirments (tail #'s N94853 & N94758). Anybody know where thery are now? Loved that little plane. At age 78, I'm taking lessons for an LSA ticket in a CTLS. It's a challenge but great fun!
john brier, e-mail, 18.09.2011 15:03
Just a wonderful little aircraft. I owned a 1958 Forney, but sold it after about 7 years. I have been through the C-172, Mooney M21, and now a Cardinal. But, recently bought a 1946 C model and will keep it till I am ready to go LSA. No finer aircraft to go into the "very golden" years!!
Chuck Rosenfeld, e-mail, 16.08.2011 02:21
The Ercoupe is still a marvel of engineering, and mine continues to draw attention on the ramp after 65 years. We have a group of five Ercoupes which frequently participate in 'Young Eagle' flights where they are definitely the 'ride of choice' among the young participants... open cockpit and docile handling characeristics are ampond its more endearing features.
Dave Burns, e-mail, 10.06.2011 20:16
I had a F1-a for 3 years. Crosswinds? Who cares! With s 40 mph direct crosswind doing touch and goes. One night going in to Van Nuys the tower advised 81 MPH gusts. Just keep the nose up off the ground till you hit runway. But dont let anyone say they get over 99 mph out of this ship. What a fun plane! Dave Burns
Manuel Erickson, e-mail, 09.06.2011 22:42
The first airplane I owned was a 1946 Ercoupe. She was all-metal and designated as a CD. The serial number was 4664 and I flew my Private rating in her. Does anyone know how I can trace her whereabouts? Please email me at pilot80@shaw.ca. (The "80" in my email address represents the year I learned to fly.) Thanks very much!
clark f gable, e-mail, 15.05.2011 03:35
I own a 1946 415-c. GREAT AIRPLANE,wILL KEEP IT TILL THE DAY i die.
dick price, e-mail, 14.05.2011 01:32
i own NC28962, 1941 Ercoupe serial no 00058 which I believe is the earliest flying example or should I say the oldest one still REALLY flying..Sam Walton's is gorgeoous and hanging in the museum in Fayetteville Ark. I have flown mine from Little Rock Ar. to Culebra Puerto Rico with one leg from Caicos/Turks to San juan about 400 miles over water, out of radio and radar contact...gets really lonesome, but she hummed along. using 3.8 gallons per hour at about 85/90 mph. Hauling my rather ample butt, it will get off the ground (50 degrees F...full fuel, no wind) in 500 feet. That is the threshold length at 1M1 and it has won me plenty of bets. It has also never lost a crosswind landing duel. A steady 35 mph crosswind grounded every other plane at a Cincinnati flyin. She took off and landed 12 times with wind never UNDER 35. 65hp Continental, rag wings, stock ecept for c am and twin Eichmann mags w/ impulse on both. Two stroks of fuel, four blades, ignition on and guranteed to start, pulled down with two fingers 1`/4 rev.
Frank Hall, e-mail, 09.05.2011 10:29
Worked on and rebuilt a few of these things, Lots of interesting and innovative engineering as well as tricky little blunders in the design. The "C" model will be close to overweight with full tanks and no pilot, you certainly can't afford 6 ply tyres and metal skinning, one or the other. Serious corrosion probs on spar caps have written off very many as the job is horrendous to cure. Pretty little things, sort of a cult aeroplane though sometimes not spelled that way.
Vern Baisden, e-mail, 02.05.2011 22:24
Flew the Ercoupe 415-C, C85-12 in the 50s. Because of the 2 control system, it was a compromise. The nose wheel steering via the control, was a bear. It was an efficient performer. Fast cruise, low fuel cosumption. Cross wind landings were different, you landed in the crab angle and let the drag link landing gear take care of it. Liked the 360 degree visibility.
BUD MITCHELL, e-mail, 26.04.2011 01:24
WOULD LOVE TO FIND ONE IF GOOD SHAPE AT A REASONABLE PRICE
Michael Raab, e-mail, 14.04.2011 09:36
I am looking for the company Air Fab? Does anyone have any information on them. I have a baggage modification IAW Air Fab drawing #102. Has anyone else come across this baggage mod.
Bill Wade, e-mail, 13.04.2011 19:51
You guys make me glad I just bought one, a 46 or 47 C with a 90hp Conti. Now I just need my sport pilot ticket.
