Thorp T-211 Sport E From the world of general aviation aircraft comes an entry to the proposed Light-Sport Aircraft (LSA) category. Presently known as the Thorp T-211, the all-metal airplane will be called the Thorp T-211 Sport E when it makes its debut as a light-sport aircraft. Famed designer John Thorp is perhaps best known for his work leading to the Piper Cherokee series and the T-18 homebuilt. His work on a design that became the T-211 started back in the 1940s before general aviation planes had transportation as their primary goal. When the T-211 was first created - as the T-11 Skooter and later the T-111 - it was intended to become competition for the Cessna 150. The T-211 is a light plane, tipping the scales at hundreds of pounds less than Cessna's smallest model and so it was expected to perform better. Under new management since 2003, Thorp's design is ready to make the leap to the Sport E. More than just a clever renaming of the older model, a new powerplant and further reduced weight will significantly transform the Sport E. The result could be a plane that appeals to ultralight pilots as well as general aviation pilots looking harder at sport flying once FAA's new rule is announced. Rich In History I flew the T-211 with Jason Stone, a Citation pilot for an English businessman involved with IndUS Aviation. IndUS has acquired the production rights, tooling, and all available inventory of parts and spares for the Thorp T-211. A Texas surgeon named Ram Pattisapu formed IndUS Aviation. Born in India, Pattisapu and his family immigrated to the USA when he was 13 years old. Working as a surgeon since the 1980s, he is a 1,000-hour private pilot with instrument and multi-engine ratings. After owning five different aircraft and experiencing many others, Pattisapu found he wanted to work in the field of aviation and left the practice of medicine. Before starting IndUS Aviation, he says he patented two devices designed to enhance aviation safety. IndUS Aviation is an American company, established in 1994. Thanks to his Indian roots, Pattisapu formed a working partnership with Taneja Aerospace and Aviation, Limited (TAAL), of Bangalore, India. TAAL is a leading Indian aircraft manufacturer, building the 6-seat, twin-engine, Partenavia-based P68C; an 11-seat twin turbo prop called Viator; an all-composite UAV and numerous aircraft components for other manufacturers. Building the T-211 airframe would appear to be well within TAAL's capabilities. Completed airframe subassemblies for American sale are shipped to IndUS' U.S. operation. For markets outside India, final assembly - including engine fitting, avionics, painting, interiors and flight-testing - will be accomplished at IndUS' 11,000-square-foot hangar facility at the Dallas Executive Airport in Texas. Many components are sourced in the U.S. IndUS says, "This type of a unique arrangement gives us tremendous flexibility and marked reduction in costs of production, enabling us to deliver highest quality aircraft at the lowest price." "IndUS is proud to manufacture the Thorp T-211 Sport E," says Pattisapu. "We chose the name Sport E to reflect the fact that this FAA type-certified airplane (formerly known as just the Thorp T-211) will be offered for the homebuilder to assemble under the Experimental category (51% rule), as well as the upcoming Light-Sport Aircraft category." The design has gone fully international. The United Kingdom has an avid flying club of Thorp aircraft, explaining the British businessman's interest to acquire the type and production certificate. After years of languishing in its country of origination, IndUS hopes to populate American airports with their side-by-side 2-seater. The T-211 is certainly no Johnny-come-lately. The model dates back to design studies in the early 1940s that led to the Lockheed Little Dipper, a single-place light aircraft. The latter was followed by a 2-seat pusher called the Big Dipper. By 1945, this plane had evolved to the Sky Skooter, a 75-hp Lycoming O-145-powered aircraft. It earned United States Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) CAR 3 Type Certification. By the early 1950s, the Sky Skooter acquired a 90-hp Continental C-90 engine. This work led in 1956 to the 180-hp preliminary design for the Piper Cherokee. That storied company eventually built the PA-28 Cherokee with 150 hp. Thorp's work influenced other designs as well; the 2-place, twin-engine Wing Derringer began life as a twin-engine version of the Skooter. Thorp's work led to the T-18 that became popular among homebuilders. In 1960, one of the all-metal, 2-place, high-performance models built by Don Taylor became the first homebuilt to fly around the world. Finally, in 1963, the FAA Type Certificate for the Sky Skooter was amended to include a 100-hp Continental O-200. This was design designation T-211 for John Thorp. The prolific designer also worked on a 4-place twinjet using a Williams engine back in the early 1960s. By the 1970s he again worked on a single-place, high-performance sport plane plus a World War I replica and he created a design study for a 2-place, twin-engine aircraft based on the T-18. Now IndUS takes the venerable T-211 and, with the addition of an Australian engine, introduces the Sport E. A Closer Look One of the most distinguishing characteristics of the airplane is the ribbed wing design, a feature also found on other aircraft in the World War II time frame. The ribbing is also found on the horizontal tail surface, which is an all-flying stabilator, quite advanced for its day. The advantage of the ribbed aluminum wing and horizontal tail is that this construction saves a lot of interior riveting as far fewer internal ribs are used. The wing forms a sort of external