Today’s Top Pick is a 1946 ERCO 415-C Ercoupe.

Lately we have read about the growing use of simplified flight controls in aviation from the developing eVTOL category to personal aircraft that increasingly assist pilots in efficiently maintaining control. The ERCO Ercoupe is an ancestor of these modern systems, having pioneered the easy-to-fly-aircraft concept as early as the 1930s.

The Ercoupe is well-known among pilots as the airplane without rudder pedals. For coordinated turns, it uses coupled rudders and ailerons through a traditional control wheel. Limited control surface movements and the Ercoupe’s overall design were intended to make it a safe, stall-proof aircraft. Many of its fans say it performs as advertised and is lots of fun to fly.

The airplane’s generous wing, twin vertical fins, and tricycle landing gear (that stood out in an era of taildraggers) all seem to point to stability and ease of use. Other features, including a low wing and large bubble-style canopy, give the pilot and passenger better-than-average visibility.

This 1946 Ercoupe has 1,784 hours on the airframe, 267 hours on its 90 hp Continental C90-12F engine since overhaul, and 245 hours on its McCauley two-blade propeller since new.

The panel includes a Flightline FL-760 Comm radio, Narco glideslope Garmin GPS 396, GTX 320A transponder, Sigtronics Sport 200 panel mount two-place intercom, airspeed and vertical speed indicators, turn coordinator, directional indicator, altimeter, RPM, Oil pressure, EGT, air temperature, carburetor temperature, amp and voltage gauges.

Additional equipment includes a uAvionics TailBeacon ADS-B Out unit, 12-volt auxiliary adapter, landing and taxi lights, and bubble-style windshield.

Pilots looking for an easy-to-fly piece of aviation history that is economical, has timeless charm, and will be welcome at any vintage fly-in, should consider this 1946 ERCO Ercoupe, which is available for $31,500 on AircraftForSale.

If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use their airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Approachable Aircraft: Ercoupe
• FLYING Magazine: Hawaii Lessons in an Ercoupe
• FLYING Magazine: The Process of Obtaining a Medical Certificate
• Plane & Pilot: ERCO Ercoupe, 1937
• Plane & Pilot: Ercoupe
• Plane & Pilot: The Ugliest Light Planes (That Only Their Owners Find Beautiful)
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Ercoupe and Cadet

The post This 1946 ERCO Ercoupe Is an Especially Easy-to-Fly ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Formerly known as the Carolinas Aviation Museum, the Sullenberger Aviation Museum is scheduled to open June 1 at 10 a.m. EDT.

“When it opens, Sullenberger Aviation Museum will be one of the world’s leading institutions honoring and exploring the wonder of flight,” the museum said in a statement. “But it’s more than just a collection of historic aircraft. Through its expanded mission, the museum will serve as a vehicle of opportunity to inspire, educate, and elevate the next generation of innovators. “

• READ MORE: Museum Spotlight: Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum

A primary museum focus, according to its officials, is to provide opportunities for communities traditionally underrepresented in aviation, such as women and people of color.

‘Miracle on the Hudson’

On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549 was en route from New York La Guardia Airport (KLGA) to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (KCLT) when the aircraft encountered a flock of birds while at low altitude, leading to a dual loss of engine power. Sullenberger, along with copilot Jeff Skiles, put the Airbus 320 down in the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 on board.

• READ MORE: Sully Hangs Up His Epaulets

The aircraft was recovered from the river and later installed in the museum location near KCLT, as many of the passengers on board the aircraft that day were en route to Charlotte.

The museum will feature three thematic areas that focus on innovation, people who have contributed to aviation, as well as the economic and cultural development of Charlotte. Aircraft on display include replicas of the Wright  Flyer and glider planes, a McDonnell F-4S Phantom II, a Douglas D-558-1 Skystreak used to test breaking the sound barrier, a Grumman F-14 Tomcat, an ERCO Ercoupe, an American Champion Citabria, and a Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star. The A320 from Flight 1549 will also be on exhibit.

“Our reimagined galleries and immersive storytelling encompass much more than a new facility, as we now have the privilege to serve as a convener of opportunity, advancing equity and access to careers in aviation throughout the Carolinas and beyond,” said Stephen Saucier, president of the museum. “We look forward to welcoming curious lifelong learners of all ages through our doors in just a few short months.”

The post Sullenberger Aviation Museum Opening Date Set appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Today’s Top Pick is a 1946 ERCO 415-D Ercoupe.

Flying has always involved risk, but it was a particularly dangerous endeavor in its early days. As the decades progressed, so did aviation safety. Still, taking to the sky in small airplanes remained far from a safe activity, largely because loss-of-control accidents have always been common. Aviation history includes a number of designs and features aimed at making small airplanes safer, and the ERCO Ercoupe is among the more successful examples.

