Case Study: Terrafugia, Inc. achieves the first practical roadable aircraft with SolidWorks

Designing an Airplane That Can Drive Down the Road With SolidWorks Software

Terrafugia, Inc. is an MIT‑founded startup developing the Transition® roadable aircraft — a vehicle that must meet both FAA and NHTSA requirements and be light enough to fly yet strong enough to pass crash tests. To tackle the mechanical, large‑assembly and complex surfacing challenges, Terrafugia adopted SolidWorks, purchasing five licenses of SolidWorks Professional and one license of SolidWorks Premium as its core CAD platform.

Using SolidWorks design, SolidWorks Simulation and SolidWorks Routing, Terrafugia automated wiring, fluid and control routing, optimized structures for weight and strength, and iterated assemblies rapidly. SolidWorks helped accelerate the development cycle, save time by eliminating manual routing, minimize weight while maintaining structural integrity, and ultimately enabled Terrafugia to innovate the first practical, integrated, street‑approved roadable aircraft.

Terrafugia, Inc

Gregor Cadman

Engineer