Ercoupe
Forney
Alon
Rocket Testing
1999 10th Annual West Coast Falco Fly-In
Forney
In 1954 Vest Aircraft, Parts Division bought the Ercoupe rights - the Type Certificate, drawings, tools, and all remaining parts.
Forney Industries of Fort Collins, Colorado then purchased the manufacturing rights and all assets of the Ercoupe from Vest Aircraft, Parts Division in 1955.
A "sneak preview" of the "Forney Aircoupe" was the feature of the Forney Industries Christmas party in 1955. The spelling of the name was changed from "Ercoupe" to "Aircoupe."
Forney engineers made 358 changes to the 415G Ercoupe to make it the Forney F-1 Aircoupe. Among the most significant were: installation of the 90-hp Continental C90-12F engine; replacement of the fabric covered wings with metal; installation of an improved bubble windshield and larger rear windows of rectangular shape; installation of bucket seats; modernization of the instrument panel; and replacement of the rubber doughnuts on the main landing gear with Belleville springs.
The name of the Forney Aircoupe was eventually changed to the Fornaire, and it was offered in three different versions: the Explorer, the Expiditer, and the Execta. Production of the Fornaires peaked in 1959 at 82 planes.
In August 1960 Carlsbad purchased the aircraft type certificate from the aircraft division of Forney Industries. From 1956-1960, Forney had built and sold 157 Aircoupes. Production now ceased at Fort Collins and was transferred to New Mexico.
The AirCoupe Division of Air Products Company leased the facilities at the municipal airport from the city. Forney cooperated with the city of Carlsbad and Air Products on phasing the relocation of the equipment and personnel. Forney produced parts under contract for Air Products for quite some time.
The first AirCoupe came off the assembly line December 16, 1960. Between the end of 1960 and the beginning of 1962, Air Products built 25 Model F-1A "Carlsbad Coupes".
