Dallas-IndUS-IPI Getting Ready To Ramp Up Production
Dallas-based IndUS Aviation, along with its Chinese partner IPI
Technologies and private investors in China, are progressing
towards the move of production of the Thorpedo Light Sport Aircraft
to the new LuYangHu General Aviation Development Zone in Weinan,
China.
Thorpedo File Photo
"I just returned from China this week. While there, we continued
the development plans to begin building aircraft in Weinan, Shaanxi
Province, China later this year," said Dr. Ram Pattisapu. "These
facilities are being designed to enable us to build large numbers
of aircraft, anticipating 100 units per year capacity within 18
months or so. It was great to see the ground at the new site."
IndUS and IPI hope to have production on line by end of 2011,
and increase steadily throughout 2012 to maximum capacity.
Hayden Malone, president of Sterling Flight Training of
Jacksonville, Florida, and IndUS have begun discussions to open
flight training institutions in different locations in China. With
IndUS' production of aircraft in China, and flight training
avenues, the plan is to deliver some of the produced aircraft in
China to these training institutions, while concurrently exporting
aircraft to the US and other locations around the world.
The unprecedented partnership puts IndUS in a unique
collaboration with the Chinese government and private industry in
central China. They expect to begin building aircraft this
year.
This business arrangement binds IndUS with Mr. Ning An,
president of China's IPI Information Technology and Dr. Yuanyang
Gao, representing the Chinese city of Weinan. The partners will now
operate a newly created company presently called 'IndUS-IPI'.
China's less expensive labor force, plus that nation's burgeoning
interest in all things aviation, has attracted interest for
aviation and aerospace companies. Other manufactures, including
Boeing, Diamond Aircraft, Airbus, and recently, Teledyne
Technologies, Inc. have established business operations there.
Thorpedo File Photo
A reciprocal agreement involves equity positions between IndUS
and IPI, with support of Weinan government. This unique
collaboration between private industry in the US and China was made
possible through the sponsorship of the Weinan City government.
IndUS Aviation joins Cessna Aircraft as the only two American
aviation companies building light sport aircraft in China, however
with a different and unique business model. "We will focus on
building primary entry level aircraft in large numbers to meet the
expected demand for such aircraft in India and China. With our new
Chinese partners, we will develop the LSA market in Asia, and
continue to oversee final assembly of Thorpedos in Dallas to
support sales in North America", Pattisapu said. Under the new
agreement, IndUS will be responsible for all research and
development, modifications and technical updates in the USA, with
requisite FAA and international aviation agency approvals.