AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 62
BUDGET BUY: Ercoupe 415-C
FLYER
The fly-drive experience
BY THOMAS A. HORNE
W
ith its rounded lines and rolypoly looks, the Ercoupe looks like it would be right at home with a smiley face painted on its nose. And why not? The Ercoupe is one of the simplest, easiest, safest, and most fun airplanes you could want. It’s also among the least expensive to buy and fly on the used market today and, despite its age, has a robust parts and owner support network. Some 2,400 Ercoupes are on the FAA registry, and some of them will sell for as low as $10,000 to $18,000. That’s quite a bargain, especially when you consider that earlier Ercoupes qualify for operation under Light Sport Aircraft rules. That means you can fly them without needing a medical certificate, and can qualify to perform much of the maintenance.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE COLLINS
AOPA PILOT •
62 • MARCH 2012
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012
Contents
President’s Position
Hangar Talk
AOPA Media
AOPA Action
Letters
Waypoints
Proficient Pilot
Safety Pilot
License to Learn
Pilot Counsel
Fly Well
Pilot Briefing
Rally GA: Rights for Pilots?
Keep ’Em Flying: New Voices for GA
Another Day, Another Island
Wx Watch: The Whys of Wind
Avionics: Angle of Attack Indicators
Products: There Are Accessories for That
Tougher Than a Tornado Sweepstakes: Happy Birthday
Never Again
Fly-Outs
Fly by Wire
Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Cover2
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 1
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Contents
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - President’s Position
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 5
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Hangar Talk
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 7
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 8
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 9
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - AOPA Media
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 11
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - AOPA Action
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 13
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 14
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 15
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 16
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 17
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 18
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 19
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 20
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 21
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 22
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 23
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Letters
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 25
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 26
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 27
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Waypoints
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 29
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Proficient Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 31
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Safety Pilot
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 33
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - License to Learn
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 35
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Pilot Counsel
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 37
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Fly Well
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 39
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Pilot Briefing
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 41
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 42
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 43
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 44
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Rally GA: Rights for Pilots?
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 46
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 47
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 48
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Insert001
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Insert002
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Keep ’Em Flying: New Voices for GA
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 50
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 51
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Another Day, Another Island
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 53
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 54
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 55
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 56
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 57
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 58
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 59
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 60
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 61
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 62
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 63
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 65
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AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Insert003
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Insert004
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 89
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 90
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 91
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 92
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Wx Watch: The Whys of Wind
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 94
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 95
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 96
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Avionics: Angle of Attack Indicators
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 98
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Products: There Are Accessories for That
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 100
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Tougher Than a Tornado Sweepstakes: Happy Birthday
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 102
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 103
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Never Again
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 105
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 106
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Fly-Outs
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Fly by Wire
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 109
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 110
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - 111
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Pilots
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Cover3
AOPA Pilot Magazine - March 2012 - Cover4
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