Ernst Viehweger and the Alon Aircoupe
Every Airplane has a history. This is starting in the 80s in Wisconsin, Adams county. My friend Karl-Heinz 'Charly' Strate discovered a fuselage of an Alon Aircoupe in a storage of an FAA-Inspector. At this time it has no engine but a mount for an Lyc. O-235. He bought the project and during all the years he looked for an C-90 and the right mount. When it was nearly completed he died. In 99 I paid a very fair price to Gisela, his wife, maybe much too high, but he was my friend since years. Then Harry helped me. The same Harry were Tom Southern stayed some days during his german visit. With Harrys help and U-Haul we transported it from Wisconsin to Texas. Then we completed the engine: 4 new cylinders and a lot of other stuff. Jesse helped to reassemble the engine.
At this time the hangar rents in gilmer were lifted and I moved the
project to my farm. The wings went on top of my car. A partly inflated
airmattress on top and the wing fixed with some bungee-rubbers. That was
easy, - if you don't drive too fast
The fuselage was more difficult to transport. Jimmy Martin and Al Heard
were hangar-neighbors and looking. But an Ercoupe and also an Aircoupe
has wheels. This way -with max 15 mph- my Alon-Aircoupe was trailered through Gilmer.
We arrived at the farm rather late. Next morning we were surprised that the carport was to short.
So I had to empty the shop, - which is now completly filled with the fuselage and the wings.
There is not too much to do until it will fly again. A generator is missing and the exhaust must become new. The electric wiring is total missing. All parts must be cleaned etc. But that's all (*). It will fly ... maybe autum 2007?
(*)
the first 80% of a job usually take 20% of the time,
the resting 20% of a job usually take 80% of the time
;-(
Now a lot of years passed and there is some progress, although much slower than planned.
The engine is completed with
- a new generator,
- the exhaust is on and
- the baffles are complete too
Now we are working on the cabin-interior. The side-cowlings I'll rivet completly new rather soon.
And a simple avionic-set becomes neccessary.
What else is missing? Instruments, Paperwork! That's all.