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Ercoupe:
The Ercoupe was an innovative aircraft manufactured by ERCO, the Engineering and Research Corporation, which was headed by Henry Berliner or Berliner helicopter fame. The Ercoupe was designed by noted aeronautical engineer, Fred E. Weick, to be spin-proof, stall-proof, and slip-proof. It was a complete departure from the traditional airplane design of the day, and often referred to as "the plane that anyone could fly."
This unique plane had no rudder pedals. Instead, the rudders are linked to the ailerons, preventing the problem of spins. The Ercoupe also has a collar on the control column to limit elevator movement, helping to prevent stalls. Splitting the tail and placing it outside the prop blast eliminated a major source of torque.
The first experimental model of the Ercoupe was test flown at College Park in 1937. The Ercoupe went into production in 1940. |