PRESS RELEASE – 02/11/2022
SKYFLY TECHNOLOGIES LTD – skyfly.aero
Contact information:
Adam Landau – Head of Communications
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Skyfly partners with world leading Porsche specialist
- Richard Tuthill, owner of road, rally and race car manufacturer Tuthill Porsche, has joined the Skyfly team
- The partnership looks to strengthen Skyfly’s affinity with high-end automotive production methods and light-weight engineering practices
- Richard Tuthill brings a wealth of production and engineering experience to Skyfly as well as a broad network of clients and suppliers
- Tuthill Porsche have a track record transforming cars from shells into bespoke high-performance, fully spec’d rally and race cars in a matter of days
- Richard Tuthill is a private pilot with a keen interest in personal air transport
- The Axe by Skyfly is a personal two-seat electric VCA (Vertically-Capable Aircraft) aircraft due to enter production in 2024
“When I met up with Richard for the first time and showed him the design and introduced him to the team, it was obvious that this collaboration was going to work. Richard had an instant understanding and appreciation of our aircrafts approach and design. His attitude fits in perfectly to form the ultimate team to build and deliver this aircraft. The Axe shares an affinity with high performance cars, from the composite structures through to the engineering practices. Our partnership with Richard Tuthill and the Tuthill Porsche brand strengthens this affiliation.”
– Michael Thompson, CEO Skyfly
With over 40 years’ experience building and restoring bespoke Porsche for customers around the world, Tuthill Porsche is synonymous with the world’s most successful Porsche rally and race cars. They are perhaps best-known for their Safari 911s and, more recently, their Porsche 911K, a spin off of the iconic 911 which Tuthill Porsche re-engineered to achieve a wet weight of just 850kg. Tuthill Porsche are well known for their limited-edition off-road Porsche developed in collaboration with Singer.
“Richard is the perfect addition to complement Skyfly’s aeronautical engineering team. He enjoys challenges and is an outstanding engineer who sees solutions rather than problems. He has perfected delivering a complex product over decades and brings a world of experience and networks to Skyfly. Above all, he has the same drive we have to make things happen and deliver the unique, must-have luxury item of this decade. Richard shares our vision for an affordable, quiet and usable private VCAs which will transform people’s lives, drastically reducing journey times and create more time to live.”
– Jaap Rademaker, CCO Skyfly
Richard’s production facility in Oxfordshire is one to be admired, transforming cars from bare shells to fully spec’d race or rally 911s in as little as seven days. Richard will bring his engineering knowledge and passion for attention to detail which has enabled him to consistently deliver customers with a high quality product and high quality experience.
“My background in motorsport is all about reliability and consistency. I have an amazing network of clients, suppliers and friends on all continents and hope to enable the Skyfly team to reach all of them. My passion for low cost personal air transport has been a constant passion and something I have been waiting to find an opportunity to be involved in. My manufacturing and engineering background will add real value to an already extraordinary team.”
– Richard Tuthill
Richard has been on the look out for an aircraft that can offer the flexibility and versatility of a helicopter, with the safety and redundancy of a plane. When he first saw the Axe by Skyfly, he was instantly hooked on the design, approach to certification and the market which enables private owners to operate their aircraft from their private property in a much more cost effective manner than a helicopter.
“Simplicity is the key to most things in life and the Axe was born from this philosophy. I’m not aware of anything like it currently in development. The engineers have seen a number of things which others have not. It gives Skyfly the unique opportunity to bring it to market cost effectively and in a short time frame that I don’t believe others can offer. I can’t wait to own one.”
– Richard Tuthill
To find out more about the Axe visit www.skyfly.aero
To watch a video of our prototype flying, visit our YouTube channel.
The Axe VCA by Skyfly
You have arrived. Faster, cleaner, safer, smarter.