Bruce McKay, e-mail, 09.04.2011 00:02
I owned a couple of these. One with fabric wings and a rudder kit and one with metal wings. The rudder was good for a cross wind takeoff. It only moved one rudder outboard. Get the nose off and fly away. It also landed very nicely. Keep the speed up, point the nose where you want it, off with the power and plunk her down. Plant the nose and drive her away. Great machine. I think I paid $1500 for one and the other was $1000 including the mice nest in the back. Hello corrosion.
wigida, e-mail, 25.03.2011 06:22
OOps! 2000kms of ocean!!
wigida, e-mail, 25.03.2011 06:20
Circa 1947 a chap named Harry Newton flew an Ercopue from Australia to New Zealand - over 200 kms of ocean - cood effort
John Hichards, e-mail, 14.03.2011 05:31
I lived in Yucca Valley, CA and flew this for many years. A fun airplane. Made many trips around the Southwest US. Only 85 HP and was very economical. It was not aerobatic at all because of the controls design. Just a fun airplane when I needed to relax.
Cliff Lord, e-mail, 02.03.2011 12:30
Iowned 415D Number 3008 N2383H from Jan 1976 to Apr 1979. I almost cried when I handed the keys to the buyer. I was in the Navy and simply couldn't take it with me when I transferred. In 1989 I found it in the back yard of the guy I sold it to. It was partly disasembled and his ex-wife owned it. She sold it back to me for a grand. I started to work on it and then I was striken with disqualifying heart problems. I sold it again. Now that part 9l has been changed to allow us old guys with disqualifying ailments to fly the sweet little birds, Isure would like to buy it back again. I just loved it. Never missed the peddles. One 30 degree cross wind landing and after that they were all just routine. By the way, San Walton owned one.
John C., e-mail, 31.01.2011 01:15
HEY !! How about tha Alon ?? I had one and want another..Great plane...
Michael Raab, e-mail, 02.12.2010 22:58
I am starting to restore a factory certified 415E ercoupe an was wondering if any one has ever seen any blueprints or parts manuals for this particular model? I have searched for hours and hours and have only found 415C model factory blueprints. Model 415E and 415G model aircraft have manufactured differences. Help Please? any info is helpful.
Berge, e-mail, 17.11.2010 05:19
I had one in 1955-63. Great airplane. sorry I sold it.
capt ben, e-mail, 06.10.2010 00:06
About the time I received my private license in 1962 I caught a ride in an Aercoupe at Tallahassee. I remember the pilot having to bank everytime he made a course correction which was a lot. Did he have to do it? I think so, for had he had a rudder, a gentle touch could have kept us on course with the wobbling. Over all it was a nice experience for me as it was more like a military airplane with the canopy design. I wish I had one now. I bought a Luscombe for $1250 in 1963 which my dad couldn't land with the conventional gear so we bought a 172. One of my favorite memories of my dad is seeing him cruise over Destin going no where, just he and His God enjoying each other in the wild blue yonder.
Phil Brand, e-mail, 05.10.2010 22:22
My dad Glois Brand had one of the first dealerships of the Ercoupe in Meridian, Mississippi around 1945, I remember flying at age of 8 with dad. He was WWII flight instructor for Army Air Force, also with the Key Brothers at Key Field, Meridian, Mississippi. I remember Dad Soloing a man with no legs, had to lift him in and out of the seat of the Ercoupe. It was designed to not stall in the air, didn;t have enought up elevator, that is what made it the safest of all airplanes plus it was the first with tricycle gear..Phil Brand
Grady Morgan, e-mail, 29.08.2010 18:54
Great airplane!!!! On crosswind landings just crab straight down the runway and at contact with the ground let go momentairly of the wheel. It will straighten up (after scaring hell out of you) all by itsself. Safe airplane for just flying for most peiople and I never saw need for rudders.
cuma, e-mail, 11.07.2010 00:08
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Doug Rodrigues, e-mail, 13.03.2010 10:17
I forgot to mention that if the "fuel gauge" cork-on-the-end of a rod became corroded and pitted, it sticks because of the air pressure pushing back on it. The two 8 gallon wing tanks feed to the center 6 gallon header tank. We had been flying around for about 3 hours, and I said to my buddy, "Fred," seems to me that the rod should have started down by now? How about you reach out and give that rod a tap. Fred did, and the rod goes Ker Plunk all the way to the bottom! Yikes! We landed immediately and had about a gallon and a half left.
Doug Rodrigues, e-mail, 13.03.2010 10:11
I taught one of my students to fly his rudder pedal-less Ercoupe back in the early 70's. I didn't care to have to have a slight right bank during climb, like Frank Regan above is addressing the yaw control.
