Global Aviator December/January 2017/18 / Vol. 9 / No. 12 11
and it never became as popoular
as the harder to fly but much more
popular Stinson or Super Cub.
More than 5000 airframes have
been produced over the years by more
than a handful of manufacturers in
almost thirty years, during which
the production rights were sold
multiple times. In the end when
Mooney bought the design, the good
little Ercoupe even had to give up its
iconic tail. Mooney wanted to sell the
aircraft, which always promoted as
being non-spinnable, as a basic trainer.
Per FAA regulations the aircraft had
to be able to spin. Thus the classic and
genius design was robbed once more
of one of its unique features and fitted
with the well known straight Mooney
tail. It didn't help, and fortunately
only 59 of these malformed aircraft
were produced before Mooney
sold the rights to Univair, where
you can still order parts today.
Light sport aircraft
In the course of history the most
ludicrous modifications where made
to the old and friendly twin-tail. Two
brothers even attached two airframes
to each other, inspired by the North
American P-82 Twin Mustang. They
became an instant hit in the airshow
circuit. The airframe performed
without the slightest protest. And
seventy years later, the foresight of
Fred Weick became apparent with the
introduction if the Light Sport Aircraft
category. With its medical based on
the drivers licence, this category
that some of the older Ercoupes fall
under gives wings to a lot of people
that previously couldn't fly because
of medical or financial reasons. Themost spectacular example without a
doubt was Jessica Cox, an American
woman who was born without arms
and who saw her dream of becoming
a pilot fulfilled after passing her
practical exam in an Ercoupe which
she controlled only with her feet.
Fred Weick would be proud. •The mechanism that links the rudders (cables) and ailerons (push rods) to the steering wheel.The US Navy color scheme was chosen
because of personal preference, but three
Ercoupes actually were part of the continuous
hunt for German submarines at the US East
coast in WW2.