THORP PUSH INTO CHINA

30 Jul 2010

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REMEMBER the Thorp T-211 aircraft? Two-seats, lightweight, tough, rugged, economical and, on a bad day, resembling your granddad’s garden shed?

Well, the current holder of the manufacturing rights, IndUS Aviation, has just completed an amazing deal to manufacture the aircraft in China to kickstart light aviation in emerging markets such as China, India and Pacific Rim countries.

The current version of the T-211 is called the ‘Thorpedo’, a reference to the 3.3-litre 6-cyl Jabiru engine which endows the aircraft with considerable more power and performance than the original.

The China project is a three-way venture between IndUS, led by its charismatic boss Dr Ram Pattisapu, a Chinese private technology company called IPI, and the city of Weinan in the heart of the LuYangHu General Aviation Development Zone – yes, the Chinese authorities have designated this area as the place to devclop light aircraft.

The venture plans to up production of the Thorpedo from a handful of aircraft to 100 a year, at the same time as developing support services. Chinese airspace is also about to be opened up to GA, in an “orderly, progressive fashion”. At present, there are less than 1000 private aircraft in China – this is expected to grow at a fast rate as the Chinese install facilities across their vast country.

www.indusav.com

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