ERCO Ercoupe 415 and Aircoupe
7 models built 1946–1967 · 1,269 on the US register today
The Ercoupe, the odd one out in postwar light aviation: a two-seat, low-wing, twin-tailed all-metal aeroplane with tricycle gear and, in original form, no rudder pedals — the rudders are interconnected with the ailerons and it cannot be stalled conventionally or spun. ERCO built the 415-C, 415-CD and heavier 415-D (1946-48); the design passed through Forney (F-1 Aircoupe, 1958-60) and Alon (A2 Aircoupe, 1965-67) before Mooney built it as the M10 Cadet. All on type certificate A-718, which the registry records under ERCO, Ercoupe, Forney and Alon names.
The variants
| MODEL | YEARS | ACTIVE | TAILFAX SCORE | WHAT CHANGED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 415-C | 1946–1947 | 624 | 33/50 | The original postwar Ercoupe |
| 415-CD | 1946–1947 | 48 | Partial 16.2/30 | Revised elevator and nose gear |
| 415-D | 1946–1948 | 100 | Partial 14.7/30 | 1,400 lb gross weight |
| Ercoupe 415-C | 1946–1947 | 272 | 31.6/50 | Registry spelling of the 415-C |
| Ercoupe 415-CD | 1946–1947 | 31 | — | Registry spelling of the 415-CD |
| F-1 | 1958–1960 | 50 | Partial 14/30 | Forney Aircoupe: 90 hp, revised canopy |
| A2 | 1965–1967 | 144 | 23/50 | Alon Aircoupe: sliding canopy, rudder pedals standard |
Family fleet, active
1,269
FAA registry
NTSB events / 1,000, 10 yrs
24.4
31 events over 1,269 active aircraft, pooled across the family
Data as of: FAA registry Sep 28 · NTSB Oct 2 · scores Sep 30