1966 Alon A2 Aircoupe
Serial No. A-92
Registered in Canada as C-FVCH
This Aircoupe spent it’s life in Western Canada. It was purchased it in 1997.
It originally arrived with trailing link landing gear but was converted to later model spring gear. It has flown as #3 aircraft in Flying Colors Precision Fight Demonstration Team, giving over 1000 Young Eagle flight experience rides. Currently flown as ones personal transportation in BC. It has a Special Certificate of Airworthiness – Owner Maintenance. This allows the owner to do the maintenance and repairs on it. Annual inspections are signed off by the owner. It has continued to be maintained by mechanic to do inspections and work that is beyond the owners ability, but as an owner maintainer, the owner is the one who signs it off. This makes owning an airplane such as this much more affordable.
This a visual log of the redevelopment of this airplane to more current times. These airplanes are aged and need a good work over to improve the overall operation and airframe mechanical conditions. That being said, the degree of improvement is only as involved as ones own personal level of satisfaction. But in this case safety, utility and comfort is the order of the day.
This airplane has seen it’s share of owners, mostly in the prairies of Canada, and a bit in The north central US. So, it has spent pretty much all of it’s life in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. A little time in Dryden, North Dakota and BC, But 90% of it’s 1680-ish hours on the prairies.11 owners in it’s lifetime, not sure if that is a lot but for sure it’s many. 1680 hours total time it is time for a make over.
Here is the list.
First registered as N6592Q
Feb.14, 1966. Alfred C. Pietsch
Pietsch Flying Service, Minot North Dakota.
After 293 hrs it became… CF-VCH
Aug.14, 1966. A Johnson
Brandon MB
Then it changed hands a few times but remained mostly in southern Manitoba.
Oct. 5, 1968
D. Skibinsky
Neepawa MB
June 25, 1973
Dale White
Hartney / Souris MB
May 19, 1975
N. Georgison
Brandon MB
July 25, 1975
Rich Gower
Dryden ON
Sept. 26, 1976
Victor Booth
Virden / Brandon MB
Feb. 29, 1992
Ed Paull
Elkhorn MB
May 14, 1992
Abe Suderman
Niverville / Steinbach MB
March 29, 1997
Dave Gillespie
Saskatoon SK
Started it’s stint with Flying Colors Formation Team and Young Eagles on July 18, 1997.
Someone parachuted out of it on the same day (not the pilot).
Transitioned to owner maintenance in March 2001.
Flew to Clearwater Florida ( and back) April 2001.
Trailered to Oliver BC in 2018.
November 2020
Martin Gibbs
Victoria BC.
In the current state, the cockpit is quite traditional. I enjoyed the simple presentation of instruments enclosed by the white face panel. This cockpit looks in reasonable condition which has been shielded by the canopy cover.
These covers are essential to the wellbeing of the Aircoupe canopy and cockpit, covered from prying eyes, and shielded from harmful effects of Sunlight UV damage.
Simple coms and a simple tablet GPS device for basic VFR navigation. Lower central is that famous T handle pull start for the Continental C-90 with a generator. The little engine that sounds so big. Starts are always amusing, due to the big engine sound.
Aircoupe cockpit is being refurbished. Seats removed, battery box checked for connections and the years of dust and bits cleaned out. Seatbelt anchors are inspected and the integrity of the belts reviewed. Nothing glaring in the cockpit belly, just the normal years of operation, at the bottom.
One of the first tasks for this aircraft was tire replacement. All three tires were tired… Even though some tread-ware was evident it was decided that a new set of rubber was needed to start this project off correctly. The image here is of a main gear tire waiting to be replaced. The main gear is of the modified type leaf spring gear that became available later on the life of Aircoupes and Erco Ercoupes.We will review main gear legs later in the presentation.
While the wheels were off, an inspection and repacking of the wheel bearings and brakes systems were accomplished. These systems are straight forward and no leaks were discovered at the brake calipers.
Here is an original main wheel with sidewall cracks and a brake line that is quite close to a rotating main gear brake disk.
Next up is the nose wheel recondition and a replacement of the scissor link bushings and bolts replaced as well as a picture of the new main gear tire. Nose wheel bearing is repacked and steering arm adjustment stud replaced. So quite a few small items in a row while things are removed while the new tire is about to go on.
The exhaust stacks on both sides needed replacing and this took a number of months for the new parts to arrive. The original stacks were a goner and not safe. In this image an original right side stack.
Here is an image of the replaced exhaust and it looks clean a bright. Hoses were replaced in the process.There was a Service Bulletin on the exhausts systems and in this case the SB15 was complied with.
Included in this image is the new fuel hoses to the carburetor.
The Carburetor shroud that houses the carb and the channel for carb heat is a nested system. It needed rebuilding. Here is an image of the completed arrangement.
