Ercoupe

[jankees]

I'd never heard of the aircraft, but someone wanted a paintjob for it...

[PhrogPhlyer]

Great job! The Ercoupe was born when the US Govt. had a competition to design a safer aircraft. The Ercoupe had NO rudder petal since everything was coupled so you could never cross-control or spin. Cross wind landings were done in a crab all the way to touch down (up to 30 deg from runway heading). Fun plane to "drive" around the skies. Used to fly around with the windows slid down open, like in an auto. You entered/exited by sliding the center overhead panel left or right out of your way (not a forward/aft sliding canopy as was done in some earlier FS versions.

[Rupert]

Yes Phrog,

 

I remember people talking about them but was never around one.

 

My weirdest experience with a prototype was when Locheed was trying to sell us their "Rigid Rotor" choppers for observation.  Their big advantage is they would fly for apparently quite sometime while inverted.  So you'd get a better unobstructed view for observation. 

 

They brought one MCAF Santa to demonstrate and I got to take a ride.  I've been inverted several times in various fixed wings but I really almost freaked out when we went inverted in a chopper!

[PhrogPhlyer]

1 hour ago, Rupert said:

Their big advantage is they would fly for apparently quite sometime while inverted.  So you'd get a better unobstructed view for observation. 

I'd think a larger chin bubble or observation port in the cabin deck would be a heck of a lot easier. 

That a really unique experience you had!.