J. T. Smith, e-mail, 17.02.2010 02:01
When the US Air Force Academy was located at Lowry AFB (its original home), the Academy Aeroclub had an all-metal Ercoupe (aka Aircoupe) based at Stapleton Field in Denver, Colorado As a Cadet, it was the first powered aircraft I ever soloed. I believe it had a 65hp engine (some models have 85hp), and starting from 5000+ ft, it took a long time to get to traffic pattern altitude. With no manual rudders, it needed castering main gear to permit cross-wind landings. If you needed to slip it, you could stick a hand out and spoil the airflow over the wing root. There was just a single brake pedal on the floorboard, and you steered the front wheel on the ground with the control wheel just like a car. All in all, it felt a lot like driving a Volkswagen with an automatic transmission. Great fun. I'd love to have one now.
Verne Lietz, e-mail, 28.01.2010 06:24
In 1951 I went to the airport at San Angelo, Texas, looking for a plane to buy. The only one available was an Ercoupe with 247 hours on it for $1550. I told the FBO, "No, I don't want to try it out. I flew one once and didn't like it." He convinced me to go for a ride and two hours later I was on my way to Denver in my own Ercoupe at night. While it is disconcerting to land in much of a crosswind, once a pilot gets used to it, it is no problem even if crabbed at 30º, just get the wheel all the way back so the nose gear doesn't grab. If the wind is about 30 mph or more, the plane can be landed cross ways on most taxi strips. I have been told by owners of those with rudders that they are too small to help much. I had two Ercoupes and never had any problems in about 100 hours, but know that they are a bitch to work on due to everything under the cowl and in the cockpit being very jammed in. Mine both cruised at 105 mph at 5 gph on 75 h.p.
Prof. Ed Benguiat, e-mail, 13.04.2009 04:00
I've flown and owned many aircraft. Stearmans, BT 13's, F6 Mustangs, C172, Meyers 200, Siai Marchetti SF260, Super Globe Swift, Spartan Executive, Swearinger SX300. And now I have an Ercoupe 415G. it's the savest and greatest most fun little plane of them all. It's not fast , but at my age I'm in no hurry. And at 115 mph @ 5 gph you just can't beat it.
Harry Gordon, e-mail, 24.03.2009 20:16
I learned to fly in Aeroncas and Cubs but had no trouble adapting to the two-control Ercoupe and never found a need for rudder pedals. I owned a 1948 in the 60s and converted it to a 415E by installing the split elevator, which lowered the landing speed and allowed increased elevator travel. My wife and I flew it from California to North Carolina and back, then a few months later flew it to Florida when I went to work at the Cape. It's still flying; I found it recently on Ebay, for sale in New Jersey, nicely restored and looking much better than when I owned it.
Del Denham, e-mail, 19.03.2009 03:32
I owned a 1946 model 415c from 1976- 1992 s/n3833 best little airplane I ever owned it will run off & hide from a Cessna 150 this one had rudder pedals & a 85H/P Continetal engine.. will not spin.. met Fred Weick at one of our club meetings in Phoenix,Az. great guy to talk airplanes with..
Phil DuBois, 24.07.2008 02:43
Owned a 415-c for 8 yrs. great airplane. doesnt need rudder pedals. I have landed it in 30 kt x-winds. truely a safe airplane. very reliable and inexpensive to fly @ 4 1/2 GPH.
Dave Stoy, e-mail, 29.05.2008 05:32
I owned an ErCoupe for over 10 years (1947 s/n 4819) and flew coast to coast,using it as a second car. When I bought it, the first thing that I was going to do was install the rudder peddle conversion Kit. By the time I could afford the kit I had put about a hundred hours on it and gotten used to not having separate rudder control. I learned how to land in 40 knot Kansas cross winds and never did buy the conversion kit. Our two kids eventually outgrew the little baggage compartment so we sold the plane. Wish I still had it. It was the safest and easiest to fly little plane the I have ever flown.
Frank Regan, e-mail, 28.05.2008 17:57
I flew this airplane without rudder and wouldn't wish the experienc on anyone. Weick tried to make flying an airplane like driving a car. big mistake! an aiplen needs an independent yaw control, i.e. rudder. Evenually the mistake was r ealized and a rudder became standard.
Bill Coons, e-mail, 02.05.2008 18:25
Tail height can vary. The important thing is that the fuselage be level with the window ledge strip. Jack up the tail until level and add spacers in main landing gear to achieve. 337 can be obtained from Skyport industries. or John Cooper, or me. I did the 337.
brian, e-mail, 22.12.2007 23:22
you, and all the pre fifties ads look at hahe the tail hight at 1.80 meters or 5ft 11in.i can not find a ERCO or a sanders service manual, all that seams to be out there are univair who have the tail hight at 6ft 3in and may be right for the later coupes.even Charles H Hubbell did extensive research on all of his prints,has the tail hight at 5ft 11in.looking for any help i can find.thank you beian baragwanath
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