Designed during the 1930s by Fred Weick, who would later be instrumental in developing the Piper PA-28 Cherokee, the Ercoupe essentially combined an inherently stable airframe with limited control movements that prevented stalls and spins. The control arrangement also eliminated rudder pedals and the “footwork” that the manufacturer felt was confusing to many pilots. Relatively low power also kept pilots out of trouble. Ercoupes generally ranged from 40 to 75 hp, though a few examples received larger powerplants and many owners upgraded to more powerful engines over the years. The aircraft for sale here has an 85 hp engine.

This 1946 Ercoupe has 2,871 hours on the airframe and 305 hours on its  engine since overhaul. Avionics include a Garmin 250XL GPS/Com, GTX 321 transponder, PMA 4000 intercom, and uAvionix AV-30-C instrument.

Pilots who understand the appeal of traveling in a historically significant antique aircraft that is equally at home at vintage fly-ins or on modern airport ramps should consider this 1947 Ercoupe, which is available for $39,000 on AircraftForSale.

You can arrange financing of the aircraft through FLYING Finance. For more information, email info@flyingfinance.com.

• FLYING Magazine: Approachable Aircraft: Ercoupe
• FLYING Magazine: Hawaii Lessons in an Ercoupe
• FLYING Magazine: The Process of Obtaining a Medical Certificate
• Plane & Pilot: Ercoupe
• The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Ercoupe and Cadet

The post This 1946 ERCO 415-D Ercoupe Is an ‘AircraftForSale’ Top Pick Built For Safety appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

You may not know that Tucson is home to one of the oldest rodeos in America and the longest non-motorized parade in the world. The Tucson Rodeo Parade has been happening for 98 years, and they invited me to be the Grand Marshal on February 23. How could I accept the invitation without finding a way to include aviation?

The parade is supposed to be non-motorized, but I knew there had to be a way to share the love of aviation with my hometown community. With the event attracting over 170,000 spectators, it would be a shame not to spread the flying bug!

My ERCO Ercoupe is undergoing repair, and we’re still assembling The Impossible Airplane RV-10. But something was waiting in the wings that might just work: a wrecked RV-10 fuselage.

• READ MORE: Seeing Possibility in the Impossible

This RV-10 fuselage is the test bed for The Impossible Airplane modifications. We plan to turn it into a simulator for my testing and training. We even plan to make it available to the general public so everyone can try flying as I do. It will be a way for anyone to experience bipedal flight! It may even inspire inclusive engineering through the experience of a new way of flying.

We are loading this formerly wrecked fuselage (don’t worry, the pilots walked away from the crash) onto a 1900s wagon towards the end of February. I’ll be honest; we still might not make it. The Pima Community College Aviation Technology Department took on the daunting challenge of rehabilitating the sheet metal damage. And they only have a month to do it! I’m grateful for their help because we could never do this alone.

The best parts of this endeavor are the float riders accompanying the vessel. In case folks don’t recognize it as a fuselage of an airplane (the tail, wings, and nose are no longer attached), there are going to be nine children with limb differences dressed in flight suits.

I feel incredibly passionate about this. Growing up with a limb difference, a lot of effort was made to hide that difference. I cannot remember participating in any activity as a child that brought attention to celebrating my difference. I remember being in parades—the first time wearing prosthetic limbs, and the second time wearing a long sleeve jacket to cover up my armlessness.

• READ MORE: Changing the World One Flight at a Time

When the society you grow up in puts so much emphasis on being normal, on babies being born with 10 fingers and 10 toes, or when employers refuse to accommodate a disability, it creates a sense of shame that’s hard for the most confident adult to overcome, let alone a child.

So many people with disabilities feel like being different is their fault. In reality, disability is part of what makes all of us human. According to the WHO, 20 percent of people will experience a disability at some point in their lifetime. That’s over 1 billion people!

As our float joins the parade, these children with limb differences can see me, someone who looks like them, celebrating what makes her different in front of thousands of people. I hope the experience encourages them to see that they shouldn’t hide and be ashamed of what makes them different. All thanks to an airplane pulled two and a half miles by a team of horses!

If you’re in the southwest, come to the parade on the morning of February 23. If you want to support my nonprofit, either directly to help kids with limb differences or via The Impossible Airplane build, you can make a tax-deductible donation here.

I look forward to sharing more stories with you. If you have suggestions for article topics or questions you’d like me to answer, send me an email at thearmlesspilot@gmail.com or visit www.jessicacox.com.

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