L to R: IndUS Engineer Rahul Rajvanshi, FAA MIDO Manager Vaughn Schmitt, IndUS Owner Ram Pattisapu, IndUS Director of Sales Scott Severen and FAA Inspector Richard Murdock.
IndUS Aviation, based in Dallas, recently became the first manufacturer in the United States to acquire a special light sport aircraft airworthiness certificate under the ASTM Consensus Standards. Inspector Rick Murdock of the FAA Southwest Region’s Fort Worth Manufacturing Inspection District Office issued the certificate on June 8.
IndUS Aviation registered their Jabiru 3300-powered Thorpedo model as N211LS (for “T211 Light Sport”).
“This is a great accomplishment for IndUS Aviation,” said MIDO Manager Vaughn Schmitt. “We’re proud to partner with IndUS in issuing the airworthiness certificate for the first light sport aircraft produced in the U.S.”
IndUS draws attention to its U.S. operation motto, “Designed in America and Manufactured in America.” Scott Severen, IndUS director of marketing and sales, says it took plenty of teamwork at IndUS and a collaborative partnership with the Fort Worth MIDO to achieve early certification as an SLSA.
The FAA has been exemplary in their support and assistance. This would not have occurred without the vision of Ram Pattisapu, owner of IndUS Aviation. And engineer Rahul Rajvanshi really earned his keep,” said Severen.
“The Thorp T211 was designed by John Thorp and originally certified as the T11 in the mid-1940s. Thorp’s designs include the Piper Cherokee, P2V Navy Bomber and the T18, the first homebuilt to fly around the world.
IndUS has taken the original airframe design and updated the powerplant to a lighter, more powerful 6-cylinder engine, and upgraded the instrumentation. The result is a significantly lighter empty weight that delivers much improved performance.
While IndUS has a backlog of sales orders, they state they also have excellent production capacity.
“There are still late summer delivery positions available,” said Severen.
Expect to see the Thorpedo followed up by the T11 Sky Skooter model, which is powered by the 85-hp Jabiru 4-cylinder engine.
“It’s coming soon!” said Severen.
For further information, call 214-337-6387, email sales@indusav.com or visit [http://www.indusav.com].