Bad landings

: Does the main gear caster on those? I think I heard that it does, but I
: have no confirmation of that.
: --
: Jim in NC

No

OK, now, I gotta ask more questions! g

I realize (I think) how a Ercoupe works, in the "no rudder control on the
floor models" works, with interconnects between the ailerons and the
rudders.

What about this, or how, does this arrangement make crosswind landings a "no
brainer?"
--
Jim in NC

On Sun, 15 Apr 2007 13:04:51 -0400, "Morgans"
wrote in :

how, does this arrangement make crosswind landings a "no
brainer?"

Never having flow one, I offer:

The proper cross-wind landing technique for an Ercupe is to crab into
the wind maintaining flight-track straight down the runway centerline
all the way to the runway surface. At touchdown, the trailing-link
main gear design induces a side force near the CG that causes proper
alignment of the airplane's longitudinal axis with the runway
centerline.

It's a useful, inexpensive and relatively robust aircraft, that can be
operated as a Light Sport Aircraft, IIRC.

You simply land in a crab and the plane straightens itself out. Any
plane will do this but the Ercoupe is designed to do it without damaging
anything.



Morgans wrote:
: Does the main gear caster on those? I think I heard that it does, but I
: have no confirmation of that.
: --
: Jim in NC


No


OK, now, I gotta ask more questions! g

I realize (I think) how a Ercoupe works, in the "no rudder control on the
floor models" works, with interconnects between the ailerons and the
rudders.

What about this, or how, does this arrangement make crosswind landings a "no
brainer?"

Newps wrote:
You simply land in a crab and the plane straightens itself out. Any
plane will do this but the Ercoupe is designed to do it without damaging
anything.

Not any plane will do this. Tail draggers won't.

Matt

Newps wrote:
You simply land in a crab and the plane straightens itself out. Any
plane will do this but the Ercoupe is designed to do it without damaging
anything.

Matt Whiting wrote:
Not any plane will do this. Tail draggers won't.

They will if they have cross-wind landing gear. :-)
Actually, they will roll while still in the crab until the pilot kicks
rudder to straighten the alignment.