Aviation History: Erco Ercoupe
Rudder pedals? What rudder pedals?
Designed by engineer Fred Weick and built by Erco, the Engineering and Research Corporation of Riverdale, Maryland, the two-seat Ercoupe had tricycle landing gear with trailing-link struts for better ground handling—revolutionary features at the time. These features alone all but did away with ground loops and hard landings. To prevent stalls and spins, the Ercoupe’s up-elevator travel was limited to prevent the airplane from reaching stall angles of attack. The twin-boom, H-style vertical stabilizers were mounted away from the airplane’s longitudinal axis so that the propeller’s P-factor and torque effects wouldn’t be as great at low airspeeds and high pitch angles.
Another interesting touch was the method of ground steering: You used the control yoke to steer, just like in a car. And the yoke was interconnected with the rudders to ensure coordinated flight. There were no rudder pedals in early Ercoupes because they weren’t needed. A single brake pedal graced the floorboard in front of the pilot, another nod to automotive design. All these features added up to an airplane that was easy, safe, and fun to fly. The canopy halves even slid down so that you had the feeling of being in a flying convertible.
The first Ercoupes went on sale from 1939 to 1941, but World War II interrupted production, save for a few military versions—and a one-off model that used rockets for jet-assisted takeoffs. When production resumed in 1946, the model 415–C Ercoupe became a smash hit, with a whopping 4,309 of the 75-horsepower, Continental C-75-powered, 112-mph/96-knot airplanes delivered that year. Back then, Ercoupes sold for $2,600 and were even sold at Macy’s department stores. But after that, sales went downhill.
The Ercoupe type certificate then went through a succession of owners, including Forney Aircraft Company and Alon Inc. Finally, Mooney Airplane Co. built a much-modified version of the Ercoupe—with a single vertical stabilizer. Today, Univair provides parts for the Ercoupe, but manufacturing ceased in 1974. Owing to their light weight (1,260-pound maximum takeoff weight) and limited speed envelope, they’re popular as Light Sport aircraft and can sell for less than $20,000.
Stories such as this can be found in Freedom to Fly: AOPA and the History of General Aviation in America, celebrating the eightieth anniversary of AOPA, written by AOPA writers, now available for $39.95.
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