Thorp Air Command - T18.net

Today at the airport we were shakin Deans plane down, he had put the new gear on and all was well. He will probably be signed off next week for his tail wheel endorsement ,so we were tuning and tweaking and making adjustments.We had taken it out away from the Hangers to do a runup and everything was just as it should be on the engine Monitors and such so,we decided to commit some Aviation(Dean said it was my call and I couldn't help myself). Cubes,you are absolutely correct, this 830# T-18 is very docile and it moves like a cat! It is docile in the pattern and over the numbers, it just tippy toes onto the tarmack,runs a good straight line doesn't squirrel around at all and we had a perty good crosswind. My airplane out weighs Deans by 50lbs, you might not think it would but that 50 Ibs makes a difference. Steve Hawley always told me" Build it light Dan,build it light", and I now know what Steve and you also Cubes were talkin about, Deans Plane will change direction fast enough to make your eyebrows sag........But then,it's a Thorp............Dan

Totally agree Dan! Eric Smithenry's airplane weighs in at 813, the most docile sweet natured airplane short of a cub!

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Lee Walton
Houston, TX
N51863,N118LW
KEFD

What engine is in Dean's plane. That is very light. I thought mine was light at 915# MTY. Though I have an O-360....

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Dave M
Sacramento
ex-T-18 owner

He has the 0-290 Dave, he has no shortage of power , just a shortage of weight and fuel burn. Iras bird will cruise at 165, that's MPH, sipping 5 GPH. We haven't accurately checked Deans as we have Iras, but I would just imagine that it will be as good. That low fuel burn is worth somting today, especially with that good cruise speed. But then,it's a Thorp, what can I say. Dan