Thorp T-211

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T-211

Type	sportplane
Manufacturer	Homebuilt design IndUS Aviation as Light Sport
Designed by	John Thorp
Maiden flight	1945

The T-211 is a light aircraft designed in the US by John Thorp in 1945. It is a low-wing monoplane of conventional design with fixed tricycle undercarriage and a sliding canopy. It bears some family resemblance to the Piper Cherokee, a design that Thorp contributed to significantly.

1 Development
2 Specifications (Typical T-211)
- 2.1 General characteristics
- 2.2 Performance
3 External links
4 Related content

[edit] Development

Thorp constructed eight prototypes, and had the design certified by the FAA, but was unable to find a foothold in the Cessna-dominated post-war US market. The project was therefore shelved until the homebuilding boom saw the rights to the aircraft acquired first by Adams Industries and then by Thorp Aero in the 1970s, the latter firm building five examples as the Thorp Arrow. The kits were then manufactured by AD Aerospace in the United Kingdom and Venture Light Aircraft in the United States.

IndUS Aviation recently began production of the T-211 to the guidelines of Light Sport Aircraft, allowing it to be flown by those with a sport pilot certificate. The Thorp T-211 was the first US-designed Special Light Sport Aircraft to receive certification from the Federal Aviation Administration. The light-sport version uses the 120 hp Jabiru 3300 engine, while the fully certificated version uses a 100 hp Continental O-200 and is equipped for both VFR and IFR.

[edit] Specifications (Typical T-211)

[edit] General characteristics

Crew: one pilot
Capacity: 1 passenger
Length: 18 ft 2 in (5.49 m)
Wingspan: 25 ft 0 in (7.62 m)
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.92 m)
Wing area: 105 ft² (9.67 m²)
Empty weight: 750 lb (339 kg)
Maximum takeoff weight: 1,270 lb (575 kg)
Fuel capacity: 21 gal usable (78 l)
Baggage capacity: 40 lb (18 kg)
Powerplant: 1x Continental O-200-A, 100 hp (75 kW) / Jabiru 3300, 120hp

[edit] Performance

Maximum speed: 120 mph (193 km/h)
Range: 375 miles (764 km)
Service ceiling: 12,500 ft (3,810 m)
Rate of climb: 750 ft/min (229 m/min) for O-200 version and 1000 ft/min for J3300 version
Wing loading: 12.1 lb/ft² (60 kg/m²)
Power/Mass: 0.08 hp/lb (0.13 kW/kg)