Is the Certified Thorpedo an LSA?

N918KT · Post by **N918KT** » Mon May 24, 2010 2:51 pm

I was wondering if the Certified Thorpedo with the 100 hp Continental O-200A engine is an LSA. Is that true? If it is not, then why not?

KSCessnaDriver · Post by **KSCessnaDriver** » Mon May 24, 2010 3:00 pm

By certified, you mean the T211? If so, I would say no, because the stall speeds are too high to meet the requirements to be operated by a sport pilot. The other Thorps are, as far as I know. Neat looking airplane, last time I saw one.

N918KT · Post by **N918KT** » Mon May 24, 2010 6:09 pm

Aww man, that's such a shame that the Certified T211 can't be LSA. The Thorpedo with the 120 hp Jabiru engine seems a little bit too powerful for my style. I also like the Skyskooter. How many Skyskooter LSAs are currently flying right now?

KSCessnaDriver · Post by **KSCessnaDriver** » Mon May 24, 2010 6:29 pm

N918KT wrote:Aww man, that's such a shame that the Certified T211 can't be LSA. The Thorpedo with the 120 hp Jabiru engine seems a little bit too powerful for my style.

Might want to look at it, as the Jabiru equipped plane is probably a little slower than the T211. The reason the T211 stalls faster is a smaller wing. Smaller wings generally equate to faster speeds. I'd love to fly either of them, but I've only seen them at airshows.

3Dreaming · Post by **3Dreaming** » Tue May 25, 2010 8:28 am

The Thorp T 211 should be light sport. I couldn't find a clean stall speed, but with flaps it's quoted as 39kts. MTOW is 1270, so your good there. The problem is in looking there were only 8 built by thorp when he tried to get them in production back in the 50's, and an other 5 by a later group. This is before Indus started building them as LSA's.
I think KSCessnadriver is confusing them with the Thorp T18 which is a home built that is a fast little airplane with a small wing. Tom

CharlieTango · Post by **CharlieTango** » Tue May 25, 2010 9:53 am

http://www.pilotmix.com/index.php?pgid= ... axInfo=140

Thorpedo LSA

KSCessnaDriver · Post by **KSCessnaDriver** » Tue May 25, 2010 10:59 am

3Dreaming wrote:I think KSCessnadriver is confusing them with the Thorp T18 which is a home built that is a fast little airplane with a small wing. Tom

Nope, go to http://www.indusav.com. Compare the T211 LSA to the T211 Certified. According to their website, one (The LSA) has a 26 ft wingspan, while the non-LSA only has a 25 ft wingspan. The LSA has a published stall speed as 47mph dirty and 52mph clean, whereas the non-LSA has stall speeds of 52mph dirty and 60mph clean.

But no way a T18 is going to be a LSA either.