It was designed to be the safest fixed-wing aircraft that aerospace engineering could provide at the time, and the type continues to enjoy a faithful following.

The resulting aircraft, known as the W-1, featured tricycle landing gear, a parasol wing, and a pusher propeller configuration.

[4] After the prototype W-1 underwent a forced landing, an updated W-1A was built by Fairchild, incorporating leading edge cuffs.

Focusing his efforts on a number of design issues, primarily simplicity and safety, Weick strove to create a reasonably priced aircraft that would not stall or spin.

The ERCO 310, which included a fully cowled engine, made its first flight in October 1937 at the College Park Airport and was soon renamed the "Ercoupe".

[6][page needed] The Ercoupe was the first aircraft certified by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) as "characteristically incapable of spinning."

By the middle of 1941, aluminum supplies were being diverted to war-related production, so ERCO decided to manufacture Ercoupes for military use by using wood as the principal building material.

Thousands of men and women were trained as pilots by the government, and the hope was that they would want to include flying in their civilian life.

[17][18][19] In 1947, ERCO sold its remaining Ercoupe inventory to Sanders Aviation, which continued to produce the aircraft in the same ERCO-owned factory.

[22] Univair Aircraft Corporation of Aurora, Colorado purchased the Ercoupe design from the Engineering and Research Company in 1950.

This decision caused the executives to leave Beechcraft and establish Alon in McPherson, Kansas, which purchased the type certificate for the Aircoupe from the City of Carlsbad, New Mexico on March 16, 1964.

[citation needed] "A new company formed by former Beechcraft executives Allen and Higdon, who have purchased all assets, jigs, tools, and engineering of the program from the city of Carlsbad NM.

"[26] The Alon A-2 and A-2A Aircoupes featured a sliding canopy, a Continental C90 90 hp (67 kW) engine, separate bucket seats, and an improved instrument panel.

Production of the A-2 ceased in September 1967, and on October 9, 1967, Alon was purchased by, and became a division of, the Mooney Airplane Company of Kerrville, Texas.

[30] Three model 415-C aircraft were procured by the United States Army Air Forces for use during World War II.

[32] Subsequent refinements of this technique were made for assisting heavily loaded aircraft in taking off from limited space.

This aircraft was serial number 4784, carried Royal Air Force markings VX 147, and was polished metal with RAF roundels.

However, some Univair Ercoupe 415-C and 415-CD models meet the FAA requirements to be flown by sport pilots as light-sport aircraft.

[citation needed] Data from EAA Museum,[48] Federal Aviation Administration,[49] Plane & Pilot[50]General characteristics Performance