structural rib, greatly easing the assembly process. Sliding canopies aren't common on general aviation aircraft. Even fewer can fly with the canopy slid back. The T-211 can do so, though, and ultralight pilots might enjoy this configuration for local flights in pleasant weather. As with the Cherokee or other low-wing general aviation airplanes, you step on the wing, walk forward a step or so and step down into the cockpit. As you do this, you can check the fuel filler cap security as it is located just aft of the canopy. You may stand on the wing for fueling, though this is easily accomplished standing just behind the wing. Inside the cockpit, you are faced with a familiar general aviation layout which includes a fully finished interior of leather seats, carpeted floors and side walls, plus various elastic-banded stash pockets for aircraft logs, sectional maps, and other items you may want in flight. Behind you is a large hat rack area that can hold 40 pounds of luggage. A webbed cargo net keeps the gear in place during flight, but it is accessible (at least for those flexible enough to pivot inside the snug-fitting cockpit). The T-211 is about an inch wider than the Cessna 150 but that means two big fellows may not fit inside comfortably. A flap lever is forward of a centrally mounted hand brake lever. A detent button is used only to release the flaps. To the left of the flap lever is the fuel shutoff. Two notches of flaps are available, deploying to approximately 15° and 30°. Originally the flaps had a 45° down setting but that proved to be more than is necessary, and it was modified later. A trim wheel is just to the left of the center console; both sides can reach it easily but the right seat can't see the setting easily. Each seat has a control stick positioned between the occupant's legs. An array of instruments faces the left-seat occupant with power switches and key electric starting on the far left of the instrument panel. Near the center of the panel are engine throttle, choke, and the carburetor heat control. Either seat can reach these without a stretch. Our test T-211 had a nice dual nav/com radio stack with transponder, GPS, and dual VORs. At the extreme right is the fuel panel. Both sides have headphone connections and fresh air controls. All in all, the T-211 has a sensible and efficient cockpit layout. Both seats have rudder pedals but the center-mounted hand brake is unidirectional. Like most T-211 controls it can be operated easily from either seat and affords good leverage with adequate stopping power. Skooter in the Air After Stone performed the preflight and we secured the shoulder belt system around us, we were ready to taxi out for takeoff. On a warm day in Florida, I was happy to leave the canopy open until we were number-one for takeoff. Launching in 85° heat and damp, humid conditions showed the limits of the Continental O-200 on an aircraft with two slightly-larger-than-average occupants plus full fuel and a panel full of goodies. We climbed only between 300 and 500 fpm on a day with some convective lift and sink occurring. We flew around at 2,500 feet agl while I familiarized myself with the plane's controls. In a word: easy. The T-211 and Sport E will impress most pilots with well-harmonized controls that are very light to the touch. While not sensitive and without a particularly fast roll rate, the linkages make handling light and pleasant. Thorp designed with ball bearings throughout his control pushrods and bell cranks, and it shows when you move stick and pedals. After leaving the busy Lakeland Linder Airport, we flew to Jay and Terri Kurtz's South Lakeland Airpark. It's always good to see these friends whose airport I have been using for flight reviews for more than 20 years. When we landed in the T-211, Jay came out to say hello and to check out a general aviation design he hadn't often seen frequent the 4,000-foot turf strip. All three landings I performed were good, though you have to operate something like an ultralight and assure adequate speed, which means you may have to speed up a little. That is, you can fly around at 60 mph indicated and feel in full control of the T-211. But Stone advised me to approach at 80 mph indicated, slowing to 70 mph over the runway. These figures seemed somewhat on the conservative side; I feel sure a pilot familiar with the Thorp could bring it in somewhat slower. Using one notch of flaps for landing didn't accomplish much. In fact, Stone says the British pilots who fly the T-211 don't use any flaps. You definitely don't use any flaps for takeoff as you'll only add drag. According to IndUS Aviation, the T-211 can take off in approximately 400 feet. The little bird can land in approximately the same distance so it should feel right at home at most ultralight airparks. With generous clearance afforded by its main gear and nosewheel, you won't worry about turf runways at all. The T-211 is not presently fitted with wheelpants and I wouldn't add them. Go Power Flying behind a Continental O-200 will be unimpressive to ultralight pilots used to plenty of power and light airframes. The T-211 uses the Continental 0-200 engine, which puts out 100 hp and burns 5.5 to 6.0 gallons an hour. IndUS says this engine can produce a cruise of 120 mph but we didn't see those speeds at the lower altitudes we used for this flight review. However, the 100- to 105-mph cruise we did see in mid-April may not be the limit. Marketing manager Scott Severen reports the 100-horse engine fitted to the Thorp is not flying with that much power. In the Type Certificate, the T-211 is limited to 2,500 rpm of power due to the oil pan installed in this version of the engine. While it is rated to 2,750 rpm - where it gets 100 hp - it cannot be