News from Terrafugia Inc | Aviators Hotline

Thank you for your continued interest in Terrafugia. This fall has flown by as the two production prototypes have begun their testing programs and Terrafugia has continued to grow as we lay the ground work for production to begin next year.

For more frequent updates:

As always we welcome inquiries at info@terrafugia.com or sales@terrafugia.com.

Happy Holidays,
- The Terrafugia Team

Cliff Allen Joins Terrafugia as VP of Sales

Cliff Allen Head Shot

Terrafugia is pleased to welcome Cliff Allen, a life-long self described "aviation nut" with a depth of experience in consumer products, to the team as VP of Sales. Cliff has been intimately involved with general aviation since earning his Private Pilot's Certificate in 1980, using GA as a business tool during his work at both PepsiCo in Utah and Crane & Co. in Massachusetts as well as developing and providing transition training for the New England dealers for Aviat Husky and Jabiru Light Sport Aircraft. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate and is a Certified Flight Instructor (among other ratings) and is a member of AOPA, EAA/EAA Chapter 106, NAFI, SAFE, and the Boston Region FAASTeam for aviation safety. Cliff also owns a 1949 Piper Clipper, an airplane he is currently restoring in his hangar at the Lawrence, MA (LWM) airport. Cliff will be an instrumental part of the Terrafugia team as we continue to grow and move ever closer to the start of production and customer deliveries.

Two great presentations to watch:

Terrafugia COO Anna Mracek Dietrich spoke about the company and the Transition® at the TEDGlobal conference in Scotland this summer. Her 9 minute talk is now live online:

Anna Mracek Dietrich: A plane you can drive

Terrafugia CEO/CTO Carl Dietrich spoke at the THiNK Conference in Goa, India in November. His talk on how and why the company got started is online here:

Carl Dietrich at THiNK 2011

Testing Update

The two Transition® production prototypes have been undergoing a variety of both powered and static tests since AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI this past summer. Our development team recently completed static testing on the horizontal stabilator, used to control the aircraft in pitch, as prescribed by the ASTM Standards for Light Sport Aircraft. The 9 pound carbon composite surface (shown at left below) held the required 970 lbs. The hardest part of the test was figuring out how to get all the weight on to the surface! The folding wings for the aircraft have also passed their initial load testing (shown below with sandbags) and powered testing -- including drive testing -- is also underway and progressing well.