Thorp T-211

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

Thorp initially 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, this latter firm building five examples as the Thorp Arrow.

The current manufacturers of kits are AD Aerospace in the United Kingdom and Venture Light Aircraft in the US.

Specifications (Typical T-211)

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: 750 lb (339 kg)
• Loaded: 1,270 lb (575 kg)
• Maximum takeoff: lb ( kg)
• Powerplant: 1x Continental O-200-A, 100 hp (75 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 120 mph (193 km/h)
• Range: 475 miles (764 km)
• Service ceiling: 12,500 ft (3,810 m)
• Rate of climb: 750 ft/min (229 m/min)
• Wing loading: 12.1 lb/ft² (60 kg/m²)
• Power/Mass: 0.08 hp/lb (0.13 kW/kg)

External links:

• Custom Planes article (http://www.venture-thorpt-211.com/custplanes.html)
• Venture T-211 product page (http://www.venture-thorpt-211.com/)
• AD Aerospace product page (http://www.ad-holdings.co.uk/thorp/)

Related content

Related development: Thorp T-18

Comparable aircraft:

Designation sequence: T-11 - T-18