run that hard in the T-211 as it has not been tested at the higher power setting. At its certified limit of 2,500 rpm, the O-200 is outputting about 90% power or 90 hp. This margin makes a significant difference and you can measure it. Therefore, Severen says the plan is to install a 6-cylinder 120-hp Jabiru 3300 engine in the Sport E. Since the Jabiru weighs between 40 and 50 pounds less than the Continental, the combination of 30 more horsepower and 40 pounds lighter weight should create a lively performer. The company projects speeds close to 130 mph. IndUS has the Jabiru 3300 and will be fitting it in the summer of 2004. They'll also look at the 80-hp Jabiru 2200 model. While it only produces 80 hp, it weighs another 40 pounds less than the 3300 so it might suffice for use in countries like India where occupants won't tend to be as large as Americans. Power-on and power-off stalls were "extremely mild" according to my tape-recorded notes. In several trials, I found no stall showed any tendency to fall on a wing. Neither did they show the slightest tendency to break over. I flew a power-on stall at full power (well, at 90-hp), a power-off stall entered gently and one entered much more aggressively, plus an accelerated stall. In every case the T-211 showed very mild characteristics. Power-on stall occurred at about 50 mph indicated while power-off stalls occurred at 63 mph indicated. Sporty Sport E IndUS is basically offering three versions of the Sport E. One is the fully certified model and they will limit sales of these on an each-case basis. Some flight schools are using the model and others are investigating. Cost is $99,000 for the fully FAR Part 23-certified model. Next is the Amateur-Built (51%) version. "In addition to manufacturing complete aircraft, IndUS will offer 'Quick 'n EZ-Build' kits for the home- builder. With these kits, nearly half of the assembly process is completed for a cost that is only slightly higher than the basic airframe parts kit," according to the company. Wing spars, wing-attach points, ribs, top skin and leading edge skins are riveted at the factory. The bottom skin is left off so the builder can install the controls. Flaps and ailerons are finished, and ready for assembly to the wing (except for a few rivets left out to allow inspection). All bulkheads, lower skins and stringers are riveted in place. The top skin is left off so the builder can install the controls, fuel cell, antenna cables, and wiring. The vertical fin, rudder, stabilator, and trim tab are finished and ready for assembly, except for a few rivets left out to allow inspection. The EZ-Build Kit includes all parts to finish the airframe firewall aft. Parts are predrilled using matched-hole tooling. All aluminum parts are coated with corrosion protection. Also included are wing tips, stabilator tips, push/pull tubes for ailerons and stabilator controls, rudder pedals, control cables and control horns, Cleveland-style wheels and brakes with 5.00 X 5 tires, pop-out circuit breakers, fuel cell, canopy, and windscreen. "We also offer Rapid Fire builder-assistance programs at our Dallas facility," says IndUS. "This program is unusual in that it actually guarantees that the builder can finish the project within a period of time (for example, buy at Sun 'n Fun, fly by Oshkosh; or buy at Oshkosh, fly by Sun 'n Fun)." Explaining their unique program more fully, Severen says, "In the Rapid Fire Program you will spend up to seven building "weekends" of four full days each (8 hours per day, Friday through Monday or Monday through Thursday) at the IndUS factory in Dallas, Texas. You will receive comprehensive training in all the building techniques required to complete your Thorp Sport E, along with the assistance of the experienced staff." Under the Rapid Fire Program you'll receive working space in IndUS' shop, access to their A&P IA staff and use of company tools, plus they'll arrange lodging. The cost is normally $8,250 when purchased with kit though special opportunities are occasionally offered; check with the factory for more information. The Sport E kit includes a 120-hp Jabiru 3300, basic paint in their "house" white or yellow paint scheme, and standard day VFR instruments. "Extras, bells, whistles, and fancy paint or graphics must be added separately," says IndUS. A Sport E kit runs $25,000 not including the engine, prop, instruments, paint or interior. "Typically these finish items will equal the cost of the airframe kit, or another $25,000," says Severen. Still the kit is the lowest-cost way to acquire the Sport E and the price is competitive with other airplanes in this class. Since it is not efficient to manufacture parts for certified and kit models separately, all Sport Es come with parts off the certified production line, though the kits will not receive the compliance certificate. Finally comes the Sport E for Light-Sport Aircraft. Pattisapu says, "Once the eagerly awaited Light-Sport Aircraft rule is in place, we will recertify our Sport E under the new category. Since this airplane is already type-certified under an FAA standard-category airworthiness certificate, we anticipate being able to comply with the requirements for the new category fairly quickly." Cost for the completed ready-to-fly Sport E in the Special Light-Sport Aircraft category is projected at $70,000. For an all-metal airplane that has won a higher level of certification, and equipped with the 120-hp Jabiru 3300, this is competitive with other proposed higher-end LSAs. "All the required tooling for the parts needed to assemble this aircraft, as well as enough manufactured parts to produce the first 25 such aircraft have been obtained," says IndUS. The only thing the Sport E lacks is you. Are you ready?