1958 ERCOUPE/FORNEY F1

Description

Detailed Description An honest, well-sorted example of the classic all-metal Aircoupe - twin tails, sliding canopy, side-by-side seating, and the docile handling that made this airframe a favorite for low-time and recreational pilots. It cruises a conservative 95 MPH burning just 5 gallons per hour, and with 23 gallons usable and the auto fuel STC in place, that's roughly 4.5 hours of endurance, 300+ mile legs with VFR reserves, and a fill-up at the pump - about as affordable as certified flying gets. Empty weight is 918 lbs against a 1,400 lb gross, giving a 482 lb useful load - 344 lbs of people and baggage with the tanks full. This is not a project. Over the last two annual cycles the current owner has invested $23,095 in documented maintenance through Southeastern Aero LLC (Coats, NC) - no expense spared, every shop recommendation funded and completed rather than deferred to the next owner. Itemized invoices and logbook entries available to any serious buyer. Ownership & Key Maintenance History found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dhvQK9plTRh3k0d2ELP8q48mFKir9Fbq/view?usp=sharing ★ SEE THIS ACTUAL AIRPLANE FLY ★ N7539C is one of the best-documented Aircoupes flying. The previous owner, content creator VANSLAM, built an extensive YouTube library around this airframe - flight footage, maintenance walkthroughs, engine overhaul, and years of operating history, all publicly viewable. Very few airplanes at this price point come with that kind of transparency. Channel: https://youtube.com/@niinjoosum Sample video: https://youtu.be/NDn4bY_MdMc 2025 Annual: -New cylinder, piston, piston pin and pushrod tube kit; cylinder honed and resealed (exhaust port failure) -New Concord Battery -Crankshaft seal replaced -Stromberg carburetor fully overhauled by D&G Supply of Niles, MI (FAA/EASA certified repair station) - November 2024 at 1910 tach, under 20 hours since -New gascolator; 337s filed for gascolator, pushrod tube, and auto fuel STC -All fuel and oil hoses in engine compartment replaced -LH exhaust stack and rear exhaust shroud replaced; front cowling support repaired -3 new tires and tubes; new brake disc and pads -8 new spark plugs -Main gear serviced with AeroShell Fluid 4, new strut bumpers and mounts -Wing interiors inspected corrosion-free and given fresh anti-corrosion treatment -Oil analysis program in place 2026 Annual: -Header fuel tank removed, cracked outlet boss professionally repaired, reinstalled with new taper pins - fuel system now leak-free -Main gear struts honed, new piston O-rings, serviced with MIL-H-5606 -Standard surface corrosion on exterior skins (RH wing, tail) and LH wing inboard spar cap mechanically removed, treated with Alodine, primed and painted - routine cosmetic-level corrosion for a 68-year-old all-metal airframe, now fully addressed -4 rivets on RH aileron underside replaced, area treated, primed and painted -Three new rudder hinges (P/N F24003) -New bonding jumpers on rudder, elevator and LH aileron -Airspeed indicator calibrated by Air Parts of Lock Haven -Header tank sight gauge rebuilt with new acrylic and cap -10-32 Helicoil installed in RH canopy friction screw -Throttle control clearance corrected at oil sump baffle Complete, unbroken logbooks from day one - records go back to the factory test flights at Forney in Fort Collins, Colorado. All maintenance invoices and AD compliance records available on request. Based near Fort Bragg, NC, this MOSAIC-compliant classic boasts a highly documented, meticulously maintained airframe. * TTAF: 1933 hrs, still flying (Fresh Annual completed June 1, 2026). * Upgrades: Auto Fuel STCs, Cleveland wheels/brakes, Skyport Services main and nose wheel fairings, metal bowl gascolator, and a Grimes belly strobe. * Recent Maintenance: Main gear struts honed and resealed (June 2026), Concorde RG-35A battery (Feb 2025), and an overhauled 6-gal header tank by Safe Skies Aviation (2026). * Condition: No in wing corrosion present. Corrosion proactively managed; lower wing, tail, and rudder skins recently treated with Alodine, primed, and painted (June 2026). Left wing spar previously replaced and fully logged. An honest, structurally sound airframe that has enjoyed thorough, preventative maintenance and is ready to fly.

Modifications

Mechanically the airplane is current with no open airworthiness squawks. The June 2026 annual was performed to the full scope of FAR 43 Appendix D - 18.4 hours of inspection labor alone. The engine was majored in 2008 and has flown 568 hours since - under a third of Continental's published 1,800-hour TBO. Compressions at the June 2026 annual were 77, 78, 66 and 72 over 80, all comfortably serviceable. The oil filter was cut open and inspected at that annual with no metal found. All ADs are researched and complied with: AD 2003-21-01 (wing panel corrosion) - next due June 2027 AD 81-07-06 (fuel pump screen) - next due June 2027 AD 57-02-01 (rudder horn attachment) - next due tach 2029.44 AD 2012-08-06 (aileron support structure & skin cracks) - complied with; ASI calibrated by Air Parts of Lock Haven All ADs were researched through FAA biweekly revision 2026-11, with the full compliance report included in the maintenance records.

Avionics

Narco MK 12D TSO Nav/Comm paired with a matched Narco ID-824 VOR/LOC indicator, plus a Garmin GTX 320A Mode C transponder with altitude encoder. Full 2020 ADS-B Out compliance via uAvionix tailBeacon TSO - a TSO-certified 978 UAT transmitter with its own built-in WAAS GPS and LED tail position light. Original VFR instrument suite - airspeed (freshly calibrated 2026), sensitive altimeter, vertical speed, directional gyro, and magnetic compass. Engine instrumentation includes the original Forney tach with recording hour meter, oil pressure, oil temperature, and an Electronics International digital CHT. Header tank sight gauge rebuilt in 2026. Alternator-equipped with nav lights and panel flood lighting. A portable Dynon D3 Pocket Panel EFIS ($800) is currently mounted on the glareshield for backup attitude and GPS - available with the airplane, negotiable.