I am a big fan of Fred Weick and his wonderful Ercoupe including its remarkably simple wing structure, but not everyone likes the twin tails or the lack of rudder pedals in a "true" Ercoupe.
Back in 1946 Aeronca tried to get in on the all-metal (with fabric-covered wings) light aircraft business by license-building the Ercoupe but quickly came to the same conclusion and so revised the design with a conventional tail, much more spacious cockpit, and rudder pedals. Of course, that was a horrible time to introduce a new light aircraft and the project died on the vine.
Still, looking back at the Chum today, it seems like a great foundation or at least inspiration for a modern light sport aircraft that would emphasize comfort, ease of access (for a low-wing design), docile handling, and the ability to operate from dirt or grass strips. A lighter modern incarnation ought to get the empty weight down to 750-800 lb leaving a useful load of 520-570 lb given the LSA maximum weight of 1320 lb for a landplane.
Essentially, you'd end up with an "off-road" version of the RV-12. Does anyone else like this idea?
WIKIPEDIA
Aeronca 12 Chum
Specifications (Chum)
Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1947General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 20 ft (6.1 m)
- Wingspan: 28 ft (8.5 m)
- Height: 8 ft (2.4 m)
- Wing area: 140 sq ft (13 m2)
- Empty weight: 860 lb (390 kg)
- Gross weight: 1,400 lb (635 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 22 US gal (18 imp gal; 83 l)
- Powerplant: 1 × Continental C85J 4-cyl. horizontally-opposed air-cooled piston engine, 85 hp (63 kW)
- Propellers: 2-bladed Sensenich fixed pitch wooden propeller
- Maximum speed: 118 mph (190 km/h, 103 kn)
- Cruise speed: 108 mph (174 km/h, 94 kn)
- Landing speed: 49 mph (43 kn; 79 km/h)
- Range: 250 mi (400 km, 220 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 11,000 ft (3,400 m)
- Rate of climb: 610 ft/min (3.1 m/s)
- Wing loading: 10 lb/sq ft (49 kg/m2)
- Fuel consumption: 0.469 lb/mi (0.1322 kg/km)
- Power/mass: 16.47 lb/hp (10.04 kg/kW)
12AC Chum 1946 = 2pClwM; 75/85hp Continental C-75/85; span: 29'0" length: 20'0" load: 590# v: 115/108/50. All-metal fuselage, fabric-covered wings, tricycle gear. POP: 2 single-tail Ercoupe designs built under license from ERCO [NX39637, NX83772]. Last one had a larger tail, knee-action gear, and all-metal wings. ATC approval (787) from Ercoupe.
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